Are the Blazers a gigantic Wild Card in the West?

That's a very Carmelo like jab...

 

This team needs another all-star or two if they're ever going to do anything. The best way to acquire one is via a very high draft pick. We should all be praying for a very bad season so we can draft another player that's worth having.

 

This team is such an enigma to me. I dont' think any team in the last 15 years have I been more confused on what we are going to be. We revamped our D with the cost of experience and shooting and we just have so many unknowns. We'v seen flashes of greatness from a lot of our unknowns and we'v got a closer who seems to be better at it then Roy was but who suddenly is going to have the brunt of the opposing teams focus instead of being the second player they prepared for.
I think our D is going to be good and its our O that is going to flutter and we will have a lot of games decided by 3 or less points. There will be games we click and we will be saying "lMA who?" and games that I won't make it through because I have broken my TV.
I could be talked into 15-45 wins anywhere in their you can make an arguement. Lillard is going to take the next step, CJ/Leonard weren't flashes in the pan and will step up, Vonleh will be injury free and show why he was so touted our of HS, Aminu will find his shot, Ed Davis/Plumlee will prove to be better then expected Bam 45 win team. Or the opposite and everyone sucks or regresses and 15 wins and 1-5 in the lottery.

 

We have 3 players currently (CJ, Leonard and Vonleh) that has the potential to be all-stars. We won't be bad enough to get a pick in the top 5 unless Lady Luck lets us win it, being the 10th-14th worst team in the league. All 4 spots have less than a 0.5% chance of that happening.

Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, that believes we have a shot at being one of the top 6 worst teams is seriously fucking low balling us. No chance in hell its happening and I am willing to wager $100 1/1 that it won't happen.

Our true shot is being good enough, with the current team assembled, to entice a all-star to come via trade or free agency. For free agency, we will need to be 8-10 in the west to even have a shot. For trades, we need to part with a combo of CJ and Vonleh/Leonard.

There is another chance, but the chance of this happening is about a hypothetical 3%. We could trade our cap space and solid player (CJ, Plumlee or Davis) for an albatross contract for a top 5 protected pick and hope they are just bad enough to be 6-7th worse team in the league.

 

Dviss1 doesn't do too well with jokes....

Just kidding...

 

that would be a good thing, we'd get a great pick. You failed and actually stated a positive about the Blazers in your post. You should give up now.

 

He works hard, I'm a little worried that he's not going at it now that he's married though.

I think you're spot on.. but I also think he's underrated in the low post. His jump hook looks so certain and easy for him, that if he develops a couple different moves to counter he'll be a good low post scorer.

Now if they somehow helped him make his first step quicker he'd be scoring 22ppg. He'd be more effective than Aldridge. The thing is, its hard to develop quickness at 7 foot 1.

 

I'm kinda bummed about is signing Davis. It takes away minutes from Vonleh and Plumlee. Plumlee, Meyers, and Vonleh should all be getting 30 minutes. We might be a little worse, but that's a good thing. And a lineup with Meyers, Vonleh, Dame and CJ could be offensive gold. I wish we could run those guys out together me because of they could at least be average on defense, then you got something brewing.

 

If by gigantic wildcard you mean no chance in hell, then ABSOLUTELY

 

Wait though....Doesnt Carmelo have a really good jab?

 

we were number 5 and couldnt keep our own all stars. I've never been this pessimistic. I mean 71-11 isn't even record breaking and I truly believe that is our ceiling.

 

Yeah but afterwards he runs away...

 

There is no downside IMO in the Davis signing. How many times do we make it though the season without 2-3 big's going down?

Plumlee and Leonard are going to get 28-30 minutes regardless. I understand why you want to get Vonleh as many minutes as possible, but I think starting out with 15-18 , and then 25-30 when our depth is depleted, will serve the same purpose.

Also with all your possible trade scenarios, won't he come in handy? Either has part of a package, or starting when everyone else has been traded? I think he and his contract are good assets to have.

 

I believe we might be year away to get back in the playoffs. It really going to come down to how quickly the chemistry come together.