single biggest need for the Blazers? A. For GO (and the main players on the team) to have put the injuries behind him If they're all relatively healthy, the current roster would be an elite squad next season. Going forward I've little doubt that they could find a quality player to be Miller's successor as their frontcourt and the opportunity to be with an elite squad would attract established talent via FA... I'd think their MLE would be enough. STOMP
A new owner is the biggest need. PA shoots himself in the foot every time this team starts to make progress. He refuses to hire people with basketball knowledge, and thinks a title team can be built with money in a year or two. He has attempted 4-5 blow-up and rebuilds, but always loses patience before the teams age and mature. He's the classic example of too much money/not enough common sense. This team has been junior league ever since the day Sabas left.
Exactly. There is not a single change that we could make this offseason that could be as impactful as a healthy Oden.
Why? Barfo would just try to spread out and redistribute our assets to the rest of the teams in the league in the name of "fairness".
The team's biggest need is a single vision in the front office, and not a bunch of Yes Men paralyzed into inaction in fear of the whims of the petulant manchild who is their boss. People say how lucky we all are to have Paul Allen as the owner, yet the team hasn't been to an NBA Finals in 20 years, in large part due to Allen's erractic and uneven management group.
I believe it's outside shooting. If we had just been an average team from 3 in the playoffs, just able to shoot 34% I believe we would've won against Dallas and given LA all they could handle. It severely hurts our team not having a guard who can keep the defense from packing it inside. People talk about what a beast LaMarcus was for a few months earlier this year; a large part of that was Wesley and Batum being hot from 3 and Dante hitting the midrange jumper alongside LaMarcus. Having Miller, Camby, Wallace, and a cold shooting Wes/Batum doesn't give LA the opportunity to go one on one inside.
In the post-Roy era this team need a player that's a legit threat from outside that can also get to the FT line with regularity.
You both want a single vision in the front office, and people who aren't just agreeing with the vision that matters the most, that of the owner. Seems like a contradiction. I think Allen agrees with you that he also wants a single vision. His.
I'll say talent. I think we need to continue to add talent wherever and however we can, be it free agency, the draft, or through trades. Continue to improve from 1-15 on the roster. Sometimes that can be big changes, sometimes incremental ones like replacing someone like say babbit with Faried(dunno if he is better, just an example). Ok, so we improved our 13th man. etc. You want to worry about fit, chemistry, etc., but we need MORE talent on this team. Upgrade the backup PG spot. Upgrade the starting spot. Upgrade Rudy, but look to upgrade Matthews, hell. Upgrade Batum at backup SF. Update Wallace if possible. Find a backup PF. Find a starting one that could push LMA to C. Find an upgrade to Camby. Find him a backup. No, they're not all going to happen, most are unlikely, and I know it is easier said than done. But more than just oh, we're a backup PG and backup PF away, I think we just need more talent, and we can sort it out later. Add talent, then if possible, consolidate that talent for more talent.
I find it funny that people are knocking this franchise because of the owner. Honestly, I think Allen is one of the greatest owners in sports. He is whilling to shell out millions of dollars for the franchise; losing money in the process. It maybe a "bone head" type investment; since he isn't really making money; but I believe it's because he truly loves this team and wants to win. So for those that dish out the "Yes Man" GM hate; you are entitled to your opinion. I choose to sip the kool aid and enjoy having, in my opinion, one of the best owners in sports.
What's the point of randomly shelling out money if you don't get anywhere? Smart decision making is just as important as having "the bling bling" and Paul Allen has consistently shown poor decision making skills.
Smart decisions are not just as important as the bling bling. If you don't have the money you can't execute the good decision making. Who get the credit for the Wallace deal where no other owner wanted his contract? Cho or whoever walks away from deal because they were asking too much (Batum) and deal gets done anyways because no other team wanted Wallace's contract. Only reason Blazers got Wallace was because of PA's money. Or was that considered a poor decision making skills . . . business wise it probably is poor decision making skills, but that is what I love about PA, it's not a business to him, it's a passion.
When I compared decision making to money, I didn't actually mean having no money to spend, just not throwing money at everything to see if it works. Decision making goes beyond just basketball decisions, it includes how to properly run an organization without having controversy or people switching jobs every year. I appreciate Paul's passion, his money, and his willingness to spend. I just wish he would stop interfering with his own organization and let the people do the jobs they were hired to do.
Ask the creditors he stiffed in Portland after he threw the Rose Garden into bankruptcy. A multi-billionaire who used legal loopholes to protect his assets while trying to destroy local companies by not paying his bills to them. A real stand-up guy! :MARIS61:
A single vision from somebody who has a clue. Not Paul Allen's single-vision of surrounding himself with ego-stroking sycophants.
