We are at a crossroads

[Natebishop3]

I feel like this team has the talent to go to the playoffs if we actually had a bench.

So.

Would you:

1. Continue to tank with this shitty bench and try to get the best lotto we can for this summer /paired with the cap space to strengthen our bench this summer.

Or

2. Try to make some moves now to strengthen our bench and make a run for the playoffs?

I'm torn, but the draft looks pretty weak this year and I think it's unfair to our starters to have them play this hard with no help from the bench. I say try to make some moves and make a push for the playoffs.

 

[B-Roy]

I'd make some moves, because honestly, I can't stand watching the bench. I want to turn it off every time the bench unit is in.

 

[HailBlazers]

Was thinking (1) all year, but am slowly leaning towards (2) when considering the draft class.

 

[TripTango]

I think, as always, it depends on what is available. If the Blazers FO is actively monitoring the trade scene (which I can only hope they are) and the opportunity to improve the team pops up, how could we say no? I don't think purposefully tanking for picks is a winning strategy in the vast majority of situations. That said, there is no reason to believe that we are "one move away" from serious contention this year, so I wouldn't want to see any overly aggressive moves for a supporting cast member or two if there is no long-term upside.

 

[julius]

I think it depends on what they think they can get out of the draft.

If they could somehow make a trade where they get a lottery pick in return (unlikely) sure, do it. At this point, there is 1 player on the team that isn't going to be traded. And even he could be traded for a player if that player was a player that the team deemed a worthy player to trade said player for. Otherwise, he's not going to be traded for any player.

God I hope that gets me in jlprks signature.

Anyway, I don't know what they've decided to do. Obviously they've decided not to use their bench much. There's no way you can't be running plays to get these guys shots, let alone points.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If we're going to tank, somebody needs to let Stotts in on it so he doesn't totally burn out our good players.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Take a risk:

[video=youtube;b53tx7MbwxE]

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I'd make some moves, because honestly, I can't stand watching the bench. I want to turn it off every time the bench unit is in.

And how do we increase our talent quantity & quality with trades now?

 

[B-Roy]

And how do we increase our talent quantity & quality with trades now?

I don't really care what moves they make. Watching the bench is just not fun anymore, and that goes against the whole point of watching the games.

Like many people have said before, there are free agents out there that would do miles better than the current bench mob. A broken down Kenyon Martin and a crazy Delonte West are still going to be better than Freeland and Price.

 

[Further]

As it stands now, my guess is that we end up with a pick somewhere in the 10 - 14 ranges. Considering that two of those spots (13-14) are headed elsewhere and the others are sucky in a bad draft, I say we try and get better. I'm not talking about trading any of our top six players, but mainly cutting a couple of scrubs like Nolan and Sasha, and then picking up a couple of alternatives like west or Finley.

 

[Further]

But I would not make any moves that included signing more than a current season contract

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

This draft looks shallow, aside from the top picks. I say let's play the game right and play to win.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Keep on playing the bench.

{Poasted via palm pilot}

 

[B-Roy]

But I would not make any moves that included signing more than a current season contract

I would agree with that. Unless the player coming back is a game changing talent.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

This draft looks shallow, aside from the top picks. I say let's play the game right and play to win.

Chad Ford and the scouts he's talked to say this is the weakest draft in years.

If you don't land a top-5 pick, deal it!

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I don't really care what moves they make. Watching the bench is just not fun anymore, and that goes against the whole point of watching the games.

Like many people have said before, there are free agents out there that would do miles better than the current bench mob. A broken down Kenyon Martin and a crazy Delonte West are still going to be better than Freeland and Price.

OK. So you're suggesting waiving players and making room for some free agents.

Well, on the surface I like the idea. But I would do it if it meant getting quality people as well as players. Martin & West are complete nut jobs. I think they do more harm than good.

 

[B-Roy]

OK. So you're suggesting waiving players and making room for some free agents.

Well, on the surface I like the idea. But I would do it if it meant getting quality people as well as players. Martin & West are complete nut jobs. I think they do more harm than good.

West is a nutjob, but Martin is not. The Clippers were very impressed by his maturity last season. He just wants more than the vets min, and no one is giving it to him. In either case, they wouldn't be signed past this year, and it will save us the horror of watching Price and Freeland try to play basketball.

Here is a list of free agents I think would be better than Price/Pavlovic/Freeland:

Delonte West
Kenyon Martin
Michael Redd
Ben Wallace
Shelden Williams

None of those guys are world beaters, but hey, they can't be worse than what we currently have. And it's not like any of the bench guys are players we're actually trying to develop. (Outside of Meyers, but I don't really consider him part of the horrible bench mob)

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

West is a nutjob, but Martin is not. The Clippers were very impressed by his maturity last season. He just wants more than the vets min, and no one is giving it to him. In either case, they wouldn't be signed past this year, and it will save us the horror of watching Price and Freeland try to play basketball.

Here is a list of free agents I think would be better than Price/Pavlovic/Freeland:

Delonte West
Kenyon Martin
Michael Redd
Ben Wallace
Shelden Williams

None of those guys are world beaters, but hey, they can't be worse than what we currently have. And it's not like any of the bench guys are players we're actually trying to develop. (Outside of Meyers, but I don't really consider him part of the horrible bench mob)

Some of those guys are worth a look. Redd, if healthy, can score. Wallace is old but he knows how to defend.

 

[julius]

Wallace could teach Leonard a lot of tricks.

I'd be happy if the team had 1 guy off the bench who could actually score.

 

[KingSpeed]

Ben Wallace is awful. No thank you. Look, trades are impossible. Who wants to trade for our crappy players? No one. I'll say it over and over. Delonte/Kenyon is the answer. Delonte can score like the best of them and Kenyon plays with fire on both sides of the court. And they're available for cheap.

 

[Natebishop3]

West is a nutjob, but Martin is not. The Clippers were very impressed by his maturity last season. He just wants more than the vets min, and no one is giving it to him. In either case, they wouldn't be signed past this year, and it will save us the horror of watching Price and Freeland try to play basketball.

Here is a list of free agents I think would be better than Price/Pavlovic/Freeland:

Delonte West
Kenyon Martin
Michael Redd
Ben Wallace
Shelden Williams

None of those guys are world beaters, but hey, they can't be worse than what we currently have. And it's not like any of the bench guys are players we're actually trying to develop. (Outside of Meyers, but I don't really consider him part of the horrible bench mob)

I would be fine with any of those guys. I don't think we're bad enough to get into the top 5 picks, but we're too shitty to make the playoffs right now. Something must be done either way.

 

[BBert]

I think, as always, it depends on what is available. If the Blazers FO is actively monitoring the trade scene (which I can only hope they are) and the opportunity to improve the team pops up, how could we say no? I don't think purposefully tanking for picks is a winning strategy in the vast majority of situations. That said, there is no reason to believe that we are "one move away" from serious contention this year, so I wouldn't want to see any overly aggressive moves for a supporting cast member or two if there is no long-term upside.

Exactly. The object is to improve the team. If some team wants to trade us a 'needle mover' for our tepid refuse, you take it any time, any where. As another example, you don't trade LaMarcus (as some are clamoring) unless it legitimately makes the team better, and that's extremely unlikely. Management just has to be diligent and ready to pounce if something presents itself, and patient enough to wait for the draft and trades/cap space/free agency this summer if not.

 

[KingSpeed]

Some of those guys are worth a look. Redd, if healthy, can score. Wallace is old but he knows how to defend.

Wallace is no better defender than Jeffries at this point in his career. He can't score or even rebound anymore. No to Ben Wallace.

 

[HailBlazers]

The object is to improve the team. If some team wants to trade us a 'needle mover' for our tepid refuse, you take it any time, any where. As another example, you don't trade LaMarcus (as some are clamoring) unless it legitimately makes the team better, and that's extremely unlikely. Management just has to be diligent and ready to pounce if something presents itself, and patient enough to wait for the draft and trades/cap space/free agency this summer if not.

Well Said. Not easy being a GM of a small market team, patience is required.

 

[KingSpeed]

You gotta assume their eyes are open. Picking up Hickson for nothing last season was genius.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Chad Ford and the scouts he's talked to say this is the weakest draft in years.

If you don't land a top-5 pick, deal it!

Exactly my point.

 

[Mediocre Man]

No crossroads at all. We are rebuilding the right way. Don't ruin it now by adding marginal players that might get you out of the lottery but not to a championship contender

 

[Natebishop3]

No crossroads at all. We are rebuilding the right way. Don't ruin it now by adding marginal players that might get you out of the lottery but not to a championship contender

But we are a tweener team... and if we aren't careful we might have to ship our pick to Charlotte. I'm just saying we could bring in some guys for the year to help our bench out and maybe make the playoffs. I'm sure New Orleans didn't expect to be winning as quickly as they did with Chris Paul, but having a good point guard can completely change a team. I don't want to hurt that simply because we're trying to get a mid-range lotto pick this year.

Bring in a few guys for our bench and let the chips fall where they may. Maybe we make the playoffs, maybe we don't, but we'll still have the cap space this summer to get some real pieces moving forward.

 

[KingSpeed]

But we are a tweener team... and if we aren't careful we might have to ship our pick to Charlotte. I'm just saying we could bring in some guys for the year to help our bench out and maybe make the playoffs. I'm sure New Orleans didn't expect to be winning as quickly as they did with Chris Paul, but having a good point guard can completely change a team. I don't want to hurt that simply because we're trying to get a mid-range lotto pick this year.

Bring in a few guys for our bench and let the chips fall where they may. Maybe we make the playoffs, maybe we don't, but we'll still have the cap space this summer to get some real pieces moving forward.

Thus... Delonte/Kenyon. Cut them after the year if we can do better in FA. Or maybe they turn their lives around and stick with the team. Kenyon apparently has a good attitude and Delonte's issue is an illness that can be treated by a compassionate support team.