The "Making Playoffs Means Mediocrity" Myth

[BlazerWookee]

Have you looked at Hibberts stats lately? He used Portland to leverage a deal he isn't close to living up to. We actually dodged a bullet on that one!

Hindsight. If we hadn't offered Hibbert that contract, someone else would have. Plus, I firmly believe that if he was playing alongside LaMarcus and Damien, he'd be putting up much better numbers.

 

[RoyToy]

So happy the Pacers matched.

At no point did I ever think he was worth the money.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Apparently you didn't read the full article. Thorpe said this at the end of the article: "But it's clear he has a chance to get to the level of Rose, Westbrook or Irving, which is saying a lot."

Chance by definition means not a sure thing

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Chance by definition means not a sure thing

The draft is no sure thing either. ASk Greg oden.

 

[Mediocre Man]

The draft is no sure thing either. ASk Greg oden.

There are no sure things. Chances are better with some things though

 

[Run BJM]

You have a few more months to see if the Lakers turn it around, Mavs get better if/when Dirk gets back, how the T'Wolves do with Love/Rubio extensively, and monitor the Nuggets/Rockets/Jazz. Just looking at how many teams are in the mix for that last spot, your odds don't look good.

Seems fruitless to attempt to sneak into the 8th seed when you could sit Aldridge down the stretch (hes injured right) and tank to a top 10 pick. Then you've got a cheap asset you can couple with your cap room to get an impact player, or just add it to a couple solid FA pickups.

 

[Pinwheel1]

You have a few more months to see if the Lakers turn it around, Mavs get better if/when Dirk gets back, how the T'Wolves do with Love/Rubio extensively, and monitor the Nuggets/Rockets/Jazz. Just looking at how many teams are in the mix for that last spot, your odds don't look good.

Seems fruitless to attempt to sneak into the 8th seed when you could sit Aldridge down the stretch (hes injured right) and tank to a top 10 pick. Then you've got a cheap asset you can couple with your cap room to get an impact player, or just add it to a couple solid FA pickups.

Well I do agree that the 8th spot looks bleak. I agree the Lakers will get one and so will Denver. The Nuggets have played very few games at home so far so they will make up some games. And as you have said Dallas will come on.

Houston will drop out. Without adding another player we are looking at 10-12. Is there much of a difference in talent this year in the draft between #10 and #15? There wasn't last year. So I am not sure it makes a difference if we make it or not in terms of "assets".

 

[Mediocre Man]

Well I do agree that the 8th spot looks bleak. I agree the Lakers will get one and so will Denver. The Nuggets have played very few games at home so far so they will make up some games. And as you have said Dallas will come on.

Houston will drop out. Without adding another player we are looking at 10-12. Is there much of a difference in talent this year in the draft between #10 and #15? There wasn't last year. So I am not sure it makes a difference if we make it or not in terms of "assets".

I think the Mavs get one too when Dirk is back

10-12 equals same talent for the Blazers

13-15 equals same talent for the Bobcats

 

[Pinwheel1]

I think the Mavs get one too when Dirk is back

10-12 equals same talent for the Blazers

13-15 equals same talent for the Bobcats

Yeah I keep forgetting that. So 13 for sure goes to Charlotte, or does it start at 14?

 

[magnifier661]

I think the Mavs get one too when Dirk is back

10-12 equals same talent for the Blazers

13-15 equals same talent for the Bobcats

Does a 10-12 give as much talent as the free agent we could get proving we could make the playoffs? Because if we make the playoffs, we have a better chance of landing vets.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Does a 10-12 give as much talent as the free agent we could get proving we could make the playoffs? Because if we make the playoffs, we have a better chance of landing vets.

Absolutely false. Portland is a small market, and players and agents know we are rebuilding. Money will make players come here. Hibbert signed an offer sheet last season, for example. Did we even have a coach at the time?

 

[magnifier661]

Absolutely false. Portland is a small market, and players and agents know we are rebuilding. Money will make players come here. Hibbert signed an offer sheet last season, for example. Did we even have a coach at the time?

Okay so will a vet player sign for max mle, if every other offer around is around the same asking price?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Okay so will a vet player sign for max mle, if every other offer around is around the same asking price?

Maybe a RFA in order to "get paid" by their current team, but no UFA worth max money will sign here regardless

 

[magnifier661]

Maybe a RFA in order to "get paid" by their current team, but no UFA worth max money will sign here regardless

We signed Andre miller as an unrestricted. We also got Crawford for much less than sac offered.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Is Pekovic in Minny a max contract player? Or even a 11-12 million/yr player?

I think Blazers could lure him over here

 

[Mediocre Man]

We signed Andre miller as an unrestricted. We also got Crawford for much less than sac offered.

I thought we were talking about max guys

 

[Mediocre Man]

Is Pekovic in Minny a max contract player? Or even a 11-12 million/yr player?

I think Blazers could lure him over here

I think he is close to it. Not worth it, but will get it. Is that a position we need to go after in your opinion?

I'd realistically like to see the Blazers target a real back up PG, a 2-3 wing, and a couple of defensive specialists

My realistic wish list

Billups, Devin Harris or someone like that
Evans
Re-sign Hickson and Babbitt
Draft Poythress, Porter or Gobert

Lillard/Billups
Evans/Matthews/Barton
Batum/Porter/Claver
Aldridge/Babbitt/Freeland
Hickson/Leonard

I would make several more moves, but that off season gets us going in the right direction anyway

 

[magnifier661]

I thought we were talking about max guys

No I am talking about "Max MLE guys". I just don't think a "Max guy" will even come here, so why stress on freeing up "Max Money" for this type of player? A Max MLE guy (Vet preferably" could be the missing piece for this ball club. We need some leadership coming off the bench; and hopefully it's a player that can score.

But if I could just choose on a specific type of player; I am hoping for a combo guard that can play defense and hit the occasional shot. If there is anything else; then a good wing player that is capable of posting up.

 

[RR7]

I think he is close to it. Not worth it, but will get it. Is that a position we need to go after in your opinion?

I'd realistically like to see the Blazers target a real back up PG, a 2-3 wing, and a couple of defensive specialists

My realistic wish list

Billups, Devin Harris or someone like that
Evans
Re-sign Hickson and Babbitt
Draft Poythress, Porter or Gobert

Lillard/Billups
Evans/Matthews/Barton
Batum/Porter/Claver
Aldridge/Babbitt/Freeland
Hickson/Leonard

I would make several more moves, but that off season gets us going in the right direction anyway

I think if you're re-signing Hickson and Baabbitt, you're not getting hardly anyone else. Hickson's cap jhold will be close to 8, I believe, Babbitt's will eat up another big chunk of our space. Evans would likely take 8 or so a year, so he's out. Most any worthwhile additions are out while retaining those two. It' why I've mentioned previously, I think we need to try to trade for a target this season, which would eat up our cap space, and then use the MLE for the other. I don't think we'd be able to land Evans in trade, with the space we'd have available, or with a MLE.

 

[KingSpeed]

Mo Evans?

 

[KingSpeed]

You have a few more months to see if the Lakers turn it around, Mavs get better if/when Dirk gets back, how the T'Wolves do with Love/Rubio extensively, and monitor the Nuggets/Rockets/Jazz. Just looking at how many teams are in the mix for that last spot, your odds don't look good.

Seems fruitless to attempt to sneak into the 8th seed when you could sit Aldridge down the stretch (hes injured right) and tank to a top 10 pick. Then you've got a cheap asset you can couple with your cap room to get an impact player, or just add it to a couple solid FA pickups.

Why are you only talking about the 8th spot when the 6th spot is for the taking? Maybe even the 5th spot if GS comes down to earth?

We're a game behind the 6th spot right now.

 

[RR7]

I didn't want to create a brand new thread for this thought, but this thread seemed like the closest thing to it.

Was thinking about how being in tight games, getting big, clutch shots, and winning tight games is so much better, IMO for Lillard's development than him being allowed to maybe score 25 a night but losing by 15 a night by having been tanking and lost Aldridge.
Instilling a winning mentality, and having him learn about close games is, again, in my opinion, better overall for our future than maybe the difference of 4 or 5 slots in the draft. I think we have a legit shot at him being a real star in the league, and as he goes and develops, so will our team. In that regards, him learning in games like last night is crucial to his development.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Was thinking about how being in tight games, getting big, clutch shots, and winning tight games is so much better, IMO for Lillard's development than him being allowed to maybe score 25 a night but losing by 15 a night by having been tanking and lost Aldridge.
Instilling a winning mentality, and having him learn about close games is, again, in my opinion, better overall for our future than maybe the difference of 4 or 5 slots in the draft. I think we have a legit shot at him being a real star in the league, and as he goes and develops, so will our team. In that regards, him learning in games like last night is crucial to his development.

I don't think I could possibly agree with this more. I love the fact that Lillard is getting opportunities to step up in crucial spots in games that are (for the moment) actually relevant. This is all the more reason for our FO to consider picking up a veteran guard to shore-up our bench corps.

In the "satisfied with Stotts" thread, RoyToy stated that he believed that our record is where it should be given the caliber of our starters. Although that might be a bit of a stretch, that line of thinking suggests that a decent bench could actually make us a legit playoff threat. I tend to echo those thoughts, and would love to see it happen.