That's a good idea indeed. We need some depth there too. About Briscoe what's the point in keeping him? We also have Napier. What more would Briscoe offer?
Our 15th man is going to be guys signed to 10 day contracts when we need a 15th man. The 10 day deals don't count against the cap for LT purposes. I think it's fine. We don't need to waste a spot on a Tim Quarterman like player (16 games, 5MPG in those).
And what did keeping Montero so long amount to? A waste of a spot. Do I think briscoe should be offered a 2 way? Yes. The 15th spot? No. I like that the Blazers have left the 15th spot open. While it appears to be merely a financial move, there is far more to the moves implication. The Blazers orginization is learning from past mistakes, apt not to make the same ones again. Rather than fill the end of the bench with a maybe player, that like montero and past players in the same spot who are just going to take up space, its better to wait for higher calliber player who can actually help make the Blazers better.
Over react much? Have you completely forgotten the John Nash era? Nash easily had two back to back off seasons worse than this one. In 2003-04, the Blazers finished 41-41 and missed the playoffs for the first time in 23 years and "earned" the first lottery pick in franchise history. Nash used that lottery pick on over hyped high school phenom Sebastian Telfair. Nash also, after just 32 games, gave Theo Ratliff, who still had a full season and almost $11 million remaining on his current contract, a contract extension that locked up Ratliff for three more years at $11.667 million a year. There was absolutely no reason to do this, especially given Ratliff's injury history. He was locked up for another year, and we held his Bird Rights. The team fell from 41 wins to 27 wins. I am supremely confident that this 2017-18 team will not see a similar drop off. But, the worst is yet to come... In the summer of 2005, the Blazers held the third pick in the draft. Delusionally convinced that Telfair was the organization's PG of the future, or perhaps just in denial that he had fucked the previous year's draft, rather than go for BPA and select Chris Paul or Deron Williams, Nash traded down to the 6th spot and shocked pretty much everyone by taking high school SG Martell Webster. He capped this craptastic summer off by once again bidding against himself and overpaying Darius Miles and locking him up for five more years, when no other team even made Miles a offer. The team sunk to a franchise low 21 wins. In more recent history, it could easily be argued last off season was worse than this one. Neil overpaid all of Evan Turner, Allen Crabbe, Meyers Leonard and Festus Ezeli. We didn't even have a draft pick, but Neil traded into the second round to get Jake Layman. The team fell from 45 wins and the 5th seed to 41 wins and the 8th seed. I think adding Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan through the draft will make this summer better than the three I mentioned. The West will be tougher than it's ever been, but I don't see the Blazers winning fewer than the 41 games they did last year, and I certainly don't see them falling from 41 wins to 27 like they did in 2004-05. BNM
I think a summer of doing absolutely nothing would be better than some of those crazy ass things John Nash did. Nash had the terrible tendency to compound his mistakes by doubling down in an attempt to justify his previous bad moves. The passing on CP3 and Deron is Deron because he drafted Telfair is the most notable example, but the Ratliff extension and Miles contract are two more. BNM
Right, like nobody questioned those moves at the time. In fact all the Nash moves I mentioned (drafting Telfair in the lottery, trading down to take Webster, extending Ratliff and the Miles contract) were wildly criticized at the time and considered shockingly bad by many, and baffling by most, at the time. How long have you been following the Blazers? Anyone who followed them back them would know that criticizing John Nash is not an exercise in 20:20 hindsight. He made it easy to do in real time. BNM
Here's the thing about Olshey from my perspective; when he does something good, I give him full credit. When he does something bad, I shit on him completely. I'm not one of those that says things like "he got lucky with Nurkic, Lillard,etc" just to fit the narrative I have of him. This offseason was shit. He should've had a backup plan for Melo. There are players sitting out of rotations that would've helped us. Every player has a price, they're all available. Instead, were going to be relying on rookies, and a guy Neil wasn't even certain of keeping two months ago. Even if they work out, it's bad planning.
I want the spot open. It gives them way more flexibility at the trade deadline and if for some reason the Blazers get thin at any position due to injuries they can sign and if needed keep 10 day contract type players. Way too many times the Blazers have been pinched by not having room to bring a player on.
This off-season is a direct result of the choices they made last off-season. Anyone who complains about the lack of moves, should also be complaining about how atrocious the summer of '16 was.