Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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Phalanx
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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Both Aminu and Ed Davis were signed via free agency. That's two rotation players on decent contracts. Actually, Olshey did better with those two than he did signing his own free agents. Those are probably the only two guys not on their rookie deals who aren't overpaid. So it is at least possible to add meaningfully to the team via free agency, even if the top guys don't want to come to Portland.

Meanwhile, Lillard's contract takes up 26.4% of the salary cap. McCollum takes up another 24.2%, so between them, two guards who don't play defense are taking up just over half the salary cap on a team with 15 players, and at least nine necessary for a good rotation. I see people in this thread saying that those two guys making over $50 million aren't the problem, it's three other guys making $37.2 million that are the real problem. While I agree that those three signings were awful (actually, I think I was the only one here who thought so when the signings happened), people who focus on them and ignore the two bloated salaries eating up half the cap aren't really providing meaningful analysis about why the Blazers are stuck in mediocrity. Aldridge and Leonard for the Spurs make $10 million less per year than the Blazers' dynamic duo. The Spurs' team salary is over $5 million less than the Blazers, and they are three spots in the standings higher. It isn't rocket science. If you want to win, you have to manage the cap better and sign players to reasonable, tradeable deals.
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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Perhaps it's because Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving grade out as among two of the worst defensive guards in the league, and they played on the two best teams in the league last year, and currently two best teams this year (unless you think Houston is better than Boston, who has that Harden fellow who's defense is in about the same category).
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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StevensTechU wrote:Perhaps it's because Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving grade out as among two of the worst defensive guards in the league, and they played on the two best teams in the league last year, and currently two best teams this year (unless you think Houston is better than Boston, who has that Harden fellow who's defense is in about the same category).
Kyrie Irving makes $7.5 million less than Lillard, and his backcourt mate, Jaylen Brown, is one of the best defending shooting guards in the NBA, to go with Jayson Tatum, one of the best defending small forwards, Al Horford, one of the very best power forwards, and Aron Baynes, who ranks #2 among centers behind Hassan Whiteside.

Steph Curry, who might be the best shooter in NBA history and who led the Warriors to two championships and three NBA finals in a row, all while on a 4-year $44 million contract, also plays with some of the best defenders in the NBA, Zaza Pachulia, Draymond Green (last year's defensive POY), David West (highest DRPM in the league this year at power forward), and even Jordan Bell rank in the top 10 at their respective positions for defense. Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson, who switches to their opponent's best guard, are also noted defenders.

Even Harden plays with some outstanding defenders. Clint Capela, #6 among centers (Nene is #14), Luc Mbah a Moute, #2 behind West at power forward, and Chris Paul is #6 among point guards.

See a trend? Those teams can afford to absorb one bad defender who is great on offense, because teammates are able to pick up the slack. The only player for Portland in the top 10 at his position is Ed Davis, who is number one in the queue to be traded by the deadline. The next closest? You guessed it, Shabazz Napier, #11 for point guards.

By the way, neither Lillard nor McCollum make the top 40 at their positions. Lillard does rank #6 on offense for point guards though...right behind Irving. Curry and Harden are #1 and 2 respectively. McCollum is #13 for shooting guards, right behind Devin Booker, a rookie for the Suns.
Last edited by Phalanx on Wed Jan 31, 2018 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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Phalanx wrote:It isn't rocket science. If you want to win, you have to manage the cap better and sign players to reasonable, tradeable deals.
I love how easy that is :roll:
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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Oregon Ownage wrote:
Phalanx wrote:It isn't rocket science. If you want to win, you have to manage the cap better and sign players to reasonable, tradeable deals.
I love how easy that is :roll:
You mean it's really hard to lay off signing Allen Crabbe's 4-year, $75 million offer sheet? Or bid against yourself to pay Myers Leonard $41 million? Or go out of your way to find Evan Turner to pay $70 million over 4 years? For me, these decisions aren't that difficult. Here's a little hint: if the player and everyone around him are giggling to themselves, and if the player has no prayer of ever living up to the contract or being attractive on the trade market, you put the pen down and wait for a better deal.
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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Phalanx wrote:
Oregon Ownage wrote:
Phalanx wrote:It isn't rocket science. If you want to win, you have to manage the cap better and sign players to reasonable, tradeable deals.
I love how easy that is :roll:
You mean it's really hard to lay off signing Allen Crabbe's 4-year, $75 million offer sheet? Or bid against yourself to pay Myers Leonard $41 million? Or go out of your way to find Evan Turner to pay $70 million over 4 years? For me, these decisions aren't that difficult. Here's a little hint: if the player and everyone around him are giggling to themselves, and if the player has no prayer of ever living up to the contract or being attractive on the trade market, you put the pen down and wait for a better deal.
All im saying is that it is easy to say that in hindsight. Look at Miami signing Waiters after last season. He got in shape, transformed his game and looked a different player but this season he reverted. Point is, you dont know how players will respond to contracts and its hard to just lose an asset and it bites you in the ass
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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Oregon Ownage wrote:
Phalanx wrote:
Oregon Ownage wrote:
Phalanx wrote:It isn't rocket science. If you want to win, you have to manage the cap better and sign players to reasonable, tradeable deals.
I love how easy that is :roll:
You mean it's really hard to lay off signing Allen Crabbe's 4-year, $75 million offer sheet? Or bid against yourself to pay Myers Leonard $41 million? Or go out of your way to find Evan Turner to pay $70 million over 4 years? For me, these decisions aren't that difficult. Here's a little hint: if the player and everyone around him are giggling to themselves, and if the player has no prayer of ever living up to the contract or being attractive on the trade market, you put the pen down and wait for a better deal.
All im saying is that it is easy to say that in hindsight. Look at Miami signing Waiters after last season. He got in shape, transformed his game and looked a different player but this season he reverted. Point is, you dont know how players will respond to contracts and its hard to just lose an asset and it bites you in the ass
I thought they were bad deals before any of them ever played under their new contracts, and I said so. This outcome was fairly predictable for anyone who was paying attention to those players before they signed their deals. You don't pay a guy because maybe some day he will blow up. Unless you are desperate and wildly insecure in your job, that is.
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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Phalanx vs the World
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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C.J. scores 28 in the first quarter tonight which is a franchise record for most points in any quarter, he ended with 50 points in three quarters playing 29 minutes on 18 of 25 shooting I think.
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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CJ...

Do Not Fear. Isaiah 41:13
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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StevensTechU wrote:Phalanx vs the World
So, I spent all that time looking up defensive stats in order to provide you with a response, and this is all you could come up with? Lame.

Credit to Lillard and others for feeding the hot hand last night. I'm sure there were several guys on the team that were licking their chops to face Chicago, one of the worst teams in the league, who was also without Mirotic, Markkanen, and Dunn, their three top scorers. Instead of padding their stats, they gave it off to McCollum and watched him put on a show. Hope he can bring it like that against the Raptors and Celtics.
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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Because your theory was that this team cannot ascend to the top ranks of the NBA with a guard who plays poor defense. I debunked that. No use in continuing to entertain your long posts.
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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StevensTechU wrote:Because your theory was that this team cannot ascend to the top ranks of the NBA with a guard who plays poor defense. I debunked that. No use in continuing to entertain your long posts.
Since that isn't my theory, I assume you haven't really been reading, which you seem to confirm in your post.

My theory is more that you can't pay two guys who don't play defense half the team's allotted payroll and expect to advance beyond the first round of the playoff (or second, if the other team is injured). Of course, it is possible to do so, if the rest of the payroll is allocated very efficiently. Unfortunately for the Blazers, that is nowhere near the case.

I think the Blazers have hit their ceiling, and I expect them to finish as a 6-8 seed and get bounced from the first round of the playoffs, barring an amazing trade where some team gives up a good player in exchange for Portland's overpaid garbage. Of course, if you feel like you have successfully 'debunked' that idea, I will be happy to make a side bet with you regarding that outcome. Just let me know.
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

Post by oregontrack »

luckily, we have only one more season of the current roster to endure, as mostly everyone was signed to 4-year deals in the summer of 2016. next year will be year 3, and then year four should see lots of shake-ups. all of a sudden these terrible contracts become valuable expiring trading commodities.
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Re: Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 Thread

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If anyone would like to try their hand at becoming a GM, we have a subforum (http://www.ducksattack.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=22) with a basketball simulation and the TrailBlazers are currently available. We are in the 2022 season with the draft approaching and the TrailBlazers will have a top 5 pick.
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