Thread for Positive Vibes only

[blazerfan11]

Many of the other threads are full of complainers and complaints and I'd like to start a thread absolutely devoid of that. I'm positive looking towards next season and happy that the team is on completely different path than it was to begin the 2021-22 season.
If you want to complain, please be respectful and join the other complainers somewhere else.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what Josh Hart adds to the roster next season. If Lillard gets back to form, which I expect, Hart will give us a better defensive option at shooting guard and a guy who can play small forward if needed. I also expect he'll join Lillard in the 60+% true shooting club.

The Blazers biggest hole seems to be a forward who can double as a small-ball center. Ideally, another player who shoots 60+% true shooting while also being a threat from the 3-point line. Christian Wood seems like a good option for that, but he also seems like a needy headcase. He's a career 38 percent 3-point shooter so it's not like we wouldn't want to give him the shots.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Next season CAN'T be as bad as this past one!



Can it?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Olshey gone
Team at least trying to play team ball and defense

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Many of the other threads are full of complainers and complaints and I'd like to start a thread absolutely devoid of that. I'm positive looking towards next season and happy that the team is on completely different path than it was to begin the 2021-22 season.
If you want to complain, please be respectful and join the other complainers somewhere else.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what Josh Hart adds to the roster next season. If Lillard gets back to form, which I expect, Hart will give us a better defensive option at shooting guard and a guy who can play small forward if needed. I also expect he'll join Lillard in the 60+% true shooting club.

The Blazers biggest hole seems to be a forward who can double as a small-ball center. Ideally, another player who shoots 60+% true shooting while also being a threat from the 3-point line. Christian Wood seems like a good option for that, but he also seems like a needy headcase. He's a career 38 percent 3-point shooter so it's not like we wouldn't want to give him the shots.

 

[Hoopguru]

Chauncey's type of push the ball, move w/o the ball, pass the ball offense next year will be fun to watch. So different from what we've been used to over the years.
I since Billups will attract a FA, maybe not an all star but very good all around player.

 

[PCmor7]

I'm positively having a bad weekend.

 

[OneSport3]

That 4 game win streak prior to the All-Star break showed the type of ball Chauncey is capable of instilling in the team. I think Winslow and Hart are exactly the type of guys the team needs and didn’t have in previous seasons.

 

[blazerfan11]

Olshey is gone.
The team is trying harder on defense.
Billups has empowered all of the players to bring the ball up the court. (Reminiscent of Jack McKinney as seen in "winning time".)
Winslow and Hart are exactly the type of players the team needed that didn't have in the past.
I think all of these things have been forgotten and/or underrated as we tanked the rest of the season after the four game win streak. I believe these qualities will return with a vengeance with a healthy Damian Lillard for the start of the 2022-2223 season.

Of course there were some benefits of tanking.

No matter where our lottery pick ends up or what we do with it, the fact is we will have a top 10 pick in a deep draft full of wings, forwards and centers.

Anfernee Simons had some time to shine as the go-to man and did not disappoint.

Trendan Watford got the chance to play his way into a contract and we have at least a reserve forward who is very advanced for his age in handling the ball and his basketball IQ.

We got to see what Chauncey Billups is all about. It's not only what we've wanted forever, better team play on offense and defense (give credit to Cronin for bringing in Hart and Winslow to change the culture) but about being supportive of all his players no matter how young and immature. This might seem like something expected but it is definitely not a given for an NBA coach. Some of them, such as Rick Carlisle in 2017-18, might have an ax to grind, and take it out on a young player like Dennis Smith Jr., who was just trying his best.

 

[blazerfan11]

 

[oldmangrouch]

We got rid of Olshey and some players who were under-performing.

We just may have found the right coach.

Sorry, but that's all I've got.

 

[Voodoo]

I actually want to watch games again, and am excited for next season. Everyone here is so down on not getting the pick, and Cronin getting fleeced, and I can understand that. But damn, the team was unwatchable the last three years. The team was so boring and predictable, it was the same thing over and over with no chance of improvement or difference from the year before.

Now all of those crappy things may be true, we may have not gotten the best value for our trades or whatever. But dang I am excited for something new, with the prospect of a different outcome and seeing these new players develop. The draft, summer league, and everything else is going to be fun as hell. I am excited for the season to start for the first time in years!

 

[blazerkor]

I actually want to watch games again, and am excited for next season. Everyone here is so down on not getting the pick, and Cronin getting fleeced, and I can understand that. But damn, the team was unwatchable the last three years. The team was so boring and predictable, it was the same thing over and over with no chance of improvement or difference from the year before.

Now all of those crappy things may be true, we may have not gotten the best value for our trades or whatever. But dang I am excited for something new, with the prospect of a different outcome and seeing these new players develop. The draft, summer league, and everything else is going to be fun as hell. I am excited for the season to start for the first time in years!

This post cheered me up a little, in regards to basketball which doesn't really get me down. It is exciting that we won't have to watch the frustrating aspects of the way Dame and CJ never seemed to play off of each other on offense but just took turns and were terrible together on D. So I'm really hoping that Dame and Ant are nothing like that and there's reason to hope because Ant's game is now being molded by Chauncey and Dame has said that sitting back and really studying the defense has given him new perspective and that he's excited to play in the new offense unburdened by the injury that's been affecting him for years. I'm still hoping that we get lucky in the lottery, I think we deserve it.

Oh and I'm also really excited that they haven't said that Joe is the permanent GM (that might not be in keeping with the point of this thread but fuck it, it gives me some solace).

 

[blazerfan11]

I actually want to watch games again, and am excited for next season. Everyone here is so down on not getting the pick, and Cronin getting fleeced, and I can understand that. But damn, the team was unwatchable the last three years. The team was so boring and predictable, it was the same thing over and over with no chance of improvement or difference from the year before.

Now all of those crappy things may be true, we may have not gotten the best value for our trades or whatever. But dang I am excited for something new, with the prospect of a different outcome and seeing these new players develop. The draft, summer league, and everything else is going to be fun as hell. I am excited for the season to start for the first time in years!

That's exactly how I feel too. Looking forward to the draft, looking forward to summer league, and definitely looking forward to next season.

 

[BBert]

Hoppy Easter

 

[HoopsFanAZ]

One month until Draft Lottery 2022. May 17.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

One month until Draft Lottery 2022. May 17.

Top 3 pick, here we come!

 

[blazerfan11]

And looking forward to the draft lottery on May 17th.
I'm not going to be disappointed even if we end up with the 10th pick, (which is extremely unlikely). but it would be pretty exciting to get a top 4 pick.

 

[Sedatedfork]

I’m actually expecting to get one of those top three picks. When the universe taketh away, it seems like it should be balanced with some good luck!

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

CJ's contract is no longer our problem.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Dame will be healthier next season then he's been in a long time. He could very well have an MVP type season next year.

 

[blazerfan11]

CJ's contract is no longer our problem.

Yes! And with the emergence of Anfernee Simons, CJ's value to the Trail Blazers would have been an all-time low next season.
Josh Hart will be more valuable to the Trail Blazers than CJ, at a much cheaper price.

 

[blazerfan11]

Dame will be healthier next season then he's been in a long time. He could very well have an MVP type season next year.

Yeah I think a lot of people have been thinking that. Maybe not saying it out loud to jinx anything.
The fact is, Lillard's true shooting percentages for the two previous seasons were at career highs. It's not a leap to say he'll be right back to that after having surgery and a season to rest.

 

[blazerfan11]

Yeah I think a lot of people have been thinking that. Maybe not saying it out loud to jinx anything.
The fact is, Lillard's true shooting percentages for the two previous seasons were at career highs. It's not a leap to say he'll be right back to that after having surgery and a season to rest.

View attachment 47281

Interesting that Josh Hart is also at career high for true shooting percentage. It is a nice convergence with Damian Lillard.

josh hart

 

[Pinwheel1]

You pretty much need 15 players for the whole season, but you really only need about 10 in the playoffs. So I am just going to focus on that right now.
I feel good about 4 of the 5 positions.

Like some of you have alluded to, Watford can really play. I feel good about him coming off the bench at PF. His handles as a PF will benefit his teammates. And I think Eubanks can give us minutes as well at center, although I think we all would like to see him as the 3rd center instead and find someone longer as Nurks primary backup. Regardless he is a solid player who won't make a lot of mistakes.

I love our guards. Dame, Hart, and Simons. We will need a couple more to step up but that combo getting 32 minutes a game is very good.

SF: I like our SFs with Little and Winslow. (Hart can also play here to end games) Not worried about Little's injury history any more than I worry about all our other players.

Center: Nurk played very well before they sat him down. If we can get that Nurk, then we are a good team. We do need one more player here though besides Drew.

PF: We all know that this is the priority. Watford can give us depth but we need a starter. I still think we can get Grant if we want him. He is being moved somewhere, if we really want him then we can get him. I think Detroit wants the additional cap space. Our TPE is a huge asset for this one particular situation. I bet they would take the Milwaukee future pick in order to get even more cap space.

Regardless we need to find one PF and one C, or a player who can play both. And we have an MLE, a decent lottery pick, and #36 to get that done. If we can then we will be in good shape next year.

 

[Wade Garrett]

I am very happy and excited for next season.
Addition by subtraction.
Getting rid of the guys Joe did, and replacing them with versatility and attitude works for me.
No names to mention, but the type of player to fit the type of style Coach wants is happening.
Things are definitely heading in the right direction, if you believe in Billups, and I do.
Long long way to go, olshit fucked this team beyond belief.

 

[Hoopguru]

I think this will be damn near 100% Chauncey Billups draft.
Joe will defer to him to select the player he wants to address need. Billups is coaching the type of players he wants. That is if Joe still has interim attached?

 

[BigGameDamian]

I am very happy and excited for next season.
Addition by subtraction.
Getting rid of the guys Joe did, and replacing them with versatility and attitude works for me.
No names to mention, but the type of player to fit the type of style Coach wants is happening.
Things are definitely heading in the right direction, if you believe in Billups, and I do.
Long long way to go, olshit fucked this team beyond belief.

I’m not too keen on having two 6’3 starting guards in the backcourt but we’ll see how it goes. Assuming that’s how things play out?

 

[DDolla]

Blazers 2040 first round pick - Dame Jr.

 

[blazerfan11]

You pretty much need 15 players for the whole season, but you really only need about 10 in the playoffs. So I am just going to focus on that right now.
I feel good about 4 of the 5 positions.

Like some of you have alluded to, Watford can really play. I feel good about him coming off the bench at PF. His handles as a PF will benefit his teammates. And I think Eubanks can give us minutes as well at center, although I think we all would like to see him as the 3rd center instead and find someone longer as Nurks primary backup. Regardless he is a solid player who won't make a lot of mistakes.

I love our guards. Dame, Hart, and Simons. We will need a couple more to step up but that combo getting 32 minutes a game is very good.

SF: I like our SFs with Little and Winslow. (Hart can also play here to end games) Not worried about Little's injury history any more than I worry about all our other players.

Center: Nurk played very well before they sat him down. If we can get that Nurk, then we are a good team. We do need one more player here though besides Drew.

PF: We all know that this is the priority. Watford can give us depth but we need a starter. I still think we can get Grant if we want him. He is being moved somewhere, if we really want him then we can get him. I think Detroit wants the additional cap space. Our TPE is a huge asset for this one particular situation. I bet they would take the Milwaukee future pick in order to get even more cap space.

Regardless we need to find one PF and one C, or a player who can play both. And we have an MLE, a decent lottery pick, and #36 to get that done. If we can then we will be in good shape next year.

We need Cliff Robinson.