Around the NBA - the 2020 Playoff Edition!

I probably didn't mention it in this thread, although I know I've mentioned it a couple of time here somewhere:

this is a new Blazer teams now. All those players I listed are gone, and now Portland has replacements. 7 rotational players that helped Portland make it to the WCF are gone. That's half the roster and most of the rotation. It's a different team this season and really, the only gauge we have for them is this season. This is not the team that made it to the WCF. I'd grant that injuries had an impact on this season, but I'd also suggest that a completely healthy roster is a mirage. It almost never happens (although those Drexler teams had incredibly durable players). I mean I'm looking thru this year's playoff teams and almost every one was missing 1 or 2 or 3 rotational players

 

Now that the Blazers are eliminated, my interest in the play-offs is pretty minor. My primary focus is the future of the Blazers and what I want from the organization is HOPE. Not PR spin but actual concrete reasons to feel good about next season. IMHO, success means improvement - not stagnation or (as happened this season) backsliding.

Listening to conversations about the Blazers next season I hear a lot of talk about journeyman players (eg Zach and Hood) or non-contributors (eg Simon and Little). The only argument for improvement that has any meat on the bones is Nurk. IF he can stay healthy I would much rather have him than Whiteside. Is that enough? It's not like he is on the same level as AD, Giannis, or even Joker.

To make matters worse, there is the very real possibility of a work stoppage. If that happens, it doesn't matter who "wins" because the fans will lose.

 

Well only because he’s SO old right?

 

Just to add to your ray of sunshine... I don't think we'll make any moves, just get spin from Olshey that he might even believe. I don't think Rio will opt into a min deal with little to no playing time when overseas options are open to him. I also don't think Hassan or Neil will be interested in bringing him back at his price to be a backup. I think we'll just keep Ariza. If Melo takes the vet min plus the 25% more we can give him as a returning player that would be amazing but knowing Neil, Melo won't even have to consider that offer because Olshey will bid against himself like he always does and offer Melo at least half of the MLE. I think we will then likely use the other half of the MLE on a back up PG or C maybe Michael Carter Williams or Nerlens Noel would sign for that much. I think then we would re-sign Wenyen. We will draft whoever falls to us at 16 and 46(BPA). I know Hoodie will opt in and hopefully be able to contribute. The spin will be that if we would have been healthy, which we now will be, then we would have been contenders. I think the likely rotation will be Dame, CJ, Ariza, Zach, Nurk, Melo, Gary, MCW or Noel and Hoodie with Nas, Wenyen, Simons, the 16th and 46th pick getting very few minutes if and it's a big if, we stay healthy. I think regardless of what's done with the MLE all of the minutes Nurk sits Zach will rotate up to 5 which will give Melo starter minutes between backing up the 4 and some at the 3. I think Gary is going to get almost all of the backup minutes next to Dame when CJ is out and next to CJ when Dame is out plus a few at the 3 and I expect that we'll rarely see both Dame and CJ on the bench at the same time. Basically giving us a seven man rotation with leftover minutes for everyone else. Dame and CJ will each play like 36 minutes a game, I think Ariza, Nurk and Zach will all log around 32, I think Melo will get 30, I think Gary will get 24, and that will only leave 18 more minutes per game in regulation. That team will battle with Denver, Dallas and Houston (maybe even the Clippers) for spots 2-6 not even necessarily getting HCA.

I would love for this not to be the case and for Neil to wake up and make a big move maximizing CJ's value in a trade that would get us a forward that could be option 2a or 2b with Nurk. I know there is value for CJ out there that would bring back a better fit for this team because CJ is really really good, I just don't think Neil sees the obvious that Dame and CJ diminish each others value on the court which is so apparent on defense but also is the case on offense.

 

Or maybe because he's the second best to ever do it and he's still at the top of the league after 17 seasons. He's so old that he led the best team in the Western Conference and likely the NBA Champions in games played and minutes per game. All while leading the league in assists per game, being 12th in points per game and 22nd in rebounds per game. Basically averaging an astonishing 25/10/8. It's just sad to see a star fade so quickly... he's just so old.

 

Well, not ONLY, but he certainly couldn't've if he wasn't.

 

And as it turned out, AD's slip up that Rondo wouldn't play in the first round was more accurate than the coach saying they thought he was ready to be out there.

 

It would be a short one because I'm rarely right!

 

not likely anytime soon. the reported ballistics that the lawyer spoke about ' he declined when asked for verification.

 

I'm really pulling for Miami to sink the Celtics

 

Still can’t believe Olshey graded Zach Collins over Bam

 

Olshey you fucking idiot

 

This game has been crazy. I bet Celtics fans are going crazy right now!

 

Meyers Leonard is gonna get to the finals before Dame.

This is depressing

 

As a glorified mascot ? I guess

 

Watch Adebayo gets in foul trouble every game against AD lol

 

Happy for the Heat. I predict they'll lose 4-1 like all of the Lakers' victims. If you had Boston + Adebayo, I think that team might give the Lakers trouble.