So what's the Coli consensus on the Blazers?

[SchoolboyC]

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

They had Harkless last season

They added Turner, Ezeli, Napier & Layman

 

[Regular_P]

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

I don't buy that because Portland's had legit title contending teams before and won actual championships. They've been in the Finals twice with Paul Allen owning the team. He's never been afraid to pay whatever is necessary to win, but I'm not sure what the strategy is unless Lillard and McCollum make another leap together.

 

[Malta]

They're basically banking on Lillard/McCollum being able to carry the team, their forward rotation is because Turner can't shoot and neither can Aminu. They honestly should have gone after Harrison Barnes if they felt like pissing money away like that, at least then you could play Aminu & Barnes together in small lineups. I'm going to guess they want to use Turner in the same way the Warriors use Iguodala, but he doesn't mesh with Aminu or Harkless.

 

[beejus]

I don't buy that because Portland's had legit title contending teams before and won actual championships. They've been in the Finals twice with Paul Allen owning the team. He's never been afraid to pay whatever is necessary to win, but I'm not sure what the strategy is unless Lillard and McCollum make another leap together.

Portland has only won one championship. They two other times they were in the NBA Finals was 1990 and 1992. The league was a very different league then. Back then your team was built mostly through drafts and trades. Free agents weren't dictating where they wanted to play like they do now. Portland is a small market and relies heavily on good drafts or over paying to keep players happy and in the city. They drafted well with Lillard, McCollum, and Aldridge and we all saw what happened to him.

 

[Regular_P]

Portland has only won one championship. They two other times they were in the NBA Finals was 1990 and 1992. The league was a very different league then. Back then your team was built mostly through drafts and trades. Free agents weren't dictating where they wanted to play like they do now. Portland is a small market and relies heavily on good drafts or over paying to keep players happy and in the city. They drafted well with Lillard, McCollum, and Aldridge and we all saw what happened to him.

They were one meltdown away from the Finals in 1999-00 and had a great chance in the lockout season as well. That squad was assembled with all sorts of characters and very few were home grown. All the important pieces besides Sabonis were acquired through trades or free agency.

 

[jaguar paw]

The Evan Turner slander @smitty22

You know what to do

 

[duckbutta]

To hard to call this team until I see them play...

Their road to the playoffs was so strange and lucky last year it's hard for me to know if they are really even a playoff team...

Memphis turned into a d league team...so Portland was able to consistently play better than them down the stretch

The Pelicans hardly ever had their starting 5 healthy...Portland was able to play better than them just by staying healthier...

Rockets found ways to lose way more games than they should have...Portland was able to play better than them even though they might not have had a better team...

Utah missed the playoffs by one game...if they don't go that stretch without Gobert they are probably in...

Clippers blew the doors off of the min 2 games...was looking like a sweep...until their two best players get hurt and then Portland wins 4 straight...

Not sure how you can make sense of a team that had a season like that...If Memphis stays healthy they never fall to number 7...If the rockets didn't hate each other they never fall to number 8...If Utah doesn't lose Gobert they are probably in...if the Pelicans stay healthy they might be in....to much foolishness to sift through

 

[duckbutta]

They're basically banking on Lillard/McCollum being able to carry the team, their forward rotation is because Turner can't shoot and neither can Aminu. They honestly should have gone after Harrison Barnes if they felt like pissing money away like that, at least then you could play Aminu & Barnes together in small lineups. I'm going to guess they want to use Turner in the same way the Warriors use Iguodala, but he doesn't mesh with Aminu or Harkless.

I thought they would have went after a big man...they need some sort of inside presence to take some pressure off of lillard and cj on nights their shots aren't falling otherwise they are just going to shoot themselves out of games...

Thought they should have made a real move for Okafor...they may still make one...a good offensive post player would do more for them than probably any other team in the nba...

 

[Jplaya2023]

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

probably the 4th best team in the west which means a tough 1st round matchup then a sweep by the warriors in the second round

 

[Goat poster]

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

THIS!!!

People acting like the Blazers should be making Championship moves
It's like NBA fans don't even get how the League works or something

The Blazers are probably in the best position they could be in after Lamarcus bounced on them last year.

There are 3 teams TOPS that can win the Championship next year. Portland is perfectly fine when looked at in the context of where they COULD be and where many EXPECTED them to be after LaMarcus bounced.

 

[jdubnyce]

2nd round for the next 5 years

 

[I.AM.PIFF]

I'm going to guess they want to use Turner in the same way the Warriors use Iguodala, but he doesn't mesh with Aminu or Harkless.

They'll probably use him as a secondary/tertiary ball handler (which neither Harkless or Aminu are) and defend guards

 

[tremonthustler1]

fukk em.


Can't wait for them to give Vonleh 8 figures

 

[Reggie]

They doled out to much money to too many role players and backups. Leonard Crabbe or Harkless aren't starters but they are getting contracts like they are. Maybe they will gel and someone else will take off and become a star but I wouldn't have given all this money out to average players.

 

[SchoolboyC]

So yeah...I know it's still early but they looking shaky