http://www.blazersedge.com/2016/5/1...-trades-salary-cap-damian-lillard-cj-mccollum Dave brings up some very valid points....good read.
The article was okay, but I just have to say that BlazersEdge has become such a huge steaming pile of crap. I never went on there to begin with, but I was taking a look at their site recently and they have almost zero original content. It's all essentially forum posts that are built up aesthetically to look like articles. They have pictures and fancy titles, but when you look at the actual meat of the "article," it's just essentially a link to someone else's work. They quote liberally from other articles. In terms of actual original content, they have almost none. The original content on our site, while it's not conveyed in such a pretty way, is significantly more substantive.
I completely agree about them borrowing seemingly everyone else's work just to generate 'clicks'. The only reason I posted this one was because it was actually Dave responding to 'mailbag' questions. My trips there have dropped significantly since it became clear they just were re-posting most of their stuff. The headlines (like the Oregonian) were misleading as they left out the origin constantly.
I thought the 'Duplication' portion was quite correct as well as using the Cap Space this summer as opposed to next summer when they have CJ+ to extend. (Those points have also been made here of course).
I think that was by design. Get a bunch of guys that are young, who duplicate a skillset, and then trade the guy that we decide not to keep.
I guess he's just answering the first guy's question, but it seems to me that his first comments are against kind of a straw man. I don't know if anybody who's very knowledgeable about the CBA and the Blazers' roster who would argue for standing pat. That would be a stupid move that would likely lock the Blazers into mediocrity for the rest of Dame's All-Star window. I was happy to see Dave step up and pooh-pooh the Portland as a backwater that can never get a FA signing BS. I agree that Olshey has both cap space and a positive story to tell that haven't been the case in the past and are going to be major selling points this summer. It's up to Olshey to make the sale, but if he fails it won't simply because of geography and market size.
Dave Deckard is a pastor somewhere on the east side of the Cascades, if I recall correctly. Basically, he's an uber-NBA fan-boy/geek like most of us around here except that he runs Blazers Edge and gets to sound more like and insider because of that.
My only contention with the article is the assertion that we couldn't beat the Clippers if they weren't injured. We were well on our way to do that whether Paul got injured or not imo. Griffin was in no universe able to avoid being hurt. He was already hurt going into the series. We didn't injury him. He injured himself by playing when he shouldn't have. It was just a matter of time before his injury was going to get worse. Whether against us or someone else. But everything else I agree on. Definitely moves should and perhaps even need to be made this summer. This is our (money) window that doesn't come around again for another 5 years.
We get zero credit for closing out LAC. Fortunately, we put up enough of a fight against Golden State that we still got a lot of credit for the playoffs, but it would have been nice if we had got one more win.
I like Dave, and used to read BE a lot. Dave often mixes in healthy life lessons with his Blazer comments. I agree with most of Dave’s opinions, but not all. Since Ben Golliver left BE, and a bunch of new writers took his place, I do not go there anymore. Rule #1, never criticize one of the BE writers or you will be banned. The problem is, most of the new writers do not know much about Blazer history, and there is a lot to disagree with them about. Plus, you must agree with a certain mod, or, your views are not welcome anymore. I like it here because ALL opinions are welcome; even the mod’s stupid opinions are tolerated.
The worst part was when he ("Dave") used to do videos of him talking and you got to see how truly strange and awkward he was. He also writes in a style that is best described as "cringey old-timey sportswriter" where he strains for amusing similes that the kids will love.
