It's a matter of entertainment for me. There are lots of different things that are entertaining or interesting. The excitement of rooting for a contending team is one of them. So is tracking and analyzing the development of a young team, and of individual project players. I actually enjoy that aspect of basketball. (I suspect a lot of coaches do to, especially at lower levels, which I hope is a primary reason they are coaches.) So, for me it's just a matter of shifting not just expectations, but the focus of what I'm looking at. When I am not able to be interested in what is going on with the Blazers, I'll go do something else. For now, I'm looking forward to watching the team and players evolve this season.
now that we got rid of cancer lamarsha the national media will finally give us proper attention. they can start bashing us again when we pick up durrant next year in an attempt to destroy us. the world is always against me.
Sorry if this has been posted already, but I was happy to see that at least one NBA observer at ESPN thinks we have something good happening in Portland. http://www.nba.com/blazers/overtime/espn-ranks-rip-citys-young-core-one-nbas-best
I saw this, I think it was listed below their headline story: Lebron James has loose stool during Miami beach vacation.
Yes it's true: http://www.sportstwo.com/threads/blazers-will-be-the-surprise-team-in-the-west.288257/
Wasn't our last core of players pretty young too? Just how young must these young flight crew members be? The next core after this will be the glint in the milkman ' s eye!
Yeah it's odd we broke up a 54 win core with everyone under 30. I guess if the centerpiece wants to leave it forces your hand. But Lillards not much younger than our old core; certainly much older than Vonleh. With how much rosters change it'll make me weary of getting too attached to this group too soon. I thought it was neat how LMA and Batum were career Blazers.
Well, it seemed we traded Batum to try and keep Aldridge happy. Matthews and Lopez aren't shit without Aldridge on this team, so there is no sense keeping them, especially with Matthews making near max after an Achilles tear.
How'd you like to stuck with the cap-killing situation the Blazers would have faced going forward had they been able to retain that core at the salaries they got this summer? Aldridge $20M, Lopez $12M, and Wes at $15M, plus Nic at $11M and Dame's new contract starting in 2016 at $20+M? That's pushing $80M for a starting lineup that probably can't get out of the first round with the change left for the rest of the roster even under the new cap next year. Ugh! Can't blame the Blazers for punting on that.
I would like to think that had they all had the chance to come back they would have taken a bit less to do so. also nic was gone no matter what so that wouldn't count and I am guessing they would have held off on dame if they had the others back.
Not a chance. Two all-star games in your first three years almost invariably results in a max extension.
I had that thought as well but I think with the way dame is he would have told them to hold off cause he was coming back no matter what. they would have made the offer, but then had him tell them he would only take it if it ment they could assure being able to continue putting pieces together without money hindering the process
Disagree. Dame would get max regardless. Rookies max is smaller than other players. Team would want to lock him up and players don't want to risk injury.
