The super Melo to Portland thread + The Big Blockbuster

[julius]

So you are happy with his replacements. My lord.

His presence wouldn't have stopped the 3 bad losses, but it would've prevented the growth and progress of Simons, Little and Brown, would've taken minutes away from Powell, Little, Simons and Nance, and would still provide a HUGE gaping hole on the defensive end.

So yes, I'm happy with the team moving on from the sieve on defense.

 

[THE HCP]

His presence wouldn't have stopped the 3 bad losses, but it would've prevented the growth and progress of Simons, Little and Brown, would've taken minutes away from Powell, Little, Simons and Nance, and would still provide a HUGE gaping hole on the defensive end.

So yes, I'm happy with the team moving on from the sieve on defense.

If what your seeing so far makes you happy….. your going to have a smile on your face for the next 6 month bro.

 

[THE HCP]

His presence wouldn't have stopped the 3 bad losses, but it would've prevented the growth and progress of Simons, Little and Brown, would've taken minutes away from Powell, Little, Simons and Nance, and would still provide a HUGE gaping hole on the defensive end.

So yes, I'm happy with the team moving on from the sieve on defense.

 

[THE HCP]

I hope the growth of Brown is not on Billups agenda. Nas can’t stay on the floor. Melo wasn’t taking minutes from Norm or Ant. I am looking FORWARD to seeing how Nance can help us…..but it won’t be as our backup center.

 

[mook]

Melo is the third oldest player in the league: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ational_Basketball_Association_players#Active

The guy really should hang 'em up. I don't know what the Lakers were thinking here.

 

[julius]

If what your seeing so far makes you happy….. your going to have a smile on your face for the next 6 month bro.

I'll be happy if it gives Little a chance to show what he's worth. Either he's going to prove it or not prove it. Same with Simons.

And forcing them to shit or get off the pot WILL benefit the team. All keeping Melo and Kanter would do is keep things at the status quo. This way, they'll force Little and Simons to put up or shut up. And truthfully, it's not just the two of them who will benefit from their departure (same with Stotts departure).

You don't learn how to do something without having the training wheels taken off. Melo and Kanter (more Melo than Kanter) are the training wheels.

And yes, Melo's career will be more impressive than Simons and Littles will be (barring a Kawhi Leonard type explosion this year for Nassir), but we're talking from this point ONWARD.

I'm not happy with how the team is put together (again), because it's poorly constructed. But it would be poorly constructed with Melo and Kanter still on the team.

To me it's like this. With Melo and Kanter they're , at best a 6th seeded team that will go no where in the foreseable future.

With Little and Simons showing whether or not they're worth anything, sure they'll be lucky to get into the playoffs as things stand now, but if Little and Simons progress as we hope they will, it should mean they have a higher ceiling than the team would with Melo and Kanter.

I think that's what you are missing (or at least, you are presenting your argument as if you are missing that point).

I'm looking at the next 3-5 years and the growth needed from Little, Simons, Brown, etc. Imho, barring a trade to fix the starting 5, this team has peaked under Damian, at least Damian as he is now. Keeping Kanter and Melo just prolong the inevitable.

 

[julius]

I hope the growth of Brown is not on Billups agenda. Nas can’t stay on the floor. Melo wasn’t taking minutes from Norm or Ant. I am looking FORWARD to seeing how Nance can help us…..but it won’t be as our backup center.

who would he be taking minutes away from, and where exactly do you think those minutes will come from?

If he takes minutes from the PF (let's say Nance or Roco), they'll get minutes at SF....who is currently Norman....who will get minutes at the guard spot from Simons...

 

[THE HCP]

Melo is the third oldest player in the league: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ational_Basketball_Association_players#Active

The guy really should hang 'em up. I don't know what the Lakers were thinking here.

10-15 minutes a game…… will give them, I don’t know 10 points a game. Put him in the game, you know he’ll get to the line anytime the defender even breathes on him. Why not?

 

[THE HCP]

I'll be happy if it gives Little a chance to show what he's worth. Either he's going to prove it or not prove it. Same with Simons.

And forcing them to shit or get off the pot WILL benefit the team. All keeping Melo and Kanter would do is keep things at the status quo. This way, they'll force Little and Simons to put up or shut up. And truthfully, it's not just the two of them who will benefit from their departure (same with Stotts departure).

You don't learn how to do something without having the training wheels taken off. Melo and Kanter (more Melo than Kanter) are the training wheels.

And yes, Melo's career will be more impressive than Simons and Littles will be (barring a Kawhi Leonard type explosion this year for Nassir), but we're talking from this point ONWARD.

I'm not happy with how the team is put together (again), because it's poorly constructed. But it would be poorly constructed with Melo and Kanter still on the team.

To me it's like this. With Melo and Kanter they're , at best a 6th seeded team that will go no where in the foreseable future.

With Little and Simons showing whether or not they're worth anything, sure they'll be lucky to get into the playoffs as things stand now, but if Little and Simons progress as we hope they will, it should mean they have a higher ceiling than the team would with Melo and Kanter.

I think that's what you are missing (or at least, you are presenting your argument as if you are missing that point).

I'm looking at the next 3-5 years and the growth needed from Little, Simons, Brown, etc. Imho, barring a trade to fix the starting 5, this team has peaked under Damian, at least Damian as he is now. Keeping Kanter and Melo just prolong the inevitable.

Quality post. My thing is….right now is Dames prime….I don’t need to be trying experiments with players and taking their training wheels off during Dame’s prime. I need to go with what we know. I’ll take at best 6th bro. We’ve with Nas and Ant playing well constantly this team won’t match 6th. And I LOVE Nas and Ant!

 

[julius]

Quality post. My thing is….right now is Dames prime….I don’t need to be trying experiments with players and taking their training wheels off during Dame’s prime. I need to go with what we know. I’ll take at best 6th bro. We’ve with Nas and Ant playing well constantly this team won’t match 6th. And I LOVE Nas and Ant!

thing is, if the solution to the "Dame's prime" conumdrum is "Carmelo Anthony" and "Enis Kanter", then we're wasting his prime AND possible solutions to the future

 

[THE HCP]

thing is, if the solution to the "Dame's prime" conumdrum is "Carmelo Anthony" and "Enis Kanter", then we're wasting his prime AND possible solutions to the future

Never said that was the solution. It’s the best the team could do, and it wasn’t THAT bad. A lot better than what they are rolling out there this season.

 

[julius]

Never said that was the solution. It’s the best the team could do, and it wasn’t THAT bad. A lot better than what they are rolling out there this season.

Is it though?

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Never said that was the solution. It’s the best the team could do, and it wasn’t THAT bad. A lot better than what they are rolling out there this season.

No it’s not.

 

[THE HCP]

Is it though?

You tell me. In my opinion fuck no it isn’t.

 

[THE HCP]

No it’s not.

Oh great one, please share your opinion on what this seasons bench is doing better.

 

[illmatic99]

lol lakers

 

[THE HCP]

Wow, they have the Pelicans 6th and the Warriors 11th? @illmatic99 do you agree with that? I’ve never heard of this forecast method. How have their results panned out in the past? What does it measure?

 

[julius]

lol lakers

I'd love that to be the case, but I find this really hard to believe that the Blazers will be close to HCA. Not saying it's impossible (they could gel quickly and start playing better sooner than we think), but it just seems unlikely that they'll get their shit together in time to almost get HCA.

 

[illmatic99]

Wow, they have the Pelicans 6th and the Warriors 11th? @illmatic99 do you agree with that? I’ve never heard of this forecast method. How have their results panned out in the past? What does it measure?

you've never heard of 538? https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-nba-predictions/

they historically underestimate portland, but their projections for LA and GS are eye opening.

i would tier it this way after doing more research about rosters/injuries/etc

Tier 1:
PHX, UTA

Tier 2:
LAL, DEN

Tier 3:
POR, DAL, GSW, LAC

Tier 4:
MEM, SAC, MIN

Tier 5:
everyone else

 

[THE HCP]

I'd love that to be the case, but I find this really hard to believe that the Blazers will be close to HCA. Not saying it's impossible (they could gel quickly and start playing better sooner than we think), but it just seems unlikely that they'll get their shit together in time to almost get HCA.

Ya, that’s why I asked @illmatic99 to explain this to me. He must really support this ranking system to share. Just when I saw the Pels that high up, it kinda lost some credibility with me.

 

[THE HCP]

you've never heard of 538? https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-nba-predictions/

they historically underestimate portland, but their projections for LA and GS are eye opening.

i would tier it this way after doing more research about rosters/injuries/etc

Tier 1:
PHX, UTA

Tier 2:
LAL, DEN

Tier 3:
POR, DAL, GSW, LAC

Tier 4:
MEM, SAC, MIN

Tier 5:
everyone else

I’ve heard of them. I have a few friends that work for them, just hadn’t ever seen their ranking system.

 

[THE HCP]

you've never heard of 538? https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-nba-predictions/

they historically underestimate portland, but their projections for LA and GS are eye opening.

i would tier it this way after doing more research about rosters/injuries/etc

Tier 1:
PHX, UTA

Tier 2:
LAL, DEN

Tier 3:
POR, DAL, GSW, LAC

Tier 4:
MEM, SAC, MIN

Tier 5:
everyone else

I like your list. I would have us JUST hanging on to the bottom of 3. Wonder what the hell they see in NOLA.

 

[illmatic99]

I’ve heard of them. I have a few friends that work for them, just hadn’t ever seen their ranking system.

their rankings are entirely based on stats and roster constructions. heavily influenced by +/-. I don't necessarily agree with them because hoops is more nuanced and can't just be evaluated on paper. their rankings for the Pels is also laughable considering how Zion still has yet to come back from injury and they too have a new coach.

 

[THE HCP]

their rankings are entirely based on stats and roster constructions. heavily influenced by +/-. I don't necessarily agree with them because hoops is more nuanced and can't just be evaluated on paper. their rankings for the Pels is also laughable considering how Zion still has yet to come back from injury and they too have a new coach.

Ya, i see them taking a huge stepback.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

I'd love that to be the case, but I find this really hard to believe that the Blazers will be close to HCA. Not saying it's impossible (they could gel quickly and start playing better sooner than we think), but it just seems unlikely that they'll get their shit together in time to almost get HCA.

We were 6th last with who almost everyone said was a horrible coach. But this year 6th is unattainable?

 

[PDXFonz]

lol lakers

It’s going to be one of the toughest years to make the playoffs in a long time.

Anyone could mess around and end up missing the playoffs by a hair - even the Lakers

Pelicans aren't a slouch, lots of young talent.
Likewise Sacramento is more talented than in previous years.
Warriors are getting back to healthy
Twolves are a big time trap game for every western team now because they are not untalented and they may end up being a punching bag like OKC and Houston; and they will punch back some nights.

 

[illmatic99]

It’s going to be one of the toughest years to make the playoffs in a long time.

Anyone could mess around and end up missing the playoffs by a hair - even the Lakers

LA has a lot riding on old legs. And I wouldn't classify Westbrook as a floor raiser. I think people forget that they were in the play-in last year because of injuries alone. If they're relying on guys like Bazemore and Melo to play 20+ mpg for 70+ games, they're screwed.

 

[PDXFonz]

LA has a lot riding on old legs. I think people forget that they were in the play-in last year because of injuries alone. If they're relying on guys like Bazemore and Melo to play 20+ mpg for 70+ games, they're screwed.

One can hope…

 

[julius]

We were 6th last with who almost everyone said was a horrible coach. But this year 6th is unattainable?

if they don't get their shit together in time, yes.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

their rankings are entirely based on stats and roster constructions. heavily influenced by +/-. I don't necessarily agree with them because hoops is more nuanced and can't just be evaluated on paper. their rankings for the Pels is also laughable considering how Zion still has yet to come back from injury and they too have a new coach.

I've always been upset at how they've initially low-balled the Blazers, but the truth is that their initial projections are immaterial. As the year goes on, teams move up and down based on their actual play, i.e. it's a self-correcting algorithm. It'll be much more interesting at the all-star break.