After a strong preseason, what should the Blazer's goal be this year?

I understand that completely. And I wouldn't blame anybody for tuning out until they are ready to compete again.

Being fans we have every right to make that choice.

When I advocate for what should and should not happen regarding personnel I'm stepping away from my immediate desires as a fan and looking toward the long-term goal of winning a title.

It is a tough pill to swallow. It's a tough pill to swallow for fans, and it's a tough pill to swallow for ownership. And it's a tough pill to swallow for management. It's a risk. But it's the risk with the best payoff long-term.

 

Not true at all on any level. Multiple ex players have been hired with less. Some that have done fairly well.

 

You also have a tendency to speak as though your approach is the only viable way and it certainly is not. However I agree at this point with this draft ahead that they should just continue to lose this year.

 

When ownership and the board review the Blazers FY improvement PLAN/GOALS, what criteria do you think is weighted more, annually?

1. positioned for 1 of the three best chances at lotto #1.
2. show win/loss improvement over previous year
3. decide what veterans are part of their current improvement plan.
4. Strive to make playoffs
5. Stay under cap
6. Increase TV revenue and season ticket sales
7. Increase profitability over previous year.

 

I speak as though it is the most likely way for a the Blazers to have the most success for the next decade plus.

I'm not interested in trading that potential away for a few meaningless wins now.

 

I hope it is winning and profitability in the future (which go hand in hand).

But I honestly have no sense of what they actually want.

 

ok....I'm curious...who?

 

We need a better team barber?

 

Yeah, it's hard at this point to see what their priorities are.
I've always thought they want a golden goose laying golden eggs regardless of records.

 

Yeah I wish we were putting our youth in a place to try and win, with maybe 1 vet and one bench vet. Instead we have this Ayton/Ant/Grant/Thybulle/Timelord group that makes no sense to have as part of our roster.

Would having more young guys and less of those vets lead to more losses? Probably, but as you say thats fine we get a better pick. It also means we don't have to do a 4th year of this sit vets with fake injuries gimmick that Cronin has done since he became GM. I'm so sick of the Gleague scrubs playing meaningful minutes.

 

Not going to get to deep into this, but it appears that you are basing things on a premise. The premise that a championship is the only thing one's team should strive for.
It's different for me. I like good character players, giving their all in a game. Losing on purpose is horrible character. They are paid to win...every time they
step on the court.

 

It'll take much longer than five years at its current pace, I'm not sure about 10.

Quicker than getting Flagg, or a lottery pick or a star to get the rebuild really going would be Jody selling the team. Sounds like she thinks it will be 20 years or longer though.

 

I want them to play the way they played in preseason, and I want Chauncey to go deep into the rotation to keep everyone fresh. The losses will take care of themselves.

 

Does Steve Kerr ring a bell?

 

Steve Kerr and Jason Kidd were both title winning PG former players hired as head coaches with zero coaching experience, they have done pretty damn good.

Chauncy Billups was a very articulate TV commentator after his playing days and then was in discissions to take on front office positions such as the GM role with the Cavs. He was an assistant coach with the Clippers. You make it sound like he only got the Blazers coaching job from an Olshey relationship and was unqualified. He was a highly regarded candidate and had many opportunities with other organizations.

 

Lenny Wilkins?
How about Jason Kidd? I think he was an assistant for one year also. Lenny went straight to head coach.

 

Mark Jackson, Steve Nash, Larry Bird

 

I'm not suggesting (and never have suggested) the players and coach should do anything other than try to win.

And I've specifically said on numerous occasions that they should be playing to win.

 

Continue exactly what they’re doing. Listen to no one and do what’s right and professional.

if this franchise didn’t have that backbone we would be tanking like y’all think. No offense but three year old thinking. You’d set our franchise back ultimately right back into the crapper.

At this point I wouldn’t even be surprised if Flagg busts with the way y’all swear he’s some savant. Karmic energy applied here - I would not be surprised.

I also would be equally non surprised to see us try to be competitive/not tank and still have an almost equal chance to get him.

like losing attracts anything good… okay I’ll stop

Perhaps toumani and deni high end potential is a maximum dominating factor anyway. Like to assume cooper even adds more value at the end of the day at this point is complete hopium. I just want that acknowledgment and I don’t see it, anywhere.

so respectfully, continue to cook.

what do we do? Continue to let ‘em cook.

As for me? Try to be gentle on this fan base as it develops. I recognize a lot of people that have no clue what they’re talking about, so perhaps teaching more than scolding is important.

 

good catch, although he did spend 3 years as a GM before becoming coach

but again, what about Chaucey's 1st 3 seasons as a HC do you see as reason any other team would hire him as a HC? I'm thinking the Blazers won't re-sign him next summer and his ceiling for the next several seasons will be as an assistant coach