Blazers Sign Cliff Alexander

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Blazer Freak, Jul 24, 2015.

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  1. MarAzul

    MarAzul LongShip

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    Bingo! On count one you are absolutely correct. Sometimes a good excuse is justification for another try, like the injuries to Oden and Roy, if all other indicators are positive. In the most recent case, injury did not cripple the team, lack of a competitive system and team discipline did them in. Bad enough for several players deciding they do not want to be here, including one of the best players in the league. Losing one of the best players in the league without any compensation is a monumental management failure. Compound that with not understanding why you suffered the losses and your failure is a monumental upper management failure. The Spur have profited on the failure of the Blazers, while apparently the Blazers fail to understand the ineptitude and will continue down the path hoping for mediocrity.

    On count two, I fixed that for you.
     
    MarAzul, Jul 31, 2015
    #241
  2. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Strike one. Matthews' injury was what crippled the team. After the Afflalo deal, they dropped their first game (lack of acclimation) then immediately won five straight, with the Matthews-Afflalo-Batum lineup performing on a level with the league's top lineups. Matthews' injury ended that.

    Strike two. The only player who specifically decided he didn't want to be here was Aldridge. Everyone else, management chose not to bring them back, specifically because Aldridge bolted. Had he chosen to return, there is no reason to believe that the rest of the core wouldn't have returned as well.

    If that's the case, you should have been making that argument February 23rd. Were you? I can't recall. We'll call that a foul tip.

    Strike three. You have no idea what management does or doesn't know--this is complete speculation on your part, as is the majority of your post.

    Of course, nobody is hoping for mediocrity. Except perhaps you, at this point, so that you can then claim to be proven right. At no point have you shown any interest in the possibility that the pieces that have been obtained might actually attain success; just dogmatic pontification of their inferiority and management's ineptitude. I find that to be a sad existence.

    Have fun on your boat this season.
     
    PtldPlatypus, Jul 31, 2015
    #242
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  3. MarAzul

    MarAzul LongShip

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    Oh I shall. Sorry I upset you with the blinders on thing. Perhaps it's just a simple case of head in the sand instead. I sure hope so, the other alternative is disgusting.

    I see Mags likes your post! Weird, it seems to be quite the opposite to what he already posted.
     
    MarAzul, Jul 31, 2015
    #243
  4. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    Thank you for wording that so well. Saves me time.

    Some people have their head stuck in the past and can't seem to move on. To me, that team is far in the rearview. Now I'm hopeful for the development of these players and the moves Olshey might make in the future with all the assets he's acquired. I know things may pan out better than we can imagine, or they may fall flat.
    To some people, that's being blind and "hoping for mediocrity". I think its the opposite. It's not harping on things that went wrong in the past, blaming people for one man's decision and declaring the future lost because of a player with no connection to how this group turns out. People want to blame the front office for not being "hard enough" on Aldridge, but they werect calling for him turn be benched midseason... if they were harder on him then that would be the reason he left, and then they'd be blaming the front office and Stotts for not treating Aldridge right, and we'd be having the same argument. I'll keep viewing things exactly how they are, with hope they work out.
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2015
    BonesJones, Jul 31, 2015
    #244
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  5. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    How is that opposite of what I said?
     
    magnifier661, Jul 31, 2015
    #245
  6. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Well said. To quote the great philosopher Algar:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2015
    PtldPlatypus, Jul 31, 2015
    #246
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  7. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    When in other threads people are panting over the idea of getting Skal Labissiere or Ben Simmons next summer, I can't help but think that if these conversations were happening a year ago, Alexander would have been one of the prospects Fez and Zagger would have been drooling over. When his team beat Okafor's for the state title, it was understood that while Okafor was the better player at the time, Alexander had the higher ceiling. And we got him for nothing. NOTHING! People want us to tank for top-tier talent that could become all-NBA-level players--IMO, that's exactly what Vonleh and Alexander are.
     
    PtldPlatypus, Jul 31, 2015
    #247
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  8. Reep

    Reep Well-Known Member

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    Note that Alexander has a 1" advantage in reach and 2" longer wingspan over Skal. Skal wins the battle of neck length though.
     
    Reep, Jul 31, 2015
    #248
  9. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    100% this! If Alexander played one more year of college, he would be probably a top 5 pick next summer.
     
    magnifier661, Jul 31, 2015
    #249
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  10. oldmangrouch

    oldmangrouch persona non grata

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    Like I said before - this is a kid who needed at least a couple of years of college, and he only got half a season. That's not good. The circumstances make it worse. I suspect that the people around him intentionally torpedoed his eligibility. Screw his best interests - they want their money right now! It's sad.

    OTOH, the notion that he was seen as a better prospect than Okafor seems hard to believe.
     
    oldmangrouch, Jul 31, 2015
    #250
  11. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    Labissiere has no weakness in his game. He has tons of moves out of the post, he's quick, athletic, can handle line a gaurd, pass well for a big, can shoot out to the 3 point arc, and has the potential to be a big time shot blocker. How exactly does Alexander compare to that?
     
    BonesJones, Jul 31, 2015
    #251
  12. Reep

    Reep Well-Known Member

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    I'm not sure he was above Okafor, but was very close, and was above Towns:
     
    Reep, Jul 31, 2015
    #252
  13. ripcityboy

    ripcityboy Well-Known Member

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    Does college ball experience even matter anymore? A raw prospect is going to need a number of years in the league before they reach full potential anyway. That's why Olshey is taking chances on so many first round retreads. The difference is instead of learning the game in college they are getting paid and accruing FA eligibilty.
     
    ripcityboy, Jul 31, 2015
    #253
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  14. Reep

    Reep Well-Known Member

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    Labs weighs 215 lbs. I don't think they are comparable. One is power one is finesse.

    Oh yeah, and Skal would require us to get lucky and get the No. 1 pick next year. Alexander was free.
     
    Reep, Jul 31, 2015
    #254
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  15. oldmangrouch

    oldmangrouch persona non grata

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    I believe it does. It isn't just about learning basketball fundamentals. You already have too many players coming into the league who are not mature enough to handle the pressure. College provides an intermediate environment where they can learn. Some will not take advantage of the opportunity, but many will. They and the NBA will be better off for it.

    Or you can have a league full of guys like Leonard, who will forever be over-paid because his contract cycle is out of sync with his learning curve.
     
    oldmangrouch, Jul 31, 2015
    #255
  16. Reep

    Reep Well-Known Member

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    Or how about this from 18 months ago:
     
    Reep, Jul 31, 2015
    #256
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  17. Reep

    Reep Well-Known Member

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    Reep, Jul 31, 2015
    #257
  18. tlongII

    tlongII Legendary Poster

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    So now we're counting on Alexander? :smh
     
    tlongII, Jul 31, 2015
    #258
  19. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    weight is easy to put on when the rest of your game is is good. And now I see where your coming from. It seemed as if you equated their skill levels?

    What exactly do you think we're counting on him for? SMH
     
    BonesJones, Jul 31, 2015
    #259
  20. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Yeah, I wasn't comparing their games, just their perceived talent levels relative to the rest of their class coming out of high school.

    Point is, we have one of the top big man prospects from the high school class of 2013 in Vonleh, and one of the top big man prospects from the high school class of 2014 in Alexander. Serious potential there.
     
    PtldPlatypus, Jul 31, 2015
    #260
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