The question today is, how do you turn this team into a legit championship team? We are close, but I don't think we would have much of a chance against Miami for instance. Where could we improve? PG: Damien. I think we are probably covered here. SG: Wes. Heart and soul of the team. I would keep him forever. Tangible and intangible assets. PF: LA. Again, as solid as can be. C: Robin. Who could we get that would be much of an improvement? Realistically no one. SF: Nic. I love Nic, but this may be the spot where we could significantly improve to get to the next level. 6th man: T Rob looks to be developing into a beast. Mo though leaves something to be desired. (Aside: Wouldn't it be great to have, say, Jamal Crawford in that role? Alas.) So, as I see it. Nic and Mo (re-signed) are pieces for Olshey to play with. You?
Before we question our pieces, let's wait until summer. You never know what we need until we lose a series. Right now, I think we have all the pieces.
Just need more of a bench. Our starters are good, I wish Batum was more aggressive in games, but he has been pretty aggressive throughout the whole Houston series so that is nice to see. Maybe Will and/or CJ can help be bench contributors or we may have to find them. All I know is Mo and Dorell are not getting it done for us.
Even if the team somehow found a way to win it all, I don't think that would mean that the roster is set in stone; there's always room for improvement.
I wouldn't touch the starting five outside of coming across a "no-brainer" deal. Realistically we just need a proper 6th man wing (not Mo) and some role players who excel at one or two things each.
I agree that our bench can be downright frustrating... I think we use our MLE to grab Lowry. He will definitely be offered more, but I'm hoping us being a contender may sway him!
Greivis Vasquez and Channing Frye 9 man rotation of our starters; the two above, CJ, and T-Rob I think we could get there this off-season. Sign one for MLE, trade for the other.
I agree with improving the bench. I like T-Rob, and think McCollum has a lot of promise, but everyone else on the bench right now is a wash at best. Nic is our weakest starter. Just doesn't seem to have the fire to be a really good one. He's ok, but not much of a difference maker.
I am most certainly not against looking around but there aren't a whole heck of a lot of SF's that seem "getable" that are a huge upgrade on Nic. Oh and thanks for the signature man!
Karl Malone and Gary Payton were top 50 players of all time and took huge pay cuts to play for a contender.
Our bench went from "historically terrible" last year to just "pretty bad" this year. It's time for another house cleaning, where Olshey hopefully finds some diamonds in the rough. There's nobody on our bench whom I wouldn't mind parting with. Remember what horse shit players we replaced with Lopez, Robinson and Mo? What can Neil do with pieces like McCollum, Freeland, Robinson and Barton? I know these aren't world-beaters, but it's at least something for him to work with. The one guy I'm not that excited to trade is (and now don't shout me down before listening) Meyers Leonard. Quiet. No, really, shut up. Just listen. I know he's utter dog shit. I get that. Dumb as a box of rocks. But he's still young, he's still 7 feet tall and he's still strong and athletic as hell. And most importantly, everybody in the world thinks he's a punch line to a bad joke. And he is. But that means he has absolutely no trade value. We have a team of quiet, intelligent professionals. Lillard, Batum, Aldridge, Lopez, Matthews. These are the kind of guys that, with a little luck, might eventually rub off on him and make him worth a damned. This is not like us hoping Travis Outlaw can learn under the wing of a young Zach Randolph. Leonard is in a place where he can learn and grow. He's just dumb as fuck, so it will take a long time. He's worth more to us as the 15th man on the bench than he's worth to anybody else. I think you have to keep him and see if he eventually makes himself of value in this league.
I think what we have is good enough. Like Nik infers, even title teams make adjustments. Miami added Ray Allen after their title in 2012. Spurs didn't win but they added Bellinelli.
There is no way Lowry is going to come to Portland for the MLE, and to come off of the bench. Come on!
Nic went 16/6/5 for the series, averaged 43 mpg, and had a PER of 16 on USG of 16. He also helped play solid defense on both Harden and Parsons. I'm not sure what more you'd want from the starting SF, so I'll assume you have a bias against Nic.
They were at the end of their careers. In their primes, neither was going to take a lesser contract to come off of the bench of a 'contender.' Besides, Toronto may well be the best team in the East next season.
I love Nic, as I said. I'm just looking at where we could improve, and his spot seems the most likely spot. He has a tradable contract and is a nice glue guy. Decent numbers. But I think we need a third stud to get over the top, and you have to trade value to get value. The other 4 starters are off limits, so that leads me to say Nico.
It is fine and dandy to say upgrade but who are some realistic names that we can both get and are a big upgrade?
Unless something that is an absolute steal presents itself, the starting line-up is as close to being a lock for next season as any in the NBA right now, IMO.
