Predict Blazer Record at All-star Break

I'm not sure how much of it is leadership

certainly, you can point at an absence of accountability and pin that on Stotts. You can also point at a remedial offense and a sieve of a defense and pin some or a lot of that on Stotts.

I'm not privy to what goes on in the locker room, or what Dame says to teammates so I can't really judge how or if Dame's leadership is failing. I really doubt that he's backed off on what he's done for years, and it has been his leadership in the past that has drug Portland out of low points. It may be his sore back has more to do with things than his character

and yeah, the injuries have had an impact but as you said, that does not explain away all the things we are seeing

Personally, I think a lot of what we're seeing is a result of 2016. A case of 2019 Olshey having hands his tied last summer by 2016 Olshey. Partly because of that and partly because of his tendencies, he assembled a deeply flawed roster that had major holes and had no real backup at a couple of positions. Olshey placed really heavy bets on Simons and Zach and that's been a bust in the first year. He also bet on Tolliver, Hezonja, and Gasol, and that's een 3 other bad bets

I think a lot of people, Olshey included, significantly undervalued the players that were exiting last summer, and grossly overvalued the new faces. And after preaching chemistry for years, the massive roster turnover blew a hole in chemistry, leaving a bunch of square pegs in a round hole league. And of course when all the issues with the iso-heavy offense was plain to see, the reaction to Zach getting injured was to add another iso-heavy player in Melo....mainly because he came cheap

I don't know where Portland goes from here. I don't believe the expiring contracts of Whiteside and Bazemore carry much leverage and I really question if Jody Allen has the appetite for eating future luxury tax that some believe she does. That combination limits options IMO