We still can save this season

[PtldPlatypus]

1/3 of the roster was turned over last summer. It is actually higher than that if you include the mid-season turnover of BUPGs.

This next off season it looks very similar. About 1/3 of the roster will probably turnover.

The more players that are turned over on a roster during a season, the more variables that develop to impede building team chemistry. This includes team chemistry on the floor as well as in the locker room. It takes time for one new player to adjust, changing 5 or 6 players complicates the process.

You really think that switching out third-string guys has a significant impact on on-court chemistry?

 

[tester551]

Noah starts but he is barely on the floor before he is yanked and rides the bench the rest of the game. While Meyers has had a lot of time in past seasons to develop, he hasn't gotten the minutes to find him self again after last season, either decide he is done and trade him or give him minutes. Same with Ed trade him or play him. Stotts needs to set a rotation and stay with it, 8-9 guys. When you keep switching playing Meyers and Davis every game, and neither play really gets ample time to see the court they regress. Give one the time.

We always have the end of the roster guys, Connaughton, Layman, Quarterman, Napier. These type of guys ride the bench and become dead weight never developing because they don't play then we end up kicking them to the curb, and replace em with a new batch.

Tim Fraizer
Viktor Khryapa
Joel Freeland
Victor claver
Sergei Monia
Nolan Smith
Armon Johnson
Elliot Williams
Ha Swung Jin
Etc....etc...the list goes on

Some guys actually go on to be developed by other teams

Party Mills
Jermaine O'neal
Will Barton
Dante Cunningham
Luke Babbit
Josh McRoberts
Jerryd Bayless
Sebastian Telfair

Point is, the Blazers have never been a good team at developing players. Most teams that become elite, started with drafting and developing players. Usually you got to pick some diamonds out of a lemon tree, and the Blazers have a knack for picking lemons, but hell take those lemons and make lemonade.

The Blazers have trade to trade and use free agency as shortcut, but there is no shortcut. Develop the players. I am sure if we don't trade his rights Diez will be riding the bench next year after we drop Connaughton. We will get rid of Quarterman and find a new young pg to lay our hopes on...but if we are to win, to become elite, the cycle needs to stop.

I disagree with your assessment. Every team has a long list of end of the roster guys that they have given up on.

The best player that was actually 'developed' by another team is Mills. (O'Neal doesn't count since he was the main piece in a trade. Portland wasn't giving up on him, but leveraging him for a win-now piece). The rest are average players at best.

There is talent out there, but it has to be discovered. IMO, it would be better to cycle through more players at the 14th/15th man positions - and call up players from the D-League. Usually the players will not make a difference, but you may find one if you're lucky.

 

[Chris Craig]

I disagree with your assessment. Every team has a long list of end of the roster guys that they have given up on.

The best player that was actually 'developed' by another team is Mills. (O'Neal doesn't count since he was the main piece in a trade. Portland wasn't giving up on him, but leveraging him for a win-now piece). The rest are average players at best.

There is talent out there, but it has to be discovered. IMO, it would be better to cycle through more players at the 14th/15th man positions - and call up players from the D-League. Usually the players will not make a difference, but you may find one if you're lucky.

Every year we keep trading for win now pieces and we are never a win now team

 

[oldfisherman]

You really think that switching out third-string guys has a significant impact on on-court chemistry?

Put yourself in the the players shoes.

If go into work tomorrow, and 1/3 of the people you work with are gone, Some of them are your friends or a mentor. Only one of the new workers has any real experience at your level. The rest are just out of school or have only limited part time experience, and one is too injured to do any work.. How would you feel about it?

 

[Cippy91]

Put yourself in the the players shoes.

If go into work tomorrow, and 1/3 of the people you work with are gone, Some of them are your friends or a mentor. Only one of the new workers has any real experience at your level. The rest are just out of school or have only limited part time experience, and one is too injured to do any work.. How would you feel about it?

This season is shit so why not? best time

 

[Minstrel]

Put yourself in the the players shoes.

If go into work tomorrow, and 1/3 of the people you work with are gone, Some of them are your friends or a mentor. Only one of the new workers has any real experience at your level. The rest are just out of school or have only limited part time experience, and one is too injured to do any work.. How would you feel about it?

But we're assuming these are co-workers you almost never work with and work very, very few hours. How would we feel if all our actual co-workers remained the same and most of the intern staff changed? That's pretty typical in companies and I don't think it significantly reduces productivity.

 

[Schilly]

I din't think the season will be saved. But fans as a whole want to rush teams along into faster success than is realistic. This team as it stands is much like many teams, that start a retool/rebuild, in their 2nd year... The downside is we were given some false flukey expectations last season. Season saved IMO is continuing the rebuilding process that was started when Lamarcus bailed. Portland only has 2 ways to really add impact players, draft or trade. To trade you need assets. To draft you need to get lucky. As the team is positioned now the draft picks they hold have more value in the asset acquisition process than they do for their value in a trade. The team could roll the dice on a trade but if they do they should also hold on to picks they can use to restock the cupboards. No team wants the situation the Nets have right now.

 

[Minstrel]

I din't think the season will be saved. But fans as a whole want to rush teams along into faster success than is realistic. This team as it stands is much like many teams, that start a retool/rebuild, in their 2nd year... The downside is we were given some false flukey expectations last season.

If the only problem was that fans were disappointed based on unrealistic expectations, that would be fine. However, Olshey also got taken in by the "false flukey expectations" and paid big salaries to players who aren't worth it. The result is, instead of having a small payroll with plenty of space to make additions (like a young, rebuilding team should have) it's capped out all the way to the luxury tax line like a win-now team.

That's the main problem.

 

[Gronk Brady]

This season cannot be saved, nor do they deserve it... the fans are being cheated. Second highest payroll and Blazers are 8 games under .500 with 2/3 of season done. They are constantly going down double digits early only to spend the rest of the game trying to catch up. It's the same story over and over. Neil is a sleazy used car salesman... he knows this roster is poorly constructed but his ego gets in the way of making trades... Okafor about to go to Pelicans for a mid round first... why isn't Neil offering both our picks? Is he even open to making trades? Does he think the player drafted with Cleveland pick is worth more than Okafor?

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Remember: taking open midrange shots and layins wastes energy that could be used not defending midrange shots and layins.

 

[ripcityboy]

 

[tlongII]

This team is done. We need to tank.