OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA THREAD - August 2021

Portland had a "surprising" offseason:

 

Blasphemy. I don't understand how anyone can't see losing Kanter and Melo while adding Snell, Zeller and Mclemore should make Dame happy. He has an empire here and will stay here even if we sign a roster of Blevins. Championship here we come!

 

Great. Kept Norm Powell. Improved bench. Nothing that would launch us into top tier status but nothing that will kill our season like the Lakers have done.

 

What THIS dude said.

 

So you think our bench is better than last season? I just don't see it. Zeller will not help us the way Kanter did. No way.

 

So you think we are NOT into the top tier status, but we are BETTER than the Lakers? I'm assuming that is what you are saying since you said their season is already "killed".

 

plenty of people apparently happy with Blazer mediocrity, including Blazer ownership and Blazer management

 

I feel like half of those people after given a little bit of time would say any decision or move was great and exciting no matter what it was.

 

Lakers really shot themselves in the head with their moves. Who will pay money to watch this team? They will probably sell no tickets at all this season.

Jokes aside, let me tell you this again: Main problem of this team was lack of ball movement and lack of effort from the players. Billups know this and apparently whole league knew it.
Since main issue is addressed, it is logic, to wait till midseason.
I'm not really sure, what Lillard and CJ think about it.

 

I think that's a gamble... waiting wasn't one of the things I heard Dame talking about at his presser before Japan. So if we come out of the gates and struggle against the teams that are likely going to be in the playoffs, I think Dame will want out by the trade deadline. So waiting till mid season could possibly lose us Dame. I also think the fact that Simmons is on the trade block and we have a piece in CJ that makes perfect sense for Philly is an opportunity to land an all star with superstar upside that doesn't come along often.

There were reports that they wanted to see how our situation with Dame would shake out but the more recent reports are that they want to move Simmons before he can become a disruptive force when the team gets back together for training camp in a little over a month. Unless Philly absolutely won't deal with us or Simmons is against playing here, I don't think losing the opportunity at getting a player with his floor and his ceiling is at all acceptable for a franchise like ours. His combination of athleticism, size, defense on every level, handle, passing and getting to and finishing at the hole is something completely unique to the game. If Simmons goes elsewhere we'll likely not know if Philly wouldn't play ball or Simmons didn't want to be here but if Neil says the price was just too high, I'll be livid. We aren't in a position to let potential superstars who are already all stars get away because the team auctioning them off wants too many picks.

 

I heard Dame say he wanted everyone to work harder, to give the same kind of effort he did.

A lot of people presume that means the Blazers had to make moves.

There are a lot of other meanings to what Dame said than go out and acquire more stars to play with me. In fact, if you take what he said at face value, you have to be reading into it to come to that conclusion.

 

I also read that as the team could improve from players like Little and Simons. Then the team could greatly improve with a modicum of health that could translate in more wins throughout the season and a better flow with players.
There is no question in my mind the team could improve from within and health would help.

 

Ownership and management imo needs to change not just because of the apparent Dame concerns but for further down the road. Its obvious that in order to be in contention and win the whole thing ownership must be willing to pay some big luxury tax.

 

True but he is trying to save his career, so of course he needs the press to be there. And honestly having the press there is more humiliating for him, and I think you can make a case that having them there is more beneficial to bringing awareness to how stupid his act was and others like him.

 

Longer they wait, lower Simmons value is.
Can we hold panic till February?

 

I’m just loving that he’s referred to as “former Miami Heat center Meyers Leonard” rather than “former Portland Trailblazer center Myers Leonard”……….Meyers who????

 

When the runaway winner as the best off-season move, according to this poll, is the Heat landing the 35-year-old Kyle Lowry for 90 million in a sign-and-trade deal, I have a hard time taking it seriously.