How close do you think we are?

Seeing the talk, I want to know how close you think our team (as assembled near the end of the 2014-2015 season) is to making the Western Conference Finals.

 

I think the starters, plus a better back up point, and sf is all we need. ML, Cj, JF are very solid back ups.

 

"kinda close"
Bring back the old gang!
Starter change up: Batum
Bench: Add MLE player and solid draft player
Stay healthy!

 

I think we just need to change our bench, and replace it with the starters for the Warriors.

 

We're in a bit of a pickle. We've got a lot of FAs, but we don't really have a chance of landing a marquee free agent. We will almost certainly have to overpay players to keep them, but if we balk at that, there isn't really an obvious replacement. And that's before Lillard's inevitable max contract.
On the plus side, I believe LA will stay. Once that happens, you have to sign Wesley (although I think he will be wooed) in part because, like Green for the Warriors, he is the fiery heart of an otherwise quiet team. And I think we need to re-sign Robin. This is the part I'm most worried about. We got him cheap, and he had a down year, certainly in the second half, so it would be easy to convince oneself that we can replace him cheaply. But the difference he made when we first acquired him was night and day, and his pick and roll with Batum is easily underrated. Plus his very good free throwing. People seem to think that we should just slot Meyers in there, but I think that's crazy. Lopez is just FAR better at defense and the little things like pick and roll. Meyers worked as a great gimmick against the Grizzlies, and definitely has a role going forward in this crazy new all-shooting NBA that we have, but RoLo makes the starting unit hum. *IF* he returns to form. Which you can't tell before you re-sign him.

If we DON'T plan to re-sign him, then who do we replace him with? Maybe pick up a cheap FA as a stopgap and draft a project center (Upshaw, Hernangomez) for down the road? Target Koufos? I dunno. RoLo's just so damn Portland, though.

Our bright side is that Meyers and CJ look ready to explode. And Frazier could well be the waterbug sparkplug that every team needs. But we need a lot of good-defending glue guys to make the parts work together.

Worst case scenario is that we keep our 3 big FAs and our payroll skyrockets, but their games (continue) to decline (and Wes never fully recovers). THAT would be depressing.

 

We were close when healthy, but I'm pretty afraid that the window for competing at a high high level may have just closed for a while. Things had aligned pretty well, we had a good-fitting starting line-up, a couple of decent bench pieces, but with injuries, and potential players leaving (especially Aldridge) I don't know if we can bump back to that same level anytime soon. Even if everyone stuck around, there's no guarantee that Wes would be anywhere near the same level, that Nic would finally "get it", Lillard would take that next step, or that Aldridge wouldn't begin wearing down. That's not to mention are frequent bench question marks especially now with free agency.

I hope I'm wrong, and I'm definitely looking forward to what's to come, but I think the odds are against us being labeled as legitimate competitors (as we could've been this year if stayed healthy) in the near future.

 

IF we lose Aldridge, THEN we should blow up ship.

 

I think we are kind of close. We need a little more depth, and, because of the financial situation, I think we're going to have to give up something to get something that will make us better than we are now.

Batum seems to me to be the piece you could move that could get you the best return and also help your cap situation the most. The problem with moving him is he fills a lot of roles that you don't find another small forward do well in terms of his ability to defend four positions and be your primary distributor and post-feeder. He also has shown flashes of being both a good long-distance shooter and a guy who can cut to the hoop, but not enough, IMO, to justify his salary.

The Blazers could improve on RoLo at center, but he's not going to get you much in a trade. In fact, you probably have to give up something else along with him to upgrade there. And if the Blazers let Wes walk, they could replace the production and the on-court role easily enough, but I think his intangibles far outweigh those factors. Of course, he's not going to be back until midseason at best, and you don't know what he'll be able to give you then. He's one guy, though, I think could will his way back from this injury, if anyone can.

I don't see the 23rd pick in the draft landing the Blazers the type of player that can significantly improve them this year or probably next, if ever. I think we'd have to trade up or package it somehow for a vet.

This is why Paul Allen brought in Olshey. This is a fixable team, but it's going to take a bright mind to do it right. The Blazers right now are like a game of jenga that's almost reached the ceiling and is running out of blocks. The right move could win it. The wrong move could wipe it out.

 

Aldridge is leaving and Wes will never be the same so to even have a chance at making the 2016 playoffs we need to sign and trade them for equal value or we're pretty much out of contention for another 2-5 years.

 

Kind of close. My thoughts:

• Rolo would be a phenomenal backup, but is quite deficient as a starter.
• Batum is what he is and always will be -- a maddeningly inconsistent player, dripping with potential but perennially in his own head. As a 4th or 5th starter he's great, if we need him to be a top 3 guy, we're in trouble.
• For the life of me, I can't figure out how or why so many people on this board are just penciling Wes in to return as our starting 2. Completely ignoring the fact that he's a free agent whose value was beyond proven by our nosedive after his injury, HE'S COMING OFF OF A DEVASTATING INJURY!!! Players don't return from blown Achilles tendons the same, and let's face it, Wes was already limited athletically. I love the guy and don't for a second question whether or not he's the heart and soul of the team, but if we're really talking about how close we are to contending for a championship, I just don't know how you make that bet. It doesn't make sense to me from any angle.
• Lastly we need EFFECTIVE (read: not Steve Blake) vets coming off the bench. CJ and Meyers' development was great, but invariably just about every bench stint, all season long, lost any momentum that the starters had built.

If we keep LA and if Dame gets his head right, we've got the 2 most important pieces, so yes, we're close, but we need some significant upgrades to get there, I think.

 

We are a ways away. I don't think we have the mental toughness to be considered legitimately. The only 2 who I see this from are Wes & Dame.

I don't see LMA as having the mental toughness to lead a team to the championship. He needs to be in a 2nd/3rd role (ala Bosh).

 

What the hell are you drinking over there east of the mountains, MARIS61? Debby Downer Juice?

 

LMA showed plenty of toughness mental and physical when he destroyed Houston two years ago. This year's playoffs he played hurt and couldn't carry the team while his teammates were stinking up the joint.

He'll be back.

 

I'm still very concerned about Stotts and his ability to be the Head Coach of a championship team ...

 

The newspaper needs to replaced, too. The Oregonian isn't up to the job.

 

If we're healthy we're as good as anybody.

 

-Bulls fans since 2010

 

He destroyed Houston for 2 games.

LMA was playing really well with his hand injury, but he completely gave up when Wes got hurt. That is not being mentally tough.

Look at the rest of LMA's playoff games... He's only had those two GREAT games against Houston and a bunch of mediocure to poor games otherwise.

 

How close?

One Andre Igoudala like addition and some Damian Lillard growth away.

 

The 2014 Playoffs it took LA to play like a prime Shaq and a miracle to keep that series from going into a game seven. The Spurs toyed around with the Blazers.

This year they fought just to keep their head above water against Memphis. A healthy Wes wouldn't have made a difference with the way CJ broke out.

I really believe this group has reached its peak. I'd break up the core keeping Lillard/Leonard/McCollum.