Well we did. How come other teams had significant cap space that didn't go after t rob or Lopez? And how come wright choose us instead of okc?
Here's Dave from Blazers Edge arguing the point that I couldn't get across (this is before Dorell Wright, but it still holds true): http://www.blazersedge.com/2013/7/5/4495160/portland-trail-blazers-robin-lopez-trade
well, here's another example of Dave's inability to think with his head instead of his heart. Quoting another thread: Which "quality item" do you want, Dave? We didn't have enough for Splitter. We didn't have enough for Jefferson. We may have had enough for Millsap (ended up at @9.5M). We didn't have enough for Tyreke, and though we had enough for JJ Redick, who's to say he would've chosen us over playing with CP3 and Griffin? We could've taken Biedrins with our cap space, but had no other upgrades. Asik may still be a pipe dream, and Horford never was even that. There was a potential to take on dead salary from other teams (and maybe get a future first in the deal), but we still wouldn't have a bench. Instead, we now have a really, REALLY solid 9-man rotation of Lillard/Watson, Matthews/CJ/Crabbe, Batum/Wright, LMA/Claver/Freeland, Lopez/Leonard. Everyone has a role, and everyone is a legitimate NBA player at their position (not like, for instance, saying that Ronnie Price or Nolan Smith should ever have been the first guard off the bench for an NBA team). What was Dave looking for?
No Pritchard dramatics, no self-congratulatory gloating in the Oregonian. No leaving large gaps in the roster, telling us to let it bake a few more years. Olshey did it like Whitsitt, too busy to hang around Quick each time he added another piece. On the other hand, 2 years ago we added a lot of veterans, got great depth, and the coach was fired because he couldn't fit his system around veterans with fixed talents. It might turn out badly.
So...to support your argument you're citing some painfully circular logic? The other two teams gave away those players basically for free, sure. But not because they had no value. They did so to clear cap space! Which we already had! Had it not been for the need for cap space to make other trades, those players (Lopez and Robinson) would not have been given away for nothing. So, our using cap space on them in no way reflects paying more than their value.
Dude Houston got Dwight Howard. I would give away hickson for that and he's a better producer! Pelicans got a stud too! Those are terrible examples
That's what I'm seeing too. Olshey is acting much like whitsett. That's a good thing. Now let's make some noise next season so Olshey can open Allen's pocket book again.
Ben Golliver catches all the shit for that place going downhill, but Dave has been really responsible for it too.
They are no different than any of us here. Some of their takes are actually worse in many cases. I used to really respect them years ago. Never mind, let's see how the season goes. I'm sure olshey will get the last laugh.
But isn't the point of cap space to use it to sign players? It's like, you put money in a savings account, not just to look at your bank balance going up, but because there is something you want to buy with it. When you go out and buy what you want, your savings aren't wasted, they're used. The Blazers had one of the worst, if not the worst, benches in the league last year. They have improved it significantly. The starting lineup was good but center was a big hole, literally and figuratively. Brook Lopez is no superstar but he's competent and having him takes pressure of Leonard. There is still cap room to sign someone else. When a team is good, it makes sense to shoot for the moon and try to get that one star to take them up to championship level. Portland was not good last year. They needed to fill a lot of needs and have basically done so. Getting four or five good players makes far more sense for them than getting one superstar (exept maybe if LeBron James was available and he's not. No one available is a game changer.) And they did not give up any core players to do so. I think some folks just want to kvetch, frankly.
Some people are never happy, simple as that. When you find out their agendas, you can see it coming before they even write it.
This is just an outright dumb thing to say. The Pels didn't give away Robin Lopez for free... they gave him up as part of a deal to acquire Tyreke Evans. The Houston Rockets didn't give up Thomas Robinson for free... they gave him up so they could acquire Dwight freaking Howard. Dave is making it sound like these two players were cast off by their teams without compensation. That's a complete fallacy. Does he really think that Lopez and Robinson would be gone if Howard and Evans didn't come into the picture? The last player that we acquired for "nothing" was JJ Hickson. The Kings placed him on waivers and we claimed him. He was given away for free. The Kings received no compensation, other than removing his contract from their salary cap. That's it. Dave and Ben need to stop thinking so one-dimensional and start seeing the big picture.
Agree. They are just internet posters with their own web site. Their opinion is no more valuable than most of the posters here. I don't know why anyone 'cites' either of them.
She shoots, she scores!! Nate takes the pass, skies over Dave and throws down the monster dunk!! Ooh, that was nasty!
I love the vitriol explosions when we take a deep breath, pause our attacks on each others' opinions, and destroy other sites' opinions. And no, 3ra1n1ac, "Vitriol Explosions" aren't what you think they are.
BUUMP, Portland's media seems to be killing Neil for not making the impossible happen (see Blazers Edge), but what do ya know, Canzano actually has something nice to say. John Canzano's 25 most influential people in Oregon sports: Nos. 4 to 10
HUGE BUMP. This guy hit a damn home run this last summer. Lopez? Huge addition. Wright? Great addition. Mo? Starting to look much better. Robinson? Could turn out to be a huge steal. CJ hasn't even played yet, so I guess we'll see, but we don't even need him right now. Really happy with what Neil has done during his time here.
