I'm still not in favor of trading Dame for a discount. So unless we can get equal or greater value in return, the idea that this organization is in a place to properly handle young talent or future draft picks and turn them into someting near what we have with Dame is beyond wishful thinking. I really don't understand those who have little confidence in Cronin/Billups, but are down with trading Dame for future picks.
I think I have pretty much said for the past year or so that I don't trust Cronin/this ownership group to handle something as monumentally important as trading Dame.
You said from day one. Now you are changing the goal posts. From Day one they looked good but most believed we still needed a larger starting three. Most thought that moving josh to the bench snd upgrading that position and possibly Nurk, would put us in contender status. Go back and read the threads from the beginning of the season. But from day one they did not look, nor did most people think, this team was mediocre.
Thanks for running the numbers... This is not really an apples to apples comparison though. 1) Blazers have been tanking for a couple of weeks now. IMO, ever since Grant has been out. The analysis needs to be adjusted for that. 2) If you include Hart in the evaluation, then we need to include his replacements (Reddish/Thybulle) or else just provide the analysis only to the trade deadline. I think the beginning of the year to Trade Deadline would be most telling.
I agree however it was really difficult to figure out the trade deadline or allstar break point of the games the individuals played because it doesn't list dates of individual players. However i believe those numbers would skew more in my favor than the opposite. I would say the best barometer would be based on all of the games up until we went 3-10 post all star break. We were trying to win until after those 13 games. After that we went full tank. So i don't think there are that many games included that shouldn't be. Since the two arguing against me didn't want to provide any stats whatsoever, I wasn't as compelled to polish every detail. The rough numbers validated my opinion and nullified theres. But i did amend the Hart and said even if adding a other 15 games or so we are still way lower than the top tier teams. I bet if i ran Sacramento, they would top all these teams listed for starter games played. I just find it funny the ones saying im not paying attention will not provide stats to back up their opinions.
Having posted in this group for 20+ years there are some takeaways inclucing that the most prolific offseason posters are consistently proven to be way too optimistic about Portland's chances. That said, this past offseason there were many posters who said this team was no where in the vacinity of contending. Of course they were shouted down by the overly optimistic crowd as per usual. Most of those offseason threads were finished with... We Shall See sentiments which we now have. But there were endless threads about Ant and Dame being too small a backcourt combo to contend, how does that slip your mind? On top of that Hart was the smallest starting SF in the league... and they had no bench. Hell, I advocated letting Nurk walk unless he signed a greatly reduced contract as he's been consistenly underwhelming. I think he should be 30 pounds lighter to keep up. I did like the Thybulle addition and have hopes for Shaedon developing, but still think they are many players away from contending though winning the lotto would change that calculus. This coming offseason look for it to be silly season on the board again. Don't believe everything you read. STOMP
I get ya. I was more so referring to from day one of the season Nd how we started out the gate and how people were talking potential top four seed. Not everyone for sure. But i remember that sentiment being tossed around. Hell, i bought in for a while. I know the offseason most didn't think Grant was a difference maker to make us a contender, but i thought that mood shifted considerably early on with his white hot start? Anyhow, contender or not, i do believe injuries played a decent roll in our underachievement this year. I think the games played from our main contributors compared to other teams backs that opinion up.
“Hell, I bought in for a while.” You’re obviously still “bought in” considering you still think a 10-4 start means something.
I struggle with the weird optimism of people thinking they'll be able to make a major trade this off season, or that they can trade for a disgruntled superstar. Afterall, everyone wants to play with Damian! I'm cynical about the chances of the team improving outside of just mundane trades, pick in the draft or a MLE type free-agent signing. My only hope is for them to get the #1 pick, hopefully karma is kind to the franchise. But I'm fully expecting them to get the worst possible pick, and then because it's the worst possible pick it'll be outside of the window of players that could be a star and thus won't be worth diddily squat. And then the team won't be able to make any kind of trade, and either A: they'll realize that trading Damian is probably the best case scenario (in this version of reality) or B: they'll act like the player they drafted was exactly who they wanted. And next year will be another year of "meh" with the occasional Sharpe highlights, constant bitching about Billups coaching, the mythical trades that aren't based in reality and then another lotto pick. ooh boy am I fun at parties.
If Lillard stays, we might see more diversity in his game next season. The Blazers are admired by the 20ppg triple combo. Dame, Ant Grant are crushing it on fantasy teams. Blazers might shoot for another scorer at the SF or a small ball Center. Getting everyone lots of stats won't be easy, so Lillard might have to hedge towards a distribution role. Then if the team doesn't win very many games, the current core unit can wimp out once again, and the local basketball junkies can turn up their game to feverishly discuss better trades and awesome rookies for the impending tank.
Shit, when I listen to that I feel like Dame would be livid if Cronin puts him in a position where he has to ask for a trade. I don't blame him, I wouldn't want all of these asshole talking heads to feel like they've been right the whole time either but Dame should do what he feels is best for him and I'm sure he will, I just hope the management of our fucking team makes that easy on him.
The pressure is on Joe & his staff to get it done. Some luck in the Lottery & Free Agency will obviously help. I think there will be some potential nice trade possibilities after the playoffs, and teams access where they're at. These talking heads are annoying. It's like, In their opinions, the Portland Trailblazers shouldn't have nice things. They can, All, eat a dick.
It's like that Talking Heads song with "Same as it ever was" in it, as far as the National Media goes concerning our Blazers.
