G: Dame, CJ, Trent, Simons F: Ariza, Melo, Hood, Little, Gabriel C: Nurkic, Collins That’s 11. I’m 50/50 on Hezonja picking up his option. That could go either way. I’m leaning towards him opting out. I think Hoard will be back, but on another two way. We have two draft picks. Olshey likes his picks, so I’m going to guess he’ll use and keep both. That leaves two openings. Find a veteran point guard to run the second unit and a 4/5.
LMA was being courted by the Suns, Lakers and Spurs ....Melo wasn't being courted by anybody for a year and a half......these two situations aren't remotely alike
I think with Olshey's penchant for loyalty and the fact that we never got to see this team together, I could definitely see them run it back this way. Dame, CJ, Ariza, Melo, Nurk, Gary, Zach, Hoodie, Wenyen, Nas and Simons could all see playing time. The only problem is that the only two guys that enjoy passing the ball are our most gifted perimeter scorer (Dame) and our most gifted paint scorer (Nurk). We would need guys to adjust their game which they never will under Stotts or somehow acquire another facilitator with no cap room and having given Melo the MLE. Maybe Melo will take part of the MLE and we can bring a guy like Michael Carter-Williams off the bench with the rest of the MLE (there's your vet PG) and then draft that 4/5 you're talking about. I don't know. I guess we'll see. In my opinion this only works if we severely reduce the sets where CJ gets the ball on the wing or brings it up to the wing and plays iso ball. Those are our worst possessions. CJ should get the ball from Dame or Nurk after the defense has collapsed on either Dame play making or Dame/Nurk pick and rolls. The only plays that I think should be run for CJ are plays in which picks are set for CJ... with a lot of off the ball movement from CJ to free CJ up for open shots. No more of this one on five MeJ bullshit. CJ would be good even though he absolutely sucks on defense and is redundant with Dame on offense if CJ were just completely redundant with Dame on offense meaning that he passed the fucking ball to open shooters but he doesn't and we've waited a long time for him to figure that out and he hasn't.
Sign Melo plus improve the bench, add some wing defenders and let’s see what this team can do once everyone is healthy.
I’m proud of the play tonight. Up until Davis re-entered in the 4th and went on his tear, I thought we had a chance to win. Stotts may have used a time out and calmed things down there in the 4th but again, Stotts doesn’t “coach” per se! I have been vocal about re-signing Whiteside however his “effort” aside from one decent game, was lame. Like Aldridge, Whiteside spends a lot of time smirking instead of getting angry and dominating. He did well earlier this year, but I doubt we keep him around. overall, I like our guys. Trent has a future so we better lock him up. Melo was an inspiration and I often saw him coaching the younger guys while on the bench - even tonight with Trent. So I think Melo did find a home in Portland and I’d give him a two-year deal with a team option for a third. we’ll need to find a vet back-up center and draft a SF - hopefully a phenomenal scorer. way to go Blazers! You made us proud in 2020!
I would be all for getting Pokusevski with the 16th pick, but what about GLeague? We still don't have a team there and have to throw him around? He needs at least a year there before being ready for anything, but the skillset is very promising. Cannot stay in Europe as well as he will not get much playing time there and he needs it.
hopefully neil olshey brings some defensive players next season, we need them im not expecting a major trade, but some minor upgrades i do expect
I agree with all this; except I think guys like CJ and Melo might enjoy passing the ball in a different system, where passing the ball would have more immediate and successful results. I agree that doesn't seem possible under Stotts. As for what we need: a good starting PF, who can shoot and a fourth guard who can shoot and playmake.
Don't want to re-sign Whiteside. I have no problem with his effort; just don't think he fits with the team offensively and he reacts a little slow on defense.
(shrug) Guess we'll see. Last I heard the draft was Oct at the earliest, so who knows when free agent signings or trades will be allowed. It only takes one team to offer more bread or a better chance at a ring.
CJ and Melo have track records that speak for themselves, yes CJ has only been coached by Stotts in the NBA but Melo has been coached by a ton of guys and I refuse to believe that Stotts has forbade anyone on the team from taking a wide open three (especially CJ and Melo) or kicking the ball around the perimeter to find the open shooter. I sincerely doubt Stotts is pulling CJ and Melo aside and saying, "If you're wide open on the perimeter with the ball in your hands and don't dribble it at least four times, you're benched." That being said, CJ and Melo act like those are their marching orders. Like I said, if it isn't the very end of the game these guys habitually pass up wide open threes to pound the rock and neither guy seemingly ever rotates the damn ball. Is this partially Stotts' fault for not holding his players accountable, sure but CJ and Melo have been playing long enough to understand what is effective and what's not effective for a team, especially on offense. They just choose themselves over the team, almost every time. Oh and most of the Mavs three point makes came from perimeter ball rotation the season they won the title... an offense designed by Terry Stotts. As for what we need. If we retain Melo, we will not get a good starting PF that can shoot unless that's what you consider Melo and we definitely won't get that fourth guard you are talking about. If we choose to run this thing back without Hassan but with Melo and everyone else, not making trades; the only hope we have to add another contributor is if Melo will split the MLE and then we'll likely have around 4 million to try and get someone who will make a difference. The 16th pick in the draft won't make much of a difference and the 46th pick will do even less. Our greatest hope for getting considerably better is Nurk getting in shape and not rushing things on offense and Zach, Gary, Nas, Ant and Wenyen making big improvements to their games... oh and everyone getting and staying healthy. The idea that we will keep everyone on this roster except Rio and Hassan but still add two or even one more impact player is just not realistic in my opinion. We're either going to make some big moves (very unlikely) or roll with what we should have had this season with everyone a year older (the extra year is good for Nurk, Gary, Nas, Ant, Wenyen and hopefully Zach, it's probably bad for Melo, Ariza, and Hoodie (although you could say it would be good if Hood could just play at all), and it won't be a big difference for Dame and CJ). I really think regardless of the likely things we will see done we will have a team that will get a top four seed in the next playoffs whenever those are. The thing is I think if we moved guys that Olshey is in love with and really concentrated on building a team around Dame and Nurk that complimented them the best, we could be contenders next season. That does mean getting the best fit/value for CJ, that does mean moving on from Melo, that does mean Zach either being our backup big or being traded, it means being open to all of the options we have with Ariza, maybe it means giving up future draft picks but it means that their has to be major moves in order to become a legit contender. We'll likely just be happy getting the third or fourth seed in the West.
If we can get healthy and maybe add 1 solid 3/4 that can score and D up, it should allow us to compete at a high level? Id rather keep Ariza & Melo and let Hassan walk unless he wants to be here at a bargain price but thats not going to happen. With Hood coming back and with improved development form GTjr and hopefully ZMan & Gab we should have stronger bench for sure. Id package Simons and maybe a pick to acquire another young player that can play 3/4.
