Agreed and ive said that in a couple of threads. besides draft picks, I cant think of one thing that has panned out the way Olshey has peddled things to the media. not one
I think as we enter the 4th year of the rebuild, the pressure is really on to take the next step so that going into year five we could be realistic contenders? After year 4 Im sure Paul will look at his total body go work the last 4 years and make a decision. Much can happen between now and lets say Feb trade deadline. Personally, win it comes to the next playoffs only 3 teams will compete for the whole enchilada, and who knows what teams or teams will come out of the playoffs looking ready to for the next step the following year. It's this way in just about every sport. Again, in 2013 who would have thought GS would establish a dynasty?
My favorite is Neil’s annual pivot from “we will be aggressive, we have a great owner” to “LOOK, the phones were pretty quiet what do you want me to do everyone shut up!”
I know I've been an Olshey apologist but I'm trying to say this seriously here... Isn't it kinda weird that despite all of these failures the team has had a decent amount of success under his time here? I understand that the playoff success has been disappointing every year but the team was so good at one point last year that most people expected them to win their 1st round matchup and some even thought they could give GS trouble in the 2nd round. You'd think with how badly he's been at materializing those things that we'd be really bad and out of the playoffs more often than not, especially in the West. At the same time, some of the missteps have prevented the team from being better heading into next season.
I give credit to Dame, as the leader and heart of our team, credit for the success since arriving. He genuinely cares about the team and city. He tries do the right things over and over again while setting himself as a wonderful example for the players and fans. To me and several others, he is our rock and we are extremely lucky to have him.
I agree, Dame is the man. However, if we are going to give him credit for the on court success doesn't he have to get the blame for the lack of post season success too?
And he got plenty of that. But when the Pelicans left two guys wide open while shadowing Dame nonstop, you have to consider the roster Neil put together. This roster was not built around Dame or his strengths, nor was does it mitigate his weaknesses -- it was piecemealed together to "collect assets." Assets which don't end up being used or mismanaged half the time. This TPE being a prime example of this, which is what I was saying in the first place.
One of the reasons I was confident the TPE would be used is because of the meeting Dame had with Allen. When Allen said he was worried about Dame being traded my thinking was that he would dish out the money necessary to make the team better this summer. Now it sounds like the tax is the reason for not using the TPE.
Helps when you have a guy like Lillard. Our floor with a guy like him is probably a 33-35 win team, realistically. Olshey has generally done a pretty poor job of surrounding Lillard with talent post-LMA, but Lillard's abilities often are good enough to help mask that.
I posted this in the "other TPE thread" and I doubt Atlanta would do this, however they seem to be really into acquiring draft picks right now. Blazers get Taurean Prince and Miles Plumlee (TPE) Atlanta gets Caleb Swanigan, Jake Layman, 2019 1st round pick Atlanta gets rid of one of the worst contracts in the NBA and adds a pick next year. Portland picks up a SF to boost the rotation. Prince averaged 2.6 assists per game last year which leads me to believe he could have some hidden potential as a SF playmaker/passer like Batum. He also shot 38.5% from 3 last year on 5.6 attempts per game. That would probably translate to about 40% in Stotts' offense. He could unlock some of our offensive issues.
Messed up thing is I don't think Neil is even on the hot seat. When GMs have their backs against the wall, they try last ditch efforts to save their jobs. SVG swinging for the fences with Blake, Rich Cho going after Dwight, Hennigan going after Ibaka, etc etc. None of those moves really worked, so I suppose it was a good thing. But still, he should at least get some heat so he can get up off his ass and do something. Surprised the Dame fiasco a few weeks back didn't land him in hot water.
Because just like every GM before him in the Paul Allen era, they have to get approval from Allen for making a big trade. Do something big before you get fired! Wait, doing something big usually works out poorly! Do something like that anyway!
I doubt Allen has blocked any move Olshey put on the table. It’s more likely Paul has instructed Olshey to get under the tax. The question then becomes why is Neil still here?
now is not the time to be trading first round picks and cheap contracts for guys who just put you from 6th seed to 5th seed come playoff time...don't care for this trade personally.
Taurean Prince is a great prospect. Lottery pick from 2 years ago who put up 14/5 last year on great percentages while starting all 82 games. He'd be our best SF from day 1.
Prolly something with Woj being Neil's mouthpiece. Clear path for Neil to badmouth the org with the preeminent reporter in the league after a potential ousting.
