Pelton: Blazers Project As 2014 Lottery Team

I guess anything can happen, but when I look at this roster it doesn't scream, "deep playoff run!" I think that's all Maxiep is saying.

 

I can see us beating any of those teams in a 7 game series.

 

The hard truth is most likely we won’t win a championship regardless of our course. There are 30 teams and with long-term dynasties in the NBA the chance of a non contender building a team and winning is way less than one out of 30. Yes of course the goal should be to win the title but there should also be secondary realistic goals because only focusing on winning a title isn’t realistic. I had by far my most fun seasons as a Blazers fan when we went to the finals in the early 90’s or the WCF’s in 1999 and 2000. If we hadn’t had those seasons when I was in 3rd grade I’m not sure I would’ve become much of a Blazer fan at all.

At some point we will need a lucky break to contend. If we tore apart the team and were somehow lucky enough to draft an MVP candidate we would still need another lucky break of adding a stud to pair with that player. But as soon as you draft an MVP the team is not going to be a celler dweller and unlikely to get a top5 pick. So usually those teams with an MVP end up like Cleveland or New Oreleans.

If the team tries to build incrementally at some point they will need to get lucky and have a player far surpass expectations. If Lillard takes the next step to a superstar we’d be there. If we get lucky in a trade or deep in the draft and a guy becomes an all-star out of no where we’d be right there. I’d much rather take this latter road since the path is enjoyable to watch, failures are not as terrible, it is a more fulfilling way to root for a team long term, and the Blazers already have a number of borderline all-stars.

 

Well said, repped.

 

You need to stay bad long enough, by building through the draft, through the lotto. We have 4 lotto picks from the past 2 seasons on our team. So there you go. Say what you will about what you think each piece can be, but we just restocked with 4 recent draft picks, in other words, building through the draft.

As for being stuck in the middle, I think in order to be stuck somewhere, you have to be a team with very little upward mobility. A team like Dallas the past 2 or so seasons, where everyone has pretty much hit their peak, there's no real upside, and nowhere really to go. You're not stuck when you have one of the youngest rosters in the league. Being stuck would imply that Lillard, Robinson, CJ, Leonard, Batum have all reached their peak, and this is as good as theyll ever be. That seems a little foolish to me. So maybe we're a one and done this season, but that hardly means it's more of the same the following season as guys improve.

 

So what if the team tanks by trading LMA for scrubs and picks, and then drafts another 'can't miss' guy who busts either by poor play or injury? The problem this time would be that only Lillard would be 'elite', instead of having a Roy and LMA to make the team a playoff contender for a few years.

 

in 2 years we trade Lillard for picks and try again?

 

Seriously, how can I get paid to write poorly researched blather like this? A one-year absence? Oh how I do wish.

 

I wonder if there is a trade out there that actually can make us better right away that's realistic for Aldridge.

I wonder if trading Aldridge to the Thunder for Ibaka, Jones III, and picks could make us better. Our defense would be tremendously better but then we would need Batum and McCollum to be HUGE studs.

 

why wait? Offers will be MUCH better if a team can control him for 6 more years than just 2, obviously.

 

Man, I wish I could go full Mags. I love your optimism. I wish I could share it.

 

You should try it. It's much better than being a cranky old man that gets pissy at anyone that disagrees with him.

PS not referring you as this man

 

I still have an emotional hangover from losing Roy and Oden to injury.

 

No, the worst place to be "stuck" is in last place year, after year, after year. Sucking is no guarantee of future success. How many DECADES did the Clippers suck before they FINALLY became relevant? Those of you who want to suck just for a chance at a high lottery pick may want to ask Clipper fans, Minnesota fans, etc. what it's like to be in the lottery year, after year, after year, after year and never get a player good enough to even get you into the playoffs. Do you really want to go through 3 or 4 sub-20 win seasons in a row just for a chance that they might be right back where they are now four years down the road?

We have a very solid, very young core. LaMarcus just turned 28, is an established all-star and is still improving - and he's our oldest player that matters. We have a LOT of very young talent that will continue to improve. We aren't "stuck" anywhere. We also have a lot of very tradeable assets on very reasonable, short term contracts. I can't believe people want to blow up our team, trader our best player, hit rock bottom and start over yet again. Let's see what this team can do, watch them grow and improve.

Making the playoffs this year would be a huge step in the right direction, and I believe we will. Even if we get swept in the first round, it will be a valuable learning experience for our young players. Remember that 54-win Roy/Oden team? They had HCA and were completely blown out in game 1 by a veteran Houston team. All young teams are shell shocked the first time they reach the post season. It's a necessary part of growth. Let's focus on making the playoffs this year, getting that post season experience the only way you can and then shoot for advancing to round two next season as our young players are a year older, a year wiser, and year more experienced and a year better.

BNM

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I'd be shocked if LMA is traded before the season, which won't happen. Other than that, I assume any trade made by Olshey is to bring in a player/players to improve the team at present. He wasn't hired to tear down the franchise and rebuild it for four years. That's why I have to laugh at the "trade LMA" posters like you who are convinced that he needs to be moved right now. It's not going to happen.

The Blazers already had their "rebuild". It was when Wallace and Camby were traded, and Oden was waived. That was it. There is no way that Paul Allen is going to want to watch a 25-win team for a few years by panicking and trading LMA for a role player like Greg Monroe and some draft picks.

 

We rarely agree on things, but I rep this 100% My thoughts are well-reflected in your post. I'll add that I think Lillard can be an MVP-level player, and if he's not, then whatever happens with LMA won't matter, anyhow.