Portland..

[HarlemHeat37]

so I hear good things about this Fernandez guy that is coming down next year..everybody obviously knows about Oden..Roy and Aldridge should continue to improve..this is a team that just came off a surprisingly good season..

so what are the expectations for next year? what would be considered a success/failure?..

[Don Draper]

so I hear good things about this Fernandez guy that is coming down next year..everybody obviously knows about Oden..Roy and Aldridge should continue to improve..this is a team that just came off a surprisingly good season..

so what are the expectations for next year? what would be considered a success/failure?..

If Oden is healthy, I see them as a 6th seed. I seriously think SA will struggle next year, they can be better than the Denver Tattoos, GS, and possibly (but not probably) Phoenix.

Of course we have to see what happens with trades, the draft, and free agency.

[wilt]

Basically they add a 1st pick and another (high) lottery pick had both been in this years draft, so there

[TBpup]

Just making the playoffs when it took 50 wins just to get in would be an accomplishment. Combine the schedule with the fact that their core rotation players are for the most part all 25 and under and they still have a lot to learn.

Oden - 20
Aldridge - 22
Outlaw - 24
Roy - 24
Rudy? - 21

That is a very young lineup to be able to compete night after night no matter how talented they are.

[massey1992]

It all depends on Oden if he plays as good as everyone hyped him up. I personnally think they will be the number 5 seed in the west next season.

[dockingsched]

a successful season for them should be to simply stay relatively healthy. even at full health they might not make the playoffs.

[HumbleBumbleBee]

I still think the west is/will be to deep for them. I'd like to see them make a move to get some vets in the mix...or it could be Chicago (this season) all over again.

[HMFFL]

Well, my biggest concern is if Oden can stay healthy, and if he can run with the West teams. It's going to be very difficult for his body to stay together running with his opponents for the length of the season. Theres no reason for the team to push him over his limits with the size and depth they have. If they can stay healthy I believe the 8th seed is it for them unless they can beat out Utah for the division.

[10scott10]

they are a good team set up for a very long time, but other people have echoed my beliefs. it is all about how healthy oden is and how good his game is. He didn't really dominate college even with his height and athletics, but then again that could have been do to coming off of the injury. but he is now coming off of an injury.

however, with how deep the west is, even a very good team could still miss the play-offs.

[A.J.]

I really this Blazers team. If they were in the East they would be instant playoff contenders. In the West this season, they will make the playoffs as a 7 or 8th seed.

[Spykes]

I think it's a bit too early to have any expectations for this Blazer team yet.

After draft night, I think we'll all have a clearer picture of what we might be able to expect out of them.

A lot definitely will depend on the health of the team, but the same can be said for every single team in the league. The nice thing is how much depth the Blazers have.

[Minge]

I think Portland still needs a change of pace point guard.

Target a Mike Conley from Memphis. (Webster and #13)

PG Mike Conley / Steve Blake / Jarrett Jack
SG Brandon Roy / Rudy Frenandez
SF Travis Outlaw / James Jones
PF LaMarcus Aldridge / Channing Frye
C Greg Oden / Joel Przybilla / Josh McRoberts

I think the team can win 50 games to make the playoffs.

[ChrisTheFuturePaul]

I think Portland still needs a change of pace point guard.

Target a Mike Conley from Memphis. (Webster and #13)

PG Mike Conley / Steve Blake / Jarrett Jack
SG Brandon Roy / Rudy Frenandez
SF Travis Outlaw / James Jones
PF LaMarcus Aldridge / Channing Frye
C Greg Oden / Joel Przybilla / Josh McRoberts

I think the team can win 50 games to make the playoffs.

It'd be great for them to land Conley, not sure if Memphis would let him go that easily though. I think Charles Barkley said it best early last season "Beat this team now because in a couple years theres no way you'll beat em" or words to that effect.

Oden is unproven so far, I'm not buying the hype about this draft class, I think they should trade out. I wouldnt be surprised if they only improved on last years record 4 or 5 games, but the year after, dominate.

[BROWN]

If they stay healthy, i expect close to 40 wins, no playoffs...
there still young and they got lukcy

[A.J.]

I think Portland still needs a change of pace point guard.

Target a Mike Conley from Memphis. (Webster and #13)

PG Mike Conley / Steve Blake / Jarrett Jack
SG Brandon Roy / Rudy Frenandez
SF Travis Outlaw / James Jones
PF LaMarcus Aldridge / Channing Frye
C Greg Oden / Joel Przybilla / Josh McRoberts

I think the team can win 50 games to make the playoffs.

I don't think the Grizzlies would give up on Conley just yet. Maybe the Blazers should keep the pick and just draft D.J. Augustin.

[Jugs]

If they stay healthy, i expect close to 40 wins, no playoffs...
there still young and they got lukcy

so they are going to regress?

[carrottop12]

They will be the New Orleans Hornets of 2009, just like the Hornets were the 2007 Jazz of 2008, like the Jazz were the 2006 Suns of 2007.

[farzi]

If everyone's healthy through the majority of the season I could easily see a 45-50 win season (4-9 games better than this past season)

SAS, DAL, PHX, DEN will all regress next season as well I think, and we're basically adding what would be the number 1 overall pick this year (Oden), arguably the best player in Europe right now who would most likely be a very high lotto pick (Fernandez) and have the number 13, which may or may not be traded along with a few other young players to get a vet / upgrade at one of 2 positions.

Even if no trades are made, we're adding talent and not losing any unless Jones opts out (wouldn't hurt too bad if he did, just more minutes for Webster/Outlaw).

If we don't atleast get the 8th seed it'll be a disappointment, assuming decent health

[Spykes]

I don't think the Grizzlies would give up on Conley just yet. Maybe the Blazers should keep the pick and just draft D.J. Augustin.

After a decade or so of 6'0" and under PG's, I don't think the Blazers are anxious to revisit that.

I'm sure Augustin is a nice player and I wouldn't be totally upset if they did take him at #13 (assuming no deal could be made), but I think he's FAR from the Blazers answer at PG.

[BiggieSmalls]

i say the blazers go 54-28, oden and rudy will account for 7-10 more wins alone. there were alot of games last year where portland was missing an oden and they ended up losing a close game due to inexperience and lack of depth in the frontcourt. i think the blazers might have a chance to make the playoffs as a 4 seed due to them winning there division. i know they must dethron utahs 2 year stint as div champ but that is where oden and rudy come in and make the difference for them winning the division. we did beat utah 3 0f 4 last year, and split with denver, and detroit and LAL and we beat NOH twice if im not mistaken, they also split with dallas and GSW, its the weaker teams, cuz it seemed like portland played down to there opponents when they were favored in a game, and SAS and PHX that have been giving the blazers significant problems over the past years but with oden and rudy to counter duncan/shaq and ginobili/barbosa. that is why portland will have homecourt in the first round of the playoffs, beat the 5 seed spurs and lose in the second round to the lakers in 7 games only losing because we didnt have homecourt.