Blazers 4-0 since fielding players from the trades we’ve made. Haven’t watched the games, but on the box score this is the most noticeable to me. In the 4 games the Blazers have committed 51 turnovers for an average of 12.75 per game which is a big difference compared to the 10 per quarter we seemed to be averaging. It’s amazing what a difference it makes. Did we actually come out of these trades better? Is Ant replacing CJ like CJ getting playing time after we lost LMA and Wes? Freeing up cap space is sounding better and better if it turns out that the chemistry with this group is significantly better; even if they fizzle out a bit. Some of you may remember, I’m always anti-tank. I’d like to see us feel like we can do something even as an 8th seed. Were people (such as myself) who didn’t feel good about the current situation getting ahead of themselves? Might be interesting to see how we handle the rest of the season looking at how we’ve played better in this short stretch.
How many years is your long term? Are you thinking of going young and rebuilding that way? I hope we are able to get some quality FA’s or facilitate some trades to put some quality vets around Dame. Drummond is a FA isn’t he? I don’t even know exactly what the FA list this summer looks like.
You can't ask guys to miss shots. Each of those guys wants to get paid and if they happen to be killing it, fuck it. Down 2 starters including an all star, and starting CJ FUCKING ELLEBY. Still winning. Fuck it. If a team like Memphis can't beat these "scrubs" then they have work to do.
Yes. Build around Little and Simons. Not as your best players but keep the young dudes. Draft even better young dudes with high pick(s). Deal Lillard for stud young guy or two and let them all develop over the next three years or so. Add vets then.
Norm is a really solid #3 scorer on a playoff team. Winslow is maybe a #4 or #5. They're really not comparable. I don't think Norm is really an All-Star but he's a good player. We just played him out of position. It's not his fault. He still put up really good numbers.
If we had lost all of the games after the trade deadline then I'd be in agreement with you but that is obviously not what has happened or will happen. So now winning the most games is the best thing long term because I would much rather convey our first rounder this year to the Bulls and free up all of our future firsts to improve the team with. I mean what's more valuable when trying to build a contender the 10th-14th pick in an average draft or three future firsts. Obviously the three future firsts have more value... along with the value of getting to see what Dame looks like with this squad before the off season comes and playoff experience for these guys. The long term benefits are in wins now. Look at the schedule from March 20th to April 7th. The way these guys are playing and with the fact that Dame will be three weeks past his prescribed recovery period, do those eleven games seem like games we can tank? It actually seems really likely right now that we have an eleven game win streak during that time and with AD's injury tonight and being only 3.5 games back from a Clippers team ravaged by injuries, we have a great shot at getting into the 7/8 play in game and getting the seventh seed. With the exception of Dame and Nurk, this is a really young team that can use the playoff experience.
So then would you trade Roco for Eric Bledsoe? Ughhh. If you break up the Clippers trade it's two horrible trades. Wow.
There is a very real possibility that we finish ahead of the Lakers. They're about to lose 4 in a row, while we have won 4 in a row.
And what is the result of all of that, try to make the playin? Ant has star potential. Dame is a star. 10 years of tanking might not get another one.
Winslow's evolution as a player isn't to be a scorer. He passes. He defends every position. He sets screens. He rebounds. The only thing he doesn't do is score, but he's a glue guy. That's his value.
It’s not all about scoring though. I’ll take Winslow (and Keon) over Norm/RoCo. We’re seeing in Winslow everything we thought we’d get from RoCo and more. Keon will be better than Norm. By the way, Clippers are 0-3 with Norm.
