The Olshey Plan

[e_blazer]

Somehow I missed this when it came out last month, and maybe it's been discussed here and I've missed it, but it sounds like Olshey is committed to staying the course towards a starting lineup next season of Dame, CJ, Hood, Collins and Nurkic:

https://www.blazersedge.com/2019/12...-blazers-stay-disciplined-trade-market-rumors

The plan is to "stay disciplined" and only "opportunistic" moves to acquire a major upgrade will be considered as far as long term plans. He doesn't say that they won't make short term moves to upgrade the roster for this year. You have to wonder whether it's realistic to plan for Hood as a starter at SF next season, so you'd think that the team would be looking for some insurance at that spot.

I know a lot of you want to dump CJ, but it doesn't sound like that's in the cards unless something unexpected happens in the way of a trade opportunity. Let's say that Hood is healthy and the starting roster opening night is the five guys mentioned above, and let's say that the bench is bolstered considerably this summer. Is that a contending team?

 

[BonesJones]

Not making a move at the deadline would be a colossal mistake.

 

[e_blazer]

Not making a move at the deadline would be a colossal mistake.

It doesn't say that he won't make a move at the deadline, just that he's not looking to do something that would change the starting lineup next fall.

 

[oldmangrouch]

At this point, there is reason to question whether Nurk and Hood are too injury prone. There is also reason to wonder just how good Collins can really be.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

I wish Hood could be a quality starter again. My fear is that that player is gone for good and he’ll never be the player he once was before.

Damn shame, too. He was really coming around and settling well into his role here.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

I believe that the lineup of Dame/CJ/Hood/Collins/Nurk would probably be the best lineup that the Blazers could hope for as it stands now moving forward.

The question of Hood and Nurk's injury issues are valid concerns but the Blazers are really not in a position to completely blow up the roster, so they have to run with the horses they have.

Whiteside is the only valuable piece of trade bait they have. I say that being a long-proponant of trading CJ, because I believe that he and Dame playing together is a defensive liability and the Blazers have a hard ceiling with that backcourt. Howeve, I know that Olshey will NEVER EVER trade CJ, and I believe that's a combination of Olshey not wanting to part with his talented guard, and Lillard enjoying playing with him. Dame, as the superstar of the team, holds a lot of power about who stays and who goes. I believe that he has told the Blazer front office that, for him to stay happy, CJ and Nurk are untouchable.

Whiteside's expiring is attractive, but the Blazers have to take salary back or find a team that has the cap space to absorb his contract. The opportunities for that are limited, but I believe the Blazers can still find value and get a backup level SG, a backup PF/C that could start while Collin's recovers (and be insurance if Collins doesn't pan out/get injured again) and hopefully a draft pick or two.

I am not sold on Ant. I think he's raw with potential and can score buckets IN buckets, but the Blazers don't have time to sit around and have him either develop or not. The Dame Prime years are ticking.

 

[handiman]

If that's the mindset, it could explain this team folding so easily in games. They know it's a caretaker season, no expectations, just keep things afloat until everyone is healthy, don't get hurt in the process.

 

[Mediocre Man]

 

[CupWizier]

Not making a move at the deadline would be a colossal mistake.

Making a move by the deadline that isn't good would be an even bigger mistake. You can't call something a mistake without knowing what the deal is.

 

[twobullz]

Making a move just to Make a move would also be a mistake. We don't know what offers the blazers are getting, if any. Might be no move is better than any offers they get.

 

[BonesJones]

Making a move by the deadline that isn't good would be an even bigger mistake. You can't call something a mistake without knowing what the deal is.

Yeah, making a move that doesnt take us to contention and rids us of all future flexibility is the worst case scenario, but doing nothing is almost as bad.

Why?
1.) It risks losing us our expiring contracts for nothing
2.) It hurts future flexibility
3.) Our team doesnt improve at all

 

[BonesJones]

Making a move just to Make a move would also be a mistake. We don't know what offers the blazers are getting, if any. Might be no move is better than any offers they get.

There's too many options out there to excuse inactivity. That might've flown in previous years with our awful contracts but now we have big expirings.

 

[CupWizier]

Yeah, making a move that doesnt take us to contention and rids us of all future flexibility is the worst case scenario, but doing nothing is almost as bad.

Why?
1.) It risks losing us our expiring contracts for nothing
2.) It hurts future flexibility
3.) Our team doesnt improve at all

except for that our team will improve by getting Nurkic, Collins and Hood back as well. There is also a possibility of doing a sign and trade for Whiteside depending on what teams are interested. Teams over the cap might be willing to explore that option if they see Whiteside as a need.

 

[H.C.]

Given how this season has played out I don't think NO will make a move.
In fact I doubt he even feels pressure to do so.

I know a lot of people on this forum have wet dreams about CJ being traded.
But as long as NO is the GM, he won't be traded.
But as it looks right now. There have been zero talk about NO not being secure in his position.

People made the asinine comment about the AA trade several years ago that it's the GM's job to predict injuries and not put those players on the roster..
Surprised that hasn't come up yet this year.

We'll see what's important to Baze/Whiteside this off season. Is it winning/shooters? Or is it $$

 

[twobullz]

There's too many options out there to excuse inactivity. That might've flown in previous years with our awful contracts but now we have big expirings.

There are a lot of big expiring contracts this year, not just the Blazers.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Wanting the GM to stay active does not imply they should make deals just to make deals. Avoiding bad deals and being passive are not the same thing.

 

[Neil O. Shyster]

Neil already executed his plan...

Phase 1 was to get get a small glimmer of light (last years fluke playoff run), then take advantage of Jody Allen and give himself and all of his guys big money contract extensions with a league high $148 mil payroll.

Phase 2 of his plan is to raise ticket prices on fans to pay for their salaries, drink wine with CJ and Stotts, and laugh at the fans that expected more and want accountability after they mail it in now that they got paid.

 

[wizenheimer]

Olshey's contract was extended to 2023....successful plan in his mind

 

[Orion Bailey]

Keeping the starting lineup intact doesn't mean not making moves. Whiteside will gain us a decent reward.
That starting lineup was never an issue anyhow. The bench was.

 

[calvin natt]

Neil already executed his plan...

Phase 1 was to get get a small glimmer of light (last years fluke playoff run), then take advantage of Jody Allen and give himself and all of his guys big money contract extensions with a league high $148 mil payroll.

Phase 2 of his plan is to raise ticket prices on fans to pay for their salaries, drink wine with CJ and Stotts, and laugh at the fans that expected more and want accountability after they mail it in now that they got paid.

Totally

 

[BonesJones]

except for that our team will improve by getting Nurkic, Collins and Hood back as well. There is also a possibility of doing a sign and trade for Whiteside depending on what teams are interested. Teams over the cap might be willing to explore that option if they see Whiteside as a need.

Yeah, but it won't improve as much as it could, especially after Whiteside is upset only playing 20mpg then leaves...

Counting on a sign-and-trade isn't something we should do. Why not just trade Whiteside for a wing that could help us and then we could use as outgoing salary via trade over the next year? I have a hard time thinking Stotts couldn't trade Whiteside for Otto Porter. Or Whiteside and a pick for Dieng and Covington. Or a number of other trades where we'd have salary that'd be expiring next season. It's a math thing mostly.

 

[BonesJones]

But the main question for everyone not wanting to do anything or embracing the possibility:

How do we make a trade for a big salary player next season? What contracts would we have to trade to match salary? Think about it...

 

[e_blazer]

Neil already executed his plan...

Phase 1 was to get get a small glimmer of light (last years fluke playoff run), then take advantage of Jody Allen and give himself and all of his guys big money contract extensions with a league high $148 mil payroll.

Phase 2 of his plan is to raise ticket prices on fans to pay for their salaries, drink wine with CJ and Stotts, and laugh at the fans that expected more and want accountability after they mail it in now that they got paid.

As GM, Olshey has literally nothing to do with ticket prices, but don’t let that mess up blind hatred.

 

[twobullz]

Yeah, but it won't improve as much as it could, especially after Whiteside is upset only playing 20mpg then leaves...

Counting on a sign-and-trade isn't something we should do. Why not just trade Whiteside for a wing that could help us and then we could use as outgoing salary via trade over the next year? I have a hard time thinking Stotts couldn't trade Whiteside for Otto Porter. Or Whiteside and a pick for Dieng and Covington. Or a number of other trades where we'd have salary that'd be expiring next season. It's a math thing mostly.

One issue is the other team has to agree to these deals. Just because some fans want it,doesn't mean the other GM is going to make the trade.

 

[CupWizier]

One issue is the other team has to agree to these deals. Just because some fans want it,doesn't mean the other GM is going to make the trade.

Bingo.

 

[CupWizier]

But the main question for everyone not wanting to do anything or embracing the possibility:

How do we make a trade for a big salary player next season? What contracts would we have to trade to match salary? Think about it...

Not sure who you are refering to, but i never said do nothing. It's just foolish to go back into high salary unless it significantly helps us.

 

[Phatguysrule]

But the main question for everyone not wanting to do anything or embracing the possibility:

How do we make a trade for a big salary player next season? What contracts would we have to trade to match salary? Think about it...

This is where I can get behind the make a move at all costs line if thinking. Even if that's just moving our current expiring contracts for 1yr deals to kick the can down the road to next season (if nothing else is available).

 

[BonesJones]

Not sure who you are refering to, but i never said do nothing. It's just foolish to go back into high salary unless it significantly helps us.

High salary 2 year deals makes sense as a fallback trade option because itd give us the flexibility to make a trade on draft night or next season. 3 year deals and up dont make sense unless the player makes us a contender.

 

[BonesJones]

One issue is the other team has to agree to these deals. Just because some fans want it,doesn't mean the other GM is going to make the trade.

No shit.

Theres enough options out there that inactivity isnt an excuse.

 

[CupWizier]

High salary 2 year deals makes sense as a fallback trade option because itd give us the flexibility to make a trade on draft night or next season. 3 year deals and up dont make sense unless the player makes us a contender.

without knowing what's even available, it's impossible to make an assessment as to whether it's a good or bad deal. A team over the cap might offer the best deal in a sign and trade and worst case scenario he walks which would be better than a bad deal. I'm done as I'm not going to engage in a back and forth with you as it only bogs down threads.