What are YOU looking for to close out the ‘24-25 season?

[Walton1one]

Again, Cronin is viewed by his peers as one of the worst GM's in the NBA.

A perfect scenario would be new ownership, yes, I would take the unknown over this crap show.

The longer Cronin is GM, the longer this team is going nowhere. and fire Billups (they won't), because he does not care about the long term vision needed for this team to excel, he only cares about trying to win now, and will ride middling vets and try to make a play in, which serves absolutely no purpose, because if he can make the play in, if\when he is let go he can point that out on his resume and make himself appear to be a better coach than he really is. He could care less that in the "big picture" it sets this team back more than it propels it forward, same sentiment that many naive fans will cling to as well.

But regardless the losses are coming in March, @ CLE, @ BOS, @ OKC, DET @ home, @ a resurging GS, NY\MEM\DEN\BOS\CLE at home, @ SAC & @ NY

Then to close out the season in April: @ ATL & @ TOR, ending with GS\LAL @ home

That is 16 potential losses out of 25 games remaining, and yes they could certainly win a few of them, but a significant enough number to catch other teams? I doubt it, and that is assuming they sweep the (9) easy games, starting with tonight, @ UTA, @ WAS, @ BRK, @ Philly, beating TOR & WAS at home, @ CHI, @ UTA and SA at home.

Even if they play at their pace over the last 10 games, (66% win) they would need to win 16-17 of their remaining games to have a chance to pass SAC who is sitting in the 10th spot with 28 losses and SAC would have to go 11-15

All they are doing is assuring themselves of a lower draft pick, which they seemingly don't care about.

[JasonStern]

GLBs.

[Walton1one]

This quest for the play-in that Billups (and I assume Cronin) are hell bent on is one of the stupidest endeavors I have seen a POR franchise do in a long time.

It is going to fail, even if they make it (very unlikely) they will most likely lose one of the 2 play in games, they would need to play just to GET to #8. Even if they win both, they will get destroyed by OKC and lose their pick to CHI for good measure. Just an absolutely idiotic organization.

Just for reference, so far this year:

Against the teams currently projected in the playoffs (1-8) - POR has a record of 5-17
Against the teams currently vying for the play in (DAL\SAC\PHX\SA, respectively 9/10/11/13) - POR has a record of 5-9

POR has (24) games remaining

POR has SIX games remaining against WC playoff teams: OKC, MEM, DEN, LAL & (2) vs GS
POR has TWO games remaining against WC play-in teams: SAC & SA

In addition, POR has (7) games remaining, SIX of which are the top 3 seeds in the eastern conference: 2 each vs, CLE (#1), BOS (#2) & NY (#3) and (1) vs DET whom they are 0-1 versus.

So 15 of the remaining 24 games are either against WC playoff teams which they have a poor record against
OKC, they are 0-3
MEM. they are 0-2
DEN, they are 1-2
LAL, they are 0-3
GS, they are 0-1, they will have to face GS twice who are surging right now (7-3 over last 10)

and (7) vs top EC teams, home\home with CLE (15-3 vs WC teams, 9-1 over last 10 games), BOS (11-7 vs WC teams, 9-1 over last 10 games) & NY (11-7 vs WC teams, 6-4 over last 10 games) & DET @ home(10-6 vs WC teams, 8-2 over last 10 games)

They have SA (0-3 versus) at home & SAC (2-1 versus) away

They are 5 losses behind the current #10 team, SAC (5-5 over last 10).

How many of those 15 games are they winning? 3? 4? 5? and that is assuming that they will win all 9 of the "gimmie" games, even though 7 of those 9 games are on the road. That would make them 14 & 10 over the remaining 24 games, still not enough to overcome a SAC team that is playing .500 ball

and even if they did, what is the point? There is none.

[JasonStern]

This quest for the play-in that Billups (and I assume Cronin) are hell bent on is one of the stupidest endeavors I have seen a POR franchise do in a long time.

It is going to fail, even if they make it (very unlikely) they will most likely lose one of the 2 play in games, they would need to play just to GET to #8. Even if they win both, they will get destroyed by OKC and lose their pick to CHI for good measure. Just an absolutely idiotic organization.

I am fine if we make the play-in. Less fine if we actually win the play-in and lose the pick. But fine making the play-in.

The Blazers likely played themselves out of any chance of a top 3 pick. So, then you look at the middle of the draft. And what do you have? Mostly guards. Outside of Flagg (not happening) and McNeeley, none of the top ten projected picks aren't guards. And we know Billups will play Simons over that guard. So, another development project, rebuild season, and a "trade Clingan!" thread.

At that point, I'd at least consider trading the pick - depending on who is available. Or moving down. Maybe consolidate OKC's two 1sts for ours. More chances to find a gem. But those types of moves tend to depend on who is available when the pick conveys.

Plus, making the play-in at least indicates some hope in the younger players in our roster.

[Walton1one]

This quest for the play-in that Billups (and I assume Cronin) are hell bent on is one of the stupidest endeavors I have seen a POR franchise do in a long time.

It is going to fail, even if they make it (very unlikely) they will most likely lose one of the 2 play in games, they would need to play just to GET to #8. Even if they win both, they will get destroyed by OKC and lose their pick to CHI for good measure. Just an absolutely idiotic organization.

I am fine if we make the play-in. Less fine if we actually win the play-in and lose the pick. But fine making the play-in.

The Blazers likely played themselves out of any chance of a top 3 pick. So, then you look at the middle of the draft. And what do you have? Mostly guards. Outside of Flagg (not happening) and McNeeley, none of the top ten projected picks aren't guards. And we know Billups will play Simons over that guard. So, another development project, rebuild season, and a "trade Clingan!" thread.

At that point, I'd at least consider trading the pick - depending on who is available. Or moving down. Maybe consolidate OKC's two 1sts for ours. More chances to find a gem. But those types of moves tend to depend on who is available when the pick conveys.

Plus, making the play-in at least indicates some hope in the younger players in our roster.

I suspect, given Cronin's apparent apathy about the draft\POR position in it, that this is exactly what he intends to do, but not for (2) picks farther down the 1st round, but for a player already on an NBA roster, and I would not put it past Neil...err...Joe to keep all of Siimons\Grant\Ayton and then trade away a couple of the young guys not named Deni\Camara to get a young player or even reach for a star level player from another team.

Booker seems like a good candidate if rumors of Durant\PHX parting ways are to be believed. A deal with HOU in the offseason (they own some PHX picks) for picks\young players and then with a team like POR (for picks\players) could turn around PHX pretty quick

I think finding players that Schmitz was high on in previous drafts could potentially be worth knowing.

[Case2012]

Yeah Mike seems to target players he interviewed or profiled before joining with the blazers. My guess would be Suggs.. Simons and the 10th for Suggs and the 16th would be ideal and we can take Fleming there. However that doesnt solve the logjam at the 1/2... I still have a suspicion that Zion is the target after rumors of going after him surfaced before we traded Dame and we've made trades with NO before.

[RTG HD]

I am looking for that announcement of new ownership that wants to stay in Portland and build something here with new management.

[zzaj]

Yeah Mike seems to target players he interviewed or profiled before joining with the blazers. My guess would be Suggs.. Simons and the 10th for Suggs and the 16th would be ideal and we can take Fleming there. However that doesnt solve the logjam at the 1/2... I still have a suspicion that Zion is the target after rumors of going after him surfaced before we traded Dame and we've made trades with NO before.

Please, PLEASE, talk me off the 'Olshey is going to give up any and everything for Durant' ledge that I'm currently on...

[Walton1one]

Yeah Mike seems to target players he interviewed or profiled before joining with the blazers. My guess would be Suggs.. Simons and the 10th for Suggs and the 16th would be ideal and we can take Fleming there. However that doesnt solve the logjam at the 1/2... I still have a suspicion that Zion is the target after rumors of going after him surfaced before we traded Dame and we've made trades with NO before.

Please, PLEASE, talk me off the 'Olshey is going to give up any and everything for Durant' ledge that I'm currently on...

I don't think it would be for Durant. But for Zion\Booker\Haliburton\Barrett? I would not be surprised. Good news is that I am not convinced any of those players are available, outside of potentially Zion, so yeah, that might be worth worrying about.

[Walton1one]

The Portland Trail Blazers earn the final nod over the San Antonio Spurs. It is not an easy call.

Victor Wembanyama is done for the season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. His absence nukes any chance the Spurs have of party-crashing the play-in and playoff pictures.

Still, four losses separate San Antonio from the next spot down in the standings. It is not negating that kind of ground. With only one of the teams in the same vicinity (these Blazers) looming as tanking candidates, the Spurs are better served gleaning more information about how De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan can all fit together—or at least within the same rotation.

For Portland's part, there is prospective meaning in attempting to prolong its hot streak. The Blazers are comfortably above .500 with a top-five defense since Jan. 1, and this success is being driven by players who matter to the long-term program. If they believe Scoot Henderson can be The Guy moving forward, prioritizing better lottery odds isn't nearly as high-stakes for them as others.

At the same time, Portland has wiggle room to lean further into the youth movement. And while it already employs a quartet of high-end sub-25-year-olds in Henderson, Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan and Shaedon Sharpe, it can't guarantee any of them are certified tentpoles.

Bites at the building-block apple must continue to take precedence. Even if it's a matter of just detaching themselves from the San Antonio-Atlanta-Orlando-Phoenix gaggle, the Blazers are better off treading water or marginally increasing their chances at a top-four pick.

Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky (@danfavale), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes.

Pretty much sums up what many here have been lamenting, stop chasing the stupid play in, embrace the tank and try and secure the best odds you can to get a top 4 pick

I think the chances @ #10 of top 4 pick are like 13%

@ #8, that chance is 26%

[Walton1one]

Read on Twitter

/history

POR plays (3) of these teams (+ Denver) over the next 5 games. Of course, it might matter if those teams bother to play their best players against POR, as most teams have opted not to, then again, it might not.

[JasonStern]

Pretty much sums up what many here have been lamenting, stop chasing the stupid play in, embrace the tank and try and secure the best odds you can to get a top 4 pick

It all depends on how they go about chasing the play-in.
If Deni/Sharpe/Scoot/Camara/Clingan lead us to the play in, that is awesome. That is a sign that our young players are developing.
If Grant/Ayton/Simons chuck us to just missing the play in, then nothing of value was achieved. Ayton/Simons aren't even going to be playing their best hero ball until next season's contract year. Likely the same with Thybulle and Timelord, although I don't view either as chuckers.

[zzaj]

Pretty much sums up what many here have been lamenting, stop chasing the stupid play in, embrace the tank and try and secure the best odds you can to get a top 4 pick

It all depends on how they go about chasing the play-in.
If Deni/Sharpe/Scoot/Camara/Clingan lead us to the play in, that is awesome. That is a sign that our young players are developing.
If Grant/Ayton/Simons chuck us to just missing the play in, then nothing of value was achieved. Ayton/Simons aren't even going to be playing their best hero ball until next season's contract year. Likely the same with Thybulle and Timelord, although I don't view either as chuckers.

While I agree, I'd love to see that lineup which has barely played this season...pinning Simons' and Grant's asses firmly to the bench...the dmg is already done.

Simons or Ayton led the Blazers in 7 games of the 10:11 streak.

Simons led the Blazers in 3 of the recent 5:6 streak.

Between Simons, Grant and Ayton, they've led the team in scoring in 19 of Portland's 29 wins. Now, it's not a perfect science obviously, I wouldn't think the Blazers only have 10 wins if those 3 were playing elsewhere...but it's pretty fair to guess that the Blazers would be competing with Utah and Washington right now with 15 wins if those 3 weren't on the team.

Personally, I'd much rather have had a whole season of the lineup you mentioned and be competing for Flagg to add to that lineup. At least 2 of those vets should have been moved by any means necessary prior to this season.

But it's water under the bridge. The Blazers won't make the play-in, and the Blazers won't get a Top 10 pick in this draft.

[JasonStern]

While I agree, I'd love to see that lineup which has barely played this season...pinning Simons' and Grant's asses firmly to the bench...the dmg is already done.

Simons or Ayton led the Blazers in 7 games of the 10:11 streak.

Simons led the Blazers in 3 of the recent 5:6 streak.

Between Simons, Grant and Ayton, they've led the team in scoring in 19 of Portland's 29 wins. Now, it's not a perfect science obviously, I wouldn't think the Blazers only have 10 wins if those 3 were playing elsewhere...but it's pretty fair to guess that the Blazers would be competing with Utah and Washington right now with 15 wins if those 3 weren't on the team.

Personally, I'd much rather have had a whole season of the lineup you mentioned and be competing for Flagg to add to that lineup. At least 2 of those vets should have been moved by any means necessary prior to this season.

But it's water under the bridge. The Blazers won't make the play-in, and the Blazers won't get a Top 10 pick in this draft.

I'm not anti-Simons or anti-Ayton. I'm anti-Simons and anti-Ayton on their current contracts. Simons is 25. Ayton is 26. They're perfectly young enough to be a part of a rebuild. Just not at 2x-3x the full MLE. That's how teams enter cap hell.

Grant, though. I like the guy. But he's aged well out of this roster while taking a significant amount of the cap for several seasons. I think this was an ego move, as Cronin overpaid to retain Grant to not look foolish giving up a projected late 1st for a rental of a player (ala Afflalo). But, with Dame demanding a trade, retaining Grant made zero sense. As now, to save face for using a future asset, you're going to hinder your team's cap space, potentially leading to losing more future assets to get out of the contract now, before his athleticism fades and he's untradeable.

The time to trade for Grant (presuming this was the way) was when we still had Dame and CJ, instead of trading a future 1st for Larry Nance Jr. We'd be 30th in defense. But, at least the offense would have a strong chance of being fun.