What do Wesley and Batum lack that you would want back in a trade? Something like the Clippers wings of JJ Reddick, Crawford and Matt Barnes? Or the Thunder starting SG of Thabo Sefolsha? If not can you give an example of such a player? I think I might rather have Wesley on this team then Harden. Can you imagine a defensive backcourt of Lillard and Harden? Aldridge and Lillard are legit first options. When you have a pair like that you need wings who can bring contributions to the table outside of scoring, and as a 3rd or 4th options in an offense. I think the biggest hole on this team is a 3rd big man to spell Lopez/LaMarcus as well as bench scoring. A defensive specialist off the bench would be nice as well. The starters are fine.
Our starting 5 is awesome. We just need a little more bench help and we can compete for championships.
I agree with you completely. I think that the lack of inside scoring in the 2nd unit could be partially remedied by having at least 1 real PG on the team. I love the thought of grabbing Greivis Vasquez, b/c he'd pair well with Lillard (who could guard 1's next to him) for 15 mpg like Maynor used to. And, with a PG who guards 2's you have the luxury of fitting someone like CJ well as a sparkplug (not sure if he'll ever realize his potential though.
The Jazz had lost in the finals the year before and nobody picked the Blazers to win that series except the Blazer fans. I was at Game 6 when Portland eliminated Utah and the Rose Garden was so loud my ears were ringing for hours afterward and I lost my voice for two days from cheering.
It was a very interesting time. The year before (88-89), the Blazers barely made the playoffs and got snotfucked by the Lakers in the first round... and they had all of the core players: Drexler, Porter, Kersey, Duckworth... but Steve Johnson at the PF and an ancient Caldwell Jones as backup PF/C. Other teams would destroy the Blazers in the paint. Buck Williams changed all that in a hurry. He played hardnosed and banged down low to open up the perimeter for Drexler and Porter to slash and dash. The comparison with Robin Lopez is pretty spot-on. Sideshow Rob has shown this team how to get down and dirty.
Lillard has brighter flashes, but Porter was more consistent in his prime (imho). But give it two more years; Lillard will get there.
Lillard and TP are just different kind of PG's IMO. TP is legendary for Blazers fans. Lillard becoming so.
The '98-'99 team was one of the unsung hero teams for me. I loved that postseason despite losing to the Spurs on the tippee-toe shot by Sean Elliott (damn him!). I was really unhappy with the trade for Steve Smith (for JR Rider and Jimmy Jackson to ATL). Did not like it at all!!
Need an allstar wing player to compete with the Miami's and OKCs of the world. I'm not just talking about having a good team that may make some noise, I'm talking about if we want a championship window open we'll need one more impact player. A DeMar DeRozan. A Carmello Anthony. A Kyrie Irving.
Batum is still developing, as is Lillard and Lopez. We will get better naturally from within. We don't need Irving. We have Lillard. Would Melo or Derozen enjoy being a third, sometimes 4th wheel? Everyone wants Batum to score more but he's our fourth option. He's the best 4th option in the league. And offense isn't what we are lacking anyway. Melo is and will always be, in his mind, a #1 option. That will not work with Aldridge and Lillard. Wes, Batum, and RoLO are the best complementary players those guys could ask for. Our championship window opens next year even with no roster moves, I believe.
This is a terrible comment. Dallas beat Miami without an allstar wing. Spurs nearly did the same last year. OKC has made the finals once in the last decade they are far from a shoe in. I'm not sure if Demar is an upgrade over our wings. Melo would be terrible pairing with Damian. You don't need 5 offensive minded primary option players on a team. Two of them with role players who bring other skills to the table is how you build for postseason success. This isn't fantasy basketball, and even if it was in what league is Kyrie Irving a wing?
15 games ago we questioned if we would even make the playoffs. If we don't go far there will be changes in the starting lineup. You can be mediocre with hot/cold streaks or you build a powerhouse. Incremental changes get you an Indiana pacers style team..look at them now. Your success wit these types of teams is determined by hot and cold streaks, not the strength of your roster. I'm not saying these players I mentioned are the guys, but like I said if we are one and done we have to make a trade if we want to be contenders, just like the previously stacked blazers teams of the past
We made the trade, Eric. For Lopez. Our starting lineup is best in the NBA. If not the guys you mentioned, then who? We can't trade for guys that don't exist.
The board in general. The entire outlook of the team is based purely on an instant look and emotion. When they were playing bad, it was doomsday scenarios all around.
I mean the major change can be a new coach. of course if we make the WCFs or something, then obviously we won't need it. But if we get bounced in round 1, we can't be going into next season with the same squad or one with a minor change such as one bench player. Maybe if we get 2-3 good bench players? We'll see who the fuck knows
