Portland..

[Collie]

He only averaged 2.7 fouls per game in college. this whole massive foul trouble thing is way overblown.

The whole NCAA tournament was a joke for big men... most of the calls on Oden were BS, and could possibly be attributed to refs not used to such physicality from such a big man. The NBA is more used to it, and will allow him to operate more on the inside.

[thegreatblaze]

He only averaged 2.7 fouls per game in college. this whole massive foul trouble thing is way overblown.

The whole NCAA tournament was a joke for big men... most of the calls on Oden were BS, and could possibly be attributed to refs not used to such physicality from such a big man. The NBA is more used to it, and will allow him to operate more on the inside.

Totally agree, and college ball is way more guard oriented anyway. It's very difficult to judge a big man in college. He played very well as it is. He averaged 16/10/3 with essentially only one hand in a mere 28 MPG a night, they hardly ran any plays for him either. And like the guy said above, his Frosh numbers are better than Shaq's, Duncan's, Hakeem's, Ewing's, Robinson's, Mourning's etc....

He played very well considering the circumstances.

[CBS7]

The "they are a future dynasty" talk may be a bit premature, but when people say that, I think most of them do mean out of the younger teams, they have the best shot at becoming a dynasty, and I won't disagree with that.

[wfiles]

Weren't the Bulls suppose to be a future dynasty also with last year's playoff run? Portland hasn't even made the playoffs yet and we're talking about them being a dynasty.

[thegreatblaze]

Weren't the Bulls suppose to be a future dynasty also with last year's playoff run? Portland hasn't even made the playoffs yet and we're talking about them being a dynasty.

Who's calling them a dynasty? No Blazer fans. But as the guy above said, Blazers probably have the best chance of any young team. Oden-Roy-LMA is a better core than what the Bulls had in years past.

People on this site are ridiculous.

[CBS7]

Weren't the Bulls suppose to be a future dynasty also with last year's playoff run? Portland hasn't even made the playoffs yet and we're talking about them being a dynasty.

I don't remember people saying they were a future dynasty, just the team with the brightest future.

[conleyorbust]

Weren't the Bulls suppose to be a future dynasty also with last year's playoff run? Portland hasn't even made the playoffs yet and we're talking about them being a dynasty.

Who's calling them a dynasty? No Blazer fans. But as the guy above said, Blazers probably have the best chance of any young team. Oden-Roy-LMA is a better core than what the Bulls had in years past.

People on this site are ridiculous.

True that.

Plus, the "hasn't made the playoffs yet" argument was the same one used to explain why Boston wasn't a title contender earlier in the year.

[conleyorbust]

Oden couldn't stay out of foul trouble IN COLLEGE. He's going to take some time to get used to this level.

Oden is more promising than any Hawk, bar none.

Brandon Roy is more promising than any Hawk IMO.

LaMarcus Aldridge is right there with them.

Then Outlaw, Rodriguez, Fernandez, McRoberts.... any of those guys could develop into something special. the number 12 pick?

The Hawks two most promising players IMO, both play best at the 4(Smith and Horford). Smith IMO is the only one with more upside than anyone not named Oden, and he's just not an intelligent player, so I wouldn't expect some huge leap into stardom.

The Blazers have more talent, their more talented players are younger, they play more important roles, and the pieces fit together better.[/quote]

I'm a Hawks homer and I have to agree that we don't touch them. I'd take Smith over Aldridge any day of the week and Roy and Johnson are roughly equal but the Blazers have a franchise center prospect and depth that our Hawks could never dream of.

The only way we get close is if Smith blows up.

[Scalabrine]

I think they overachieved alot this season, if it werent for that 12(?) game winning streak they wouldnt have had that much hype going into next season. That being said if i could choose any team to become the GM of they would be it. They have an owner that has proven he will pay for a good team, they have a former ROY who just made the all star team (maybe undeservedly but he still made it), and they have two big men that compliment eachother and will both be all stars in the future, two european players (one that just won MVP in Europe) that both look promising, and then great role players with a mix of shooters (Webster, Frye, LaFrentz), scorers (Jack, Outlaw) and great hustlers and glue guys (Blake, Pryzbilla, McRoberts). Then they have the 13th pick overall and a few second round picks, this team if managed right will be set for years. They dont really have any untradeable/bad contracts either, and after this season the contracts of Steve Francis and Raef LaFrentz come off the books giving them a little over $30 million dollars in cap relief and they will likely get injury insurance on Darius Miles which would give them even more money to extend the players they want to keep. This team is set.

Blake/Jack/Rodriguez
Roy/Fernandez/Jones
Webster/Outlaw/Jones
Alrdrdge/Frye/McRoberts
Oden/Pryzbilla/LaFrentz
13th Overall Pick, 33rd pick, 36th pick.
Bold = Under 28

[ilikecb4]

man the blazers are young , athletic and good


Brandon Roy is an absolute animal

Oden is gonna rip up the league, his body is one of a kind, he can shoot hooks, dunk, run the floor, block shots, he can do everything

then you add Rudy to that mix with Travis Outlaw, Steve Blake, Jarret Jack...

it's one hell of a team

they're playoff bound

6 to 8 seed in the west


On the side

Rockets can't be considered contenders due to all the injuries they suffer every year

[ilikecb4]

Oden couldn't stay out of foul trouble IN COLLEGE. He's going to take some time to get used to this level.

Oden is more promising than any Hawk, bar none.

Brandon Roy is more promising than any Hawk IMO.

LaMarcus Aldridge is right there with them.

Then Outlaw, Rodriguez, Fernandez, McRoberts.... any of those guys could develop into something special. the number 12 pick?

The Hawks two most promising players IMO, both play best at the 4(Smith and Horford). Smith IMO is the only one with more upside than anyone not named Oden, and he's just not an intelligent player, so I wouldn't expect some huge leap into stardom.

The Blazers have more talent, their more talented players are younger, they play more important roles, and the pieces fit together better.

I'm a Hawks homer and I have to agree that we don't touch them. I'd take Smith over Aldridge any day of the week and Roy and Johnson are roughly equal but the Blazers have a franchise center prospect and depth that our Hawks could never dream of.

The only way we get close is if Smith blows up.[/quote]

That guy can develop into a Ronny Turiaf bench cheer leader. That's about it.

[jeffhardyfan52]

mcroberts makes me happy lol. i dont know why i like the kid but im happy when he gets to play i honsitly think he could be a decent back up lol. then again i think von wafer could be a star in the NBA so what do i know

[farzi]

mcroberts makes me happy lol. i dont know why i like the kid but im happy when he gets to play i honsitly think he could be a decent back up lol. then again i think von wafer could be a star in the NBA so what do i know

You liked watching McRoberts play because he's a living legend (100% fg's for most of the season wtf).

But srsly, the only time he played was when Portland was dominating

[cucad8]

I think they overachieved alot this season, if it werent for that 12(?) game winning streak they wouldnt have had that much hype going into next season.

I think the majority of the hype the team is getting/going to get is because of #52. And, the improvement Roy and Aldridge showed in heir second years. Even without the winning streak, there would have been the same amount of hype.

Also, Webster wasn't bolded in your depth chart as being under 28, but he is as well. Looks like almost the entire chart is bolded. It looks great, but that's going to need to change. You need some vets on the squad, and I think that will start this year. Who knows though.