Should Neil be on the hot seat?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Fez Hammersticks, Jun 30, 2015.

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  1. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Your language!

    Watch your fucking language!

    :blink:
     
    Fez Hammersticks, Jun 30, 2015
    #41
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  2. Draco

    Draco Well-Known Member

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    No.

    Neil has been the most impressive GM I've ever seen running the Blazers. It took years to find one that Paul Allen got along with. But Neil is far more than a Paul puppet. His moves all have made sense and more often than not look smarter when we view them again later on down the road. I enjoy the culture he instills in the basketball operations and the types of players he's acquired. No GM is going to make all great decisions; when we have the benefit of perfect hindsight you can find endless things they've all done wrong. But from what was known about the team at the time he's usually made very good choices. The roster has tons of flexibility and youth; and was right there with a chance to win a number of months ago. That is an extremely rare difficult feat in professional sports. Only one team can win a title so if that is the main metric you use to criticize a GM 96.6% of GM's will look bad.
     
    Draco, Jun 30, 2015
    #42
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  3. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Neil is smart enough to know that you can't lose your franchise cornerstone without compensation.

    I hope he pursues a s&t for a young building block.
     
    Fez Hammersticks, Jun 30, 2015
    #43
  4. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    He is absolutely on the hot seat, but he shouldn't be.
    It's not his fault that LMA is a jealous child.
    It's not his fault that Batum destroys his body by playing all year around.
    It's not his fault that Wes is out of touch with reality.
    Of course, as mentioned above, the injuries are not his fault, either.

    Right now, we have young talented players ready to step into starting roles on tiny contracts. Really the only downside of our current state is that our future draft picks are gone.
     
    Wizard Mentor, Jun 30, 2015
    #44
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  5. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    He should be on the hot seat. He let an all-star go to UFA. Perhaps the gamble on his wooing skills will pay off and we'll get LMA back and some kinda-SuperFriends to go with it. In that case, no hot seat for a while, and he can both give those who put him on the hot seat the middle finger while receiving his due accolades.

    If LMA leaves, I imagine it's going to be hard to recover that trust with PA.
     
    BrianFromWA, Jun 30, 2015
    #45
  6. BigGameDamian

    BigGameDamian Well-Known Member

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    If everything changed so much just because Wes went down, This team must not have been as tight as everyone thought they were.
     
    BigGameDamian, Jun 30, 2015
    #46
  7. BlazerWookee

    BlazerWookee UNTILT THE DAMN PINWHEEL!

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    Right next to the one that says, "
    Chemistry matters. If you take one component out of the mix, replace it with another, and expect to get the same results, you're simply not very smart.
     
    BlazerWookee, Jul 1, 2015
    #47
  8. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Huh?
     
    SlyPokerDog, Jul 1, 2015
    #48
  9. BlazerWookee

    BlazerWookee UNTILT THE DAMN PINWHEEL!

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    Di... Di... Di....iiiiid I stutter?
     
    BlazerWookee, Jul 1, 2015
    #49
  10. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    2013 was the year to trade him.

    And here we are, LA is \.../ this close to joining a conference rival.

    BUT....

    Neil is smart, when LA bolts I expect a big move that comes out of left field.
     
    Fez Hammersticks, Jul 1, 2015
    #50
  11. BlazerWookee

    BlazerWookee UNTILT THE DAMN PINWHEEL!

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    You misspelled "not even close."

    Just sayin'.
     
    BlazerWookee, Jul 1, 2015
    #51
  12. The Professional Fan

    The Professional Fan Big League Scrub

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    I'm not talking chemistry. I'm talking expectations. Lots of dominos fell after that injury with regard to expectations within the locker room starting with LMA.
     
    The Professional Fan, Jul 1, 2015
    #52
  13. oldmangrouch

    oldmangrouch persona non grata

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    He gets paid to be on the hot seat.

    A FA leaves that much money on the table rather than play for your team? At the least, he and Stotts need to do some soul searching.
     
    oldmangrouch, Jul 1, 2015
    #53
  14. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    In the last decade how many franchise guys in their prime bolted their team?

    Melo - hinted that he wanted out and Denver made NY grab their ankles - a ton of picks and Gallinari, who was an up and coming player at the time.

    Love - They cashed in and knew Love was impatient. They also got a nice haul with the #1 pick.

    Dwight - multiple picks with a young up and coming center in Vucevic, who has turned out to be a borderlime franchise guy.

    LMA - Wanted out in 2013 -- Neil talked him off the ledge. This was a huge risk and even riskier when LA declined the extension last summer.

    If he bolts this team is losing a franchise guy in his prime for nothing other than cap space.
     
    Fez Hammersticks, Jul 2, 2015
    #54
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  15. Schilly

    Schilly Well-Known Member

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    I absolutely don't think Neil should be on the hot seat. Olshey has had one directive to date, convince Lamarcus to stay. We heard rumblings 2 years ago that Lamarcus asked for a trade. He has busted his ass to do everything Lamarcus wanted. Paul Allen knows this. Now it looks like that work was for naught. At least let the man do his job completely without some Prima Donna in the way. If the retooling goes ugly after next summer then maybe we talk about hot seat, but seriously Neil has gone a damn good job to date.
     
    Schilly, Jul 2, 2015
    #55
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  16. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    To me, that's a really good point. People are upset that Neil didn't trade LA before he could leave us at the altar. But if Paul was unwilling to sign off on any potential LA deal, how would that be Neil's fault?

    And even if he were given latitude, we were a contender all season until Wed went down. You don't trade a franchise player when in your in the middle of a potential title run.

    It continues to amaze me how big an impact Wes' achilles injury has had and continues to have on this franchise. Had that not occurred, the past three months would have been completely different. But somehow, that's Neil's fault? Silly...
     
    PtldPlatypus, Jul 2, 2015
    #56
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  17. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    Bump from July 2013 and why I said you never let an All-Star get to UFA. I was holding back until it was positive he was gone, but since you asked.


    All-Stars and what their teams got for them up to when they reached UFA:
    Bottom line up front:
    3 of 38 signed as UFAs with the team they were with going into UFA: Wade, Parker, Joe Johnson.
    3 of 38 signed extensions before they went to UFA: Z-bo, Gasol, Jameer
    7 of 38 were traded immediately prior to UFA, whether forced or not: Deron, Melo, Howard, Marion, CP3, Deng, Harris
    1 of 38 was a UFA S&T (Lee)
    2 of 38 retired as UFAs (Yao, Wally)
    24 of 38 left for nothing but cap space and/or 2nds/trade exceptions (everyone else)

    So, going back to the 1999 draft (only a 6 year+ sample size), less than 10% of UFAs who make it to UFA sign with their old team. Another 10% sign extensions (which can now only happen in last year of the deal). 5 were traded (6 if you count Lee's S&T) so the old team got something for them. But 23 of 36 All-Stars who hit FA gave their old team nothing in return but maybe a 2nd rounder and trade exception/cap space.

    2005: (0/4 with original team. 2 forced trades before UFA, 1 will leave for nothing, 1 left via UFA S&T)
    Deron (not with UTH--forced trade before UFA)
    CP3 (not with NOH--forced trade before UFA)
    Bynum (not with LAL--traded before UFA. PHI will probably lose him via UFA for nothing)
    Lee (not with NYK--left via UFA S&T)

    2004: (1 of 5 still with team, Harris still not UFA. 2 traded, 1 left for nothing)
    Howard (not with ORL--demanded trade before UFA)
    Harris (not with DAL--traded for Jason Kidd while on rookie deal. Traded for Deron before UFA)
    Deng (not with CHI--traded to CLE for Bynum, 2 2nds, 1 1st and a swapped first)
    Iguodala (not with PHI--left DEN via UFA for nothing)
    Jameer (still with ORL--signed extension)

    2003: (1 for 8--and the only one is Wade. Mo still isn't UFA. 1 traded, 5 left for nothing )
    LeBron (not with CLE--left in UFA for nothing)
    Melo (not with DEN--demanded trade)
    Wade (with MIA--resigned with Superfriends)
    Bosh (not with TOR--left in UFA for nothing)
    Kaman (not with LAC--traded before UFA then left NOH for nothing )
    West (not with NOH--left as UFA for nothing)
    Howard (not with DAL--traded before UFA and left WAS via UFA for nothing)
    Mo Williams (not with UTH--traded for Kyrie's draft pick)

    2002 (0/3, though Yao probably would have re-signed. 3 left for nothing)
    Yao (retired before UFA)
    Amare(not with PHX--left via UFA for nothing)
    Butler (not with MIA--traded for Shaq on rookie deal. Left DAL for nothing)
    Boozer (not with CLE--left via cheati-I mean, UFA)

    2001: (2/7 resigned. 2 signed extensions before UFA, 3 left for nothing)
    Chandler (not with CHI--traded after signing post-rookie extension. Left DAL via UFA)
    Gasol (not with MEM--traded before UFA, signed extension)
    Joe Johnson (resigned with ATL as UFA)
    Z-Bo (not with POR--traded, signed extension before UFA)
    Parker (still with Spurs)
    Okur (not with Pistons--Left via UFA)
    Arenas (not with GSW--left via UFA)

    2000: (0/3. All three left for nothing)
    K-Mart (not with NJN--S&Td after rookie contract. Left for China via UFA)
    Magloire( not with CHA--traded before UFA. Left POR via UFA)
    Redd (not with MIL--left via UFA)

    1999: (1 demanded trade. 6 left for nothing. 1 retired, for nothing.)
    Brand (not with CHI--traded on rookie deal. Left LAC via UFA for nothing)
    Franchise (not with VAN--traded before UFA. Left NYK via UFA for nothing)
    Baron (not with CHA--traded before UFA. Left GSW via UFA for nothing)
    Wally World (not with MIN--traded before UFA. Retired while UFA)
    Rip (not with WAS--traded before UFA. Left via waivers for nothing)
    Marion (not with PHX--demanded trade before UFA.)
    Artest (not with CHI--traded before UFA. Left HOU via UFA for nothing)
    Kirilenko (not with UTH--demanded trade, but left for nothing)
     
    BrianFromWA, Jul 2, 2015
    #57
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  18. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    How did he "let" LMA become a UFA?
     
    Denny Crane, Jul 2, 2015
    #58
  19. Schilly

    Schilly Well-Known Member

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    He didn't trade him on the risk he might leave.
     
    Schilly, Jul 2, 2015
    #59
  20. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Agreed.

    Not dealing him when he first asked was a HUGE risk.

    Consider the small market sigma - not dealing him in 2013 is a framchise changing move/mistake.

    Of course, he could still re-sign but that's not looking likely.
     
    Fez Hammersticks, Jul 2, 2015
    #60
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