I too am (barely) old enough to have been in the MC for the championship finals during the Walton years. Then for the Drexler teams, and finally for the Sheed teams. And along those ways, my family has been season ticket holders every single year. I enjoy this team through and through. Winning a few games during the season means something to me. I'm enjoying this win steak very much. My son has come home from Oregon State to catch most of these games, and I tell you there's no better feeling than being with my son high-fiving during these games and listening to the roar of the crowd. I don't see this as an either-or. I'm not giving up hope of another championship during my lifetime. As a matter of fact, seeing the 3rd youngest team in the league play like this has given me even more hope. The rest of the league better take notice.
the unfortunately that’s probably the case and unfortunately I can’t change that. What I can do is just enjoy the basketball I’m seeing. Really enjoying this team
Just things that pique my interest in this post; 1971 is really 1977 (I'm sure you were typing fast) Scoot not being enough apparently. No, he's coming off the fucking bench and watching an inferior player during crunch time. Valuable expiring contracts reminds me of the Blazermania favorite, RLEC! They better let them walk.
What’s interesting is that none of those teams moved into contention by drafting the final pieces. Walton, of course, was a draft home run, but it took the ABA dispersal to build the team to a contender. Drexler, Porter and Kersey were all draft picks, but late ones. The team didn’t move into contention until Buck and Duck were added via trades. Rasheed was a trade, as were most of the players added around him. I don’t think anyone here believes the current roster is a finished product, but it does have several star prospects and quite a few young players and vets with trade value. Instead of tanking for years to come, I’m looking for some good trades to improve this team. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be excited if the Blazers luck into a top-four pick this year, but I’m not getting bummed out if that doesn’t happen.
Please provide examples of small market teams winning championships in the past 30 years with picks outside the top 10 leading them. Milwaukee comes to mind, right? Look at the last 30 years. Look how many teams won titles with guys they drafted in the top 10. Or guys they signed/traded for who were taken in the top 10. 2024 Celtics - Jaylen Brown #3 and Jason Tatum #3 (drafted) 2023 Nuggets - Jokic #41 (drafted) 2022 Warriors - Curry #7 (drafted) 2021 Bucks - Giannis #15 (drafted) 2020 Lakers - LeBron #1 (didn't draft) 2019 Raptors - Kawhi #15 (didn't draft) 2018 Warriors - Curry #7 (drafted) 2017 Warriors - Curry #7 (drafted) 2016 Cavs - LeBron #1 (technically drafted) 2015 Warriors - Curry #7 (drafted) 2014 Spurs - Duncan #1 and Kawhi #15 (drafted) 2013 Heat - LeBron #1 (didn't draft) 2012 Heat - LeBron #1 (didn't draft) 2011 Mavs - Dirk #9 (traded for on draft night) 2010 Lakers - Kobe #13 (traded for on draft night) 2009 Lakers - Kobe #13 (traded for on draft night) 2008 Celtics - Garnett #5 (didn't draft) 2007 Spurs - Duncan #1 (drafted) 2006 Heat - Wade #5 (drafted) 2005 Spurs - Duncan #1 (drafted) 2004 Pistons - Billups #3 (didn't draft) 2003 Spurs - Duncan #1 (drafted) 2002 Lakers - Shaq #1 and Kobe #13 2001 Lakers - Shaq #1 and Kobe #13 2000 Lakers - Shaq #1 and Kobe #13 1999 Spurs - Robinson #1 and Duncan #1 1998 Bulls - Jordan #3 and Pippen #5 1997 Bulls - Jordan #3 and Pippen #5 1996 Bulls - Jordan #3 and Pippen #5 1995 Rockets - Hakeem #1 1994 Rockets - Hakeem #1 So in the past 30 years you have the Nuggets, Bucks, Raptors and Lakers who won rings with guys who were drafted out of the top 10. But the Nuggets also had Jamal Murray #7 and Aaron Gordon #4 on that team. The Lakers had Gasol #3 and Odom #4. This article breaks down the odds of becoming an All-Star based on pick. There's a REASON why you want a lottery pick, and more specifically you want a HIGH lottery pick.
I still believe if we can build a good playoff team maybe even contender. We’ll be able to add another player by way of trade or luck into a good player through draft. We have good draft capital between picks and swaps. This team keeps playing like this they’re going to start getting respect around the league. Potential…. stars/ maybe even superstars Sharpe Scoot borderline all stars Deni Toumani Ayton (potential is still there as he matures) all defensive teams Toumani Deni Clingan RW Ant (ok just kidding wanted to see if you we’re paying attention) draft picks https://fanspo.com/nba/teams/portland-trail-blazers/25/draft-picks
Key leaders? Only Giannis, Kawhi, and Jokic are/were the best players on their teams. The rest are either second best or role players. The Spurs don't win a chip without Duncan. Period. Parker and Ginobili would have been irrelevant. Same with Siakam. Same with Jrue. Same with White. Same with Middleton. The Bucks and Raptors are the exception, not the rule. None of their best players were top 10 picks. That's pretty rare. Spurs - Duncan #1 pick with Parker and Ginobili. Celtics - Tatum #3 and Brown #3 with Derrick White. Warriors - Curry #7 and Durant #2 with Draymond. Nuggets - Jamal Murray #7 and Aaron Gordon #4 with Jokic. I posted every team from the past 30 years in my post above.
Right now the Blazers have Ayton #1 Scoot #3 Sharpe #7 Deni #9 Clingan #7 So just based on the math above: Ayton #1 - 63.3% chance Scoot #3 - 56.6% chance Sharpe #7 - 10% chance Deni #9 - 33.3% chance Clingan #7 - 10% chance I would be shocked if Ayton ever becomes an All-Star, so really Scoot is mathematically our best chance.
The difference is the CBA. Trader Bob could trade a ham Sandwich for Sheed. A team like Portland HAS to hit its draft picks, and HAS to trade for the right pieces. My frustration is that the draft picks we have need to play and develop in a year where we won’t contend, while guys like Ant, Grant, TL, Ayton need to be moved and not dominating the ball or minutes. Cronin and or Schmitz had an eye. Camara, Avdija, Scoot, Sharpe even the plodder were all good additions. So play them and add pieces to them
Why is San Antonio starting 39-year-old Chris Paul and 32-year-0ld Harrison Barnes? They're both on the court right now and the Spurs are behind in Charlotte 22 - 10.
We'd have been far better off losing him for nothing. Instead we paid Andrew Nicholson 2.8 a year since LAST SEASON! And Sharpe's is correct. The penalty previously for not meeting the minimum was that the players on the team got the money. And, under the previous CBA, it wasn't calculated until the end of the season. So we could start well below and have people pay us to take on their salary. The new CBA, it's at the beginning of the season to prevent teams from doing that
The CBA didn’t stop 26 out of 30 teams from making trades at the deadline, some of them for major stars. The guys you mentioned, or at least some of them, should be moved. The question is when they will net the best return. Obviously, the Blazers didn’t like any of the deals other teams offered at the deadline. Try again in the summer. Sure, the Blazers need more draft talent but looking at where they sit in the standings, they aren’t likely to be getting a great pick this year. You can’t tank faster than the teams below you. At 9th in the standings, the odds are about 20% to get a top 4 pick. They are likely going to need luck and great scouting to get a difference maker.
I have to say it, you were the true difference maker vs the Suns and really over the recent winning streak. Thank you for all that you do for "us"! STOMP
Because the Spurs have their mega superstar and they got Paul to get him the ball. They had no point guard last year and they were horrible at getting him the ball.
You gu You guys are talking about something different now, I'm saying that due to the large rise in salary cap that offseason and the rules in the CBA, requiring teams to spend at least 90% of their salary cap each season, we had to spend money that off season, there was no other option.
