What happened to the long-term plan?

[Drttimmy]

It's interesting to see how quickly and often the Blazer front office changes their projections. So much, you'd halfway suspect them to be slightly incompetent. Publically promoting the good promises of free agency. Identifying the wrong teams that will be our primary challengers for the next decade(New Orleans, Utah). Marketing Oden as a primary ticket draw. Abandoning the long-term plan mantra from their forecasts given thru the media. Not that it's a bad thing or that it does show incompetence to be flipping statements so quickly and often. Just interesting and evidence their projections arent bulletproof--for better or for worse.

I agree with most the comments made in the thread. Roy has become a legitimate superstar and I seriously doubt they projected that for him. Otherwise, you grab him at #2 in the 06 Draft, ensuring he's not stolen later. The West is definitely weaker and more ripe for the taking. Utah and New Orleans arent ready to replace the incumbent, aging elite teams, leaving just us. Looking past the 54 wins and the 2nd best record....look at the way the team played the last third of the season. They were crushing teams and looking elite-level dominant, at a point in the season when you're getting every team's best effort. That isn't mentioned nearly enough. So, for these reasons I agree the timeline Should have been moved up.

With so many people in this thread agreeing we can win now, I'm surprised there is so much clamoring on this board to make personnel changes. IMO you only make a move if you are nearly certain it will improve the overall team. The perfect fit to use a Pritchard line. I dont think I've heard one rumor or potential free agent signing that would indisputedly improve the team. There's room for criticism and reasonable skepticism for all of proposals in my opinion. I'm surprised their isnt a larger voice for staying status quo. Unless it's just me, and I'm too critical of what's out there as free agent and rumored trade fodder.

 

[Harry's Raincoat]

My opinion:

Long term plan was scrapped (or better said: timeline shortened) due to the rapid decline of Phx, SAS, NOH, UTH. We're poised to make a significant move in personnel that takes us right to the WCF. If we added Chauncey Billups to this team for just bench players this offseason - we'd be in the WCF without a doubt! We're that close. The Lakers are the team of the WC for the next year or two IMO, but after that we want to poised to take over/break through.

Carpe Diem! Cap space goes away in 6 months. Need to add that additional player(s) to make the difference even if they aren't the "perfect fit" but are a trading piece for the future. Do it.

 

[LittleAlex]

This isn't the first time I've heard this, but Michael Born referenced that the "time frame of our team has kind of moved up" in terms of what kind of players he added to the summer league team.

KP has said something similar in terms of competing NOW rather than the original timeline.

I wonder: why. Why has the timeline been accelerated?

The easiest answer is that the team won 54 games, but I don't personally buy that line of reasoning. Brandon Roy and Aldridge were better, but not SPECTACULARLY better, than they had been the previous year. Oden was disappointing on most levels. Rudy and Batum were probably a bit better, too, but not dramatically.

Blake and Joel probably overachieved the most, IMO.

So what happened to tell the team that they should scrap their original plans and go for it now?

I know none of us know the original plan and so it's tough to tell how they have/will deviate from it... but it seems that this is more than just PR for the fans... but I'd have rather the team not let the fact that the team won 54 games rather than, say, 47, change the course of the franchise.

Ed O.

If their timeline has moved up, I don't see any evidence their plans have changed at all.

Other then failing to land even a decent free agent they don't seem to be doing much of anything.

So really, they are letting it bake by default since they are unable to get anything else done.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Let me offer this scenario:

When the next CBA comes up the NBA is going to have to push for two things- a hard salalry cap and some sort of non guaranteed contracts. Even though the economic necessity of both are fairly evident, the players union is going to strongly resist as both priorities takes money away from players. But with so many NBA teams losing money and with what we're seeing with the economy in general and what promises to be 8 long years of dramatic tax hikes against the "wealthy", owners are not going to make it. Add to that, the values of their franchises are probably going to go down.

That makes me thing we're heading into what could be a very prolonged NBA player strike that could easily take a season or two away or even end the NBA as we know it if the players start their own league.

Now, if we continue to try and build a cohesive team and can make a serious run at a title, if not win one, when & if the strike ends, we're going to be in a very enviable position. Also, if this scenario plays out, PA may have only 1 more year to win a title, so he pushed hard.

Anyway, just some speculation.

 

[Denny Crane]

Unexpected roster spot (RLEC) and later round draft picks.

 

[oldmangrouch]

If that was a possibility, why wouldn't the team have had that as their plan before? Why wouldn't EVERY team have that as its plan?

Ed O.

A) Not all teams try to win. Do you honestly think Sterling or Heisley give a flying fandango what their team record is, as long as they are in the black?

B) Some teams are just plain dumb about where to spend, and where to pinch pennies. They don't want to invest in scouts or assistant coaches to develop young players. In extreme cases (Suns) they abandon the draft entirely!

There was no real reason the Suns HAD to implode the way they did. They had their chances to add fresh talent into the pipeline. Instead, Bob Sarver is sitting in a hot-tub full of Paul Allen's money, listening to an endless loop of the Divinyls' "I Touch Myself."


In other words, you present a false choice.

 

[Harry's Raincoat]

A) Not all teams try to win. Do you honestly think Sterling or Heisley give a flying fandango what their team record is, as long as they are in the black?

B) Some teams are just plain dumb about where to spend, and where to pinch pennies. They don't want to invest in scouts or assistant coaches to develop young players. In extreme cases (Suns) they abandon the draft entirely!

There was no real reason the Suns HAD to implode the way they did. They had their chances to add fresh talent into the pipeline. Instead, Bob Sarver is sitting in a hot-tub full of Paul Allen's money, listening to an endless loop of the Divinyls' "I Touch Myself."


In other words, you present a false choice.

LOL - funny!! Oh no, the mental picture won't go away!!!!!!!

 

[MARIS61]

It's human nature to be impatient and greedy, which is why nearly all rebuilds through youth fail. Management never follows through in the end, which is why I was against blowing up the team when they did.

When KP took over, it seemed like the plan was genuine and that he had enough power to make it work. But it seems Nate has usurped much of that influence with Paul, and KP is being told to keep Nate happy.

Nate never wanted youth, is inept or uninterested in teaching youth, and just wants a ring so he can retire in 2 years with his many millions.

 

[Ed O]

It's human nature to be impatient and greedy, which is why nearly all rebuilds through youth fail. Management never follows through in the end, which is why I was against blowing up the team when they did.

Are you posting from the future, MARIS?

If so, your post might make some sense. In that case, can you tell me what date the Blazers will blow up the team, and tell me who wins the World Series so I can make some cash later this year?

Ed O.

 

[The Sebastian Express]

Are you posting from the future, MARIS?

If so, your post might make some sense. In that case, can you tell me what date the Blazers will blow up the team, and tell me who wins the World Series so I can make some cash later this year?

Ed O.

As the adventures of Marty McFly taught us - nothing good can come from attempting to bet on future sporting events. Even in a movie that contradicts itself within the first thirty minutes.

 

[tlongII]

I don't think their plan has changed at all. Maybe the media bites have changed, but not their plan.

 

[LOTBfan]

I suspect a lot of the long term plan was remapped when we lost all the Darius money.. getting a bunch of young kids and then picking up our choice of vets with like 20M plus to spend to lead them went out the window.

 

[PapaG]

I suspect a lot of the long term plan was remapped when we lost all the Darius money.. getting a bunch of young kids and then picking up our choice of vets with like 20M plus to spend to lead them went out the window.

Yep. I don't see the money lost on Miles/Memphis referenced here...ever, unless I am posting and getting flamed for it. Instead, we get foolish posts about renouncing Blake and Outlaw.


Repped.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

If that was a possibility, why wouldn't the team have had that as their plan before? Why wouldn't EVERY team have that as its plan?

Ed O.

Player development and higher salaries.

 

[MARIS61]

Are you posting from the future, MARIS?

If so, your post might make some sense. In that case, can you tell me what date the Blazers will blow up the team, and tell me who wins the World Series so I can make some cash later this year?

Ed O.

Blew, not blow.

Happened about 6 years ago, remember?

 

[ebott]

What I wanna know is what happened between the trade deadline when we did nothing and got the message "We believe in this team" and a few days before the draft when Paul Allen said "Go For it"

Was it our successful March and April?
Was it the playoff series?
Was it something unrelated to us that Paul Allen saw in the playoffs?

There had to be something.

Not like it really matters. KP can be told to go for it all day long. If free agents don't wanna come here and other teams don't wanna trade with us.

I tend to agree with tlong. The plan hasn't changed. It's all just talk to keep us interested. Nothing's happened to give any proof to the talk that the plan has changed. They've appeared to try with going after Turkey-Glue and Millsap. But it didn't happen. With the exception of Sergio being dumped, we're going into next season with the same team.

 

[LOTBfan]

Really I think they intentionally went after two players that they knew in advance wouldn't come here, simply to shut ODENISGOD up for a bit. I would prefer a lop sided trade for an allstar at the trade deadline to antyone who was available this summer.

 

[LJ Ginger]

I along with AmirIcon and IDog have wanted Sessions from day one of this summer...However, I like Bayless and I think he has a bright future in the NBA, not sure about with the Blazers though...I want to see Bayless and Sessions duke it out for the next two years and whoever wins that battle keep...Trade Blake, Outlaw for Sessions anyway possible...Like Bayless, Sessions shot a good percentage from three in college and needs repetition...Sessions seems like a no brainer to so many in here, why hasn't it happened yet? Possibly because KP really likes JBay as much as I do ...Just my thoughts...

 

[PapaG]

I along with AmirIcon and IDog have wanted Sessions from day one of this summer...However, I like Bayless and I think he has a bright future in the NBA, not sure about with the Blazers though...I want to see Bayless and Sessions duke it out for the next two years and whoever wins that battle keep...Trade Blake, Outlaw for Sessions anyway possible...Like Bayless, Sessions shot a good percentage from three in college and needs repetition...Sessions seems like a no brainer to so many in here, why hasn't it happened yet? Possibly because KP really likes JBay as much as I do ...Just my thoughts...

You answered your own question. Sessions is literally one of the worst 3 pt. shooting PGs in the NBA. He made six of them all of last season. The PG in Nate's offense, and who plays with Roy, needs to be able to hit open 3 pt. shots when the defense collapses on Roy and the ball rotates the perimeter. Sessions is decent at getting to the line, but with Roy intiating much of the offense, there are limited opportunities for a Blazer PG to dominate the ball.

 

[tlongII]

Sessions ain't squat. He would not improve our team in the least.

 

[MikeDC]

My guess is they decided to go for a couple of older guys or less obvious fits because they were the best options available. The Blazers basically have a use it or lose it situation with the cap space, so in that context, they might as well use it. If the best option they had for using it turned out to be a 30 year old SF, then well, the plan has to move up.

At the end of the day, the plan has to be tethered to who they can realistically get.