I couldn't agree more and I think this will do wonders with how the players will grow and listen to Stotts. He is awarding hard work and effort.
Exactly and that was my argument back in December when we were all discussing where the Blazers would end up in the lottery. As I recall some were confident it would be around 5th because Stotts would be told to play the young guys. I understand the advantages of getting a top draft pick, but I just did not see it happening. They all have too much pride to give up after what happened last year. They are tired of losing.
It's an interesting situation the team finds itself in at the moment. 3 distinct and reasonably realistic scenarios, each with their pros and cons... - Making the playoffs (at the Lakers expense no less) provides inertia moving forward with both the team and fans. The sooner guys like Damian and Meyers can experience playoff basketball, the better it will be for them in the long run. On the downside, we lose a lottery pick (which DOES, however, result in added cap room in free agency and getting our pick back in what could be an historic draft next year) - Miss the playoffs, stay at 12 - been talked to death, but a lotto pick is another asset and simple economics would suggest that it has more value now than a year from now. We'd likely be able to add a rotation player at 12. Downside, miss the playoffs and valuable development opportunity for the youngins, less cap space. - Miss the playoffs, lose out on the lottery - Olshey called this "no man's land" the other day, but even THIS scenario isn't all THAT bad. Giving up our pick this year means more cap room this offseason and having our pick next year (which, along with adding drafting possibilities, opens up trading possibilities as well)...
With no leads handed out by Blazer management, the Oregonian collects scraps from competing reporters favored by management. The calamitous paper has gotten itself into a jam.
Repped. I'd rather have a pick in next year's draft, free and clear, than late lottery pick in this year's draft...
Not true - inertia is the tendency of an object to resist a change in its state - an object at rest tends to stay at rest, an object in motion tends to stay in motion at constant velocity. An outside force is needed to change the state. So inertia for a planet is revolution about its star. Inertia for a team moving up is continued movement up.
"a : a property of matter by which it remains at rest or in uniform motion in the same straight line unless acted upon by some external force" My point was that the playoffs would hopefully sustain the development of this team into the offseason and next year. Whereas missing the playoffs could potentially knock this young team down a bit, causing a dip or change in our progression. Seems like inertia works just fine with that, but yes, momentum works fine too. Richardish comment, but its hard to hate you with that avatar...
