Keep Roy, Add Oden, Add MLE = Tax Pain

Look at almost all the winners of the past twenty years. How many would say won primarily because of their willingness to spend? It definitely helps but it's still 95% about drafting a superstar (or two) and being a desirable enough market to attract other high quality players to compliment that superstar (or two). Unfortunately for Portland true superstars have been in pretty short supply over the years (really only Walton and Clyde fit the profile) and there's not enough secondary money to be made here for the big time stars to want to come here.

 

I definitely see a correlation between spending and winning. There are exceptions, of course. Here's 2010-11.

http://thehoopdoctors.com/online2/2010/10/2010-2011-team-payrolls/

 

you think paying 2 superstars and "other high quality players" doesnt indicate a willingness to spend?

the lakers spend
the mavs spend
the celtics spend
the heat spend
and they are in the hunt for a championship every year

there is no guarantee that spending will get you a championship, duh, how fucking stupid would that be to say

defense can get you there on the cheap, but if the key to winning championships cheaply is drafting tim duncan, yeah we might have missed that boat 15 years ago or so

and their non myopic and wise owner signed rjeff and manu to 25 million a year, so i dont really see a second dynasty on the horizon