Grade the Blazers' roster changes

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Rastapopoulos, Nov 21, 2020.

?

Grade for changes in draft and free agency?

  1. A+

    4.3%
  2. A

    25.8%
  3. A-

    18.3%
  4. B+

    21.5%
  5. B

    21.5%
  6. B-

    6.5%
  7. C+

    1.1%
  8. C

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  9. C-

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  10. lower

    1.1%
  1. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    What were you expecting? I think it has been a very solid offseason. If we stay healthy, this is the best chance for this Dame/CJ/Stotts magical mystery tour to succeed. This is our WCF team on steroids. I still have my doubts that we can win with a team that relies on Dame/CJ, but if we COULD do it, this would be the time. We are pretty loaded right now. We should be better on defense. We have a really good bench. We're just missing a ball handler.
     
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  2. Boise Blazer

    Boise Blazer Thread Lightly

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    What's going to suck is to have built the team that we did and have so much hope and optimism only to see the season shut down due to COVID...
     
  3. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    They don't do it. They'll do another bubble before they do that.
     
  4. lamlor

    lamlor Well-Known Member

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    My 2 cents (and that is overvaluing it)

    They added decent pieces in an off season that a lot of better pieces changed teams. Could we have have gotten some of them? Probably not. Such is a life of a Blazer fan.

    We were thin at PF last year and still are.
    We were thin at PG last year and still are.
    We did improve our defensive at the wing position so that is a plus. Can a guy that can't score in the half court game play clutch minutes? Info, there goes one of the improved defenders.
    I don't like the fact we didn't add a more athletic backup center who can adjust shots in the key and play pick-and-roll defense.

    So all-in-all, a good off season for Olshey, but it doesn't take us to the title.
     
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  5. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    Eh, I don't know if we're thin at PF per say... we have Melo, Collins, and RoCo who can all play PF. We just don't have a true power forward.
     
  6. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    two years ago Portland won 53 games and made it to the WCF

    last year they won the equivalent of 39 games and got swamped by the Lakers

    I think they might have resurrected a 50+ win team (assuming great injury luck) with a shot of winning a playoff series, or even two. But there are serious flaws in the roster so any real grade right now should be 'incomplete'

    the Blazer kryptonite, an opposing defense tilted totally toward shutting down Dame has not remotely been addressed with this roster. Not yet anyway.
     
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  7. B-Roy

    B-Roy If it takes months

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    And never will be with CJ on the roster.
     
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  8. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

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    I don't think positions matter anymore. It's all about who you guard. Just looking at western opponents:

    Trent can guard guys like Steph/Mitchell/Murray
    Jones can guard guys like Luka/Harden/George/Booker
    Roco can guard guys like Kawhi/Lebron
    Zach can guard guys like AD/Aldridge
    Nurk can guard guys like Jokic/Gobert

    Having another long guy to throw at AD would be nice (not many teams do), but we have enough versatility and speed to throw zones out now and seriously muck up offenses. Terry has to be more flexible than he usually is.
     
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  9. Buffalo Custard

    Buffalo Custard Well-Known Member

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    Trades: B/B+
    Draft: incomplete
    FA: D
     
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  10. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    I think a lot of y’all are guilty of thinking that a Dame/CJ backcourt will yield the same results with a stacked roster that it did with an injury-plagued and under-talented one.
     
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  11. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

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    Turning Mario into Enes was a masterstroke....I gave it an A .....turning Ariza into a 23 year old defensive stud....also a great move....Jones to split time with Melo offense for defense...great....signing Hoodie and Melo and not bringing in unproven project players....A........using the next 3 years to get serious about a chip....A....we're the best version of the Blazers in decades right now in my view....the draft pick is why I didn't give it an A+...wasn't impressed with either interview I heard with him...he seemed to lack concentration and preparation both times....he should get a two way contract and go straight to the Austin Toros or Maine Red Claws....
     
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  12. Buffalo Custard

    Buffalo Custard Well-Known Member

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    OK, I'm going to play Devil's advocate here.

    Which injury(ies) made this huge difference? Nurk? I would agree with that to a point, but Whiteside's stats as his replacement were at least superficially impressive. That leaves the loss of a couple of journeymen (Collins and Hood). If losing guys like that are a season killer that is a really sad comment on the FO and their ability to build an adequate bench.

    In other words, the issue wasn't injuries - it was the inability of our brain trust to deal with the kind of problems ever team faces constantly!

    It is almost inevitable that we will have injuries this season also. We will have the same Coach and GM to deal with them. Why would I expect the ultimate result (lack of playoff success) to change?
     
  13. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

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    My answer to this is simple....never expect anything but stay optimistic and allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised.....enjoy it game by game...or qtr by qtr. My 2 cents....it's why I like Stotts...even keeled approach to the game...
     
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  14. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    So you’re really going to try to say that Hassan is in the same zip code with Nurk as far as what he brought to the team? He was probably the best Olshey could come up with, but other than blocking shots, often to the detriment of playing real defense, he was pretty awful. Not sorry to see him go. Losing Collins made a huge impact on interior defense. Hood was lights out with his shooting before his injury . There were games where Swanigan or Gabriel were out starting centers. Hezonja got minutes. There was no depth so guys were running on fumes. Other thanTrent, there was no wing defense until the Ariza trade, and he skipped the playoffs. Yeah, this roster is massively better.
     
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  15. Buffalo Custard

    Buffalo Custard Well-Known Member

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    Probably good advice.
     
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  16. Buffalo Custard

    Buffalo Custard Well-Known Member

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    My point is that the roster looks better, but Stotts and Olshey are still the ones driving the bus. That makes it tough for me to be too optimistic. YMMV.
     
  17. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    I get that. I’m reading similar comments by other posters. People are entitled to their opinions about those two guys and the perceived shortcomings of Dame and CJ as a starting backcourt. My point is that no matter what the truth of those discussions may be, any deficiencies are made less significant with a stacked lineup vs one where the cupboard is pretty bare. The Blazers are pretty well stocked up.
     
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  18. Ed O

    Ed O Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    I have it a B. I like Covington and am glad we got Kantner for less-than-nothing.

    I don't see anything that we could have acquired that would be more helpful that what we've done in free agency, although I'm not a fan of Carmelo Anthony at all.

    I thought last summer's moves sucked in a big, big way. Mario and Bazemore were wastes of roster spots, and we lost guys who were helpful.

    This offseason? Presumably we'll lose Whiteside (who is helpful) but we're getting two or three guys to add to Hood and Nurk coming back healthy, which should help ensure we make the playoffs again and that's a good thing.
     
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  19. PCmor7

    PCmor7 Generational Poster

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    I like Hassan. He's not as good a fit as Nurk for this team, but he's also a very good player who can put a team on his shoulders occasionally.

    The thing with him is that his value diminishes greatly when he's coming off the bench. You can just see he's not that engaged or comfortable or whatever, and, for what his statistical contribution is going to dictate he get paid, he's just not worth the investment for 20 minutes per game where you might get one good game for two or three meh efforts.

    Kanter over the course of the year will give the Blazers a lot more bang for their buck even though he's not as nearly as imposing as a motivated Whiteside. TBH, Skal probably is better than off-the-bench Hassan.

    If you can find a trade partner to take Hassan, I think that's the best way to go right now. Get your backup PG, one more shooter, or a reserve big.
     
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  20. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    I still don't understand why we didn't trade him.
     
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