An article by Jason Quick. The "new" info seems to be that Allen has said that the "window" now is open. Also, it seems a bit that KP is tamping down expectations for the draft. He seems to be indicating that it is very likely little will happen on Thursday. http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/06/allen_tells_his_gm_go_for_it.html
It makes me excited to hear that Paul Allen is ready for this team to take the next step, that it's time to win now. No more development period, no more messing around with waiting for rookies. This team is ready to take that next step. Go for it KP!
Doesn't it seem like Nate is overprotective of his players? I can appreciate that he likes his guys, but it seems like he might be setting them up for disappointment if he keeps talking like they're not going anywhere... Ed O.
Except Nate even mentions that he's not going to be able to play them all ... more than anything I think he's just trying to show he has their back in public (and he probably is kind of attached to some of them ... it would be tough not to like some of the people you work with and who work under you for a few years)
Pressure is now on KP. Now he has to show he can actually upgrade a decent team. Building one was the easy part.
Nate is an idiot. he should have no say in personel matters. I will use Green over Sessions as an example.
I disagree. Trying to pick college players who will be a success in the NBA is a far tougher challenge than acquiring a veteran player who has already proven himself in the league.
What I mean by that is a GM taking a team and adding young talent to it is easy. Now whether that talent is any good is another thing. Jerry West wrote one time that the hardest thing to do is find a certain poiece to get you over the top because you have to part with other pieces that got you there in the first place. Look at Jermaine for DD. Great example of the wrong move. KP is very good at eyeing talent. Our team could easily be A_am Morrison and Tyrus Thomas instead of Roy and Aldridge. So I am not saying it's easy to add great college players, I am saying it's easy to add a bunch of players to be competitive. Finding that one or two pieces and knowing what to give up for thoise pieces is what will be hard.
Try impossible. It's never been accomplished before, and never will be. It has produced a title or 2, but has always destroyed any chance of a dynasty. Given that KP has targetted Kobe as his veteran savior, I'd say there is zero chance Portland gets their promised dynasty. Sad that they are willing to fall victim to the "veteran trap" after coming so close to the ultimate and perfect team. Just Bake it!
we need a crop of a rookie or two even if they are 25 to 28 years old after seasoning in europe...its like restocking the fridge
LOL, because the just bake it plan has worked so well. Every team without somoene named Jordan on it has added pieces to it's team to get them over the top.
Wow. Just wow. I would settle for a single title in my lifetime. If Portland has to trade away a potential (though extremely unlikely) dynasty to win a mere two titles, I think I would get over the disappointment. If your perfect team includes Blake, Outlaw and Sergio, then I can reasonably ignore anything else you might say. Ever.
Right., This is your worst "argument" ever - and that's saying something. Did you miss the fact that the past two NBA titles went to teams that acquired significant veteran help through trades. The Lakers added Pau by giving up young prospects and two future 1st round picks. The Celtics acquired Garnett for multiple young players (Jefferson, Gomes and Telfair) and two 1st round picks. They also acquired Ray Allen for Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak and the no. 5 pick in the draft. So, two of their "Big 3" were acquired in the offseason immediately prior to their championship season by trading away young talent and 1st round draft picks. If recent history is to be believed, it seems the key to winning an NBA championship is to trade away young prospects and draft picks for proven veterans. Not even the Spurs relied totally on home grown talent. They added veterans like Robert Horry and Michael Finley. The Heat added Shaq via trade to a roster full of veterans (Gary Payton, Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, Alonzo Morning, James Posey, etc.) that they did not draft, the Pistons added Sheed mid-season to complete a starting five that included only one player (Tayshaun Prince) that they drafted (Ben Wallace, Rip Hamilton, Chauncey Billups were all acquired via trades). The Lakers 3-peat team had Shaq - who they did not draft as well as a roster full of veterans (Ron Harper, Brian Shaw, Robert Horry, Glen Rice, Rick Fox) acquired via trades and free agent signings. The Bulls are probably the closest to winning titles by building through the draft, but they always had multiple veteran starters (Bill Cartright, John Paxson, Dennis Rodman, Ron Harper, etc.) that were acquired through trades. The Lakers and Celtics dymasties of the 1980s acquired key players through trades (Kareem, Parrish, etc.). So, please name the last team that built a dynasty, or even won a title, by "baking it". Who was the last team to build a dynasty, or even win a single championship, with five starters that they drafted directly or had been with the team since their rookie year. The fact is trades are part of the NBA, and that most (all) NBA champions in the last three decades have acquired major pieces through trades and/or free agent signings. Expecting to build a championship team, let alone a dynasty, solely through the draft is absurd. The problem being, the better you draft, the better you become, the lower your draft picks become in supsequent seasons. Just look at the Blazers, they have gone from the 1st pick to the 13th to the 24th ion the last three seasons. Do you really think they have all the pieces currently in place to win multiple (or even a single) NBA title? If not, will they pick up what they need to put them over the top with the 24th pick in this year's draft? BNM
no you need a mix but the spurs have drafted internationals and let them mature then brought them in to help the rotation they were far sighted in that respect. just once i would love to sign a FA that was under the radar and blows up for us unlike our past....
I don't think it's a bad thing that Nate tries to protect his guys -- they're the ones going to war together and having a roster full of paranoid players invites a ton of disaster. If he can keep his guys focused on getting better as individuals and as a team, all the better. If he were a dual gm/coach, that'd be a different story. As it is, KP wears the GM hat and Nate wears the coach's hat. When it comes to personnel, coach gets a voice, but the decisions rests with PA and KP . . . which is exactly as it should be.
Thank goodness PA didn't sell the team... he's the best owner in the NBA. We are so lucky to have an owner who loves this team as much as we do!
