Just like that, Jazz up 24, RJ turning back into a pumpkin for at least one game. If they win, the gb margin between GS and the play-in stay the same.
Crowded field looking to get the two last playoff spots in the west. Wondering if veteran teams like GS, Lakers, Miami, etc. wait till the deadline or make a move as soon as trade restrictions on some players is lifted on the 15th. Bulls had been playing decent. Will see if switching to a more traditional lineup makes a difference tomorrow against the Bucks.
Storm took out my wifi, so not a great day for sports. Streaming the NFL playoff games was a pain in the ass, didn’t even look at the NBA scores. But alas, woke up to the wifi working again. Saw results of a dubs loss, Jazz win, even a Bulls win. Dubs 1.5gb for 10th seed. All is right in the world again
Also, let’s just speak on how masterful OKC has been these last few years of embracing the tank and just collecting asset after asset. They had a worse loss than us just a few seasons ago, who the fuck cares? The now have two bonafide franchise players, plus a few great contributors, and they might have two low lotto picks and another pick in the 20s this year…as a #1-2 seed… Embrace losing guys. It all works out in the end unless your scouting department is incompetent.
Helps that the Clippers were so desperate for a "star" that they traded SGA for Paul George when I think the Clippers would be a MUCH better team if they had just kept SGA and paired SGA with Kawhi. Granted getting Kawhi without PG13 might have been a bigger challenge but he wanted to play in his hometown LA anyways.
there's differeces between embrace, accept, and resignation...that applies to the Blazers...and my wife I kind of wish people would stop using OKC as Portland's template because OKC got SGA from trading their star. Blazers didn't get any talent like that from trading Dame; not even in the next zipcode. The boat that OKC rode to 'contention' is nowhere near Portland's shore
I know hindsight is basically worthless but do you think if we had explored, we could have offered them Dame for SGA? Putting myself in thier head, a Dame/Kawhi pairing sounds…sound?
You forgot to add that the Wizards won and Lakers lost. We have shown the past couple of years as being fully capable of tanking late. We could finish among the Wiz, Spurs, and Hornets. Lakers losing makes them more likely to trade now instead of waiting for the deadline. Fun fact, trading Paul, Kuminga, and Moody for Grant and Brogdan works according to the trade checker on RealGM. I would only do this if it included future unprotected firsts.
Paul George was who Kawhi wanted. The Clippers were willing to give up so much IMO because they viewed it as the price for both players. I do not think Kawhi would have been as enthusiastic about Lillard. George is superior defensively and works well offensively with him. Only problem has been staying on the court. If we would have went to the the Clippers to explore a deal, we would have lost Lillard and not gotten much in return.
[alternate universe mode on] Portland had an opportunity to trade for Paul George in 2017 when they had 3 first round picks. But Olshey refused to offer CJ and that was after CJ's best year and Oladipo's worst year. I'm not saying Indiana would have accepted the deal (I will say the Olshey apologists that claimed KP wouldn't trade with Portland are full of shit) it was reported that Olshey offered Indiana the three 1st's plus their choice of players other than Dame & CJ. That probably means something like Harkless + Meyers. In other words, it was not a serious offer. And rumors were a year later Olshey tried to horn into the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes but again was holding CJ untouchable so if Olshey hadn't been a giant stupid fucking ego-blind idiot, maybe Portland could have had Paul George. And if the PG13-->LAC Express left PDX then Portland could have had Dame + SGA + five Clipper first round picks [/alternate universe mode off]
I know you like to dissect every little thing, I’m just speaking in generalities. Fine, forget SGA. SGA isn’t the reason OKC ended up with guys like Chet, Williams, Giddey, Wallace, etc. Outside of CP3 (who had zero trade value that season), who are the notable vets who have played there in the last few years? Are we counting Favors as a valuable vet? He’d never be able to fetch any asset of value in a trade. George Hill? CP3 was traded as soon as they rebuilt his value by making the playoffs. This is just in response to those that want to keep Brogdon and Grant, and even making it seem like Thybulle HAS to be part of the future. Yes, OKC ended up with better players after trading their stars. Yes, they didn’t trade just one star, but two stars, adding up to more assets than we’d have. I acknowledge all those things. I’m not going bullet point for bullet point as to how we’re similar though. Again, speaking in generalities, they traded their best vet players for picks, they drafted well, they improved from within. The next step in following the OKC trend, like a lot of teams now, is hiring one of these new analytics guys as coach. Mike Brown is working, right now, I have no idea how long that lasts. I just hope we go backwards by bringing in one of these guys like Budenholzer. Stotts, NO. Even a guy like Vanderpool, I’m ehh on. The roadmap is still the roadmap, regardless if our star returned a guard or not. SGA was the only guy on those teams after OKC traded their stars. We had Shae a season before trading Dame and Scoot right before we traded Dame. The benefit of hindsight will allow you to say it’s not the same because SGA is at an all world level right now while Shae/Scoot have a slimmer chance of doing so, but I’m going to call it a wash in terms of talent post-trades of the stars.
I just think it's impossible to set SGA aside because he's the engine driving OKC now. Without him, OKC is a lottery/play-in team, IMO (and Blazers are a long ways from that) by the way, Jalen Williams and Tre Mann were taken with two of the four 1st round picks OKC got along with SGA. OKC still gets the LAC 2024 & 2026 1st's. OKC's tanking picks are Giddey and Holmgren vs Portland's Sharpe & Scoot
I didn't say you were "wrong". What I said was that I didn't view Portland's situation similar to OKC's because of SGA; at least not yet I'm fine with Portland tanking and trying to maximize future assets by trading Grant and Brogdon. I think it's Portland's best path, although I'd add Ant and Ayton to the outgoing mail
Nice to see the Warriors lose to a depleted Memphis squad. Looking at GS schedule they haven't had a good win since before playing us awhile ago. They might lose their next 6 games which are all solid opponents even though 5 are at home. That could put them 10 games under .500 Love that we have their pick.
Grizzlies rookie GG Jackson had 23 off the bench. This was a double Blazer helper. Memphis sustains a better record then Portland, and the GSW pick improved.
Basically all but guarantees us the 5th best odds with a 5.5 game gap. Only 1.0 game between us and the Hornets, I’m sure our SOS carries us to the 4th best odds and guarantees us the 35th pick this draft. More clarity on our pick situation this summer, noice.
