The Olshey Era

[SlyPokerDog]

This is what he started with:



This is what we have now:



Better? Worse? Same?

 

[BlazerBeav]

Better, but not good enough.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

Look at team success. No better

 

[B-Roy]

He went from mediocre to good. The challenge is always going from good to great. He's failed at that.

 

[wizenheimer]

that Aldridge team won 54 games in Olshey's 2nd season. The Blazers haven't matched that record in the 7 seasons since. IMO, that 54 win team would have beat this year's team in the first round

 

[MickZagger]

Do you guys remember Trader Bob?

He was a really smart guy. He realized that in a market like Portland you gotta swing for the fences and gamble. He had us closer than we’ve been in years to a Finals appearance. Which we would’ve without a doubt won.

I could’ve gone to without a few of the trades and signings (Patterson and Kemp).

But you gotta be a little ballsy. Worst move by Olshey was signing CJ to the deal that he did.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Worst move by Olshey was signing CJ to the deal that he did.

Getting nothing for LMA.

 

[B-Roy]

But you gotta be a little ballsy. Worst move by Olshey was signing CJ to the deal that he did.

I dunno, I think summer of 16 still takes the cake don't you? Teams with all-star level players usually have one chance to add a huge free agent - when their star is in the last year of their rookie deal. Our free agent was Evan Turner. Not to mention the other 150 million he handed out that off season...

 

[MickZagger]

Getting nothing for LMA.

Yes, true.

When the writing was on the wall pretty much

 

[wizenheimer]

I didn't see this thread and this post seems more appropriate here:

WC standings in 2016:



and in 2018:



think about that...in just 3 years, Utah, Denver, Dallas, and Phoenix have lapped the Blazers and are now better teams. Portland was better than the Clippers and Lakers 3 years ago as well

how can anybody look at that and still support keeping the architect of this team? Olshey must go

 

[MickZagger]

I dunno, I think summer of 16 still takes the cake don't you? Teams with all-star level players usually have one chance to add a huge free agent - when their star is in the last year of their rookie deal. Our free agent was Evan Turner. Not to mention the other 150 million he handed out that off season...

Haha yeah. Leonard and Crabbe contracts were just plain ridiculous. Neither had even proven that they were regular rotation guys and without a doubt they wouldn’t have got that kind of money elsewhere.

 

[B-Roy]

Getting nothing for LMA.

This is bad, but at least somewhat understandable because the team fell apart after the trade deadline, and it was something that was out of his control. Up till then the team was legitimately looking like it could contend.

 

[MickZagger]

I remember watching the Pelicans series in Mexico at the bar with my dad. Every game we watched. He’s not an avid Blazer fan like myself but he knows sports really well in general. He catches some games during regular season.

He told me Stotts was a trash coach. They played piss poor defense. I disagreed at the time.

He still texts me sometimes to ask if I think Stotts is a good coach just to bust my balls

No dad, Stotts is trash

 

[wizenheimer]

I dunno, I think summer of 16 still takes the cake don't you? Teams with all-star level players usually have one chance to add a huge free agent - when their star is in the last year of their rookie deal. Our free agent was Evan Turner. Not to mention the other 150 million he handed out that off season...

it was even worse

between CJ, Turner, Crabbe, Harkless, Meyers, & Ezeli, Olshey handed out 340M in contracts that summer and not one fucking all-star in sight

 

[illmatic99]

my biggest gripes with neil are:

1. 2017 draft
2. keeping stotts this long

 

[EGame]

A lot of valid points have been made on the bad Olshey has done, but to me the biggest offense will always be the fact he kept Stotts for as long he has. I don't know a team that would keep their head coach for consistently getting damn near beat down in almost every first round of the playoffs and still think he can lead this team. We had one good run and that was mainly because of Dame, nothing really Stotts did. If you are going to be a bitch and keep players that just don't make sense on this team (like CJ) then at least fucking get a new coach a lot sooner to see if they can do anything with the roster.

 

[B-Roy]

my biggest gripes with neil are:

1. 2017 draft
2. keeping stotts this long

You're okay with summer of 16? That shit would have gotten almost any other GM canned.

 

[Strenuus]

Haha yeah. Leonard and Crabbe contracts were just plain ridiculous. Neither had even proven that they were regular rotation guys and without a doubt they wouldn’t have got that kind of money elsewhere.

I will always remember when Crabbe said he was shocked as hell they even offered that.

I think Turner said it too lol.

 

[calvin natt]

I didn't see this thread and this post seems more appropriate here:

WC standings in 2016:

View attachment 38878

and in 2018:

View attachment 38879

think about that...in just 3 years, Utah, Denver, Dallas, and Phoenix have lapped the Blazers and are now better teams. Portland was better than the Clippers and Lakers 3 years ago as well

how can anybody look at that and still support keeping the architect of this team? Olshey must go

I’m admittedly a little bias but I would give Neil a shot to hire a new coaching staff (or keep one or two guys I don’t know), and run the draft. I know that will make you and others cringe. But I still think the roster has plenty of talent to win a first round series ffs. New system, new coach, CJ gone, Nurk gone, some studs in and things can change quickly. If it doesn’t then let Neil go.

 

[illmatic99]

You're okay with summer of 16? That shit would have gotten almost any other GM canned.

we all know he isn't the brightest guy in FA, but we got out of most of that unscathed. what was the opportunity cost here with giving up all that money?

 

[Strenuus]

I’m admittedly a little bias but I would give Neil a shot to hire a new coaching staff (or keep one or two guys I don’t know), and run the draft. I know that will make you and others cringe. But I still think the roster has plenty of talent to win a first round series ffs. New system, new coach, CJ gone, Nurk gone, some studs in and things can change quickly. If it doesn’t then let Neil go.

Dude. Its not about getting out of the first round. Lol.

 

[B-Roy]

it was even worse

between CJ, Turner, Crabbe, Harkless, Meyers, & Ezeli, Olshey handed out 340M in contracts that summer and not one fucking all-star in sight

Forgot CJ and Ezeli, but the CJ contract I think was fine. He was young and had potential. Plus he was coming off an MIP. If he had some foresight to move that potential for some proven star talent we may not be in this current position.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I’m admittedly a little bias but I would give Neil a shot to hire a new coaching staff (or keep one or two guys I don’t know), and run the draft. I know that will make you and others cringe. But I still think the roster has plenty of talent to win a first round series ffs. New system, new coach, CJ gone, Nurk gone, some studs in and things can change quickly. If it doesn’t then let Neil go.

I firmly believe Olshey will hire someone who says they can make CJ a better player. You give Olshey a chance not to trade CJ and he won't.

 

[EGame]

I’m admittedly a little bias but I would give Neil a shot to hire a new coaching staff (or keep one or two guys I don’t know), and run the draft. I know that will make you and others cringe. But I still think the roster has plenty of talent to win a first round series ffs. New system, new coach, CJ gone, Nurk gone, some studs in and things can change quickly. If it doesn’t then let Neil go.

The goal isn't to win a first round series, it is to compete for a championship. Olshey should have done this a lot sooner with regards to a coaching staff change. The fact he hasn't means he can fuck off with Stotts this off season

 

[B-Roy]

we all know he isn't the brightest guy in FA, but we got out of most of that unscathed. what was the opportunity cost here with giving up all that money?

How can you say that when there's still dead salary on the books through 2024 (!!!!) because of those moves?

 

[calvin natt]

Dude. Its not about getting out of the first round. Lol.

That’s why I said “for fucks sake”. As in, at a minimum they shouldn’t be done now. Yeah. Everyone wants a championship guy

 

[calvin natt]

I firmly believe Olshey will hire someone who says they can make CJ a better player. You give Olshey a chance not to trade CJ and he won't.

I don’t agree. I can see why you’d think that but I don’t. So there.

 

[illmatic99]

How can you say that when there's still dead salary on the books through 2024 (!!!!) because of those moves?

what was the opportunity cost?

not saying it wasn't bad, but i felt the mistakes in the 17 draft were far worse

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I don’t agree. I can see why you’d think that but I don’t. So there.

That's cool.

We'll see what happens.

New GM, new coach, CJ traded

vs

New coach.

 

[Strenuus]

That’s why I said “for fucks sake”. As in, at a minimum they shouldn’t be done now. Yeah. Everyone wants a championship guy

Ah. I misinterpreted. My apologies.