If you truly believe the Blazers are on the cusp of greatness, your theme song for the year should be "What's Love Got To Do With It?"
True. Some fans still don't appreciate how much Nurk and Kanter contributed to last season's success. They somehow think we will be as good or better without them.
Some people think that oat seasons success guarantees similar success next season, even though: - Denver will gain more from internal development and experience. They had a better record anyway. - Houston won't have Melo this year. When healthy, they were a much better regular season team. We tied them. They're better. Lakers just added Davis to Lebron and gave the space to add another star. - A 48-win Clipper team could add Kawhi and another piece this summer. - The Jazz, who were on our heels already, upgraded from Rubio to Conley. That could also help Mitchell have a 3rd year leap. - Meanwhile, Portland is without their C for a portion of next year, will lose 2 and maybe all 4 of Kanter, Curry, Hood, and Aminu. They'll only have the tax-payer MLE to work with.
It seems when next year prognostications get made, it's always best case for everyone else, and not us. Denver's players will all develop. Will Zach not make a big 3rd year leap after his solid playoff run? Will Simons see improvement on our bench? Did we improve byu swapping out Turner for Bazemore? Houston only had Carmelo for 10 games last season. He didn't torpedo their season. We tied them, they're better? Better by losing him? Great. We're better by losing Turner. A 48 win Clipper team could add Kawhi. It could also be that they played motivated after a throw in the towel trade of Harris, who they no longer have, who helped them to a lot of those wins, and there will be regression. Maybe they don't add Kawhi. Likely. And they lose Beverly.
We're going to lose 2-4 key players. Is that happening to any other team that isnt landing a star? Any in-house development will be offsetting those losses at best. Also, notice how I said "on the verge".
A good offense is also a good defense IMO. Look at how gassed any team was guarding the Warriors. It took major effort on the defensive side to try and stop them. The Warrior defense was marginal at best, but other teams' offense would sputter because they were worn down. Of course I have no stats to support that, but that my perception after watching so many of their games over the years. You get a playmaking center and power forward on your team that can pass and screen with the best of them (Nurk, Love, Kanter) and can run the pick and roll flawlessly, you have so much potential there.
The Blazers need a player who is better overall than anyone we have now to win a title. Toronto got a player like that and won a championhip. Let's be real. Just about any team is on the verge if they got someone like Kawhi, or Lebron or a healthy KD.
Dame can be the best player on a championship winning team. We need an Otto Porter or Robert Covington.
Or having a fall back plan when the other team actually brings it on defense. How anyone can watch the Blazer offense founder in the post season and still declare Stotts a championship level coach is beyond me.
We just need adequate replacements for Hood, Curry, and Kanter. We’re contenders right now without question. I would think that everyone would recognize that.
