Well, winning never really Sucks...Unless it is right before the trade deadline and you want some trades to happen to improve this team and the last 8 teams you have played and looked good against have a combined record of 180-234 while several of the teams were also missing some of their top players. This winning streak, which can easily be looked at as a pan of fools gold based on the items listed above, may completely turn the tide on the Vulcans making any meaningful moves before the deadline. Let's face it, the Blazers have not really played the best teams or at full strength during this mini winning streak and now the powers that be likely feel like the Blazers are better than they are. I hope I am wrong and the Blazers still look to make a meaningful move before the deadline...but, I haven't heard any trade chatter of significance concerning the Blazers the past week or so and reports I have read say the Blazers are not active in finding a trade...That Sucks!!...because this team is not good enough as it is to do much in the playoffs and this winning streak against sub-par teams may have just sealed their fate for the rest of this season!
Winning streaks are always good. Doesn't matter when they occur. As I've said previously there is no trade that is reasonable that would improve our team this season. I think not making a trade is the right move. BAKE THE CAKE BABY!
The Vulcans are going to fully understand that the bottom line will require a trade to chop at least $3M from team salary and avoid the Luxury Tax this season.
We are winning. And not in that Charlie Sheen, briefcase full of blow kind of way. Can't we even feel good about that? FFS! Are we turning into Browns fans now?
A) Neil generally plays it pretty close to the vest. B) Other folks in the industry are saying that people are reaching out to the Blazers...maybe the Blazers are doing a 'come at me with your best ideas' thing. C) In general, the deadline is for panic moves one way or the other (Sometimes we get Nurk and a first, or the Dame draft pick...sometimes we trade the farm for Aaron Afflalo.) I would say 2 things: 1) The winning streak (and agree--they're always good) probably wouldn't upset the teams' future potential ratings in the mind of the mgmt, since it's been mostly b/c of their star players' games improving while keeping the defense tight. 2) The "overratedness factor" (e.g., Shabazz and Pat, among others, become more highly valued) has actually gone down in the last couple of weeks, as Pat and Shabazz have returned a bit to the mean. They're still useful, and Shabazz will likely get paid this summer by someone, but it's not like they've been playing well enough in the last two weeks to say "Screw it. UNTOUCHABLES!"
I hear ya and I do like the wins...That being said, I ain't much of a baker...but eventually, the cake has to be done
If it makes you feel better, they will likely lose 2, if not all 3, of their next 3 games, and those occur before the deadline. So the FO may have some more incentive next week to make a deal.
Yeah...all very valid points...but, maybe they should panic with upwards of 37 million dedicated to Meyers, Mo & Turner...I am just sayin, if they aren't looking now knowing this roster is seriously f'd up, when will they be looking?
The offseason, when people haven't burned through all their cap space and taking on 10-37M in contracts is at least feasible...?
If Neil is stupid enough to let a 4 or 5 game winning streak determine his long-range strategy about the composition of the roster, then he should be fired immediately. Besides, winning means players are playing well, which doesn't exactly hurt their trade value. There's no down side here.
I hope you are right...but, it does seem that teams this time of year are slightly more desperate with GM's & Coaches hoping to perform before the end of the season to keep their jobs...which to me seems like the perfect time to unload a player that may not be quite as desirable, maybe a little more desperation from other teams comes into play to eliminate payroll or make that playoff push..IDK, I just hope management hasn't decided to just let it ride until the money comes off the books!
Yeah...I like Neil (not as much as I did two years ago), but he is also the one that signed Meyers, Mo & Turner to those contracts.....and many would argue that those weren't the smartest moves in the association
They can always pretend Swanigan, Baldwin 1V and Collins are making Mo, ET and Meyers money and just play them...then pretend those 3 vets are the rookies
I agree with all of this, but I'd submit that, as you've pointed out, we'd be on the "panic" end of the panic trade, trying to put lipstick on a 2nd-round pig and thinking you're going to the Finals by mortgaging the near-future and beyond--bringing in new assets to help the team out at the expense of young players and picks. There's almost literally no reason (other than mayyyybe the 3M or so we're over the lux tax line) to look at attaching value to dump Meyers or Mo or Evan right now. Mortgaging for talent that isn't raising the bar is kind of what got us where we are. Now, if we had a bunch of cap space, some valuable players, and our team just sucked? Sure, trade away the pieces, collect assets, get better later. We're not at that point.
I have always been a firm believer that mediocrity breeds mediocrity. It is an ugly cycle and a difficult one to get out of. At some point you just have to realize that 8th seed does nothing for your franchise so you either need to blow it up or go for broke. The team doesn't have the assets or the cap to go for it. A decision has to be made if the nucleus is good enough to win a championship. Lillard isn't going anywhere, unless he decides, so that leaves CJ as the million dollar question mark. We can continue to piece things together in small incremints and stay afloat or we can take a giant leap of faith and see what we can put together. If not before the deadline, then in the off season. Should be interesting.
I posted this in another thread - This is the first time in the post-Aldridge era that the Blazers have been 7 games over 500. Will this 'little' run sway Olshey from making a deal? I expect not. 7 games over 500 is nice, but its nowhere near where this fan base expects this franchise to be. Lets enjoy this upswing while its here. At the same time, I want to see Olshey take a few risks and make a trade that can potentially pushes this team to a contender status!
Alright lets look at Feb. 10 games. 6 on the road 4 home. Even the home games include Utah and Golden State. they have Sac twice and Phoenix once but that is on the road also. Getting through this month 5-5 would be huge. looking for 4-6 as that seems pretty reasonable. But understand.... 3-7 or even 2 of the next 10 could happen pretty easily.
Jinx thread if ever there was one. We are about to play Toronto, then Boston, then Detroit. I don't think too much winning will be the problem....
