Game 12: Portland vs Phoenix 6:00pm Root,Root+

[The Sebastian Express]

Enjoy Dame while we have him.

That’s what I’ve been doing these past few games. I don’t have high hopes for this team, and I’m going to enjoy watching Dame while we still can in a Blazer uniform.

I don't get this attitude. Dame has said many times as this season has started he has no intention of going anywhere. I don't see the Blazers trading him. Even if Olshey gets fired. I think you're all thinking wrong if you think the Blazers blow it up before simply trying to trade CJ to get back a more balanced roster. They're not the only team struggling out of the gate.

[Moonbeam]

Enjoy Dame while we have him.

That’s what I’ve been doing these past few games. I don’t have high hopes for this team, and I’m going to enjoy watching Dame while we still can in a Blazer uniform.

I don't get this attitude. Dame has said many times as this season has started he has no intention of going anywhere. I don't see the Blazers trading him. Even if Olshey gets fired. I think you're all thinking wrong if you think the Blazers blow it up before simply trying to trade CJ to get back a more balanced roster. They're not the only team struggling out of the gate.

I guess I should clarify. I don't have high hopes for Portland not just this season but over the rest of Dame's prime with this roster. I don't think they'll trade him this season, either, perhaps especially with a new GM. But my perspective is to try to enjoy the game and Dame's play without any expectation of much success.

[monopoman]

We have a higher chance for a CJ trade if we get a new GM. The Blazers can try a few things before doing the nuclear option like OKC a few years ago and trading everyone. It's also rather blatant that the Powell trade was pretty much a replacement for CJ and yet we never did the other trade, of if Olshey tried and didn't like the offers on CJ it never happened.

This is also growing pains with a new coach, you can see that Billups while having some solid ideas on how to get a team to play overall, needs more experience with good substitutions and things like that.

[The Sebastian Express]

We have a higher chance for a CJ trade if we get a new GM. The Blazers can try a few things before doing the nuclear option like OKC a few years ago and trading everyone. It's also rather blatant that the Powell trade was pretty much a replacement for CJ and yet we never did the other trade, of if Olshey tried and didn't like the offers on CJ it never happened.

This is also growing pains with a new coach, you can see that Billups while having some solid ideas on how to get a team to play overall, needs more experience with good substitutions and things like that.

I really like the development of Ant and Nassir this year. I think they're making some great plays and being encouraged and empowered. I see a lot of things to like about this year, I just think we need for Dame's abdomen to heal, for people to get used to the new system + ball.. and whatever this reffing is, and I think we'd be really better off if CJ was traded for a solid wing. CJ has a beautiful handle. He can make crazy shots.. but he does kill the offense sometimes. I love Norm's offense. I'd love to see Norm slide down to the two and us get some size at the three.

I don't think this team will be blown up even if Olshey is fired (fingers crossed!), just we'll see CJ shopping and a trade.

[PDXKnight]

We have a higher chance for a CJ trade if we get a new GM. The Blazers can try a few things before doing the nuclear option like OKC a few years ago and trading everyone. It's also rather blatant that the Powell trade was pretty much a replacement for CJ and yet we never did the other trade, of if Olshey tried and didn't like the offers on CJ it never happened.

This is also growing pains with a new coach, you can see that Billups while having some solid ideas on how to get a team to play overall, needs more experience with good substitutions and things like that.

I really like the development of Ant and Nassir this year. I think they're making some great plays and being encouraged and empowered. I see a lot of things to like about this year, I just think we need for Dame's abdomen to heal, for people to get used to the new system + ball.. and whatever this reffing is, and I think we'd be really better off if CJ was traded for a solid wing. CJ has a beautiful handle. He can make crazy shots.. but he does kill the offense sometimes. I love Norm's offense. I'd love to see Norm slide down to the two and us get some size at the three.

I don't think this team will be blown up even if Olshey is fired (fingers crossed!), just we'll see CJ shopping and a trade.

I think cj’s value isn’t substantial and feel olshey even tried to shop him only to find the return was fairly undesirable.

[JasonStern]

I think cj’s value isn’t substantial and feel olshey even tried to shop him only to find the return was fairly undesirable.

I think CJ is more of a Simmons situation, where the GM overvalues their player at the same time that other GMs know that Olshey/Morey is the one that needs to make a move and thus have more power when it comes to negotiations. The good news for Portland is that CJ hasn't been publicly shopped around and isn't a headcase. I don't blame Olshey or Morey for not making a bad trade just to make a trade.

The other problem with trading CJ is "for who?" Tobias Harris would be great, but the 76ers are trying to move Simmons - not Harris. Simmons is high risk/high reward. If Portland doesn't massively overpay I support it just for shaking things up. But it gets tricky after that. There aren't many high quality 3-and-D wings in the league period, let alone ones being shopped, let alone ones that could be acquired by trading CJ.

I know everyone hates it, but DeRozan would be great. Flawed player, but so is C.J. Plus DDR is friends with Dame so that helps mitigate trading CJ. But Chicago doesn't want CJ, and trades have to make sense for both sides.

But it all comes back to the fact that the team is currently underperforming its talent level. Is it fit? Is it scheme? Is it not enough time to gel? Are our players just overrated? Who knows at this point? The important part is that the checks from Vulcan Inc. are still getting cashed.

I’m out on this season. I’ll be back when the team is blown up.

It would be in my best interest to do this. I have Oregon's men and womens basketball teams right there that are likeable, play hard, and continue to trend upward. The games are shorter and don't have nearly as much "made for TV" drama. And yet here I am for some reason.

But this is a likeable bunch. There isn't any single player that just irritates the hell out of me (Hezonja, Smith, Fatton, Patterson, etc.). Clancy Zeller is probably my least liked Blazer on the roster, and I don't dislike him in the slightest - I just liked Kanter more.

I don't know. At least we beat the Lakers.

[DusterBuster]

I’m out on this season. I’ll be back when the team is blown up.

It would be in my best interest to do this. I have Oregon's men and womens basketball teams right there that are likeable, play hard, and continue to trend upward. The games are shorter and don't have nearly as much "made for TV" drama. And yet here I am for some reason.

But this is a likeable bunch. There isn't any single player that just irritates the hell out of me (Hezonja, Smith, Fatton, Patterson, etc.). Clancy Zeller is probably my least liked Blazer on the roster, and I don't dislike him in the slightest - I just liked Kanter more.

I don't know. At least we beat the Lakers.

Yeah, I feel this. It seems to genuinely be a nice group - I actually like Billups enough as a young coach too... but man... this team is just stale.

This team so desperately needed a big shakeup over the summer... Even if it blew up in their face, but do just try SOMETHING new. A rerun of last year was not enough and I didn't buy all the "well this team had the leagues best advanced metrics after the trade deadline" crap. I'm sure they did... whoopty freaking do.

FWIW, Quick said that while most players are still engaged and locked in, there is one player who isn't happy or fully on-board with the new changes Billups coaching has brought. He wouldn't say who that player was, only that it wasn't Nurk when Nurk's name was brought up as a potential candidate by the show hosts. So it may not be 100% kumbaya in the lockerroom either atm.

Also, the league in general just seems a whole lot less fun lately... hasn't really been since before COVID blew up the world... maybe that's less the NBA and more just the general state of the world currently. Seems like there's been a ton more fights in the NBA so far in such a short amount of games and everyone seems like they're just in a slog. I donno... maybe that's just my SAD projecting on the game atm. Hate this time of year in the PNW lol

[JasonStern]

Also, the league in general just seems a whole lot less fun lately... hasn't really been since before COVID blew up the world... maybe that's less the NBA and more just the general state of the world currently. Seems like there's been a ton more fights in the NBA so far in such a short amount of games and everyone seems like they're just in a slog. I donno... maybe that's just my SAD projecting on the game atm. Hate this time of year in the PNW lol

The people that enjoy basketball the most are the people who don't follow it, then fill out March Madness brackets. They have no emotional investment in any team, so losses tend not to sting. But half of the teams they root for. And for two weeks or so, it's exciting. And then they go back to their lives.

The bubble was fun. Last season and this season nowhere near as much. And then you add in the Olympics. There is just an oversaturation of basketball recently.

Honestly I can't even bash Olshey's off-season, but it certainly was unexciting. Nance for DJJ+protected 1st? Solid move given DJJ's underperformance. Losing Melo and Kanter sucked, but okay, makes sense if we're going to try to play more defense - but then why lose RHJ? Barry Zeller being the big free agent signing was so boring it took over ten posts before people realized I was intentionally getting his first name wrong because I was so disinterested that I was too lazy to look it up. Snell might be the next Tolliver? DSJ and McLemore might be reclamation projects..? Greg Brown might be good someday.

Nobody watches Fast and Furious movies expecting them to break new cinematic ground or expecting a masterpiece. Nobody watches Blazers games expecting anything more than .500 ball and a 1st round out in the playoffs.

Not really going anywhere with this so I'll shut up now.