All right, guys... Are you over (after) or under (before) the date of Feb 1 for the Blazers meltdown you're sure will happen?
I am not trying to be negative here, but it is posts like this. Posters like this, who CREATE the meltdowns. You are EXPECTING it to happen. Your putting energy and thought into it happening. Why? How bout plan for a good season? Put energy into a good season and stop threads\posts like this. Really man, come on. What did you expect when you posted this? Did you have good intentions?
I'm just trying to make the mods a little money! And I meant team meltdown (which won't be influenced by this thread), not board meltdown (which won't be influenced by this thread).
Meltdown is underway. Further crippled by Outlaw's season-ending injury. It started when: KP got squat with Raef's expiring! Passed (twice!) on DeJuan Blair Utah matched Millsap (just happy Turky-Loo never signed! period.) Did not extend a contract offer to Pryzbilla: IMHO, the only extension other than Roy that mattered. Did not trade Bayless (after a horrible Summer League) Signed Miller (? hmmmm) Signed Howard (? hmmm) -------------------------- will continue if, If we do not pursue a PG who can play next to Roy If we not trade Miller, Bayless If we do not pursue a PF who can score in the paint If we do not pursue a SF for 2011 and beyond If we do not re-sign Pryzbilla (Oden has two more years to develop)
If it will happen, it will be when we get out of this easy stretch and start facing some playoff teams. If we start stringing together a series of losses, I think it could come apart at the seems. Although, with injuries to Batum and Outlaw, our roster isn't nearly as overcrowded, so I'm not quite as worried about a meltdown as I once was. Hell, even Bayless has been getting playing time.
Not sure I understand this one. I'm a big Joel fan and I want to keep him, but I don't see the need to extend him now. The chances of him opting out this summer are pretty slim, I'd think. Besides, I think he can be extended at any time now, no deadline has passed. barfo
Hey Barfo - allow me to better explain my thinking on this one: If ODEN is to be our future, and we all know that he's proned to fouling - then Joel is "key" to the success (wins/losses + how far we go in the playoffs) for the next two-three years. Sometimes it is your postion talent that gets you the championships...not just the "big 3" So I believe that if we do NOT sign Joel to an extension - and wait for him to opt-out...he WILL opt-out. He will because we won't be winning the title this year, and he'll have big offers from other teams. I say, offer him an extension NOW! Lock him up. With Oden + Pryz, we have the strongest Center tandem in the league (or top two tandems). This was my point. If we do not, it can be one more piece of the puzzle that can lead to a team melt-down. Despite our current record, if the team stays "as-is" - I see us below 500% come February 1st. "As is" meaning: Starting Lineup; Nate's current player rotation; Current team roster; God forebid, another injury; etc. How to stop the melt-down: New starting lineup; Nate changes rotation patterns/methods/rules; Trade to acquire back-up PF; Sign Joel to an extension; off-season focus upon the "right" PG to play alongside Roy. I am one that feels our SF situation will take care of itself (we're with a big problem NOW, because Batum and Outlaw are injured and Webster needs to be starting)
When Oden presumably gets his fouling under control, and he's avering Roy/Aldridge type minutes, what then for Joel? I don't think he'll be happy playing 10-12 minutes per game.
Joel's not a young man (well, compared to NBA players, not me), and Oden isn't going to be able to play 36 minutes each and every game. I hope that Joel will realize that staying here (with a good contract) will allow him to extend his career and contribute to a championship team. I think Joel might be mature enough to realize minutes aren't the benchmark of success. barfo
