Portland gonna be the Pistons next season?

[breezypeezy]

Chauncey has champion DNA, it"ll shine bright in time for Portland.

[ChiTownHero1992]

IMO they're missing their "Cade" or their A-List Star.

Cade = None
Ivey = Simons/Sharpe - unfortunately neither 1 looks to be the A-Lister yet
Duren = Deni
Thompson = Scoot
Holland = Banton
Stewart = Clignan (who will likely be more like Duren next year)
Sasser = Walker

Beasley = Grant
Harris = Ayton
Hardaway = Camara
Schroeder = Murray

I am in no way stating that these guys are the same style player, or same skills, more the same roles as the team make up is similar just that Detroit has their certified Star, where as I think Portland has 2-3 guys capable (Deni, Simons, Sharpe) but no one looking to be sure fire yet

[tmorgan]

Other than both teams having a lot of young athletes, I don’t see a lot of similarities.

That said, it seems like they’re figuring things out. Getting rid of Jerami is gonna be a challenge. That’s actually the biggest difference between the teams right now — Detroit bottomed out and reset so hard that they have no bloated salaries on the entire roster. Portland never got that bad, but still has Grant and Ayton to deal with for now.

[Tracymcgoaty]

I dont mean in the team makeup. More in how the pistons made a jump from last season to this.

[tmorgan]

I dont mean in the team makeup. More in how the pistons made a jump from last season to this.

I got that. I meant in terms of avenues for future improvement. The Pistons got better for three reasons:

1) Internal improvement from rookie contract players. Portland can definitely do this.
2) A huge coaching upgrade from that fraud Monty Williams. I hope Portland doesn’t do this, as Chauncey seems to be learning.
3) Signing vet shooters to solve the spacing issues. Portland can’t do this without serious maneuvering, but they also have a lot more shooting than Detroit did last year, so it probably doesn’t matter.

I see no reason why Portland can’t be a playoff team next year, but using the money they have invested in Grant and Ayton (any others? Williams?) in a more productive fashion would help.

[-Spyda-]

IMO they're missing their "Cade" or their A-List Star.

Cade = None
Ivey = Simons/Sharpe - unfortunately neither 1 looks to be the A-Lister yet
Duren = Deni
Thompson = Scoot
Holland = Banton
Stewart = Clignan (who will likely be more like Duren next year)
Sasser = Walker

Beasley = Grant
Harris = Ayton
Hardaway = Camara
Schroeder = Murray

I am in no way stating that these guys are the same style player, or same skills, more the same roles as the team make up is similar just that Detroit has their certified Star, where as I think Portland has 2-3 guys capable (Deni, Simons, Sharpe) but no one looking to be sure fire yet

Deni better then all these players except Cade

[dballislife]

who gonna be their cade though

[MrBigShot]

They are missing a guy of Cade's caliber. Chauncey has done a terrific job with them...that roster is playing well above the sum of the parts.

[baldur]

watch out chicago too. buzelis giddey and a top draft pick could be a good core.

[Edrees]

Portland would already be this year's Pistons if they were in the east. Teams are about equal, one just has a better record from being in the east. Portland is 15-9 against the east, which would make them about where the Pistons are simply if they played more east teams and less west teams. Teams are almost exactly equally as good as each other NOW.

[Ssj16]

Gonna give Portland some love man. Im watching them more and more lately and they're a damn fun team to watch. Feels like all they are lacking is a legit tier 1 type player to make them legit.

Although i will say Deni is playing some great basketball lately. Feels like he's finally arrived as a player with the blazers.

So where do we have them next season? Feels like West is once again trending towards a damn bloodbath and i feel Blazers will easily be in the mix of it.

OKC
Denver
Lakers
Clippers
Grizz
Houston
GSW
Spurs
Trailblazers
Wolves
Kings

Dude all of these teams are dangerous. Im not saying all of these teams are contenders but barring injuries none of these teams are an easy out.

Well, and if NOP or Utah win Flagg or Harper, I also see them getting on track sooner than later. Feel like both intentionally poured gasoline on their tanks and drove them off a cliff this season. Both have all-star PFs and rather decent depth charts (and trade assets).

It’s a stacked conference, that’s for sure. There are always 2-4 super losers due to injuries and coveted prospects. They’ll emerge after the draft, summer trades and October injury report. I sense major shake ups.

Once again, the West is just stupid scary. When they do the expansion, they definitely should move 2 current west teams to the east conference since the west will most likely be injected with 2 west teams in Seattle and Las Vegas.

[Mr Peanut]

Portland are a good up and coming team but I don't think the Pistons analogy works. Portland have shown a lot of promise this season whereas Pistons looked absolutely terrible right up until game 82 last season.

A more accurate analogy would be if the Wizards or Hornets suddenly vaulted into the top 6 in the East next year (which I really can't see happening, but no one saw the Pistons doing it this year either).

[chilluminati]

They'd need to see a few of their young guys really hit their stride and develop a bit faster than we expect. Scoot is pretty far away from the improvements Cade made from 23-24 to 24-25. Unless Sharpe, Simons, or someone else steps up and becomes their star, I'd think it'll take a little bit longer.

It's coming, I just don't think it's gonna be right away next season. Like the Magic last season, and the Pistons this season, it can be credited to a stars emergence on the scene with the correct role players and spacing around them.

[DusterBuster]

Who's their star player? They'd be more like a poor man's Houston, winning with depth.

Because no FA's come to Portland, they aren't bad enough for a high draft pick and they don't seem poised to make a big trade, they basically have to hope their star player is currently on the roster and can develop into that internally. It's their only hope for it.

Deni or Sharpe are the only real options to potentially develop into a star player, Deni the more likely of the two imo.

[Chi town]

Pistons sucked last season, not a good comp IMO.

Deni looks like has arrived as a Star player. Camara is an elite defender. Ayton/Clingan is a good center rotation. Simmons is a good scorer.

If Henderson and/or Sharpe make another leap they are going to be dangerous next season.

Blazers are a fun watch. Deni is their engine. Their future is tied to Scoot and Sharpe improving and I think they will.

I see the Blazers in the playoffs next season. Happy for Chauncey. Wanted him to succeed.

What they need most is a vet PG to mentor Scoot and helps winning. CP3 would have been perfect for them.

[wegotthabeet]

IMO they're missing their "Cade" or their A-List Star.

Cade = None
Ivey = Simons/Sharpe - unfortunately neither 1 looks to be the A-Lister yet
Duren = Deni
Thompson = Scoot
Holland = Banton
Stewart = Clignan (who will likely be more like Duren next year)
Sasser = Walker

Beasley = Grant
Harris = Ayton
Hardaway = Camara
Schroeder = Murray

I am in no way stating that these guys are the same style player, or same skills, more the same roles as the team make up is similar just that Detroit has their certified Star, where as I think Portland has 2-3 guys capable (Deni, Simons, Sharpe) but no one looking to be sure fire yet

Someone needs to make Cade like leap next year. Cade was pretty trash his first three years so it’s possible.

[magee]

Chauncey has champion DNA, it"ll shine bright in time for Portland.

Have you watched his coaching decisions while being a Head Coach? It's meshing because he's finally letting the players play.

[magee]

They need to build around Deni Avdija. He's become that important.

They are in the Orlando realm for me. Getting their team identity together yet clearly missing something to bind everything together.

[playoffs]

Portland would already be this year's Pistons if they were in the east. Teams are about equal, one just has a better record from being in the east. Portland is 15-9 against the east, which would make them about where the Pistons are simply if they played more east teams and less west teams. Teams are almost exactly equally as good as each other NOW.

Exactly this. People look at their record and don't watch them and just assume that they are a bad team that's progressing toward being a mediocre team. But in reality they have already flipped the switch and become a pretty good team. No, they are not as good as Boston or Cleveland or OKC, but they haven't lost to a sub-500 team since mid-January, have beaten multiple playoff teams, and have been consistently competitive even in losses. This team as is, if you restarted the season today, would be a solid playoff team in the west.

[Pattycakes]

Scoot, Sharpe, Ayton, Deni, and Simons is a good group. They are on the verge of breaking out a play in W and getting playoff experience would do a lot for them. They are going to be better next year.

The treadmill team thing is a problem but considering how young they are they shouldn't be stuck in no man's land. The concern is their ceiling. I could see Sharpe being a no.1 option if he develops further. They can also get lucky and get into the top 4 of the draft this year.

You’re missing the best defender in the league bruh, and respectfully Simons is a crutch in our side. Swap the two