Everyone is saying that the Blazers are standing still by not adding top-flight FAs, or making lopsided trades for stars. And that every other team is improving, and the Blazers will be left in the dust. Hogwash. The Blazers had one of the youngest teams in NBA history last year, and finished with 54 wins and tied for 2nd place in the conference. Chalk one year of experience, especially playoff experience, under their belt. Those same players, young and growing in their ability, maturity, and drive, will be better next year. Roy will continue to be a borderline Superstar, LaMarcus will probably get his first All-Star nomination, Greg Oden will shake his rookie rust and start to become the beast in the middle that he and we both know is inevitable. Something tells me no one will work harder than Steve Blake this offseason on learning from the mistakes and the weaknesses in his game that were exposed in the playoffs. Bayless will run the Summer League team and gain valuable experience. Rudy will recharge his batteries and come back better next year, having gained a year of NBA experience. Joel's hand will be fully healed, and I have a feeling he'll be working on his offensive game a little this summer, too. If Webster's foot heals by training camp, then he and Batum have the SF position on lockdown. Maybe the coaching staff can persuade Outlaw to add 10-15 pounds of upper body bulk so that he can properly back-up LA at the 4. There's plenty of reason for optimism and excitement with the growth and potential of the players that are currently wearing the Blazer uniform. That's how I'm choosing to look at it.
That's the way I see it too. However, clearing cap room for the 09 Plan was a waste of time, as was RLEC. All in the past though, i think we fucked that up as we could have spent the last two years getting more talent/pieces in place that would help us rather than wasting $10m on the crap that's out there. What's left, I don't really want. If a trade for a superstar or even a great young wing like G-Wallace or a PG like Harris or CP3 becomes available, you have to go for it though, no matter how unlikely. An improved Blazers team will be able to handle the "level B" contenders but it would be an absolute shock for them to knock off the A-level contenders next year. Right now I'm fine with who's on the team. Blake fucked up last year, but he'll learn. Outlaw is just a gunner but he'll probably slide one player down the rotation and open up more minutes for hopefully Webster or Rudy and Batum. I'm not thrilled with our draft at all to be honest and we still don't have a backup PF. We need that.
No FA signing/draft pick is more important than the development of Mr. Greg Oden. Oden's development will be the #1 difference maker between a championship run or just a very good team. Don't mind the people who bitch and moan over not picking up a FA and think all is lost. The Blazers have all they need right now, and he wears #52.
I'm not gonna be holding my breath on that one. My hope next year is that Greg can simply be good enough that there isn't that big of a let down when Joel leaves the game. Blake's biggest weakness is lack of athleticism. How's he gonna change that over the summer? I'm not buying any of that. It's gonna take a lot more than a Summer League for Bayless to overcome his significant limitations. Rudy and Joel pretty much are what they are. This is the part I agree with. There's plenty of hope for a Martell / Batum small forward rotation. That said, how much of an improvement is this really going to be? Martell did look pretty awesome in the one pre-season game he played. But that was one game against the Kings. Good for you. That's a great attitude to have. I wish I could have it. Nobody is going to make a huge leap next year. So when we get to the playoffs it's still gonna be Brandon, LaMarcus and a bunch of guys that simply aren't good enough.
I'll be optimistic about their future irrespective of what they do this summer (leaving out craziness of getting rid of one of the big three, of course)... but I don't think that it's either I'm optimistic or I'm not. The team has cap space to improve, and if it doesn't do it by the start of the next season, I will be disappointed. If we just eat the cap space altogether (no lopsided trade by the deadline) I will be angry. Optimistic, of course. But angry. Ed O.
Why would you hope for something that was already true last year? Oden was superior to Przybilla when he actually played. His problem was having to spend too much time on the bench with injuries or fouls. My main hope is that he stays on the floor more. My secondary hope is that he improves significantly. I believe both things will happen.
It's not like we are talking about trading Brandon or LaMarcus. Those two platers were the one's primarily respnsible for those wins. We are talking about adding a better piece around them to help.
In general, I agree. However, we do have some gaping holes. We are in dire need for a veteran back up PF. LA is playing too many minutes. We also need an upgrade at PG. Lastly, if Webster does not fully recover from his injury and get on track fast, we'll need a SF (although, with the potential of Batum and this year's 1st round pick, that's a back burner issue).
I think we'll probably give up on the idea of upgrading our 3 spot. All of the other free agents have too many question marks, as to how they'd fit in, and their age. Andre Miller and Hinrich seem to be the only realistic upgrades at PG. Maybe we'll just trade for one of them, then sign Anderson/McDyess to be our backup. Or perhaps, KP will go into the season with this cap room, and we'll be talking about trades all year, then at the dead-line, he'll trade a 2nd round draft pick in 2010 for a 2nd round draft pick in 2011.
I feel perfectly comfortable going into next season with Martell and Batum. All I think we need to do is swap travis for a backup PF and we're good to go. Sergio is gone, so Bayless will develop. Blake can still hit the 3 and commits very few turnovers. Obviously, if Bayless doesn't pan out, we need a PG. But for now, I'm fine with Blake and Bayless.
I agree with up above that the team will either go up or down, or no where, depending on what Greg does. The facts are that unless Portland has somebody, who is either on the team, or is coming to the team down the line, develope into that 3rd offensive weapon, it will be a good season and out in the first round.
