I don't understand the panic. There were those that freaked, and are still freaking, when we traded away Zach Randolph, when the team drafted relative unknowns/unpopulars, when we stuck with our over-achieving vets, or when we used spending money last summer on Miller. Everything turned out positive, didn't it? Sending out Randolph did bring back Rudy Fernandez and open up a starting position for Aldridge. Seriously, not many can find fault now with the drafting of Batum, Fernandez, Bayless, Cunningham, and Rodriguez (which brought us Pendergraph). Whether we like it or not, the bottom line is important to Paul Allen now. Players that produce well at a low cost are going to be critical to the team's future successes IMO. Realizing that our mature/maturing young players and particular vets - Blake, Przybilla, and Howard - can overachieve in our team's system and bring back more bang for Allen's bucks, produced three straight successful seasons while keeping salaries inline, spending money for Allen in the draft and last summer. I don't think many could have foreseen Blake's solid seasons in 05/06 or last year; how valuable Przybilla could become; the consistency and clutch performances of Travis Outlaw; and that our rookies could come in and make the adjustment to the NBA so quick. The blank check that was RLEC got passed around a lot this summer. In the end it found its way to Andre Miller. That too looked like a mistake, but it's beginning not to. Miller wasn't as high profile as a few of the other possibilities, but I believe these other possibilities would have come with large issues (loss of our young talents, too massive of contracts, poor chemistry). After 38 games, its appearing that Miller and Roy can coexist. As a bonus, Steve Blake's services and contract aren't needed anymore and should recycle into yet another asset. Also, Miller's contract is so reasonable and short that come next season, that too, might be turned around into something shiny and new. RLEC lives! What I respect about KP and the rest of the brain trust is that they're not trying to make the most popular decisions. They're trying to make the best decisions for the franchise, considering both short and long term results. Those decisions in the end always translate to some fairly impressive ends. Despite all the naysayers, youth, and adversity, the Portland Trail Blazers keep plugging along. 32 victories (an 11-win increase) and ROY for Roy in 2007. 41 victories (a nine-win increase), an All-Star selection, and the best up-and-coming team in 2008. 54 victories (a 13-win increase and tied for second most wins in the West) and a return to the Playoffs. Why should this year be any different? We're on pace to match the same amount of wins as last year, but with massively more injuries. Massively. So, instead of sweating how we'll overcome the loss of our bigs or how we'll manage to squeeze in all our wings and point guards, just relax and know that we will overcome all this shit. We always do. The players that Pritchard target are somehow prepared to thrive when the shit hits the fans. They've either gone to college for all four years, had mucho international competition experience, or were born with an uncanny amount of poise running through their veins. Enjoy the ride. Enjoy the ride.
Also, Miller's contract is so reasonable and short that come next season, that too, might be turned around into something shiny and new. RLEC lives! HAHAHAHAHHAHA.. so let me get this straight.. kpees gonna make a deal NEXT YEAR (a blazers fans favorite phrase) and get us a big time player? AHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHA so in 3 years of this team needing a piece to improve.. you say it happens next year???? OH YEAH! KP is suddenly just gonna start making deals but yet when we need it the most this year... he got nothing... but he will "next year" AHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAH... please keep this stuff coming!!!!!1 ahahhahahhahahhaha
oh and crimson... if you dont understand the "panic" watch last weeks games and focus on teh other teams centers/pfs.... then you might "understand" dont worry KP doesnt "understand" either wow... did you really post that? kp will get us a shiny new piece? hows a lotto pick sound? hcp is on board with that too! go PM him.
im saying we are about to get passed in the standings by the thunder.... m saying this team needed upgrades over the past 3 trade deadlines im saying we need a center to make the playoffs all 3 are because of kpees failures
And, the Thunder made what FA acquisitions? BTW, if the Thunder pass the Blazers this one season, it surely wouldn't be attributed to anything on KP's part.
Damn right. Portland loses players to injury like Tom Sizemore loses brain cells and what happens? We win. Road trips. Win. LA Lakers. Win. At this point, man, I'm just in amazement at what this team's doing right now.
thats such bullshit abm.... kp can get us a center... good gm's dont tank like kpee is doing. the team is winning despite kp. seeing the jazz and thunder get in over us is sad.
If so, only based on injury, though. That said, would the Blazers be worse off this season without all the injuries? That's what I thought.
CC- I get your point. I fall in between you and mixum. I very much am enjoying what the Blazers are doing. In fact it got easier watching them once all the expectations were gone because of injuries. At the same time, I can't help but feel the Blazers can't keep this up and are really no threat in the playoffs, when/if they get there. So do you let the year slip away because of injuries, or do you try to do something now and take advantage of what has been accomplished so far? Blazers need a big man (banger/rebounder) this year and next. Why not go after it now? With Roy playing at argubly at the top of his game, the Miller 2 year experiment and I hate to lose the momentum of improving each year and the players getting more and more geeked each year as the team becomes contenders. I don't want to be one of those teams that never reach their potential and keep thinking next year till finally they got to blow it all up (bulls, clips and wiz off top of my head) But I get it . . . easier said than done.
I'm guessing that the players with value (or who might be part of the package KP is willing to include in a trade) are currently injured.
thank you G.O. for all the blazers fans that keep screaming "next year" they sure as hell dont get that what we need thsi year is what we will need next year when oden goes down next year for god knows how long... we will be in the same boat except no howard, no blake, no pryz, and no outlaw.... yet everyone things we should stand pat following the pussy lead by our GM
keep making the injury excuse ABM....like everyone else who covers up for kpee if the kings can get armstrong for a 2nd round pick.... im sure you can get something for an expiring contract or draft picks.... are you guys serious?
