Fun fact: Humans (and other great apes), dolphins, elephants, orcas and magpies are all animals that can recognize themselves in mirrors. So Lillard's advice would only work for basketball teams made up of those types of animals. For basketball teams of any other species, they'd get absolutely nothing out of looking in the mirror besides some curiosity.
I love hearing Dame say this stuff. It seems to me that the ownership can worry less about his feelings when making major changes this off season if they know he's frustrated. I know I say this a lot but if we just fire Olshey and bring in a really smart basketball mind to run this team, everything will work itself out. Player movement and coaching changes will happen and I think there are so many people in and around the league that have to look at all of the talent on this roster and have ideas about how to move it around and get pieces that fit together for a much better finished product. I also think that the person ownership chooses would pick a coach with a balanced approach to lead the improved roster.
Yeah, doesn't usually work out that way. It's hard to land an exec as capable and accomplished as Olshey.
dame is part of the problem, he likes terry stotts a lot why wouldnt he, he allows him to do whatever he wants and another reason dame likes him is cause stotts is a good person if ownership asks dame for an opinion about terry stotts, you can rest assured that he would support him
If am the Blazers billionaire owner, I would pay superstar FA 100M a year to help Dame get a ring here. I will pay all the taxes as well. RipCity fans deserves it. F*** Luxury Taxes
That's a joke? Olshey is neither capable or accomplished. His NBA career started in 2003. He's been a GM since 2008... didn't accomplish anything with the Clips and hasn't with us either. He's about as accomplished as a basketball exec as he was as an actor. He is not a career basketball professional. A career basketball professional, and there are a ton of them out there, would know how to take the assets that we have and build a contender around Dame and get us a competent coach. Instead we have a guy whose best skill is selling people on the idea that he is capable and accomplished.
So it sounds like the season is riding on Nurk returning to Bubble form AND Stotts actually adjusting/adapting his lineups to minimize Kanter/Melo pairings and experimenting with DJJ and Little to enhance the team defense?
what has this guy really "accomplished" as a GM? in 10 seasons, his teams have averaged 45 wins; as close to 40 wins/year, and a losing record, as to 50 wins a year. Past the first round of the playoffs, his teams have won one series in 8 attempts, and have a 6-15 record, and 4 of those wins came in one series. His teams have never won a single game past the conference semi-finals. His teams have a .358 record in the playoffs (24-43) and his record is only that good because Chad Buchanen gifted him the 6th pick used on Lillard That's not "capable and accomplished"....that's mediocrity.
Very good article. Glad someone is acting like everything isn't just hunky-dory Don't know how to embed this, but here's 4 seconds that puts it succinctly: https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/479463b0-344b-4f0e-a64d-85438fbaa08d
Who’s not trying? I see Kanter out fight anyone for rebounds, Covington is all over the floor going ball out, Powell is constant hustle as is Jones Jr. It’s not a hustle thing. If anyone needs to wake up it’s Lillard, CJ and Carmelo. Those 3 never see a shot they don’t like, aren’t really into playing defense and not big on passing the ball. Ball movement, player movement. It’s an old adage that the great coaches have always harped on. I see non of it with this team. It’s just predictable offense.
Olshey is a skilled self-selling salesman. But a less than mediocre NBA GM. Blazers fans, and the players, deserve better.
First, thanks to the dog for posting all that. Quick is asking a lot of the same questions some on here are asking. Second, I am getting tired of posting on how to improve the team. I agree with one poster from a couple days ago that the one move that could possibly really change our arc is to stop playing Melo. This would be more time for Jones and Little, instantly better defense. Would hopefully force the second unit to actually run an offense. But management have painted themselves in a corner so this won't happen. All this leaves for a rational human being is hope that we fall into the lottery and retain our pick. Develop Little, find out for sure if Giles is or is not a rotational player, get Nurk into shape and rhythm. look to next year. Promise not to re-sign Melo. Of course I would like to see a trade early off-season of CJ for an outstanding forward which would help us retain Powell, but that may be too much to ask for. I think that's all I am gonna say for awhile; it's tiresome hoping over and over for change.
Shortened version. Stotts: “We are going to waste Dame’s prime playing Melo major minutes. That’s just the way it is.”