You're in Neil's shoes...

That and it doesn't matter how good the team or player is. He will always have an ax to grind with 'someone'. He finds someone to pigeon each and every year.

 

HE TAKES THE LONGEST POOPS ON THE TEAM!!! HE COULD BE PRACTICING BUT NO! THAT ASSHOLE RATHER SHIT!!

 

I know. I read. Jet had his back. It's hard to continue to make a case about somethin if you are wrong. And he was wrong last year. LA made him look pretty bad.

 

Whoever we get would at least need to be competent defensively because we have seen what our offense is capable of but wev also seen our D constantly crap the bed. Thats why I dont like giving up anything for Monroe, he is a very below average defender.

 

All overpaid. All replaceable, especially Matthews and Lopez.

 

You remain patient and stick with the plan you had earlier. The new facility, the chemistry, the way they sell the players as it sounds they've sold aldridge on staying. I won't be surprised if a lot of these players take a smaller salary to stay on a 1-2 year with the likely hood of winning a championship increasing each year they stay together.

I think that any improvement over last year will be enough to convince some of the guys to stay.

 

I think locking up Wes will prove to be tougher than we think.

This past summer teams went apeshit for capable SG/SF's and Wes is certainly above average and just now entering his prime.

I think he'll get a contract worth something close to $10m/per. Gortat set Lopez's market.

 

I love Lopez, but if you have to pay him 10-12 mil are you perhaps better off offering the Clips center (Olshey connection?) or Indiana center (Hibbert) 12-15 mil? Is Gasol available as well?

 

Gasol will make 16 million this year. How much will he get in his next contract? How many other teams will we be competing with?
D. Jordon: The only way we get him is if Doc does not want him. And if he doesn't, would we want him?
Hibbert: Will he decline his player option after the end of the year? If he does he will want to replace it with another 15 million/yr deal.

I would take the bird in the hand approach. If Lopez likes it here, resign him. Unless he regresses this year. But centers are hard to come by.

 

If they played like last year, and the team has similar success, Olshey needs to do whatever it takes to keep the starting 5 intact.

 

I think unfortuantely you may be spot on with this. Someone is going overpay for Wes (good for Wes btw) and we will have a hard time justifying that. This is also why this is a big year for Barton and CJ as they be in position to affect (effect sp? always mix those up) that decision.

 

I think so too. He has a year to evaluate the team as a whole.

Some questions that will need to be answered are does Wes and Dame continue to mesh well in the back court. And does Robin and LMA continue to mesh well in the front court?

Does CJ make a giant leap to warrant starting in the back court? I can't see that happening but if he did, how much do you pay Wes to come off the bench? Certainly not 10 million per. But i would pay him 8...

 

There is no way that I could undervalue Wes, I love that guy. I agree that he really is at this point a top SG in this league. Im just not sure how much the Blazers will tolerate money wise with him know that every started would be paid over $10 mil a year.

 

If he improves upon last year then that will be exciting for this team. 14 million a year seems crazy at this point, but I guess you never know. I hope he earns it but I think the 10 a year is more likely as well.

 

No to D Jordan. Tight games are often won at the free throw line. Keep Lopez. Never undervalue intangibles, fit, and chemistry. Pay the man.

Edit: And brains. And leadership. Fropez is smart and a competitor. He's perfect for this team.

 

I've always wondered why we need to bring in that power player you mentioned in order to contend. I mean we made it past the first round with Houston having 2 of these type of power players and lost the next round to the champs; which ironically steam rolled through other teams with power players on them (Miami with wade, bosh and LBJ and OKC with Durant and Westbrook).

I think the key to our losses came from a shit bench. If we can build on that, then I would argue we are a contender already. What we have in Kaman and Blake, with the addition to our existing youngs getting better, maybe just enough already.