We are going to suck next year...

...if we keep our draft picks (young players other than Tim Duncan and Larry Bird don't improve your record)
...if we draft Damian Lillard (even if he wins ROY: think about it, he's at best a poor man's Kyrie Irving, and Cleveland sucked ass)
...if Caleb Kanales stays coach (even if he turns into a good coach, he hasn't demonstrated that he can mold a team into a unit)
...unless a miracle happens.

How long will LaMarcus stay happy?

 

Did Portland's capspace vanish over night? It won't take a miracle for them to add a quality starting PG (Dragic would be my preference) with the sort of $ they've got to dangle. Add Goran to LA, Wesley and a retained Batum, and they've the makings of a pretty solid squad next year with the picks playing minor roles

of course they could choose to rework the roster other ways too via trades of picks & players. Clearly they've some big moves to make this offseason that will largely determine how good they are

STOMP

 

Actually, I think you have the causality backward.

We will suck next year.

Because we will suck next year, we will keep the draft picks, draft for the future (higher ceiling, swing for the fences), and we won't waste a big name coach's time by hiring him to babysit for two years while we get our shit together.

LaMarcus has twelve million reasons a year not to bitch as long as he's not ridden like a rented mule as we struggle for a 41-41 record. He could demand a trade. Fine, let him. Then trade his 27-year-old ass for a couple first rounders and an expiring. Everyone else on the team is 24 years old or younger. LMA can succeed elsewhere and our window opens three years later.

This is not a rosy future, but even the worst case scenario above is going to have a grown up GM, a head coach who isn't Nate, no Felton or Crawford, and a bunch of young guns trying to make the best of it. It'll probably be way more fun than last season, too, even with all the potential losing.

We will suck next year. I think that's a given. But it's not because of Lillard and Meyers or whoever they draft. It might be because of Kaleb a bit, but I'm fine taking a gamble on him.

 

I'd be very happy with Dragic. That's partly why I'm alarmed with the Lillard talk. If we get Lillard, that might discourage Dragic. If we get both, then we have a crunch in the backcourt and it's basically going to devalue players like Elliot and Nolan (on whom I have not completely given up yet). Especially if we were to play Batum at SG, which seems to give us an advantage. It would tempt the coach to play Dragic and Lillard together, and then we'd be shrimpy, and Wesley and Batum are out of position.

It's just a shame that free agency doesn't precede the draft.

(But remember: Dragic is restricted. And after Deron Williams and Steve Nash, guess who the best FA PG is? Hint: it rhymes with Draymond Welton.)

I think that's very optimistic. Very.

 

I'm sure you'll be pleased to learn you are wrong about the bolded part. He's an unrestricted FA and Houston doesn't even hold his Bird rights.

most FA follow the money and Portland is one of the few clubs with max type dollars available. I doubt that sort of FA is going to be put off by a draft pick.

STOMP

 

Dragic is unrestricted.

 

I guess I also don't see next year being as down as you, personally. And many teams improve after adding a rookie to the mix. So few teams add 2 lotto picks to a core player as good as Aldridge, which should also help.

 

I guess this is one of the reasons I've advocated trading LaMarcus for the right package ... But whatever, maybe things will break right and the team's luck will change a bit

... yeah, and maybe I'm a chinese jet pilot

 

You're right! I am!

I wonder how much Lowry's trade request will affect Houston's offer...

 

he's under contract for two more years at the relatively paltry sum of about 6M per. I don't see him as having much leverage in forcing a trade though Houston may want to deal him in hopes of rounding out their roster (gambling they can sign Dragic). My guess is that KL mostly wants to be on a team where he's the clear cut starter so that he's in position to get the sort of dollars GD is lining up, but thats not just up to him. I think Lowry is about the same level of quality PG as Goran, but see Goran as a little better fit on Portland's roster... I'd be stoked to have either. Maybe they deal KL to Portland in part to remove one of the clear threats to drive up the cost of resigning GD?

With or without Dragic, the Rockets roster does not seem to be primed to be a contender in the near future. They've no quality young Bigs and a ton of $ going to Kevin Martin who's game fell off a cliff last season. If both Portland and Houston go after him and the $ are close, my guess is he comes West

STOMP

 

If we had no capspace id agree. Since were set to have a lot I dont see a doom and gloom scenario. The west is in Turmoil if your not named OKC. Fact of the matter is we dont know what this team is doing draft day, or in FA. We have way to much flexibility to realistically say were gonna suck or we are going to be good. We have a new GM and no clue if what he has said is all a smokescreen or if its his actual plan so until we see what we do prematurely spouting how we are going to do is like shoving after looking at only 1 hole card in hold em'

 

I see no reason to think we'll suck next year. Picks, trades, free agents, a decent GM and hopefully a good coach. I'm optimistic.

 

It sounds like Olshey is including LA on personnel, so I think that will help

 

Word! Thanks Mr. Brightside

The West has gotten tough no doubt, but think you'll see a new fire in this team that wasn't there last year. Oh and a proper training camp will help this team a ton.

 

what about Elliot Williams? He was just beginning to light it up.
Do you think he'll be going off this year?

 

This team severely lacks talent.

Very few vets and absolutely no young players to build around.

This draft is important! You must use these picks and you have to pick the right guys -- no more Smith over Faried fuckups.

Don't go for the quick fix moderate upgrades -- KYLE LOWRY <---- Please, god, no!

 

he's the only guard on the roster who can create his own shot, but the J he's shown so far has been shaky. If he can shore that up and stay healthy, the sky is the limit for EW

STOMP

 

IMO he's a sleeper here because of all the draft and FA excitement, I understand the injury concerns after the last 2 years but he has the ability to be very good IMO, hopefully he stays healthy and gets his chance this coming year!

 

I am excited at our position. We can potentially get 2 nice draft picks, get rid of Felton, and all the while have E-Will, who has shown to be very good at times.

I'm not sure about our starting 5 at the moment, but I'd love to see some ideas thrown out (removing felton).