Woo hoo, we will contend for the 8th seed

Well do we account for Miami as 1, chicago as 1, Lakers as 1, Boston as one?

 

those are larger market teams though. there are two separate categories. we count the winners for each time they've won, and losers for each time they've lost (i.e. Spurs 4 wins, 1 loss).

 

that was sort of my point. i think there's more to it than just strickly radio/tv market numbers.

 

Had Roy's career not been tragically cut short b\c of chronic injuries or Oden unable to play consistently b\c of injuries then I truly believe that POR would have been right up there competing with OKC and the other title contending teams....I would have liked to see those games\match-ups....

That team by the way was built through the draft....Roy, LA, Oden, Batum....The idea that POR can attract a franchise level talent as a free agent is just not a realistic one IMO, no matter how "slick" of a salesman Olshey thinks he is....

That Plan, build through the draft works...it was just blown up by injuries...bad luck...that happens...but it doesn't change the fact that the plan was a solid one IMO....

The problem that POR has now is that they have basically 1 of the "big 3" left....at an older age than the rest of the core...and here is the other thing, every since he has been here, POR mgmt has fucked around\slighted\disrespected LA....When Roy was here, it was all about him, face of the franchise...and if not him then all the attention was on Oden...LA was 3rd fiddle in that trio....both guys subsequently get hurt, but LA is still there, playing every day...Where is the respect? Then the team drafts Lillard last year and it is all about Damian...not about LA and all that he has done for the franchise, this being "his team", but all the praise on a rookie and talk of it being "Lillard's team"....I mention this b\c, don't fooled into thinking that LA doesn't see\hear that and that it doesn't irk him....b\c it does and he has alluded to it several times....

I think POR mgmt has undervalued him for awhile...and let's face the facts, he has toiled here now for SEVEN years, and for the last two years he been through a brutal rebuilding process (partly made worse by inept drafting the last few years), and now he sits here at the age of 28, 2 years away from free agency (and age 30) and it is very logical for him to start looking for greener pastures.....Just making the playoffs as a 7th\8th seed is not going to suddenly change his mind...he FLAT OUT stated that in his exit interviews....I think those of you who believe that just making the playoffs is enough to convince him to re-up\resign here are deluding yourselves....LA already went through 3 years of 1st round and out in the playoffs when Roy was here....Roy who was FAR better than any other player on this roster, just a flat out clutch player...

And a lot of you are discounting the fact that his trade value only diminshes...and rapidly....the closer he gets to the last year of his deal....timing is everything...knowing which way the winds are blowing and being able to pull the trigger on a deal...literally means the difference b\t maximizing value for LA or getting surprisingly little...That is why riding LA out this year in the hopes that a possible...but not a given...upward trend in wins, and really at this point, an essential playoff berth will suddenly have LA visualizing a championship possibility here in POR and thus wanting to resign THIS offseason...Even those of you hoping for this rosiest of possibilites, surely don't want to see him playing out his final year of his contract with nothing but platitudes that he will re-up here , do you?

The formula: Build through the draft works....POR is proof of that, in 77' and even with the Roy\LA\Oden trio....So those of you dismissing the idea of trading LA away for young players and picks are just failing to learn from history...this isn't Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago or Miami...Like San Antonio, for Portland to be a perennial contender they need the CORE of thier talent to come from drafting....the peripheral players can be added later...

Look, LA is my favorite player on POR right now, good player, really good guy...frustrating in his play at times, but a top level NBA talent...but the writing is on the wall....He wants to win...not just make the playoffs or win a series, but wants to be a title contender...and this team is not there, and not 1-2 years from being there....and that among other reasons is why IMO, the odds are very good that he will eventually leave...and unless POR mgmt is stubborn or deluded as some fans are...they need to be proactive and not reactive....I think they have a little time, probably by the trade deadline, to make a deal...but the longer they wait after that...the more power they give LA, the fewere potential bidders they will have and the less those teams will offer for him...Hasn't the last few years of big time players changing teams clearly illustrated that?

 

I like the cut of your jib Blaze01

 

Blaze01... I completely agree with your statement; and I agree that it will take more than just making the playoffs to keep him. But I have confidence that in two years, we will be more than a 1st round and out team. In the meantime, we make LaMonster a LaMonster and up his value in the process. If he does decide to leave; we should be fine anyway.

 

This is sound logic, but there are people on this board who are completely ignoring logic and are keeping the blinders on.

 

Most, if not all, past Blazer upper-tier players have eventually moved on to capture their glory elsewhere. That's just the nature of the NBA business. Big Fish players in little ponds like Portland move to big ponds with other Big Fish/Little Pond players and win championships.

 

And what if we trade Aldridge for up and coming players and a draft pick? Our team won't stink and we will still live in mediocracy. Why not just go with the flow and hope that Aldridge, Lillard and Batum can grow together? There is this "Build in the draft" comment that still won't apply. The assets coming back with still put us in the middle of the pack. And who knows if Lillard actually will make that next leap? What if he's good enough to put us in the same place as Aldridge, but we don't have Aldridge to build around him?

You seem so sure that we will be stuck in mediocracy; yet our team was stuck in first round and outs for 8 years before we became a contender in the 90's.

 

Which other players are you referring to? Drexler played 11 seasons with Portland before being traded. Sabas never left. Kersey was traded.

 

Making the playoffs is a good goal for the Blazers.

 

Repped for your whole post, but had to highlight this part.

 

The Blazers don't have that much time. They've got until this trade deadline.

 

I agree - that will be the best time to offload him. Last-ditch, jump from a moving train, would be on the 2014 draft night. Wait any longer and we've lost.

 

I think we progress enough for Aldridge to see the writing on the wall before next trade deadline.

 

Word. And does believing that mean I'm "Completely ignoring logic" and have "blinders on?" I don't think so.

 

Guess what, this current Blazers team is built through the draft. The top 3 players, LMA, Nic & Lillard are all Blazers draft picks. The best hopes for the future elevating beyond a lower tier playoff berth are found in two other draft picks: McCollum and Leonard. BTW, the 77 Blazers were successful because, in addition to a major draft pick talent in Walton, they added a bunch of players acquired when the ABA folded. The question isn't whether a team like the Blazers has to have draft success to build a contender (it does), it's whether with the existing talent base it's possible to move up from that base into contention through wise trades rather than dumpster diving back into the draft.

I think at this point, even if you trade Aldridge away for nothing but future picks, the Blazers aren't bad enough to find a replacement player in the draft who would be his equal. In addition to that, even if you find a decent player in the draft, it takes several years for a team with young talent to gel. How long do you think Lillard is going to be satisfied with losing? You want to enter his rookie free agency summer with him pissed off and looking to force his way out? Sure, the Blazers would have the right to match any offers for him, but having a disgruntled star as your best player never works out well and usually ends up in a forced trade.

The case that Aldridge will leave no matter if the Blazers start to have success is pretty weak, IMHO. The Blazers will be able to offer him more than any other team in terms of years and total contract value. Additionally, trying to find a team that is truly more competitive than the Blazers and that has enough cap space to make him a max contract offer is going to be a challenge. If the right deal comes along, I'm not averse to trading LMA, but so far I haven't seen anything even approaching his value.

 

And don't forget T. Rob, Leonard, CJ and even Lopez were all first round draft picks.

GOOD POINT! Repp'd

EDIT: You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to e_blazer again.

 

LMAO!

Repp'd

SON OF A BItCH! "You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to PtldPlatypus again."