It might not be horrible, sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make. Think if we'd kept Andre Miller instead of trading for Felton. The Felton trade is why we don't have a second round pick this year! I think the vast majority of this teams accomplishments next year will be from players on the roster right now. To contend we need either Lillard to have a big improvement. Or one of CJ, Will, TRob could develope into a super sub. Or a number of players all having subtle individual improvements which equates to a bigger team improvement. So standing pat might be fine and lead to another exciting year! That being said its not very exciting as a fan to have an offseason with nothing! All the fans still here are ones excited by drafts, trades and free agency. Yes I believe Neil will be aggressive in trying to make trades or signings. With his acumen I don't think he'll make a bad move just to make a change as many other owners and management does. If no good options are available this team has a lot to like going into next season with zero changes.
Yes this is a good post and I agree. While in general I think we are at the team building arch where we should be trying to acquire vets for picks; if Neil can find any asset significantly undervalued go ahead and grab it.
3 stars agreed to play together in Miami. 2 stars were traded to Boston because Boston had a lot of young assets and a GM who did the Celtics a favor. Portland is not a "destination" type city. You bring up Portland and OKC, and both those teams built their potential powerhouses with high draft picks. Seems to me with the new CBA, that's what small market teams like us need to do.
If they think LA is staying, I agree. Although I'm not sure they have to be exclusive of each other. You can add vets as well as continue to upgrade the young assets and talent level through the draft. It doesn't need to be a top pick. There seem to be a lot of guys with 2nd round grades that would probably be better for the franchise right now than Earl Watson
So essentially both Boston and Miami added two stars. (Both had one already) We already have two, so we just need to add one. In either scenario we need to get lucky. At where we are at now, I think a sign and trade is our best option. We need to obtain assets and be patient, so when a star forces their way out......we are an option. Both for the other team, and the star who wants to go somewhere he can win. It is not as important that Portland is a attractive city to play in, as it is that Damian and LMA are attractive to play with.
A trade or the draft is how it would have to happen. Big time FA's don't come here. Stars seem to stay once they are here though
Barkley begged for Portland to get him. Very vocal about it. If players are friends of Damian and LMA, they will want to join them for a few years so they can win. Portland is not exactly a hell hole. Build it and they will come....
If I remember right and I think I do. Blazers could have had Barkley for Buck Williams and Jerome Kersey but the Blazers where afraid they'd mess up the chemistry.
Who thought players would want to go to OKC or Indy . . . yet we see players choosing to go there over other teams. Superstars are hard to obtain for any organization that isn't LA, NY or Chicago . . . but plenty of talented players will chase the ring in the latter stages of their career. Nothing about the Portland Trailblazers that would make it any different.
Earl Watson won't be resigned so I don't know why your bring him up. It would cost us an asset to get any pick in this draft. Is the cost worth it? Maybe. But there will be a cost, whereas signing a free agent in place of earl is free.
You want to go big, right? I'll play the imaginary trade guy. What would Batum/Lopez be worth to another team? Is there a trade for those two in a package that would make Portland a better team?
