Zach Lowe: The Blazers' Oregon Trail to contention

[BBert]

I was not sure where he was going with the article. He seemed to be all over the place. But his conclusion was fair.

" The Blazers are good, and they'll stay good with an uncertain path to the next tier up. Overspending this summer cluttered that path with obstacles, but it's hard to find a realistic alternative that would have cleared it up."

Overspending "cluttered the path with obstacles"? WTF? How so, considering there was no "realistic alternative"?

"Overspending" was necessary to compete, not an impediment to competing.

Also, I don't think Turner is overpaid. Welcome to 2016. The only overpaid player on our roster, IMO, is Allan Crabbe.

 

[BBert]

Pretty decent read actually. It's obvious he isn't sold on anything we've done but who in the league is? I had an argument with a friend the other week and he said, "Face it. You guys are going to be this era's version of the 90's Pacers!"

Well buddy that's absolutely fine. Getting to the Western Conference Finals in this era (for THIS market) is actually a fucking accomplishment! I hate the naysayers who keep preaching, "You screwed your salary structure. You should have waited till next year's free agency period."

And what kind of magical window of opportunity is going to open that makes Portland attractive to free agents? What lopsided trade would have presented itself in a league where teams are hugging every asset they have for dear life?

The choice was simple, take the current roster and a few role players and make a play for NOW. But no one outside of this fan base would ever understand that. And if rival fans have a problem with that they can suck my -----.

Preach

 

[Pinwheel1]

Overspending "cluttered the path with obstacles"? WTF? How so, considering there was no "realistic alternative"?

"Overspending" was necessary to compete, not an impediment to competing.

Also, I don't think Turner is overpaid. Welcome to 2016. The only overpaid player on our roster, IMO, is Allan Crabbe.

Yeah he is kind of contradicting himself. I guess he is suggesting that since we struck out on a top FA, the only way for us to reach the next tier of teams, is to make a trade. But since we signed assets that will be hard to move, our chance of trading them are more difficult. But then he finishes up by saying we really didn't have a realistic alternative......

The flip side to these players getting paid so much, is that they will match up salary wise closer to star players whose team might want to move them. (i.e the never ending desire to get the Boogie man) As opposed to us sending 4 players to another team for one player. It just won't be this year, but rather when they have less years on their contract.

 

[Natebishop3]

Did we strike out on a top FA? I don't consider Parsons a top free agent. We didn't really seem to pursue Whiteside or Howard.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Did we strike out on a top FA? I don't consider Parsons a top free agent. We didn't really seem to pursue Whiteside or Howard.

I think they wanted Whiteside, but it didn't seem like they went after Howard very hard because of the age difference But I agree with you, ET seemed to be pretty high on their list.

 

[Natebishop3]

I think they wanted Whiteside, but it didn't seem like they went after Howard very hard because of the age difference But I agree with you, ET seemed to be pretty high on their list.

I'm sure we would have loved to have signed Whiteside, but I think Neil figured out pretty early on that it was all a ploy to get Miami to sign him to a bigger contract. Neil didn't seem to waste any time on Whiteside.

 

[e_blazer]

I'm sure we would have loved to have signed Whiteside, but I think Neil figured out pretty early on that it was all a ploy to get Miami to sign him to a bigger contract. Neil didn't seem to waste any time on Whiteside.

I bet Whiteside would have been a lot more interested in the Blazers had he known Wade was leaving.

 

[Natebishop3]

I bet Whiteside would have been a lot more interested in the Blazers had he known Wade was leaving.

Maybe, but I think he wanted the most money possible, and I think Miami could offer more money than anyone else.

 

[Boob-No-More]

"But Turner needs the ball to play up to this contract, and if he has it, Lillard and McCollum -- much better players -- do not."

He kind of misses the point. If you have an extra guy who can handle the ball, collapse the defense and hit the open man, it results in higher percentage shots for your better players.

Steph Curry wasn't even an all star when Marc Jackson had him playing like a traditional PG, running the offense and creating for himself and his teammates. Curry became a two time MVP once Steve Kerr started running more offensive possessions through Shaun Livingston and Draymond Green. With Curry playing off the ball, he got more open looks and became a much more efficient scorer. He works less, but scores more. That's good for Curry and it's good for his team.

Evan Turner gives us that third ball handler that will let Dame and C.J. play off the ball more. That's a good thing, not a negative.

BNM

 

[Natebishop3]

"But Turner needs the ball to play up to this contract, and if he has it, Lillard and McCollum -- much better players -- do not."

He kind of misses the point. If you have an extra guy who can handle the ball, collapse the defense and hit the open man, it results in higher percentage shots for your better players.

Steph Curry wasn't even an all star when Marc Jackson had him playing like a traditional PG, running the offense and creating for himself and his teammates. Curry became a two time MVP once Steve Kerr started running more offensive possessions through Shaun Livingston and Draymond Green. With Curry playing off the ball, he got more open looks and became a much more efficient scorer. He works less, but scores more. That's good for Curry and it's good for his team.

Evan Turner gives us that third ball handler that will let Dame and C.J. play off the ball more. That's a good thing, not a negative.

BNM

All the advanced stats on 82games.com say that Dame is best at shooting guard. Just food for thought.

 

[Orion Bailey]

All the advanced stats on 82games.com say that Dame is best at shooting guard. Just food for thought.

Does ET have enough handles to actually play point? He would be an over sized defender which we need, but would he work on the offensive end?

If so, I really think the best thing is for Dame to go to SG and have CJ be our perennial 6th man. He will win the award every year.

A starting lineup of

Turner
Dame
Harkless
Aminu
Plums/Ezeli (Not sure who will start)

A second unit of

Napier/CJ
CJ/Connaughton
Crabbe/Layman
Davis/Vonleh/Leonard
Ezeli/Leonard/Plums


I honestly think that might be the best way to play this roster provided the skill sets matchup with the positioning ( My Evan Turner ?)

 

[DUB]

The 93-95 Pacers are my favorite non-Blazers team of all time. I had a Reggie Miller poster on my wall back then.

The Knicks were my "second team" at that time. I loved their front court of Ewing, Oakley, Smith, and Mason. The Knicks and Pacers had so many great battles during that era.

 

[Boob-No-More]

All the advanced stats on 82games.com say that Dame is best at shooting guard. Just food for thought.

The idea that you need the ball in your best players hands as much as possible is quaint and old fashioned. This isn't 1995, or even 2008 when Nate McMillan was the last stubborn holdout of the all ISO all the time offense. Maybe you want your best player taking the big shots, but you can often get him better looks if he doesn't have to do all the work and the defense can't just suffocate him.

Turner has the handles and passing ability to run the point on offense and the size to guard SGs and SFs on defense. I'm sure Stotts is already salivating at the options that gives him.

BNM

 

[e_blazer]

The idea that you need the ball in your best players hands as much as possible is quaint and old fashioned. This isn't 1995, or even 2008 when Nate McMillan was the last stubborn holdout of the all ISO all the time offense. Maybe you want your best player taking the big shots, but you can often get him better looks if he doesn't have to do all the work and the defense can't just suffocate him.

Turner has the handles and passing ability to run the point on offense and the size to guard SGs and SFs on defense. I'm sure Stotts is already salivating at the options that gives him.

BNM

And Turner has never played with backcourt teammates as good as Dame and CJ. I'm expecting all of these guys, plus Crabbe, to feed off of each other and have great seasons.

 

[Boob-No-More]

And Turner has never played with backcourt teammates as good as Dame and CJ. I'm expecting all of these guys, plus Crabbe, to feed off of each other and have great seasons.

Yep, the synergy will make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. Playing with Dame and C.J. will make Turner better and vise versa.

Remember the doubters who said Dame and C.J. couldn't play together? Dame had his best season yet and C.J. had a breakout year. Olshey and Stotts know what they are doing.

Turner will be a great fit, and as far as being overpaid - he got Bazemore money. Think about that.

BNM

 

[Rhal]

I know everyone loves Zach Lowe, but I feel like he's never, ever sold on anything that Portland does.

@BlazerCaravan brought up a good point as well: Was it necessary to continue harping on the Crabbe and Turner deals over and over and over again? And there was really no mention of how teams generally never let RFA walk.

Whole article felt like a backhanded compliment. I could be reading the piece wrong, but that's how I felt while reading it.

He definitely isn't ever sold on the Blazers. I love Zach Lowe and read/listen to everything he does but since we have had a roster the last 4 years or so that required internal growth to really succeed to the next level, thats something that seems like unless Lowe can personally see the puzzle pieces fitting together he wont immediately assume internal growth and players getting better will happen.

 

[Natebishop3]

And Turner has never played with backcourt teammates as good as Dame and CJ. I'm expecting all of these guys, plus Crabbe, to feed off of each other and have great seasons.

Isaiah Thomas is pretty good. Maybe not as good as Dame, but he's pretty damn good.

 

[Eastoff]

It has to be patty C. He came in saying he wanted to be a leader in the team. Or was in an Oregonian article I believe before his rookie year.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...ers_rookie_pat_connaughton_ready_to_make.html
That's the best I can find.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Here are some of Zach Lowe's previous predictions:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/35-crazy-predictions-for-the-2015-16-nba-season/

 

[jlprk]

Where is that thread in which I told him off, then had regrets that I'd been too hard on the young Beaver.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...ers_rookie_pat_connaughton_ready_to_make.html
That's the best I can find.

Ah, a date. With that, I found the thread.

http://www.sportstwo.com/threads/pat-wants-to-be-a-leader.287814/

 

[Eastoff]

Ah, a date. With that, I found the thread.

http://www.sportstwo.com/threads/pat-wants-to-be-a-leader.287814/

You're a wizard!

 

[Chris Craig]

Here are some of Zach Lowe's previous predictions:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/35-crazy-predictions-for-the-2015-16-nba-season/

Out of 35 he got what 5 right

 

[Pinwheel1]

Out of 35 he got what 5 right

Wow he did not do very well at all.

 

[jlprk]

Ah, a date. With that, I found the thread.

http://www.sportstwo.com/threads/pat-wants-to-be-a-leader.287814/

You're a wizard!

Don't give me the credit. My date found it!

 

[riverman]

Don't give me the credit. My date found it!

so your date..the left hand or right hand?

 

[Dougnsalem]

so your date..the left hand or right hand?

LMAO. That was some funny shit right there.... It deserved more than just a like. Nice one!

 

[BonesJones]

Here are some of Zach Lowe's previous predictions:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/35-crazy-predictions-for-the-2015-16-nba-season/

Those first 5 weren't just wrong, they weren't even close to happening.

 

[dviss1]

Does ET have enough handles to actually play point? He would be an over sized defender which we need, but would he work on the offensive end?

If so, I really think the best thing is for Dame to go to SG and have CJ be our perennial 6th man. He will win the award every year.

A starting lineup of

Turner
Dame
Harkless
Aminu
Plums/Ezeli (Not sure who will start)

A second unit of

Napier/CJ
CJ/Connaughton
Crabbe/Layman
Davis/Vonleh/Leonard
Ezeli/Leonard/Plums


I honestly think that might be the best way to play this roster provided the skill sets matchup with the positioning ( My Evan Turner ?)

NGTH.

 

[Orion Bailey]

NGTH.

D Im a dunce. What does that mean>

Not
Gonna
Think
Hell?

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

D Im a dunce. What does that mean>

Not
Gonna
Think
Hell?

even as old as I am, figured out in five seconds: Not Going To Happen!