tHe oFFiciAL bLAzeRs aT mAgiC gAmE tHReaD- fEB 10tH 3pM pT

Orlando is 9-10 this year against Western Conference teams FYI

 

It baffles me that fans thought that a 20 year old raw center would be NBA ready right off the bat. Setting yourself up for disappointment. He's shown me more this year than most 20 year old centers have shown me. Good hands, soft touch and the ability to run the floor are unteachable traits. Figuring out positioning on defense and how to use his length are very teachable. I expect huge strides just by the beginning of next year alone.

 

I've never seen the high reward that Leonard supposedly has.

He'll crack the starting lineup at some point I'm sure, but special he isn't.

 

Ya I get that. I just don't see the 11th pick being of high value, but rare gems can be found and maybe we can get a center with decent potential. Leonard to me does not look like he will do much in the NBA. We shall see. I just wish we could have sucked this year like we all thought for a better pick (Im not trying to be a negative fan, but I figured playoffs wasn't realistic). Aldridge had other ideas, though.

 

Well if the Blazers keep this up all signs will point to a trade!

 

Three 3s and we're right back in it!

 

Agreed ... like I said, maybe he gets there and maybe he doesn't. I just wanted to address the idea that just because Leonard hasn't been an immediate contributor, it doesn't mean that he won't be some day ... even if that means he gets included in a trade and brings back a player that the Blazers can use right away.

 

Why do we need a player that can be used right away?

 

Luckily for the Blazers I don't think they're counting on finding a star in the draft. Lillard, Batum and Aldridge isn't a bad foundation to start from moving forward. In any case, the 11th pick (or whatever) just represents an asset to me, that asset doesn't even have to suit up for the Blazers IMO, it's just another chip in Olshey's stack.

 

Don't speed up the process, Aldridge bolts and we are back to square 1.

 

Anyone who watched Leonard last year and in Vegas would have known he's a LONG ways away.

He's a project.

 

Drummond and Oden were both ready

 

I don't know, maybe we don't? I guess I'm operating under the assumption that Olshey is on a little bit of a timetable before Aldridge enters the last year of his contract. If Neil can't get there in time, surrounding him with enough talent, then that time-table probably goes away (meaning Aldridge gets moved).

 

The biggest disappointment for me this seasons is that the starters, aside from Lillard, are all vets. Lillard has room to grow, but I've got a feeling that Wes and Batum are pretty much all they are going to be. Adding some bench depth will help, but the flaws in this lineup are much deeper than that. We are wasting LA's prime years surrounding him with streak shooters.

 

....and every player has the same career trajectory...

 

Batum has been great

 

You can probably get a multiple year college player that can be good off of the bench in that range, not bad.

Wasn't Klay Thompson also the 11th pick the year before Leonard?

 

You said it baffles you when epode think raw centers can play well

 

I think Wesley is probably the player that he's always going to be, but Nic is playing a completely different role than we've ever seen him since he came into the league. He's much more of a facilitator and focal point of the offense than he ever was before. His biggest achilles heel, is the turnovers right now, if he can curb those I think he's got some untapped "ceiling."