Curious to see how good or bad

[Blazers20]

This team could be if they don’t make any trades.

Starters: Ant-Sharpe-Deni-Grant-Ayton
Bench: Scoot-Matisse-Clingan

[PDXKnight]

No all star talent and they don't fit well together. I feel like even with this roster we probably win 20-30. I know that's a big range but all I'm getting at is there's a cap to our success so long as we don't have an elite player either through the draft or development

[JasonStern]

The west is too stacked for the Blazers to make any noise next season. But if they are competitive in games and the young players improve and don't look like total busts, those are positive realistic expectations. And if not, buy out everyone and higher the South Sudan team. They stole my heart as far as being way, way more competitive than I was expecting.

[Wizenheimer]

No all star talent and they don't fit well together. I feel like even with this roster we probably win 20-30. I know that's a big range but all I'm getting at is there's a cap to our success so long as we don't have an elite player either through the draft or development

I'd say the ceiling on wins is probably around 35, plus/minus 2-3 wins. That's assuming the veterans claim the majority of minutes

meaning the only significant outcome would be: after tanking hard into one of the worst drafts in a couple of decades, the Blazers would be pointlessly chasing wins and bollixing their lottery chances in one of the best drafts in a couple of decades. Typical Blazer mismanagement.

Portland absolutely should trade most of their purgatory veterans and organically tanking until they have collected some players with near-certain elite upside. They don't have any right now

[Walton1one]

You would think that Cronin knows\can see what the obvious thing to do is, right? Unfortunately, maybe not

[dunlop212]

Sharpe has all the physical talent in the world, and at times as exhibited extreme skills. I am sure that somebody explained to him that if he plays to his potential he can sign a 230 million dollar contract. That might result in something. Probably not.

[DaVoiceMaster]

This team could be if they don’t make any trades.

Starters: Ant-Sharpe-Deni-Grant-Ayton
Bench: Scoot-Matisse-Clingan

I'm not curious to see that at all. That team does nothing and the young players probably do not grow like they could if Simons, Grant, and Ayton weren't taking all the shots.

[GEE]

This team could be if they don’t make any trades.

Starters: Ant-Sharpe-Deni-Grant-Ayton
Bench: Scoot-Matisse-Clingan

I'm not curious to see that at all. That team does nothing and the young players probably do not grow like they could if Simons, Grant, and Ayton weren't taking all the shots.

I too am curious to see HOW GOOD this team can be... I have been fairly consistant in stating my reasons for my optimism:

- First, the roster has been built over the last two years by making Simons, Ayton and Grant THE major pillars to this roster, one none of us have yet to see play fully healthy, and most importantly... playing to win vs. TANKING. If all are healthy coming in, we all have seen what our guys are capable of in bursts, but not everyone together.

- The coach is the one that will make or brake us in the wins and losses column. I think Chauncey has the talent to compete next year, if our guys can play at their resective bests. Finding the right player rotations (beginning w/ the SL) and schemes that get the most out of our talent, One through Ten. We should play faster than any other team, with the depth we have:

Simons / Scoot
Thybulle / Sharpe
Grant / Deni
RW3 / Reath / Camara
Ayton / ClingOn

All I can say is... Can't wait, but again, coaching will be the determining factor IMO. For instance, I strongly believe starting Thybulle is hugely important, for balance and to compliment the scoring of both Simons and Grant, but ultimately that unit above
should not be taken lightly, and may be the talk of the NBA (like OKC) in very short time. I'll be bettin' on it.

RIP CITY!!!

[JRoy]

I can’t see this team winning 30 games.

It would be a tragedy if that happened.

This is a poorly coached team with no top end talent.

The best case scenario is POR gets some value for the vets, Sharpe, Scoot and Clingan show development and we luck into a top pick in 25.

Winning 32 games and landing the 8th pick would be a disaster.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

I think a good coach could win enough games to threaten a play-in spot with this team. We have plenty of offensive and defensive pieces that someone could utilize way better. Of course lacking top end talent we would go no where so it's a very good thing we have tank commander Billups at the helm. I mean it's maybe even low key kind of brilliant, most teams have to dump veteran talent to tank and then have to rebuild that once they are ready to compete but hey this way we can do both. /s

[Walton1one]

Yeah, but that is the fear and a possibility, POR could be better than the year before with Avdija\Clingan and health (Williams\Ant) and catch some WC teams sleeping, and you know Billuos will milk the vets for all he can, especially when he is fighting himself for a contract\likely next coaching job.

If POR falls outside the top 4 worst records, the chance to fall outside of the top 5 picks is around 60%, THAT would be disastrous.

I cannot believe Cronin cannot see this, he has to know the risk of keeping all these vets on the team, along with Billups fighting for his next coaching job. POR fate could be sealed before the trade deadline and not in a good way

[soobias]

just curious GEE, you would have all your lotto picks coming off the bench ? the #7,#3,#7 from last 3 drafts ?



Simons / Scoot
Thybulle / Sharpe
Grant / Deni
RW3 / Reath / Camara
Ayton / ClingOn



just curious is all

[DeBlazerRiddem]

I cannot believe Cronin cannot see this, he has to know the risk of keeping all these vets on the team, along with Billups fighting for his next coaching job. POR date could be sealed before the trade deadline and not in a good way

I mean we don't have to wait for the deadline to make a move, we just might not get the best deal that way. Ideally if things started trending in the wrong way (by winning too much) they would make a move before it is too late. I think dumping our vets for worse players is a deal that is always available if we want.

However I would guess that if the team started winning enough to take us out of the bottom 5 that instead of them seeing it as a problem they would cheer each other on a rousing success and expect that "internal development" is all that is needed next.

In general, I think fans give much more mind to the idea of tanking than teams really do. It's easy for us from our couches to put forth a plan to just suck for years on end, hoping and waiting for the lottery gods to turn us a favor but I think people intent on making a career out of it are pretty hesitant to do those sort of things, risking your career on a gambit. Everyone seems to think they would be the next Hinkie if given the chance and yet people who act like that rarely are given that chance. Owners want butts in seats not 5 years of misery with no guarantee on the other side.

[Norm2953]

just curious GEE, you would have all your lotto picks coming off the bench ? the #7,#3,#7 from last 3 drafts ?



Simons / Scoot
Thybulle / Sharpe
Grant / Deni
RW3 / Reath / Camara
Ayton / ClingOn



just curious is all

Those players still have to have earned their PT which was why Scoot was coming off the bench

So much of next years team will depend on the improvements in Scoot and Sharpe.

I really have less concerns about Scoot for he seems to want to be the player who was drafted
third in last years draft. With Shaedon, he's got to stay healthy and play up to his ability for
questions about his desire have dogged him since high school. He's got every incentive to play
well this season for he's extension eligible next summer.

[Norm2953]

I think a good coach could win enough games to threaten a play-in spot with this team. We have plenty of offensive and defensive pieces that someone could utilize way better. Of course lacking top end talent we would go no where so it's a very good thing we have tank commander Billups at the helm. I mean it's maybe even low key kind of brilliant, most teams have to dump veteran talent to tank and then have to rebuild that once they are ready to compete but hey this way we can do both. /s

A lot would have to happen for this Blazers team to threaten a play in spot.

Let's say TL comes back strong for Portland will be rich in bigs.

If Scoot/SS along with Ant are playing well together and Camara, Grant and Deni are also
playing well, Portland will have depth.

Portland will still be lacking in top end talent unless one of Sharpe/Scoot have really stepped up
their games

[DeBlazerRiddem]

I think a good coach could win enough games to threaten a play-in spot with this team. We have plenty of offensive and defensive pieces that someone could utilize way better. Of course lacking top end talent we would go no where so it's a very good thing we have tank commander Billups at the helm. I mean it's maybe even low key kind of brilliant, most teams have to dump veteran talent to tank and then have to rebuild that once they are ready to compete but hey this way we can do both. /s

A lot would have to happen for this Blazers team to threaten a play in spot.

Let's say TL comes back strong for Portland will be rich in bigs.

If Scoot/SS along with Ant are playing well together and Camara, Grant and Deni are also
playing well, Portland will have depth.

Portland will still be lacking in top end talent unless one of Sharpe/Scoot have really stepped up
their games

To be fair, when I said "good" I really meant "future HOF level coach"... and yeah immaculate health would be necessary as well.

[SweaterBae]

Sharpe is grossly overrated by (seemingly) most; he's a negative on both ends of the floor. He needs to take a massive leap.

[PDXKnight]

No all star talent and they don't fit well together. I feel like even with this roster we probably win 20-30. I know that's a big range but all I'm getting at is there's a cap to our success so long as we don't have an elite player either through the draft or development

I'd say the ceiling on wins is probably around 35, plus/minus 2-3 wins. That's assuming the veterans claim the majority of minutes

meaning the only significant outcome would be: after tanking hard into one of the worst drafts in a couple of decades, the Blazers would be pointlessly chasing wins and bollixing their lottery chances in one of the best drafts in a couple of decades. Typical Blazer mismanagement.

Portland absolutely should trade most of their purgatory veterans and organically tanking until they have collected some players with near-certain elite upside. They don't have any right now

Oh believe me I want the vets gone as well. We can both agree without some top end talent this team is middle of the road for awhile

[Walton1one]

The GM who plays it safe, is just as likely to be fired as the one who takes risks, the NBA is a results oriented business. Now maybe for POR the leash is longer considering ownership is absent\less involved, something Olshey took advantage of, but he found himself fired as well eventually. If Cronin is apt to play it safe, then he is not the right GM for the job

[zzaj]

After looking at the schedule, I think the Blazers are going to be very, very bad even with the vets. The first 29 games or so are mostly against very good West teams. I expect them to win 2-3 out of the first 29.

And of course the second half of the season they may have ejected a Vet or 2…AND they will be in full throttle tank mode, as they’ve shown they can excell at.

I’m going to give them 19 wins for the season, mostly because the West is so stacked. I think they’ll be in play for the worst record in the league, largely because the bad East teams have to play each other 3-4 times and somebody has to leave the arena with a W.

The Blazers are in great shape for the 2025 draft, with an inexperienced and sub-talented roster with a lame-duck head coach who isn’t very good, and a history of being fully willing to tank.

They should quite easily be drafting in the Top 5 in a top-heavy draft, which is exciting.