@hoopsjock and @BonesJones touched on this in their postgame yesterday, but I went back and listened to the Quick interview talking about a potential replacement for Terry already in the works. https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/pri...359/jason-quick-fan-blazers-insider-364898127 That was a bit shocking and made me very pleasantly surprised. Sorry I missed this from Quick earlier.
I think this season is shot, with or without Terry. Unless the new coach benches Melo and stops playing all our crap defenders together.
Quick thinks Stotts will get this year. And unless he wins two rounds in the playoffs, there is no way he's back next year. But then referenced that there is someone the org has in mind as a replacement, but would not reveal who to protect his sources/create drama for now.
I'm not sure. If they lose as much as I think they're going to lose to wrap up the season, I'm not sure he makes it the rest of the way. So far I have been dead on. I'm thinking 6 or maybe 7 more wins the rest of the way.
Reasonable predictions and so far, right on pace! I'll take the over on 6 if you're looking for some action!
I really wish they'd hire Becky Hammon. We need to clean out the Stotts culture. I don't want anyone off his tree. I want a completely new system. I want a completely new mindset. Just clean house.
Yes, they were good. That's why I had them as a 4/5 seed which, again, was among the highest projections on this forum and this forum was pretty typical having them as more of a 6 seed in a loaded West. I never said they weren't good. What I said is that they weren't a juggernaut when Kerr took them over, as people now insist. Barnes was "younger" and considered disappointing, Iguodala was "younger than today" (that's how time works) but considered on the downslope of his prime. Your descriptions of Klay and Curry are consistent with what I already said. And Lee was empty stats, which is why Kerr elevating Green to the starting lineup in his place (and Barnes in place of Iguodala) were controversial and not just "doing nothing and not messing things up." He also instituted a play style that basically the entire NBA copied. Yes, it was influenced by great coaches he'd been around previously (like all smart people) but it was far from "the obvious thing to do" considering no one else was doing until he did it. You can choose to pretend Kerr took over an existing historical juggernaut and did nothing but stand on the sideline, but the facts don't support that.
I think it's a very Olshey move because it will allow him to shift GM accountability to Dame since Dame is on the record about Vanterpool I'll ask this again: the narrative that it was Dame who went to bat for Stotts with Paul Allen after the Pelicans series is fairly ingrained in recent Blazer history right now. It may very well be true, too. But, IMO, Dame didn't talk to any reporter or blogger and claim he was the one who saved Stotts his job. And Paul Allen didn't talk to anybody and say "I was going to fire Stotts but Dame talked me out of it". That would have been a complete departure from how PA operated. But that rumor/story came from somewhere, so the question is, who benefits from that leak? whose ass is covered? Pretty obvious answer
Vanterpool is the obvious name but I would not be surprised if Olshey went after one of Pops people. He’s long considered the Spurs as a model franchise and they have a good foundational base defensively, so it wouldn’t be a leap at all to see someone from that tree hired. Safe bet ownership will want someone defensive minded. This all assuming Olshey survives, which I think he will. Hammon and Udoka seem like fits. I’ve also always liked Messina, but he’s back in Europe now and I’m not sure he wants to come back to the NBA. Hammon would be at the top of my list though. Not that it matters too much, but I also know that dame and CJ are fans of hers.
I'd be skeptical of hiring Vanterpool as I think he's still too close to this organization and there would be built-in biases from the jump. I really want someone from the outside, with a new perspective, and fresh eyes to properly assess this team without bias. Hammon, Charles Lee (Bucks), and Ime are my top 3 candidates.
Yeah except I never said he took over a juggernaut. I said he took over a really good team with really good/star players and a good bench. Not exactly taking over a shit team. Kerr is better than Jackson, not close. But I dont think Kerr wins any more games in Portland than Stotts. Let's not get into a Golden State Warriors debate, you'll lose.
lol like Paul Allen would say anything close to that. No owner would. Doesn't mean that a conversation wasn't held. Why would anyone tell this to the media - Damian, PA, Olshey, Stotts, doesnt make sense for any of them to announce that.
