So what's the Coli consensus on the Blazers?

[SchoolboyC]

I think it's pretty safe to say that they threw out more money this offseason than any other team: 4 yrs/$70 mil for Evan Turner; 4 years/$75 mil for Allen Crabbe; 4 years/$40 mil for Maurice Harkless; 4 years/$41 mil for Meyers Leonard; 2 years/$16 mil for Festus Ezeli (Team option on year 2)

Plus Damian Lillard's 5 year/$140 mil contract kicks in this season and they gave CJ McCollum an extension starting next season for 4 years/$106 million. Not to mention Al-Farouq Aminu & Ed Davis entering year 2 of their contracts. If they're not gonna have the highest payroll, it'll at least be in the top 3.

Point is, with the exception of Plumlee who's an expiring, they've locked up essentially all of their core and pretty much have no cap flexibility left. With the core they have now, how far do you think they can go?

Lillard/Napier/Connaughton
McCollum/Crabbe/Montero
Turner/Harkless/Layman
Aminu/Davis/Vonleh
Plumlee/Ezeli/Leonard

Idk, looking at their roster, I don't really get the sense that they'll actually become legit championship contenders with this core. Surefire playoff team, but 2nd round exit seems like destiny

Thoughts?

 

[PortCityProphet]

Ain't beating the Warriors could have saved some bread and signed me

 

[Brozay]

They did what they had to do to stay relevant. I don't get the Turner signing though, money should have gone elsewhere

 

[Tide Run This]

 

[SchoolboyC]

They did what they had to do to stay relevant. I don't get the Turner signing though, money should have gone elsewhere

Turner signing would've only made sense if they couldn't bring back Crabbe and/or Harkless, but they brought back both on top of signing him.

 

[Khross]

Unless they run off 2 good drafts , like you said they will be destined for 2nd round. They have a coo core just nothing to put them over the top , Dame will have to go off for a full series to get them out the 2nd

 

[thenatural]

I liked all the moves except Evan Turner. I feel like it's going to end up biting PDX in the ass. I'm excited though. We'll be bad defensively on the perimeter but we do have some guys on the inside that know how to defend. Don't think we're beating the Spurs or the Warriors, but who is in that conference. I just want to see the FO trying, which is what they are doing. Stott's a good coach, so he'll coach to his personnel's strengths.

 

[threattonature]

They did what they had to do to stay relevant. I don't get the Turner signing though, money should have gone elsewhere

I didn't get that either. Turner's a dude only effective with the ball in his hand and when you have two ball dominant guards like McCollum and Lillard it makes no sense. Maybe gathering assets to position themselves for a trade?

 

[Regular_P]

I don't know what the hell they're doing. They'll get internal development and improve, but that's not a championship caliber front court.

 

[Gangstar8]

blazers like spurs will only win the ring after lakers

 

[MJ Truth]

I don't see them beating a healthy Clippers team, the Warriors, or the Spurs this coming season. If they're fortunate, the seedings can work out and maybe somebody gets hurt and they end up in the West Finals but that's their ceiling, and it'll take small miracles to get that to happen anyway. No telling what the future holds in this league (3-year projections are risky in the NBA with the way things change, plus we know that lockout is coming next year) but I don't think their best players have as much room for improvement as those of other teams (Timberwolves, Jazz) so I'm not even sure about their future.

 

[Brozay]

I don't know what the hell they're doing. They'll get internal development and improve, but that's not a championship caliber front court.

What should they have done? At some point yall will have to understand not every can win a title. Portland is prob happy putting out a good young product that will make the playoffs. Just like Memphis, they are probably content making playoffs every season, being competitive

 

[SoulController]

most expensive 5 seed ever

they did what they had to, lost Batum and Aldridge and needed to keep some talent and add some, but im not sure how much better they are right now. Stotts seems like a legit coach, so maybe adding Turner and Harkless gives em some more wins and they eclipse the Clippers

 

[Microfracture]

Like you said 2nd round exit is destiny. Nice team and all but they can't compete with GS

 

[Juggalo Fred]

i think the Turner move puts them over the top out west