The more I've been thinking about it, the more I realize that a healthy Blazers team - plus Camby - is in the WCF THIS season. Why not just trot out the same bunch next season and see where the chips fall?
I agree; we're not in the market to significantly upgrade any single piece. We're also not in a poisition of great need anywhere, certainly no need great enough to warrant trading a large quantity existing talent at a discount to get an upgrade. I'm with you: let it bake (heh) one more season and see. We've got experience in key positions (PG, PF/C) and more experienced young guys who are about to enter their proto-prime years. Let's let it ride.
There's no such thing as 'trotting out the same bunch' -- You're either getting better or you're getting worse. FWIW, I don't hate the lineup we currently have but I sure as hell don't love our bench and I'm pretty sure we're short a long term answer at the point guard spot (despite Bayless playing very well as a backup shooting guard).
Absolutely. Standing still is moving backwards. The team should ALWAYS look to improve itself. It should just be a question of what level of risk aversion and what their competitive window looks like. Even healthy, this team has holes unless our second round big guys develop into NBA-level players. Ed O.
We're an Andre Miller severely sprained ankle away from having nobody aside from Brandon to initiate the offense. That's a bit of a problem in my opinion (unless you happen to think that Mills or Diener would be adequate fill-ins).
I can't help but also think that a healthy Greg Oden - replete with the attention he'll most certainly draw - enhances the potential of a successful outside shooting game.
I don't know what that means in terms of a long-term answer at PG. That was your original point, not having a back-up at the level of Andre Miller, wasn't it?
Don't forget, Koponen came that close to being chosen over Batum to fill out our roster a couple of seasons ago.
You're right ... and with Brandon, Bayless, Webster and Rudy all being somewhat (or very) streaky outside shooters, with Miller a total non-factor, doesn't it seem like we need more than just Nic Batum to space the floor?
To be honest, I see all of those guys being more wide open with Greg on the floor. Hence, I see wide open equating to a much higher fg%.
I agree. I just don't understand how filling the answer for a long-term PG helps a healthy team compete for a title next season. Perhaps I misinterpreted your post, but that is the one need you pointed out in your post.
Maybe, but even when open a lot of these guys haven't exactly showed they can hit with consistency. But if you had a chance to cashier some of these young guys with "potential" for a single guy with some more proven production why wouldn't you take that opportunity? As a fan base I think we just have to get over the whole "Jermaine O'Neal Syndrome" -- fearing that the instant we part with one of these young guys it's going to come back and haunt us when they "blow up."
As an example only, I think we also need a legitimate second option (I think LMA is a great third option btw), a true back-to-the-basket scorer and/or better shooters (Martell and Rudy are too hot and cold in my opinion).
Sure, I could be on-board with that. To be honest, though, I think it would have to be directed by someone other than KP. He's probably never been in a more "calm waters" state than he is right now. At least by the sound of his post-season comments, that is.
LOL. I've learned to completely disregard anything that comes out of KP's mouth ... and you may be right that he isn't the one to do it (enter Mark Warkentien from stage left).
