Exhale. Breathe. I'll try to be gentle.... Year after freaking year, DMC has gotten almost no help. They've obtained hasbeens on the cheap, and it hasn't worked. I think he's been WAY, WAY more patient than I would have, and probably you, too. You think the he's quit on the franchise? I think the franchise has quit on him - over and over again. Don't believe me? Here's the current Kings roster: http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAC/2017.html There are FOUR listed centers, and that doesn't count Skal and Tolliver. WTF? Now, after clicking on the link, click near the top on "Previous Year" - do it several times, each time saying to yourself "which of Boogie's teammates would start on the current Blazers team?" Answer: probably zero (MAYYYYYBE Gay) - and we're talking about a team that has had lottery picks each year, for-practically-ever. All those lottery picks, and you still can't identify a guy clearly better than Aminu? The Kings Really Suck. Vlade Really, Really Sucks. The Owner? We need exponential notation to explain how much he sucks - probably Really^4 Sucks. They've had some good coaches and second guessed each one. The players they've drafted suck. The players they've traded for suck. Thank you for letting me get that out of my system. I am SOOOOOOOOO happy that I am a Blazer fan, right now - especially if the alternative is being a Kings fan.
I'm sure it's effective on some refs, but certainly not all. She made a mistake on that play regardless what happened earlier in the game. (I believe being a basketball fan that she was horrible the whole game... missing obvious calls on both sides. Calls that were technically her calls to make...) I personally don't want to watch Blazer players or coaches complain the whole game. Off and on sure. But especially during the Clipper game Portland complained too much. Stotts wants to run miss or make... couldn't do that because players were complaining bringing the ball up the court. Stotts was complaining instead of doing his patented windmill.
Yeah 4 centers certainly gives the impression they are preparing for life after Boogie. Unless they see him as a scoring PF. And yes they went young again by trading Bellinelli for rookie Malachi Richardson. I can see why he was frustrated. No way Boogie stays with Sac long term. If they are out of it by February they need to move him and Gay. PF and SF seem to be their biggest needs.
This is his 7th season in the league. It's not like these problems just started showing up after years of losing. He's been a head case from day 1. Back then the excuse was he's young and immature. He'll grow out of it. Well, seven years later, same old shit. Already fined $25K this season for his latest temper tantrum. Couldn't even make it through three games without a meltdown. Yeah, SAC is a fucked up organization, but at some point, when your team underachieves year after year, under different owners, different GMs, different coaches and differenct teammates, and you're the best player on the team, the franchise cornerstone, you need to look in the mirror and get your shit together. He constantly butts heads with his coaches, the refs, his GMs and throws his teammates under the bus. Would a change of scenery do him good? Probably, if he goes to the right situation, with the right leader. He'd be great in CLE, because LeBron wouldn't put up with his shit. Same in SAS with Pop. Could Lillard rein him in? Hard to say, but I would not blow up the entire team to get a chronic malcontent. Cousins is clearly not a leader. The question is, can he be a good follower? It's yet to be seen. BNM
Jordan punched teammates, Rodman was enigmatic at best, Kobe was a general pain in the azz, Draymond Green kicks people in the Nic Batum's, ....the list is endless of high performing stars doing things fans (or other team's fans) didn't like. But do they wan to win? That is the over riding question. Some people would throw their grandma from a train for a title. Not the most social acceptable way of dealing with one's elderly relatives but certainly the attitude you want when trying to reach an elusive title. Tim Duncan never rarely agreed with a foul call and was often whining or giving a total disbelief face to the refs. (If he did rarely agree, he just raised his hand and walked away). LeBron James got in his coaches face multiple times.....again, not desirable but you have to like the outcome. I'm no looking for a choir boy and for me, too many Blazer fans want a team of super nice guys who all get along and are friendly with their kids at every turn while being a spotless role model. Personally, I think this team could use a little attitude. Someone that wouldn't take crap from teams like the Clippers, Rockets Thunder and Warriors. Sounds right up DMC's alley.
To be fair, it is very difficult to judge anything that comes out of the dysfunctional franchise that is the Kings. Outside of Petrie/Adelman, it has been a disaster since they moved from Kansas City.
How many of those players were suspended by their own team for conduct detrimental to the team? Cousins has been multiple times, under different coaches and GMs. Wanting to win and behaving like a petulant child are not one and the same. BNM
After seven years, with different owners, different coaches, different GMs, different teammates, different referees, you have to ask: is DeMarcus Cousins a victim or part of that dysfunction? DeMarcus Cousins seems to be the one common denominators in all of DeMarcus Cousins' problems. Instead of constantly blaming others for his failures, maybe he should grow up and start accepting his share of that responsibility. BNM
Rodman was suspended multiple times. Whether that was by the team or the league doesn't really matter to me. Also, back then it wasn't such a PC world where everything offended everyone else. Green was also suspended and cost his team a title. I'm not saying I advocate such behavior but I'm not against someone being on the team that has a little attitude. It's one of the big things missing on this team.
I think Dame could rein DC in, so I'd love DC in Portland. Man, wouldn't a Sheed look so good on this team right now? An unselfish (as far as the ball goes) top-tier PF that can't be stopped if he doesn't want to be.
To me, there's a fundamental difference between being suspended by the league and being suspended by your own team. The league suspends you because you harm others with your behavior (Rodman kicking a photographer, Green for groping an opponent). When your own team suspends you, that means they think your behavior is harming your own team. BNM
His problems are fantastic because they're an opportunity. You think we could get Anthony Davis? No Freaking Way. Do you think we could get Cousins? Maybe, just maybe. That's how you win in this league. You augment your good team with players who some have question marks about, and capitalize. This is how we got: Wes Rolo Robinson CJ Aminu Harkless, and more. Even players we drafted like Batum and Roy, really. There are plenty who know more about the Bulls than I do, but they underpaid for Rodman, Pippen, and Kerr, off the top of my head. I'm sure Denny could add more names. They were notorious for being cheap. The only players we really paid full price on were LMA, Oden, Crabbe, ET.
http://www.si.com/nba/2016/10/31/nba-trades-demarcus-cousins-paul-millsap-eric-bledsoehttp://www.si.com/nba/2016/10/31/nba-trades-demarcus-cousins-paul-millsap-eric-bledsoe They also say Cousins isn't blameless but that a change of scenery along with being with a good PG could do very good things for him.
Lillard is a fantastic leader, that's part of the value that he brings to the Blazers. It's not just stats, it's also being the alpha. Carmello puts up great stats but he's not a leader like Lillard. Cousins is similar to Rodman, without a strong leader he's a nut case, with a strong leader he's a great player and teammate. I would trade for Cousins because I believe in Lillard.
