Blazers East ...errr.. Your Indiana Pacers!

[Stevenson]

GM: Chad Buchanan
President of Basketball Operations: Kevin Pritchard

Uh, ya think maybe Paul blew it on that one? Pritch was the best GM we have had here in 2 decades. Do you think he would have surrounded Dame in his prime years with Alfarouk Aminu and Mo Harkless?

I would very likely still be a season ticket holder if that master bullshitter Olshey and "Chopping Block" Cronin never showed up.

 

[illmatic99]

We're talking about the same guy that had access to medical records and still took Oden over Durant?

Of all the people to be upset we lost, Pritchard is near the end of that list. Saw him at a Costco while living in Indy; took all my power to not go up to him to ask wtf he was thinking in that draft.

 

[Whyachi]

Celtics cannon fodder? If Boston sweeps Indiana, they'll be a group of tank pushers getting mad at KP for trading 3 FRP's for Siakam.

 

[illmatic99]

Celtics cannon fodder? If Boston sweeps Indiana, they'll be a group of tank pushers getting mad at KP for trading 3 FRP's for Siakam.

Ya Indy is having a ton of luck injury wise

 

[julius]

In 2019 the Blazers made the WCFs, maybe they should hire the GM of that team

 

[Strenuus]

Ya Indy is having a ton of luck injury wise

For real. You play the games as they come and still have to win them but Damn they got the luck of other people getting injured.

 

[illmatic99]

For real. You play the games as they come and still have to win them but Damn they got the luck of other people getting injured.

Tatum and Brown need to be on the lookout for whatever voodoo Carlisle is doing.

 

[Whyachi]

We're talking about the same guy that had access to medical records and still took Oden over Durant?

Of all the people to be upset we lost, Pritchard is near the end of that list. Saw him at a Costco while living in Indy; took all my power to not go up to him to ask wtf he was thinking in that draft.

a question that was never asked... what OHSU genious convinced the Blazers to perform experimental microfracture knee surgery on a 7 foot 250lb Center?

remember, Oden's knee's were "pristine" after Pritchard drafted him. Sooo.. Let's smash them with a hammer, glue them back together, then give Oden a year off to recover. It must have been a nightmare for Greg.

I was never upset with Oden. My "wtf is going on?" was directed towards the voodoo witchdoctors in Portland.

 

[HansenYang]

GM: Chad Buchanan
President of Basketball Operations: Kevin Pritchard

Uh, ya think maybe Paul blew it on that one? Pritch was the best GM we have had here in 2 decades. Do you think he would have surrounded Dame in his prime years with Alfarouk Aminu and Mo Harkless?

I would very likely still be a season ticket holder if that master bullshitter Olshey and "Chopping Block" Cronin never showed up.

It's been 14-years since Pritchard was last in Portland.
It's the first time Pacers have made the ECF in quite a while too. This feels like an over-reaction to be honest.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Kevin was a terrific GM. He missed on Oden/Durant but can you think of a better draft day than getting both Aldridge and Roy through trades? He made us relevant in one draft and nabbed Batum in the next. He should get more credit.

 

[Pritchslap Madness]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

GM: Chad Buchanan
President of Basketball Operations: Kevin Pritchard

Uh, ya think maybe Paul blew it on that one? Pritch was the best GM we have had here in 2 decades. Do you think he would have surrounded Dame in his prime years with Alfarouk Aminu and Mo Harkless?

I would very likely still be a season ticket holder if that master bullshitter Olshey and "Chopping Block" Cronin never showed up.

The Pacers are just this year's Hawks-when-they-made-it-to-the-ECF. They were lucky enough to come up against two banged up teams missing key players. They are about to get demolished at least 4-1 and will not be back next year.

 

[Phatguysrule]

GM: Chad Buchanan
President of Basketball Operations: Kevin Pritchard

Uh, ya think maybe Paul blew it on that one? Pritch was the best GM we have had here in 2 decades. Do you think he would have surrounded Dame in his prime years with Alfarouk Aminu and Mo Harkless?

I would very likely still be a season ticket holder if that master bullshitter Olshey and "Chopping Block" Cronin never showed up.

Yeah I've always thought Paul blew it on that one.

Also, Rick Carlisle. Championship coach.

 

[Phatguysrule]

We're talking about the same guy that had access to medical records and still took Oden over Durant?

Of all the people to be upset we lost, Pritchard is near the end of that list. Saw him at a Costco while living in Indy; took all my power to not go up to him to ask wtf he was thinking in that draft.

What medical records? I've never seen any evidence they had records that indicated anything but good health.

Nearly every GM at the time agrees they would have taken Oden as well.

I'd love to see any evidence that there should have been concerns about Oden's knees.

 

[illmatic99]

What medical records? I've never seen any evidence they had records that indicated anything but good health.

Nearly every GM at the time agrees they would have taken Oden as well.

I'd love to see any evidence that there should have been concerns about Oden's knees.

https://www.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2007/11/thats_not_a_limp_thats_just_od.html

This was before he played a single game.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Was even more Blazers East when Nate McMillian was the coach.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

https://www.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2007/11/thats_not_a_limp_thats_just_od.html

This was before he played a single game.

This article was after Oden was injured for his rookie season.

Before the draft it was unanimous that Oden was the superior pick. Orlando was the one franchise that would possibly take Durant because they had a prime Dwight Howard at center.

 

[Phatguysrule]

https://www.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2007/11/thats_not_a_limp_thats_just_od.html

This was before he played a single game.

But nobody knew until after he'd already been drafted, right?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

But nobody knew until after he'd already been drafted, right?

That his legs were different lengths and that he walked like an old man? Oh yeah, people knew.

https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=nbamockdraft/070627

just make sure the Sonics' trainer keeps putting in those one and a half inch lifts in Oden's left sneaker so his legs are the same size. Also, you might want to have him wear a splint during practice so he doesn't reinjure that bum wrist.

 

[illmatic99]

But nobody knew until after he'd already been drafted, right?

If that's the case and thjs guy didn't do any due diligence, it makes him look even worse.

 

[Phatguysrule]

If that's the case and thjs guy didn't do any due diligence, it makes him look even worse.

Kids medical records are sealed. The only thing on Oden's medical record was a broken wrist... Which he played through quite a bit and was very effective.

 

[illmatic99]

Kids medical records are sealed. The only thing on Oden's medical record was a broken wrist... Which he played through quite a bit and was very effective.

They had him in the gym and did a physical as is customary.

Even so, making this mistske that possibly cost us a title is plenty grounds for firing. It's irrelevant if 29 other GMs also would have made the the mistake, someone had to be accountable, and it happened on his watch. He was the GM that made the biggest draft mistake since Bowie over Jordan.

I'm just shocked people still think of him as a good executive.

 

[crandc]

In KP we trust.

Hindsight, sure. The draft was called the Oden sweepstakes When the Blazers landed first pick the board almost crashed. Every sports media said Oden is #1. Paul Allen insisted in making the phone call himself.

 

[illmatic99]

In KP we trust.

Lol. Madness.

 

[Phatguysrule]

They had him in the gym and did a physical as is customary.

Even so, making this mistske that possibly cost us a title is plenty grounds for firing. It's irrelevant if 29 other GMs also would have made the the mistake, someone had to be accountable, and it happened on his watch. He was the GM that made the biggest draft mistake since Bowie over Jordan.

I'm just shocked people still think of him as a good executive.

I don't fault a guy for not knowing something that nobody else knew either.

The youth medical records were sealed and the medical professionals agreed that Oden was healthy. I don't think Kevin Pritchard is a doctor, so I find it hard to blame him for missing a medical diagnosis.

 

[illmatic99]

I don't fault a guy for not knowing something that nobody else knew either.

The youth medical records were sealed and the medical professionals agreed that Oden was healthy. I don't think Kevin Pritchard is a doctor, so I find it hard to blame him for missing a medical diagnosis.

A mediocre GM who made the 2nd biggest blunder in franchise history is not someone that warrants this kinda defense. We clearly diaagree.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

A mediocre GM who made the 2nd biggest blunder in franchise history is not someone that warrants this kinda defense. We clearly diaagree.

Who is the superior GM since Trader Bob last century?

Cronin
Olshey
Cho
Larry Miller
Steve Patterson
John Nash

Pretty sad list and even if some blame for Oden is assigned to KP he's probably the best.

 

[Phatguysrule]

A mediocre GM who made the 2nd biggest blunder in franchise history is not someone that warrants this kinda defense. We clearly diaagree.

I'm not defending him at all. I'm simply not blaming him for failing to know something that nobody else knew and making a decision that every GM in the league say they would have also made.

Again, not a defense, just the facts.

If anything, you simply aren't giving Oden the respect he deserves. He was the 2nd most hyped draft pick behind only LeBron.

You can say Oden walked like an old man, but he beat Durant in the sprint, agility drill, AND the vertical test in the combine. And Durant could hardly bench 180lbs once.

Oden averaged 15 & 9 playing with his nondominant hand in college. His right hand was in a cast the whole season. He shot 65% from the line with his wrong hand. No injuries in HS.

Oden was a monster on the defensive end. An absolute beast.

If he had just 4 healthy seasons the Blazers would have won a title.

 

[Tince]

In 2019 the Blazers made the WCFs, maybe they should hire the GM of that team

Or the coach!

 

[Tince]

I'm not defending him at all. I'm simply not blaming him for failing to know something that nobody else knew and making a decision that every GM in the league say they would have also made.

Again, not a defense, just the facts.

If anything, you simply aren't giving Oden the respect he deserves. He was the 2nd most hyped draft pick behind only LeBron.

You can say Oden walked like an old man, but he beat Durant in the sprint, agility drill, AND the vertical test in the combine. And Durant could hardly bench 180lbs once.

Oden averaged 15 & 9 playing with his nondominant hand in college. His right hand was in a cast the whole season. He shot 65% from the line with his wrong hand. No injuries in HS.

Oden was a monster on the defensive end. An absolute beast.

If he had just 4 healthy seasons the Blazers would have won a title.

100% agree... Oden was the consensus, both inside front offices and across the general public.