When I say that Olshey only trades when forced by economics (except for the 2 exceptions you found), I'm not necessarily criticizing the trades he DID make. It's the trades he DIDN'T make, caused by his lack of skill (alternate theory: laziness). But now that you mention it, let's discuss the trades he DID make. They are low-quality because he always waits till the last second, with the economic guillotine hanging over him. Had he shopped Vonleh all summer after foolishly drafting 2 forwards, he could have gotten something, anything, or even if nothing, at least not PAID the buyer. The guy (and his backers like you and Denny) must feel humiliated.
We were over the LT. Getting anything but cap relief for Vonleh, unless he showed himself too good to give up on, would be FOOLISH.
What a misfortune, for Olshey to, at the last minute, find himself accidentally over the LT. Who is the bad guy who did that to him? With his luck, he's a regular Calamity Jane.
We should all pitch in a nickel and send the poor guy flowers. He won't fuck up this summer like he has almost every other summer and trade deadline.
Summer of 2012: Came away with Lillard, Leonard, Ronnie Price, Victor Claver, and Joel Freland (the last two were guys we had the rights to). Lillard makes it a win. Summer of 2013: Got CJ, Crabbe, RoLo, Mo Williams, Earl Watson, Dorrell Wright, and Thomas Robinson. That summer is also a win. Summer of 2014: No cap room or pick (from trade prior to his regime). Signed Chris Kaman and Steve Blake. Bad summer. Summer of 2015: Aldridge left, we get it. Signed Aminu and Davis. Traded the 23rd pick for Connaughton and Plumlee. Traded Batum for Vonleh and Henderson. Also made a trade for the non-guaranteed contract of Brendan Haywood that netted a 2019 2nd round pick that hasn't happened yet. Got Harkless for free. I'd say this summer was pretty good after Aldridge's decision but you'd probably disagree so lets just call it a wash. Summer of 2016: Bad for obvious reasons. Summer of 2017: Will all be determinant on what Collins becomes (and possibly Swanigan). TBD So you'll probably argue but I see it as 2 good, 2 bad, 1 average considering the circumstances, and 1 TBD. That isn't fucking up almost every summer.
I only looked at the first 2 summers before I got tired of looking. We sure could use a 6-6 SF. In 2013 for Thomas Robinson, he paid 2015 #37 (#40 was Josh Richardson, 6-6 SF, Miami Heat starter for the last 2 years) and 2017 #45 (#45 was Dillon Brooks, 6-6 SF, already the Memphis starter as a rookie). This is a distraction. I did say he fucked up most summers, which I'm unwilling to research an hour to back up, but much more important is the main theme...that the team has not improved because he is a very inactive GM in transactions. Nothing ever changes and fans are getting bored. It's the same old "Let it bake" philosophy. Only economics, not a desire to improve the roster, forces the guy to get off his ass, and even then, always at the last minute in a self-created emergency so he can look like a hero bailing out his own errors.
I mean, you can't really say that just because he doesn't make 47 trades a year that automatically makes him lazy. I also think it is about as stupid of a thing as I can think of to grade a trade of future 2nd round picks based on who was picked at or after that pick. The 2015 draft the Blazers ended up with the 41st pick instead of the 37th. Sure, you can go through every team in the history of all sports and say "well, if he just drafted this guy instead". We bought a 2nd rounder in 2015 anyway. The Blazers had 3 1st round picks in 2017. I'm sure they probably would've just traded their 2nd round pick instead of using it if they still had it. The Warriors bought the 38th pick (Jordan Bell) for just cash. I'd trade two future 2nd rounders for a top-5 pick a year ago in most situations.
There is such a drought at small forward position that I think our best bet on getting a fix will be the draft. Of course you rarely get a quick fix in the draft but if I were to choose between a young player with potential to do something and an average wing like Wilson Chandler or Ersan Ilyasova, it's simple.
I would love to use the TPE at the draft to take on a contract with a 1st round pick as compensation. Then we could either package our pick with that one to move up and hopefully find our SF or just take the best SF at each spot and hope one of them turns into a starter.
Why 2 more years? Because he says so? He has done little with his first 4 (6?) years. Only if he makes progress faster than a snail. Otherwise, it becomes unreasonable. Because Stotts only lets the guards build value. So you admit that Olshey misevaluated his acquisitions, but you seem to want the roster gutted and Stotts fired. Well, better than nothing. You are making progress. Who's the bad guy who stole cap space from that poor victim Olshey? Why would Harkless and Vonleh have to fetch only a SF? Why not BPA at another position? And why only an established star like Melo? Why not a find, like Nurkic? You and Olshey need more imagination. Good example of how a bad GM can screw up. Which GM was that? You picked a good example of Olshey being a bad talent evaluator, high on Afflalo and low on Barton. He knows he's unskilled, so he's reluctant to make trades, waiting out his 5-year plan till he's fired.
This would be smart considering every first round projected small forward except Miles Bridges(tweener) and Musa will be going in the lottery. IMO
