When have you been less excited for the start of a Blazers season?

Ok this is a very good answer, yeah that was a gut punch to start the season. Kind of expected Roy and Oden to have some injury concerns for a while, but still had hope they could return to a very high level and then in an instance that was all definitely gone.

 

Then why are Grant, Ayton, and Simons here?

 

Maybe for some it is - I've fully accepted that I'm damaged goods in terms of rooting for the Blazers.

 

Wouldn't it be much better if there were more opportunities for those young players...... instead of us watching the Grant/Ayton/Simons mediocre veteran trio.

 

Lots of great franchise options in this draft even without #1.

But thats why we don't want to have the Grant/Ayton/Ant trio putting up surprising early season wins that ultimately bumps us down a few spots. There will be many more teams tanking this year so we won't be able to back into a top3 lottery record as we did at the end of last season.

 

I get excited before the start of every season. We're tied for the best record. Then the first game happens and I spiral into depression.

 

It's only 14% if you only do it once.

We need to do it 3 more times.

 

This is the answer for me. That SUCKED

 

By trading Grant, I can see more minutes for Camara. But he will still get enough time IMO

By trading Ayton, Clingan might pick up a few more minutes, but how many do you think he can handle without getting hurt?

By trading Simons, more minutes for Rupert. Yay?

 

I'm definitely more excited than I was going into the season last year. Last year that Dame shit gutted me as a fan. It started when Cronin couldn't move our first rounders and younger players for a guy or two that would have made us more competitive with Dame, it escalated when Dame demanded his trade, it got more depressing when that Miami or bust shit came out, we re-signed Jerami and didn't trade Ant or Malcolm or Rob. Yeah going into last season my spirits were lower than they've been in my life as a Blazers fan.

This season I'm pretty pissed that we've still got Jerami and Ant but there's time for that to change. I don't want them taking away 40 shots a game from our young guys who seem to fit better together without those two more established players. That being said, I'm really excited to see what Shaedon can do and what Scoot can do. I'm excited to see how Donovan progresses and how Deni fits in. Hopefully either between now and training camp or near the deadline we get some exciting trades that either bring in more young players with potential or draft picks but definitely free up usage for the guys who I just said I'm most excited about.

 

Another tank year coming up!

 

Nobody should be though. Just have realistic expectations and all is good. We’ll win 20 games next year plain and simple. No need to freak out on losses against teams we should lose to.

 

Portland has been a mediocre franchise for a long time. Only now they play to lose on purpose, which is a whole different level of bad.

 

I disagree. I think trying to win but losing is the worst. Losing on purpose is a legit strategy to land a star player.

 

The Nash and Cheeks years.

 

The Telfair years is the very first thing that popped into my head, but then I thought about laying on Nash.

 

You think they’re trying to be good? I think pretty much everyone has them behind the spurs this year. and that’s with Grant, Ayton, and Simons on the team.

I don’t think Cronin is rushing to trade those guys. I view the fence straddling conversation for teams flirting with the playoffs. that doesn’t seem like a conversation this team is in, at all.

 

IMO Simons isn’t going anywhere. They might keep Ayton also depending on what he wants and what he thinks his next contract should be? Grant might be gone at the deadline. Seems a perfect plug and play guy for a team dealing with injuries.