Did you expect an instant contender this year? Remember, out of 30 teams, there really are only 4 or 5 serious contenders each year and a few of them stay there for a couple years. All the other teams are average or below but still have a place for generating revenue and that's the playoffs. In this league you can be average or even below and make the "NBA is Fantastic" excitement of the playoffs. If the playoffs were simply division winners each year the league would be a lot different. This league is built on marketing and allowing each team a sellable journey, its worked.
I don't see them giving up on Simons and trading Hart might get you a decent player but won't gets you a player that actually move the needle towards a championship. If you move Nurk for another center and you know that you won't get elite center and probably a center know better then him so again that don't move needle. There one center might improve the middle is Poeltl from the spurs been watching him all season long. Finished around the hoop better better Nurk good rebounder and actually been doing better defending the rim lately and good pick row guy. But any other trade besides grant and Dame the blazers don't have anybody that can get a player that would move needle. Not saying don't trade to get quality player for the future because right that's what they should be looking for the future. Missing the playoffs to get there draft choice this year is not bad thing.
I expect us to go all-in or blow it up. The window is rapidly closing. We didn't have another season to burn after tanking last year.
This roster is certainly better than the one we had at the start of last year with CJ. This team with CJ instead of Grant is not a better team. What is clear however is how under appreciated Terry Stotts was. He was definitely a good coach in this league to get the results he got from the rosters he was given. What Chauncy is doing that Terry did not is try to force a certain style of play roster be damned. This means that until the roster is balanced (a better mobile big, another big mobile forward) - this team will struggle. It's as simple as that. Terry adjusted for the flawed roster better than Chauncy is, but Chauncy might have the support of the GM that Terry did not.
Yes, but a team with playoff aspirations shouldn’t be losing 8 out of 10 games against the very teams it will face in the playoffs. And it shouldn’t look like a worse team after trading one of its stars to get better.
This team has had stretches like that nearly every year it made the playoffs with Stotts. *Edit* This wasn't intended as a critique of Stotts. Just that's the most recent prior coach. I think @wizenheimer is right. This is probably a typical stretch that non-contending playoff teams experience most seasons.
I would be pretty confident that just about every non-contender team that makes the playoffs has stretches like that
Who would I rather have — Ant or CJ? Not even close — Ant. CJ is maxed out as a player, understandably at his age. Ant is better … not by much all things considered, BUT his range of skills and how much he’s improved and the gap gets wider each day. With that said, Ant in a trade for a needle-moving forward with size to pair with Grant … I’m in. Grant, Dame, Sharpe (a project of the best kind), and Walker ( … who will be a fan favorite for good reason) … BUT all others — open for business, NOW. I have hope, again, for the Blazers. The combination of Dame, Cronin, and Billups … good to go. Too bad it takes a while to turn the boat, but it’s no longer taking on water from Iceberg-Neil.
Dame will retire here, more than likely. Seems to like the city for reason reasons other than round ball.
Let's hire this lady: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/22/tik...obby-pin-and-bartered-her-way-to-a-house.html