Did you just forget Stephon Castle. Rookie of the year. The spurs ended up with the ROY two years in a row. And then got the #2 pick.
I keep reminding myself that we have a certain number of structural losses on the schedule this year. aka, we are simply not going to be able to keep up in terms of made 3s.
Someone (HCP?) posted a video of him house shopping with his wife in the Portland area recently. She mentioned they have a 1 & 2 year old. Maybe he's been a bit busy and hasn't been getting much sleep. Dude sure seemed spent in the video STOMP
Mavs with injuries could definitely fall. Grizz, with more star power and better coaching though? I'm thinking not...
The Mavs have a lot to prove. Irving is out for a chunk of the season, Davis made of glass and Cooper is unproven
The Grizz have a clear number one guy who just can't get out of his own way. So if Ja can keep his head on straight, I'm totally with you but after him and JJJ who else do the Grizz have? I mean I know they have Edey, Aldama, Scottie Pippen Jr. and some other useful role players but they are highly reliant on having those two pillars in and one of them is hard to count on. The season before last they had 27 wins and it wasn't because they didn't have as good of a roster (if active) as they had last season.
I think we should stop pretending there is a trade market for JG. We've decided to keep him is like Clingan deciding he's going to remain tall STOMP
Agreed. They weren't going to get anything of substance or value for him. If he's willing to be a reserve, albeit massively overpaid, I'm ok with him on the team.
All teams with one key major injury can fall. This can and most likely will happen to some extent to the Blazers as well.
That’s pretty much why I went with 35 wins in that statement. Oh how I want it to be 45 but that would be a great season for this group in my opinion.
The Blazers as a 41-win team? Maybe. 1. Center health and serious D. 2. Camara is an all-star level defender and is entering his 3rd frickin' season. Steps. Is he the future star? All star? He's good. 3. Deni's template is pretty unique, and he plays at both ends. If he takes that one more step, he's all star level. All star not superstar. 4. Besides the young centers, it's about the guard play and being stabilized by Jrue. Yes, it's the West. 41 is doable with reasonable, individual progress AND health. Grant can be the best 6th man in the League as a starting quality forward off the bench. He's an expensive 'luxury' but before Deni and Toumani, he was the best Blazers forward since LMA bailed. Grant will be a significant part of why 41 wins is doable -- if it happens. It is unlikely they win 41 games. It is also unlikely that Grant repeats last year's poor 2 point shooting, lack of free throws, and being right at his career 3 point shooting than what he did over the last 5 years when he became a volume 3 point shooter -- good, but not elite.