As terrible as Melo/Kanter were last season - I honestly don't think Zeller, Snell & McLemore are an upgrade... So I'd say not improved.
Lateral at best so far, and still a big hole to fill at backup power forward. Faried or Milsap might make it an overall upgrade, but minor at best.
We went after DeRozan https://bleacherreport.com/articles...n-demar-derozan-deal-and-markkanen-freeze-out
Defensive, yes, Offensive, no. But, if you consider a full year of Norman's ability to create as a replacement for Melo's scoring and a full year (if he stays healthy) of Nurk rebounding and controlling the paint - the Blazers should be better, at least in the regular season to last year's team. But, is it anything more than a 2nd round team at best? No.
lol with what? dude ended up getting 28 mil/yr. Even a S&T would have been near impossible to reach that number. Olshey is delusional if this was part of his offseason plan.
Melo was terrible almost all the time. Kanter wasn't. He had a terrible series against Denver for sure, but he helped carry Portland to several regular season wins with his rebounding and efficiency. Zeller isn't better than Kanter, even if his defense is better; and over the last 4 seasons, he's missed an average of 27 games a year....now he's coming into the Portland big man curse there has been no upgrade yet. If Olshey's secret plan was to trade Dame and build a team around CJ, the last two and a half months makes sense.
If he is working on a big deal, a deal that will determine the future of the franchise; I expect it will take time. Some times the best way to negotiate is to just wait. I think something will be done before training camp.
Btw NeO is in Vegas they showed him during the game sitting about half way up in the stands watching the game so he is not on vacation he is trying to figure out how to make the team better. OR to feed into the crazy fan narrative -- He is having a secret meeting with the sixers GM and they are discussing when to pull off the Dame to Philly trade without making NeO look really bad like some foolish fan kind of mentioned a few days ago. The 1st part is for the sane fan who has not lost there ever loving mind and the 2nd part is to feed the insanity of some fans and this will be the last time I do that before I decide to go OPEN SEASON on the crazy fans and there stupid ass theory's -- so after reading my insane idea maybe you will realize JUST how friggin stupid that sounds. ---
I hope he's having a not so secret meeting with Morey in which he is begging Morey to see reason. CJ is the best fit for what the Sixers need and hopefully Neil isn't so delusional that he doesn't understand that it will take CJ plus other assets to attain Simmons. So hopefully he's talking to Morey and ironing out CJ+ for Simmons who is the only player we seem to have a shot at right now that could be a superstar to pair with Dame.
Fuck Neil, I actually remember shitting on him 3 seasons ago and posters lighting me up for it. He’s worse than a used car salesman now because he knows he can’t or won’t be fired. He isn’t going anywhere until Jody sells and I don’t think she sells until we are past the point of contention with our current roster. I expect to suffer through another 40ish win season, lose in the first round, trade Dame because he demands one, then hear Jody has no interest in owning an NBA franchise and sells the team sometime during the 2022-23 season, then finally new ownership fires Neil. This seems most likely how and when things will happen.
Some of y'all having a meltdown on this. Apparently Neil is actually trying to add talent, but finding few want to come to the Rose City without being overpaid. He's gonna have to make a trade using CJ to really improve the team , plain and simple. I think he will, and it won't be Dame. But players , many that we've had on our wish list, are bypassing our offers to go to lesser teams because they want to get paid. That's fine, but to hammer Neil as if he's not trying, is hate, just to be hating. Hopefully he can pull of a trade that strengthens the team. Looks like the only way now.
we would all have more patience if we weren't on the clock with Dame. And the moves Neil has made so far don't indicate the kind of urgency he should be working with. Maybe you're comfortable with him playing a game of chicken with Dame-- i certainly am not.
