Im pensively excited about his 3rd season. He showed a ton of improvement this last season, but he still had moments of bad scoot. There's no longer any excuse for Shaedon to not come out of the game running full bore though.
yes and no the problem is he's a different player, a lesser player, when he's on the floor with Simons. They are oil and water. The Scoot-Sharpe duo was 9.5 points/100-possessions better than the Simons/Sharpe duo. The Scoot/Sharpe duo was the 4th best 2 man combo on the team while the Simons/Sharpe duo was the 4th worst it's a small sample size, but in the games at the end of the season that Simons missed, before Sharpe was shut-down in a pointless 2-game tank, he averaged 29-7-5 without Simons.
I feel like this is the year to see if these two, Scoot & Shae, can be the backcourt of the future. If Ant isn't moved, or doesn't come off the bench, that will be a failure of both the management and coaching, with one asterisk. If CB is forced to start Ant by management, then it’s all on management. If they cant move Ant by the time the season starts, then he should come off the bench.
Transcript: 00:00:00 Well, coach, appreciate you having a little bit of time for me. It's the off season, so you're a little more relaxed, not so much pressure of the regular season, but let's start with something that's not the Blazers. NBA Finals this week, OKC Indiana, two teams that haven't been in it, and it looks like it's something totally different with 2025. What's your thoughts on this year finals, man? Um, it's been, first of all, it's been an amazing playoffs. Yeah, I mean, it's from start to up until this point, 00:00:28 it's been incredible. Um, a lot of great teams. I mean, the Western Conference is, it's crazy. You look at the teams that made the playoffs in the Western Conference that actually didn't win a series. Lakers, Clippers, Houston was the number two seed in the in the West, didn't win a series. And obviously Memphis, um, the West is just crazy, man. It's crazy how good these teams are. Um, and then you look over there in the East and obviously Cleveland being a little hurt, Boston, you know, Tatum going 00:01:02 down, it just changes things, you know. Um, you always have to be healthy. Um, and congratulations to the Pacers. I I love how they play. Obviously, they're very well coached, have a lot of good talent, but I always say, um, the most connected teams will be there at the end. And you look at the connection that the Thunder have and have had. I mean, they've been to me the best team all year. Um, Cleveland was probably in that mix. But and then Indiana, nobody nobody, and I mean, nobody um envisioned them being here at 00:01:39 this point of the season, but you never know. That's why you play the games, you know. Um, and they're just a connected bunch. They're fun to watch. They play together. Um, they play defense. They share the ball on offense. They played the right way. So, congrats to them. And, you know, you've faced OKC quite a few times, so you're familiar with the opponent, youngest team in the NBA this year. Mhm. You guys come in at second. Mhm. Similarities. I'm sure you kind of see it. So, I'm curious on your thoughts 00:02:06 when you look at OKC and kind of what they're doing. Not just being in the finals, but just the chemistry and how they're high-flying and put together. Do you ever be like, "All right, get a few things here and there, tweak a few things, and we going to be right there competing with those guys." Of course I do. Of course I do. I love uh I love how they built it. Um I love, you know, their ascension through the last few years. Um some of their players have obviously jumped out there and taken jump two and three steps, you know, 00:02:38 during the course of these last couple years. Shay in particular, the MVP of our league. Um, but all of them, you know, Jaylen and Jordan, you know, you're looking at a team, um, that was built right, um, very young, obviously youngest team in the league, but in terms of experience, they're they're not young at all. You know, they've experienced a ton at a at a young age. So, they've done it right, you know, and I I always look at them and look at us and say, I think we're for sure on the right path with how we're building our 00:03:09 team, too. So, um it's been it's just fun fun fun to see them play and play the right way. They play defense. They play hard. They do all the right things. They coached incredibly well. Um their front office is has has been very disciplined in how they built their team, you know, so I find similarities there as well. So, I just I just think we're in a good position, man, you know, um to continue to keep building. So, then you know what that goes into this. The offseason's been good for you guys 00:03:37 so far. I know it's early, but I'm guessing offseason has been pretty good for you guys. Yeah, it has. It has. I mean, you know, it's it's it's basically June, the start of June, uh, right now, and we have most of our guys in the gym, uh, building, getting better, getting to know each other more and more, you know, competing, and that's rare. Um, that at already the NBA season is not over. Yeah. But our guys are back here, most of them for the most part. Um, here just kind of developing, grinding, doing what they 00:04:09 have to do. That's really rare. But that also shows you where our culture is, where where we are as an organization that our guys are comfortable enough to come back and they could be anywhere in the world actually, you know, um, it's their time, but they've decided to, you know, let's kind of get going. So that's a that's a really important thing u for us as as we continue to try to keep taking steps. Well, you guys ended the season real high, real good win up against the Lakers, but also just on the 00:04:38 positive side with all the improvements the young guys had. Speaking of those guys to Shay, want to talk about him a little bit. I'm curious when you had your last sit down with Lamar. I know you mentioned to him how you it took some time, but you pulled that personality. You pulled that character out of Shay. What was your challenge to him this off season going into next year, which I feel is going to be very pivotal, especially with all the pieces you guys are gathering. I think the biggest thing for Shay um was what I 00:05:05 talked to him about. I thought he had a really, really good end of the season. And my challenge to Shay was I don't want to get back to this point next season. I want to start at this point. I don't want to take any steps back this summer. Let's start the season this way, you know, and in the summer it's all about, you know, going out and just go take it. You know, whatever you believe you, go get it. And I thought we got him to that point. Uh he was playing extremely aggressive and he was on both 00:05:33 sides of the ball. And uh he was very happy with how he ended the season. I think we were all very happy with it. And then you just want to keep challenging him to to that's I want that to be your basement, you know? I want you to go just just keep going up because he can. So that's that's my challenge. Uh that's that was my challenge for Shay. And uh he's here working and doing what he has to do. So um I feel good about it. Well, fans of the season probably every single Portland dad I could tell you is a is a 00:06:04 Denny AIA fan. They got that number. I mean, it's hard not to be how fun he was and the energy and the things that he brought to the Blazers. He was a leader by action. He was more of a leader by what he was doing on the court and by play. Do you challenge him to be a more vocal leader this off season? Because I'm sure when fans come in center in October, they're going to be looking at the guy like Denny. Hey, what's he going to be bringing to the table this year? Yeah, Denny, I I was Man, it was it was incredible to watch 00:06:33 his ascension this season. um from where we started at, you know, uh with him just kind of getting to know everybody, including me and us getting to know him and how his game fed with the team. I mean, it was just it was it was a period there where it took some time and we knew it would. Um but then when he got it, he got it and he was he was absolutely incredible the rest of the way. And um you know, he is one of those guys that he can be very vocal. He cares so much, you know, about his team, his 00:07:07 teammates, um, and playing the right way and doing it right, doing it for each other. So, he is a guy that I I'm I'm challenging, you know, to step up and start being more of a vocal leader. Obviously, he leads a ton by example. Um, the heart and effort and energy that he plays with is contagious. Um, so that alone, you know, he shows some leadership, but like his voice, um, you know, is is what we need more from him of. And then he'll continue to keep getting better. I mean, Denny's still very young, man. Um, he's going to 00:07:43 continue to keep better, getting better and better and better and more confident and more confident. And it's scary, man, because he had some incredible, incredible games. It's crazy because this entire team is young, coach. Yeah. this entire team is so young and even for you it took you a little bit of a change to kind of all right he's already young guys this is a different team and it's turned out really well for you season five for you first of all congrats again on that contract extension big time for you thank you how 00:08:15 does this role kind of change you now in season five on and off the court because I actually was watching your first sit down with Brooke as well coach it was real different you didn't have the facial hair like you did now that's number one, but also now you have that PDX experience, you have that head coaching experience. How's this role changed you now in year five on and off the court? Yeah, I just think uh you know, I've I've I've developed so much over the last several years. I've been through a ton, man. A ton ton ton. Um 00:08:47 you know what the team we had when I took the job and to what it was three or four months after that was totally different. And it's just been a lot, you know. I I've gone through a lot here. I've learned through all of it, you know. Um and I'm really really excited that we are where we're at and you know um they've chosen to believe in me, you know, and let me continue to drive um this organization forward, you know. Um I think that we we're all I mean I count myself in this. Like we talk about 00:09:21 our team being young. Like I'm a young coach still. So I'm still I'm still we're growing together here. It's not just these guys. And even though I played a long time in this league, I accomplished a lot. Truth is, I didn't play in this league. It's totally different. The game is different. Everything is different. So we're all growing together. Um I love that part, you know. Um so, you know, on and off the court. I mean, I've I love being here. I love living here. My family loves it here. Um, I love our fans. I 00:09:54 think our fans are are really really excited about where we are, you know, and and where we can go. So, I'm just pumped up about it, man. I really am. Uh, I'm just excited the steps that we can continue to take. You brought up a good point. You haven't been in this league. 2025 is very different. Mhm. What's the reality of coaching NBA basketball in 2025 that people probably don't realize? For me, um the game is totally different, but there's so many things that will never change. Um and here's what I mean by 00:10:27 that. Them two teams we going to start watching on Thursday in the finals. They play totally different this and that, but at the end of the day, you got to guard. You got to share the ball on offense. You got to be pulling for one another. You got to be gritty. Like there's so many things I can list probably 10 things that I don't care what era you play in. I don't care what generation. I don't care what style. I don't care it's three balls. It's this. It's inside out. It's outside. Those things are just don't 00:10:58 matter. Those type of personalities and and and and qualities of a team will never ever change if you really want to win. So for me um the game is totally different but those things will never change and that's what I teach and that's what I believe in. So the concepts and principles yeah those things get different. You got to keep evolving with the game and I've done that. But um those little things that people don't really think about the more you elevate and get better and better and better. If you don't do those things 00:11:33 right you won't elevate. So, I'm on that. Like I I' I've been teaching that. I've been preaching that the entire time. And uh I think that's our guys. They're starting to get that. You want to know the first player I thought of when you started saying those words? Scoop. End of season. Scoop. Gritty, free, very aggressive. Mhm. And playing his style of basketball. How did you challenge him this off seasonason to kind of continue growing? Because I could tell you one thing. October 2024 Scoot to April 2025 Scoot was totally 00:12:09 different in all of the right ways. Yeah, I was happy for Scoot this past season. I was proud of him, you know. Um it was up and down. Um he's one of the guys that he handles the the downs and the ups with with such grace and he he's he's great man, you know, and it's it's tough on him a lot of times with the expectations, you know, of being drafted where he was drafted of like Dame not being here and him being the next like it's been very difficult uh on him, but he's handled it great. So, I was happy to see him take a 00:12:42 step this past season. And my challenge for him uh this summer, you know, has has been to I want him to just play as much five on five basketball as he can. And that's to me that's the only way that you really get experience. Um you can work with one as much as you want. That's fine. That's good. We have to do that. But playing against real NBA players is how you continue to evolve. Um certain things that you just can't get in a workout. So my challenge for scoop, you know, all summer has been we 00:13:15 need to be playing as much as we can, man. We need to be playing. Um, and as you can see throughout the season, as he played more and more and more, that's when things started to change for him and he starts to see different things and starts to be able to put teams in disadvantaged situations. He sees the lob, he sees the kick out, he finishes. You have to play basketball and a ton of it to be able to see those things. and for the game to slow down for you. So, that's my challenge for him. And again, it's one of the reasons 00:13:46 why he's here in town, uh, working, playing hard, playing five on five every single day, and he's he's continuing to get better. I mean, you talk about pressure. Donovan had enough pressure coming in at number seven last year, but he he he took it with stride and and he became one of those dominant rookies at the center position. Mhm. Mhm. I'm sure I'm bet I better know what your challenge for is for him this offseason. Aggressiveness at the rim. What else did you tell him? Yeah, that's one of them. 00:14:14 That's one of them with DC. Um I've been so proud of him this summer. I mean, if you see him right now, you you'll be impressed. But continuing to stay in great shape. Um and two, you know, working on his hands and being able to finish around the basket. He's one of already one of the best offensive rebounders in the league. So, I want him to be able to take advantage of that. You know, you work your butt off so hard to get an offensive rebound, like be strong with the ball, boom, power dribble, and you 00:14:42 should be able to little jump hook that or dunk that. You know, you worked so hard to do that. I don't think he had the confidence um and experience to be able to do that yet last season. So, I'm working on him with that, you know. Um and then, you know, so many teams switch nowadays and do all these things. I wanted him to be able to punish some of those mismatches. Um, so working on some of them things offensively with him and his touch around the basket, things like that. Um, and just his understanding 00:15:09 defensively of what teams are trying to do and he gets undisiplined sometimes, picking up little fouls, reaching and things like just just some of those type of things that we'll be addressing all of those things this summer. That is true. I mean, they always Hey, listen. I try to talk about people that people don't talk about, but we always talk about Tumani. Tumani is a big topic on the team. who did get all second team, all defensive. Yeah. How big is that for him and just the growth that he's shown 00:15:37 in just year two? Well, first of all, I was I was mad he didn't get first team. I really was. I thought he did good enough to get first team. I thought the only reason why he didn't is because our team wasn't we didn't make the playoffs and nobody sees the Blazers out, you know, of course we do in this market. Mhm. People in Orlando, people in Atlanta, people in New York, they don't really watch the Blazers that much. That's going to change though. You know, we going to start continuing to get better and get more national games. That 00:16:09 was the only thing that was different for me. I thought he performed at a first team all defense level. Um, but even him getting second team needs to be celebrated in an incredible way. I mean, he's a young player. He's just now playing these guys for the second year. You know what I mean? like it he he it was incredible what he's done. He's uh he's changed our team, our defensive uh presence, and he picks up the ball full core like he's changed our team, you know. So, I'm glad to see people starting to give him credit that don't 00:16:42 watch him every single night. And as soon as he won it, I called him, we talked, and I said, "That's going to be the last time you make second team." Well, I mean, we're going first team from here on out. Oh, we going first team. So, I was happy and proud uh of DC, excuse me, of Tumani for that. D on the rookie team as well. Yes, he was talking about being potentially rookie of the year, but he didn't get that. But still, he got on the rookie team. His improvement from the beginning to the end. Was that part of the reason he got 00:17:13 on the rookie team? And also, he probably should have been a little higher, too. Well, I don't I don't let these dudes be happy with that second team thing. Uh so, I I I teased him a little bit, too. But so proud of him. You know, he starts off the season and obviously, you know, he he doesn't even start on our team. Uh DA does, but with DA going down, it it I was so happy for Donovan at least to be able to get the minutes and the experience. And you look what he did with it. You know, he put himself in that position to get second 00:17:44 team all all uh all rookie. But the education that he got because of the opportunity is what's really going to propel him to make a huge jump. So we talked about the draft, we talked about development, we talked about all these things. You look at it here, you know, you look at the young guys that we have continuing to take steps and steps and steps and the world now starting to recognize them. Um, it's the reason why we all feel so good about uh how we're growing here. It's more about the reps. 00:18:15 You always say it's about these players need to get those reps and when Don was able to get those reps unfortunately because he had players out like Rob and D. He was able to become who he is now. Correct. Correct. And that's that's kind of how it happens. I mean uh you never know when your opportunity is going to come, how it's going to come. You just got to be ready. I now tell me if I'm wrong, the identity you're adopting to this 2025 Blazer teams, it resembles a little of the Pistons. the aggressiveness, the 00:18:44 grittiness, the everybody is just in a place to help out no matter what the position is. How does that identity change? How does that change from the 2024 team to this year's 2025 team? Well, again, um first of all, you're you're right. Um I believe tough, gritty, unselfish, um teams win. I do. And it's been proven year in year out. has proven right now. Um the reason to me why Indiana um has made it to this point, their offense was always very elite. They play fast, but it's their defense that changed 00:19:25 halfway through the season. They started picking up full court and they started denying everybody. Like that's what actually changed for the Pacers. And since then it it just it's they've been a different team. It's worked for them. So of course it has. So um yeah, you're you're right about that. And again, like I mentioned, some of those things that no matter the the generation or the era that will never change, those things will never change. You're always going to see um elite defensive teams continue 00:19:53 to advance. You're going to see elite teams offensively that pass the ball, share the ball, um that are very unselfish, you know, that know how to play off of one another. Doesn't matter what year. It could be 04, it could be 24, it could be 25. It really doesn't matter. Those teams will continue to be elite. 2025 draft coming up here in what, 24 days, something like that. How important is this draft to this year? Um, anytime you can get a pick uh in a in a lottery, it's going to be very important, you know, for us. We're a 00:20:29 very, very young team. Um, there's some incredible talent out there. I'm I'm enjoying, you know, having some of these guys come through here and being able to talk with them, spend time with them, work them out. Um, but more than anything, getting to know who the person is. I'm I'm enjoying that. I'm enjoying that. So, this is an important draft for us. Um, like all of them are a chance to continue to keep adding to what we're already doing. Um, we've shown that we've done a really good job in the 00:20:58 draft, you know, since we've been here. Joe and the front office, they've been incredible. Um, you look at what we've done, you know, um, and how we're building, which is what I love. So, I'm looking forward to adding another really good player. How much fun you having, coach. You're in year five. You kind of got everything straight away. You and Joe, y'all signed that contract extensions and then you went into the offseason. I want to say, better than any other team could have. Yeah. You still having fun, coach? I'm loving it, 00:21:25 man. I love it. I love it. I really do. I love coaching. Um, which is slash I call it teaching. Um, I've been so blessed, man, to learn so much in this game and the sport and not even one of my most favorite things about coaching is has nothing to even do with basketball. And it's just really kind of being there raising these guys and I've seen and done and experienced most things that they're in the process of or will a little bit later. being able to give them that, you know, and prepare them for that is is is one 00:22:00 of the reasons why I love it so much. But yeah, I'm having a ton of fun, man. Um, and it's about to get greater later. It's about to be. Last question for you, coach, is what can fans expect from this year's Blazers team? You know, they're hyped up. They ended the season on the right note. And every time I get to talk to a Blazers fan, they're like, I feel something. I feel something good. And there's a little smirk on their face. What can fans expect from this team? I I think um you know, to me that's very 00:22:27 simple. Uh our fans can expect for us to go out and compete every single night. Um do it together. You know, we're rallying with each other, you know, behind each other and be good teammates to each other. Um us to play with a lot of fire, you know. Um and we we our guys are confident, you know. We feel like we go out there every single night um and make people earn their keep, you know. Um, and I think, you know, the more we continue to get to know each other more and more and more, I think young teams, 00:22:59 the biggest things will be competitive most of the time. Every game hopefully you'll have them outlier games, which in 82 games it happens. However, um, when you know we'll start getting better is you start to be more competitive and win closer games. Um, there's no substitute for that other than just the experience of it, you know. So our our our our team would be ready to compete extremely hard the entire time. And I think by what our fans seen last year, that's why they're excited. And that's why they know we we 00:23:32 we coming. We coming next year. Quickly, one more then. What do you consider a failure for next season? What do I consider a failure for next season? I haven't even considered that to be honest with you. You know, I think that our team is is ready to just get out there and continue to compete and play. Uh we got very close obviously this year um to the playin. And uh as I told you, I listed some of those teams for you in the Western Conference that didn't win a playoff series. That was some of the 00:24:04 most elite teams in our game. So the Western Conference is very difficult. It's very tough. Um, and I think if we come out, put our best foot forward, play together on both sides of the ball, I don't even think about failing. Motor Center going to be loud and proud with that news, huh? Appreciate you, coach. Thank you so much. Of course, man. Of course. Of course. Thank you. Thank you.
thanks for clarifying was just pondering yesterday whether the conductor was in reference to the caboose or the philharmonic
Im excited for Scoot - but not excited if we run back todays roster where he's slotted to get benched if he has the best 5 games of his career.
Who do you think pairs well with Simons? Can't imagine you saying any Blazers rotation would benefit from him.
Ants not coming off the bench here. Ayton Grant and Ant are the Blazers big3, paid the most, longest tenured veterans. It's their team. Their entitled to the most minutes and shots regardless of their effectiveness.
22 year old Ben Simmons? I'm trying to think of big PG's. That could mean Doncic, but the defense of a Doncic/Simons back court would sink any team. Cade Cunningham? as a starter, Simons is a bad fit on just about any team. Drop his salary to 15-18M/year then he might fit on several teams as a micro-wave 6th-7th man.
it always seems to land on Orlando. Maybe the only team with enough passing in the non-PG positions and with enough overall defense to offset Ant's bad defense I'd wonder if Orlando's tax/apron situation is a major obstacle. Not so much a CBA issue, but just taking on the 28M Simons salary next season. Yeah, they can waive Harris and Joseph, but that's not enough ejected ballast for a Simon<-->Isaac swap, and only a 4M offset for a Simons<-->KCP swap Orlando also might not think Simons is a worth a 16th pick
