So NOW do you understand what I'm talking about??? We are a better team this year.

You don't think that it being his best shot to win a title had anything to do with that decision? Or do you think that POR's chance to win a title equals CLE's chance?
Your comparison is crap.

 

We're a third of the way through the season. It seems like Stotts is going to do his typical coaching job until we're mathematically eliminated before he lets players try to expand their games.

 

I really don't even know what you're trying to argue. CLE traded for Love. By the time Love had a choice in the matter they had LeBron and just as good a chance as anyone to win a championship. Did the Warriors even offer Love a contract this summer?
I still don't know what you're trying to argue - but it seems to have something to do with POR being able to sign Love because Love is playing for CLE. And if that's what you're saying, then your reasoning is crap.

 

Nobody as good as Lillard, BUT a much better core. MCW/Giannis/Parker/Henson is a really solid group.

 

MCW is trash. Has good games at times but gives up that much or more on the other end. And you might think Henson is a good solid core piece but the Bucks don't (yet at least). They play him 15 mins a game.

 

If you were a free agent, and you were comparing rosters, would you sign with the Blazers after they just lost 4/5 of their starters? CJ hadn't done much outside of a solid showing in the playoffs. The Bucks looked a lot more stable at that point.

 

Toss up. MIL is a worse destination (living-wise) than POR. So the slight improvement in roster is outweighed by the downgrade in City.

The reason Monroe picked MIL was because he said it is easier for them to make playoffs (due to the East being weak). Well come to find out the East is stronger this year. West is probably easier to make playoffs.

 

It's really too bad because he would have been a solid addition to this roster.

 

Who are these "priced (RFAs) that were matched?"

Kanter? Hibbert? Both of those players wanted max contracts, their teams weren't willing to offer them max contracts, and it was widely believed around the league that the team would match any offer. We tossed them a bone, the teams matched, and that was that. Let's not pretend like it was anything other than a player accepting an offer for more money than was being offered by their team.

 

But I think thats the point. Even though most teams have good money, we have about the most of any team and its all about the money, then....

If its money they want, we have it. So in the end your analysis shows that the players signed for the money. NOT the destination.

 

And Kanter was one of the best offers we made IMO. We stuck it to OKC pretty good.

 

It was about the money because we offered more than anyone else was willing to offer. If we're talking about big name guys who will command max deals, how are we going to stand out from the pack if they can all offer the same amount of money?

 

But it was widely known that their teams WOULD match, and they did match. It was a negotiating tactic by both agents to get their players the most they could. Everyone knew that OKC would match Kanter. It was an opportunity for Neil to stick it to the Thunder.

 

Too many X factors to answer without knowing who the target is, but it could be anything from not fitting in with a few other teams that would offer, etc.

 

Up till now, Neil has used his space to sign free agents that are under the radar. Guys like Aminu, Davis, Kaman, Wright, and Mo Williams. He hasn't made a successful run at a top flight free agent. He struck out on Hawes. He struck out on Monroe. Obviously he struck out on Aldridge, but I don't blame him for that. I wanted to trade Aldridge. So in a summer where money won't really be an advantage, how do we convince a top flight guy to sign with the Blazers?