You're aware that only one team out of 30 wins a title, right? It can be debated that the Blazers would have been better served to have tanked harder after Aldridge jilted them and they dumped Wes, Nic & Rolo, but I don't see how you can fault too much Olshey putting a team together on the fly that managed to finish 3rd in the West last season.
Yes, because it’s so unrealistic to expect results from a GM after 6 years... it’s so unrealistic to expect more than a first round sweep... it’s so unrealistic to want a GM to shake up the roster that underperforms...so unrealistic... fans should just keep their mouths shut and be greatful and keep buying tickets no matter the result
I stopped reading after the bolded. I already addressed this. Your 6 years is completely BS. This is not an opinion, it is fact. You want to be realistic with your posts, Id be happy to engage in discussion/debate. But saying he has had 6 years is complete bs. its only been 3. I can see im wasting my brea...finger typing....
The sweep in 2017 doesn't mean jack, having come against the Warriors and with the Blazers losing Nurkic to a broken leg. The sweep by the Pelicans this year was telling about the Blazers' roster. I don't think that there was another team in the league with the players to have pulled it off (Holiday's length and overall defense, plus Davis's speed), but the sweep definitely showed that the Blazers were lacking in scorers other than Dame and CJ. Olshey is taking steps to add better shooters, which is good, but so far he hasn't improved the starting roster at all. If he can pull off a trade that does that, then I think he'll have proven that he's still the right guy for the GM spot. If he can't, then I'm ready to move on.
It's true that Olshey paints himself into corners by saying things like "this team projects to be a 54 win team" in 2016 or that he needs to "shift from asset acquisition to adding playoff proven vets" but haven't all his comments since the draft been pretty honest? He needs to deliver on things he says, I get that. However, since the draft he seems to not be setting high expectations and that bothers people too. He's been pretty honest with his answers during summer league. I said this before the draft, cap space was going to be a premium for not only this summer but for teams setting up for 2019 as well. That is why not using the Crabbe TPE would be extremely frustrating to me. That was a tool to really add either a future asset or a quality rotation player. I really thought after the meeting with Lillard that Allen would authorize Olshey to use it. Maybe they haven't had any offers worth using it for. Personally I would have taken Lin, since they got a 2nd round pick too even if it is for 2025, but I understand that another combo guard is literally the last thing this team needs right now so that isn't the greatest example. Replacing Ed Davis is the issue right now in my opinion. The starters were fine last year, especially if Harkless plays like he did towards the end of the season and Nurk plays like he did from about January on. The bench should be much better with Baldwin hopefully getting a bigger role, the addition of Curry, and some young guys with great shooting strokes. Collins should continue to get better as well, so really all we are missing is one more big man. With 16 players on the roster, having to decide to let Davis go before making a trade was probably necessary. If he had to do it all over I'm sure he'd probably keep Davis instead of signing Stauskas with the poor play of both PapaG and Swanigan in summer league but he had to make a decision before getting to see their development in an actual game. It's not meant as an excuse but he still has time to fix it. Several people complaining about him love Baldwin, Simons, and Trent. This is why a Turner and Swanigan for Thompson trade makes sense. Maybe we can even get them to throw in Korver with the TPE. Thompson can do what Davis did and opens up Turner's minutes for better players. There has to be another move still because right now we have either Swanigan or Leonard as the backup PF/C.
Perhaps I was unclear. In the beginning Olshey seemed like some sort of cowboy. And I liked it. But his actions and behavior have convinced me that he is not good people. He didn't changed. It just became apparent that his personality sucks and his promises are empty and he overvalues his guys and has an off putting answer for everything. The point is, he is different than any other GM for me, personally. And here in the forum and in articles and on the radio I see my feelings more or less reflected all over the place and there's something to be said for that, I think. See and this is where it gets personal for people. You respect that he tells it like it is, and I'd agree if it wasn't just an evolving series of copouts as to why this or that won't happen. Perhaps he isn't realistic, or more likely, he's a conning... You see this in other aspects of our world: discredit EVERYONE to make yourself look better. I think that's the reality. (So it all started with the 6 year thing. He's been here 6[!!!!] years. And whether you blame him for LA walking--which I completely do--or not, you can start the clock whenever. But let's say 3 years and consider your 5 year plan [What's with the 6month thing you keep mentioning?]. We made the playoffs year 1, 2, and 3. That isn't rebuilding. Look at our payroll. Nor does Olshey act like it is...until people question him and then it's "Look..." this and "Look..." that. He'll say we're super young and all that bullshit [after saying moving Chief to the 4 will result in 56 wins]. But Dame and CJ aren't super young and those are the guys we should be focused on... Remember the whole "career arc" thing he was one for season 2 of the "rebuild"? How did that work out? Lol. OR if it is a rebuild, he's fucked it up royally and waylaid us in mediocre land. Either way, man, I just don't see how you can ignore it. We were a 3rd seed last year, Neil Olshey will tell you. But we were a hair's width from the lottery, too. That precarious position is scary. And with all the teams in the West getting stronger, and us, crippled by previous choices and lacking new veteran blood, we might very well enter the lottery while in the luxury tax and entering year 5 of this fabled rebuild...)
the classic, lets focus on the minor good things and completely avoid anything majorly shit, NO interview
No it doesn’t. The Davis move wasn’t financial. They want guys that can space the court. Collins is Davis’ replacement. Thompson makes zero sense.
It isn't about liking TT necessarily (you get an Davis type player who can't shoot, yes, but he is a competitor, a good rebounder and can D guys up.); it's about what the deal does: 1. ET and Swanigan gone. Nice. Both guys don't space the court. 2. More minutes for Baldwin and crew. 3. Not forced to play Meyers and Swanigan at C. 4. There's still plenty of minutes for Collins to develop, just with less pressure. And gives him a Davis-type player to play with, which served him well last season. 5. God forbid if something happens to Nurk...
Lol it’s like you completely ignored what I said. The Blazers don’t want players like Ed Davis or Tristan Thompson. They want players that can SHOOT. Thompson would clutter up the offense the same way Davis did. Portland would have zero interest. They’ll play biggie before they put a guy like Thompson on the court.
They said they want to surround Turner with shooters in the 2nd unit. If Turner is gone it changes the dynamic of the 2nd unit. Thompson cleaning up the offensive glass when those shooters miss and setting good screens for Baldwin would be nice.
Evan Turner can't shoot. Swanigan can't shoot. "Lol" What shooting center are we in the market for? Zach Collins can't play all the backup PF/C minutes and hasn't shot well himself (maybe) yet. Can Papagiannis shoot? That guy sucks. Or is Olshey just going to force Stotts to play Meyers significant minutes? That should be fun. Perhaps Olshey let Davis go to free up the space to sign shooters. Perhaps Olshey would sign Davis now if he was still around after having found some shooters. This deal would get rid of a rotational player that can't shoot (ET) and open up those minutes to the newly acquired and existing shooters, while giving us a backup that can play some D and rebound. And has won a freaking championship.
I think in an ideal world they would love to dump Turner. But they can’t, so they make the best out of the situation and surround him with shooters. Swanigan theoretically CAN shoot. I don’t want to find out though, and I’m not sure the backup PF is on the roster right now. Not confident Olshey will be able to get one either. We’re probably stuck with Biggie. My point is Thompson, and guys with a similar game, will not be brought in.
They said that because they’re stuck with him. In a perfect scenario they wouldn’t have any guys on the second unit that couldnt shoot or create. Even if you had four shooters and Thompson, opposing teams could still hedge on our guards because of how much of a non threat Thompson is.
If Swanigan is playing, we are a lottery team. Guy won't be in the NBA passed his rookie contract. And I agree it won't get done, but because Olshey isn't as creative as HJ, not because it shouldn't. I swear you're misunderstanding Olshey's shooting talk. He got shooters already. He needed the cap space to get shooters. Like I said before, I'm sure he'd sign Ed now and TT is an upgrade over Ed.
For the love of basketball. The point isn't TT. It's getting rid of Evan Turner and thus finding time for these shooters we've acquired. (Although TT is no slouch. I mean, he's better than Ed Davis and no one wanted to see Ed go...)
If you support the If Olshey shopped Dame or CJ, I don't think he'd talk much about it and I'm positive he'd delete any reference to it...he keeps his moves close to his sleeve..not that it matters...the whole thing has been a moot point....my point is Olshey has done due diligence with Paul George, Kawhi, Boogie and Melo ..probably quite a few others but he's not going to trade Dame which is probably what teams want....it's a talking point....rude responses really add nothing to the OP....you weren't rude....that's a good thing in these speculative conversations.
