Ed Davis: Stotts is probably the coolest coach who I’ve played for in my whole life

Yeah, but I always felt like that was the beginning of the end for his relationship with the team. It was the first real manifestation of his pouty, childish, me-first attitude.

 

Because anybody who had ever played under another NBA coach hated Nate because he sucked at coaching.
In regards to Crawford, Nate tried to plug-n-play him in Roy's role when Roy was injured. Jamal was never going to succeed in that role, and he didn't. But Nate kept trying to hammer that square peg into the round hole.

 

Well yeah, he was definitely upset. The extension came pretty late too IIRC, near October-ish? A lot of people wondered if it would even happen.

He can't have hated it that much at the time though. He signed a 5 year extension, more common then for lesser players but still pretty rare.

 

I bet Roy and Outlaw loved Nate, but that's it.

 

And Blake! He'd be the only one who had played under another coach.

 

I remember him being unhappy that Roy got the max and that he hadn't been signed yet. I sorta remember him begrudgingly taking the deal before the season started. I wonder if his heart condition scared him enough (at the time) to want to avoid playing without an extension.

I just kinda remember him sitting there at Fan Fest with this smug, pouty, bitch face during the height of the negotiations.

 

It was so long ago, but I swear I remember reading that Rider was upset when we traded him to Atlanta.

 

Well, it could have also been going from a WCF team to a team that was headed for the cellar.

 

Kinda sounds like that isn't the plan though.

I wonder how many players feel that way. I don't think Olshey is lying to the players - that goes along with what he said in the podcast about treating people right because of how word spreads.

Would you be upset if this was almost the exact roster we had for 3 years? Maybe take a guy like Kaman out when his contract expires, but otherwise pretty much stand pat.

 

I would say, I would be happy at this moment, But half way through, I think its time to make changes and move those who haven't progressed.

So lets say the trade deadline of next season, I would want to see moves if none are made in the offseason.
I firmly beleive NO doesnt feel the same about the FA market and Portland as many of us do.
I truly believe that this offseason NO thinks ( and I agree) he can work magic with Dame at his side.
This last off season, other than Dame going to LMA, he had to ride the pine and let the cards fall where they may because he wasnt the top dog, but now... he is and I have no concerns that he wont lead the charge to nail another all star to this team.

 

As we've kicked around since preseason, I think all along, this season has been purely about evaluating and teaching the players NO assembled. I personally feel that the Blazers have had no other agenda than that, and anything over and above is pure gravy. I think Stotts has been given a free pass and the players have been told to relax and play their games. The best only pressure (if any) on these guys seems to be self imposed. I could also be full of crap (Careful BG...). But it would explain the love fest and lack of drama. And win or lose, that's a great philosophy when you're trying to grow young players into a sustainable culture of winning. We all know how fast things can go to crap, but this has a different feel to it and I strongly believe it's worth being patient over.

 

There are three Clippers (Camby, Gordon, and Bledsoe) who might have a different opinion of that.

 

Sometimes you can learn from the past.

 

Good statement. I'd go as far as to say that you can always learn from the past, but not everybody chooses to.

 

Touche!

 

Man, I love me some Ed Davis! I agree that we're not going to be active moving anybody unless its Hendo or Kaman for a 2nd rounder or two THIS SEASON. Most of these guys know their jobs are secure all they gotta worry about is ballin *(LOL @ meyers). We're gunna have space to sign a marquee free agent and I think NO might surprise us all and land one like Demar Derozan this summer (tor is looking like they might nosedive not guaranteed he resigns). NO almost got Monroe and he was being courted by all the big markets and it came down to us and MIL. That should show us all he's capable of selling portland no matter who else is in the running AND that the traditional FA destinations dont mean jack anymore.

cautiously optimistic,

Signed a sincere blazer fan.

 

I wonder whether this has anything to do with it.

 

Kaman was pissed at him too. He had to go through a season as a laker to come around to the idea of working with him again.