RealGM

and you were guaranteed that you would win the lottery as long as you lose every single game in the rest of the season, would you start tanking immediately?

NEXT YEAR'S BLAZERS
Rose
Roy
Webster
Aldridge
Oden

No, there's a little thing called confidence. Plus they'll get a decent pick even if they miss the playoffs.

Taiwan Killa wrote:No, there's a little thing called confidence. Plus they'll get a decent pick even if they miss the playoffs.

LOL I think you meant "pride"

Heck yes I would.

Don't forget they'll have cap room for a max player the next season.

You're talking about a team with 6 potential All Stars.

Friend_Of_Haley wrote:Heck yes I would.

Don't forget they'll have cap room for a max player the next season.

You're talking about a team with 6 potential All Stars.

Oden
LMA
Roy
#1 pick
Fernandez

I count 5

Outlaw I think

Hell no. They have enough players and them getting to the playoffs would be a huge boost in confidence for next year.

Momentum next year is overrated because they are going to have to learn to be a team all over again anyway when they get Oden.

Their future could be even more ridiculous if they had a top 4 pick.


Now I bet the Sonics catch up to them when they get Rose/Beasley/Jordan

you can ask this question for any non-contender team.

kooldude wrote:you can ask this question for any non-contender team.

Yeah but how many non-contenders are as young as Portland.

If any team can afford to have a bad season it's the youngest team in the NBA.

Many see them as a pleasant surprise but in the back of my mind Im thinking of how much scarier they could be if they had a top 5-10 pick on top of this young core.


Maybe it's good for the rest of the league that they won't get one.

Sergio Rodriguez
Brandon Roy
Donte Greene
LaMarcus Aldridge
Greg Oden


OR

Derrick Rose/OJ Mayo
Brandon Roy
Webster
LaMarcus Aldridge
Greg Oden

^Atlanta, Seattle, Chicago, Memphis, Phila

There's only a year difference between them.

J~Rush wrote:-= original quote snipped =-




Oden
LMA
Roy
#1 pick
Fernandez

I count 5

They'll have money for a max or near max player in '09, although I guess they might opt not to use it.

J~Rush wrote:-= original quote snipped =-




Oden
LMA
Roy
#1 pick
Fernandez

I count 5

Fernandez isn't even close to a potential all-star. He is the 3rd PG right now. I highly doubt he becomes better than a guy like Devin Harris, much less Paul, Williams, or Parker, who all are all-star contenders for the next 10 years at PG.

Eff tanking... I believe in karma and that happened to the Celtics when they thought that they'd get Oden or Durant... Experience is invaluable and even if the Blazers get swept in the first round, the players obtain great experience by playing a better team and having something to shoot for the following season which is to go deeper into the playoffs... Based on talent and potential, the Blazers can rival the Lakers in the long run as long as Oden is healthy and everyone else is still growing on the court. (Roy, Aldridge, Outlaw, Fernandez, Jack)

RagingBull wrote:Eff tanking... I believe in karma and that happened to the Celtics when they thought that they'd get Oden or Durant... Experience is invaluable and even if the Blazers get swept in the first round, the players obtain great experience by playing a better team and having something to shoot for the following season which is to go deeper into the playoffs... Based on talent and potential, the Blazers can rival the Lakers in the long run as long as Oden is healthy and everyone else is still growing on the court. (Roy, Aldridge, Outlaw, Fernandez, Jack)

I'd usually agree, but the O.P. just guaranteed me Rose or Beasley under the hypothetical premise of the thread.

Eff that, all the karma in the world wouldn't ruin that.

While this doesn't really answer the OP's question, regardless of if Portland makes or misses the playoffs, I'll be a happy Blazer fan.

If we make the playoffs, our young team gets some valuable experience.

If we miss the playoffs, even by just a little bit, we'll have a lotto pick in a draft that has a lot of players we could use. This draft is really heavy with scoring PG's and SF's. If the Blazers end up in the 10-14 pick range, they'll have a good chance to either grab one that drops or trade up and grab one.

Either way, the Blazers are in a good position.

Making the playoffs is huge for a young team. It gives them valuable experience later on so they can win the title when they are older. Loosing doesn't help you win a title.

I WANT WINS

We've already totally clowned everyone at the whole lottery thing this last two years so it's time to start clowning everyone in games.

Buckeye-NBAFan wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Fernandez isn't even close to a potential all-star. He is the 3rd PG right now. I highly doubt he becomes better than a guy like Devin Harris, much less Paul, Williams, or Parker, who all are all-star contenders for the next 10 years at PG.

he's not a pg, dunno why the original poster thinks he's a potential all-star when he hasn't even step foot in the nba yet, but he is prob one of the best young player in europe

Friend_Of_Haley wrote:Heck yes I would.

Don't forget they'll have cap room for a max player the next season.

You're talking about a team with 6 potential All Stars.

Of course if they actually go after a max player they will not be able to resign all trheir young talent in a couple years, so by all means Portland, go sign your Ben Wallace. It worked out so well for Chicago.