The Case for Standing Pat

[e_blazer]

Mike Tokito makes the case for the Blazers standing pat in an article in Forbes. Not sure I buy it completely, but he makes some good points.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/miketok...for-trail-blazers-in-off-season-standing-pat/

 

[hoopsjock]

Mike Tokito makes the case for the Blazers standing pat in an article in Forbes. Not sure I buy it completely, but he makes some good points.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/miketok...for-trail-blazers-in-off-season-standing-pat/

I read it, I'm still trying to find these "good points" you say he makes.

To me, losing 3 big rotation players off our playoff roster and replacing them with our draft pick and two minimum signings isn't standing pat. It would make more sense if we found a way to keep one or two of Kanter, Hood, or Curry.

 

[e_blazer]

I read it, I'm still trying to find these "good points" you say he makes.

To me, losing 3 big rotation players off our playoff roster and replacing them with our draft pick and two minimum signings isn't standing pat. It would make more sense if we found a way to keep one or two of Kanter, Hood, or Curry.

The point that I give him credit for is that the Blazers coming up short against the Warriors has to be considered in light of the injuries to Nurk, Kanter, Dame and others. There’s room for improvement just from health and internal development. But I agree, I don’t think that is enough. Re-signing Hood and Kanter would make me a lot more inclined to buy the thought that the Blazers can compete at the highest levels without needing a major trade.

 

[SwissBlazer]

Thought Standing Pat was the new nickname for Pat Connaughton

 

[BonesJones]

The point that I give him credit for is that the Blazers coming up short against the Warriors has to be considered in light of the injuries to Nurk, Kanter, Dame and others. There’s room for improvement just from health and internal development. But I agree, I don’t think that is enough. Re-signing Hood and Kanter would make me a lot more inclined to buy the thought that the Blazers can compete at the highest levels without needing a major trade.

Injuries are part of the game. Even if we were fully healthy with all 3 guys, were not a true contender. We'll mever be a true comtender with Harkless and Aminu as our forwards. We need an Otto Porter Jr.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Mike Tokito makes the case for the Blazers standing pat in an article in Forbes. Not sure I buy it completely, but he makes some good points.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/miketok...for-trail-blazers-in-off-season-standing-pat/

Really interesting.

Apparently, "Mike Tokito" is one of the aliases for Neil Olshey, who's trying to get us ready to be shut out of trades and free agency....

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

The point that I give him credit for is that the Blazers coming up short against the Warriors has to be considered in light of the injuries to Nurk, Kanter, Dame and others. There’s room for improvement just from health and internal development. But I agree, I don’t think that is enough. Re-signing Hood and Kanter would make me a lot more inclined to buy the thought that the Blazers can compete at the highest levels without needing a major trade.

I love what Nurkic does for the Blazers but I dont think he alone is the key to a championship. Maybe its ok to “stand pat” if GS is beat up or they break up, but if they have to beat GS to get to a championship, I am completely against standing pat, because injuries or not Portland looked pretty broken mentally, and I think thats much harder to get right then recovering from an injury.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Figgggety fuck that.

 

[e_blazer]

I love what Nurkic does for the Blazers but I dont think he alone is the key to a championship. Maybe its ok to “stand pat” if GS is beat up or they break up, but if they have to beat GS to get to a championship, I am completely against standing pat, because injuries or not Portland looked pretty broken mentally, and I think thats much harder to get right then recovering from an injury.

I don’t think that we on the outside can know much about the mental state of the Blazers. We thought they looked broken last year after being swept by the Pelicans. Instead, it lit their fire. I think this year, playing in the WCF against the Warriors was another eye opener regarding the sheer effort it takes to win at that level. I expect more growth next season. That said, I would feel much more excited if Olshey can resign Hood and/or Kanter, and even more enthused if he could bring in Porter Jr.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I don’t think that we on the outside can know much about the mental state of the Blazers. We thought they looked broken last year after being swept by the Pelicans. Instead, it lit their fire. I think this year, playing in the WCF against the Warriors was another eye opener regarding the sheer effort it takes to win at that level. I expect more growth next season. That said, I would feel much more excited if Olshey can resign Hood and/or Kanter, and even more enthused if he could bring in Porter Jr.

But look at how they acted last year, you could tell they were pissed off at how things transpired. This year they acted like getting swept was a major accomplishment...

I mean to me you could tell right away that the Pelican series bothered them, this year its well we made it to the wcf so thats cool.

The mental part to me is literally just GS, the way GS made it look so easy to comeback on them and the way Portland seemed to fall apart that stuff scares me.

 

[e_blazer]

But look at how they acted last year, you could tell they were pissed off at how things transpired. This year they acted like getting swept was a major accomplishment...

I mean to me you could tell right away that the Pelican series bothered them, this year its well we made it to the wcf so thats cool.

The mental part to me is literally just GS, the way GS made it look so easy to comeback on them and the way Portland seemed to fall apart that stuff scares me.

It’s pretty much the standard progression that younger teams have to lose before they ultimately win. The Blazers didn’t have the Warriors’ mental toughness and let them come back and win 3 times when the Blazers should have won. Next year, if the Blazers have championship DNA, that shouldn’t happen. The injury to Dame, I think was critical. The team relies on him at the end of games and he just couldn’t make it happen.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

It’s pretty much the standard progression that younger teams have to lose before they ultimately win. The Blazers didn’t have the Warriors’ mental toughness and let them come back and win 3 times when the Blazers should have won. Next year, if the Blazers have championship DNA, that shouldn’t happen. The injury to Dame, I think was critical. The team relies on him at the end of games and he just couldn’t make it happen.

Fair enough, I hope you’re right but my confidence in them beating the warriors in the playoffs is not very high. That said I think they could give any body else a series.

 

[Labinot41]

Lets be honest, Lillard was average at best against Denver and even in game 1 against GSW (without the injury) he still was just average while Curry dominated him. It is nothing new that Lillard struggles in the Playoffs against good Defenders

 

[riverman]

Chief is from Atlanta and has strong connections to Africa and the new up coming African league..I can see his agent getting him a gig with a salary bump on the east coast. He spends a lot of his off seasons in Atlanta and Africa

 

[BlazerWookee]

Thought Standing Pat was the new nickname for Pat Connaughton

I hoped.

 

[Driew]

Lets be honest, Lillard was average at best against Denver and even in game 1 against GSW (without the injury) he still was just average while Curry dominated him. It is nothing new that Lillard struggles in the Playoffs against good Defenders

Dame would dominate Curry if he was on GS surrounded by 3 other all stars. Dame gets the entire attention of defenses in the playoffs and we have no one right now (other than CJ) that can make teams pay for that.

 

[BonesJones]

It’s pretty much the standard progression that younger teams have to lose before they ultimately win. The Blazers didn’t have the Warriors’ mental toughness and let them come back and win 3 times when the Blazers should have won. Next year, if the Blazers have championship DNA, that shouldn’t happen. The injury to Dame, I think was critical. The team relies on him at the end of games and he just couldn’t make it happen.

The ages of our starting lineup - 28, 27. 26, 28, 27. 27.2 average.

Our 5 most important bench players - 26, 28, 30, 21, 26. 26.2 average.

We're not young. Most of those guys had playoff experience.

 

[BonesJones]

Lets be honest, Lillard was average at best against Denver and even in game 1 against GSW (without the injury) he still was just average while Curry dominated him. It is nothing new that Lillard struggles in the Playoffs against good Defenders

Look at the way he's guarded. Steph didn't do shit against that same type of defense. People need to open their eyes.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Fuck that

 

[CupWizier]

Fair enough, I hope you’re right but my confidence in them beating the warriors in the playoffs is not very high. That said I think they could give any body else a series.

Warriors won't likely have Durant, Thompson and Cousins next year. That will be hard to replace.

 

[Cugel]

blaming injuries is part of it but a shitty excuse imho. losers always can blame injuries or refs or the weather or...
portland was not good enough. period.

 

[Mediocre Man]

blaming injuries is part of it but a shitty excuse imho. losers always can blame injuries or refs or the weather or...
portland was not good enough. period.

This

 

[e_blazer]

The ages of our starting lineup - 28, 27. 26, 28, 27. 27.2 average.

Our 5 most important bench players - 26, 28, 30, 21, 26. 26.2 average.

We're not young. Most of those guys had playoff experience.

No seasoned vets and nobody but Hood who’d ever played at a conference final level.

 

[CupWizier]

blaming injuries is part of it but a shitty excuse imho. losers always can blame injuries or refs or the weather or...
portland was not good enough. period.

I heard that spewed a lot after the playoffs the previous year against the Pels and look what the team accomplished this year.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Warriors won't likely have Durant, Thompson and Cousins next year. That will be hard to replace.

I understand and I did point out that GS could be hurt, or break up and they may not be an issue next year.

 

[Pinwheel1]

He does make a couple of good points....there is a strong possibility that we do not re-sign any of our FA's outside of the one we have bird rights for.
So we might be forced to stand pat except for a couple cheap vets and a rookie. I would not mind resigning Chief, I just don't want to see him starting anymore. And I do not want to give him a raise. So maybe we lose him too.

Collins of course is key. He has to spend hours in the gym every day shooting 3's. He is left open outside and he never hesitates to take them. He went from 31% to 33% and now he needs to make a bigger jump. I think he can do it. He is a bit streaky right now where some months he shoots 20% and other months he hits them at a 40 or even 50% rate.

But the biggest reason for standing pat is what we have all discussed last month and that is being in a position at the trade deadline to offer 41 million in expiring contracts to a team wanting to get out of a huge contract. I realize it would take some luck but how often are we in position to take advantage?

 

[STOMP]

The only constant in life is change. There is no standing pat.

STOMP

 

[Mediocre Man]

If you're not trying get better you're getting worse because everyone else is trying to get better

 

[hoopsjock]

He does make a couple of good points....there is a strong possibility that we do not re-sign any of our FA's outside of the one we have bird rights for.
So we might be forced to stand pat except for a couple cheap vets and a rookie. I would not mind resigning Chief, I just don't want to see him starting anymore. And I do not want to give him a raise. So maybe we lose him too.

Collins of course is key. He has to spend hours in the gym every day shooting 3's. He is left open outside and he never hesitates to take them. He went from 31% to 33% and now he needs to make a bigger jump. I think he can do it. He is a bit streaky right now where some months he shoots 20% and other months he hits them at a 40 or even 50% rate.

But the biggest reason for standing pat is what we have all discussed last month and that is being in a position at the trade deadline to offer 41 million in expiring contracts to a team wanting to get out of a huge contract. I realize it would take some luck but how often are we in position to take advantage?

I go back to my original point. Losing 3 key rotation players is NOT standing pat.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I go back to my original point. Losing 3 key rotation players is NOT standing pat.

We'll retain Hood, who will become a starter.