Post-Mortem: 2021-22 Portland Trailblazers

[ElectricMayhem]

San Antonio simultaneously strengthened their hold on the final play-in spot while dashing Portland's hopes of getting in. Portland has stumbled to the finish line. We shall now cut them open and see what's inside...

Here is the data from last year's Post-Mortems:
Post-Mortem Results I: GM Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results II: Coaching Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results III: Performance Compared to Expectations
Post-Mortem Results IV: Rising/Treadmill/Waning

Team Name: Portland Trailblazers
Record at Time of Death: 27-50 (.351)
GM: Joe Cronin (2021- ) (Interim)
Coach: Chauncey Billups (2021- )

Offensive Rating: 26th
Defensive Rating: 30th
Rebound %: 20th
Turnover %: 23rd

GM: Change or keep?
Coach: Change or keep?
Relative to expectations, how did they fare this year?
Rising, falling, or treadmill?
If you were in charge, what would you do this offseason?

Notes:
Players under contract next year:
Damian Lillard ($42m)
Eric Bledsoe ($19m) (Partially Guaranteed)
Josh Hart ($13m) (Partially Guaranteed)
Justise Winslow ($4m)
Nassir Little ($4m)
Keon Johnson ($3m)
Didi Louzada ($2m)
Greg Brown III ($2m)
Trendon Watford ($2m)

Team Options:

Player Options:

Free Agents:
Joe Ingles
Jusuf Nurkic
Anfernee Simons
Ben McLemore
CJ Elleby
Elijah Hughes
Kris Dunn
Drew Eubanks
Reggie Parry
Keljin Blevins
Brandon Williams

Dead Money:
Andrew Nicholson ($3m)

Previous Post-Mortems:
30. Orlando Magic
29. Detroit Pistons
28. Houston Rockets
27. Indiana Pacers
26. Oklahoma City Thunder
25. Washington Wizards
24. New York Knicks
23. Portland Trailblazers

[Madhouse]

If they keep Lillard seems like they are betting on a retool. Don't think that would succeed.

I think they need to trade him and fully rebuild, don't see them having enough talent to compete in the West in the near future.

[Sofia]

Need a poll option for sell the team.

[vege]

Jusuf Nurkic / / Drew Eubanks
/ Justinse Winslow /
/ Nassir Little /
Anfernee Simons / Josh Hart / Keon Johnson
Damian Lillard / Brandon Williams / Kris Dunn

Looking at what they have, honestly, I would let Nurkic go, and trade Lillard, and rebuild from the scratch. Build around Simons and the 2 lotto picks and whatever value they can get for Dame and go from there.

They'll likely go after win now pieces and try to win with Dame and I can't see that working.

[MrGoat]

They need to blow it up. No need to fire the GM or coach because they're so new.

[Soulyss]

Post-Mortem is almost irrelevant because it was already done at the trade deadline. Portland is going to attempt to reset once... It's roster isn't yet complete. Ultimately this will all come down to their lottery luck and being able to secure another strong starter of the Grant/J. Collins/Cam Johnson caliber to augment whatever the Blazer's own lottery pick is (hopefully top 3).

If the Blazers get one of the top 3 Bigs in the draft, The could come out of this off-season looking very good. If they slip back in the lottery they don't have the same upside.

[Clav]

Keep Coach - can't fire Chauncey after 1 season. GM is interim so I guess there's a replacement in mind or an offer for Cronin on the table this offseason ? Seems messy to begin. Portland could have been a playoff team, but the big injuries and eventual trades torpedoed this year, so worse than expected. Recouping some of that in picks will aid the Blazers, they can even look for lottery luck, and push for a solid 2022-2023. That seems logical...Send offer sheets to Mitchell Robinson, Marcus Morris, or Harrell, or force Charlottes hand with offer sheets to Miles Bridges, maybe Bobby Portis will take more $ to move to PDX, you have to make a play for one of these wing/forwards to give this team full court depth with Lillard and presumably Simons as the 1/2.


The Big Question.... is Nurkic still Portland's call for the man in the middle ? He's good but not great. To me, I feel like big changes are coming, and a Paul George-from OKC to LAC-type trade could be in order with Dame at the center going outbound for a big rebuild in the Rose City, or S/T Nurk and pieces/picks are sent out to target a playoff run next year.

Something has to give, if I were the handful of teams in dire need of an All-Star level PG. you have to get on the phones to swing for the fences (NYK, WAS, ORL, LAC, LAL, UTA, HOU - lol, CHA, SAC) Lillard can change a franchise around, but will Portland actually hit reset?

[Dan Z]

I think they plan on keeping Lillard so that means going for it next year.

Keep Lillard. Keep Simons. Re-sign Nurkic. Draft BPA and go from there.

[Myth]

The last question was tough because it is a wait and see what happens in the draft/trades/etc. I ultimately marked rising based on the idea they should be better than this season, but how much is the question and we don’t have the info to supply that answer yet.

[ElectricMayhem]

It was a chaotic year for the front office with the Olshey ouster. I generally root for the interim to get the job, but I really didn't like Cronin's trade deadline. I don't think he's the guy you want figuring out how to move the team forward. As far as Chauncey goes, I love the guy as a player. He had an incredibly tough time as a 1st year head coach, but look at the team he's been fielding for most of the year. It would be unfair to fire him after one season, but I don't think he was a good hire to begin with. If a new GM comes in and has a better idea for a coach, I wouldn't blame them.

The big question is what to do with Lillard. For most of his career, he's been seen as being unfailingly loyal to Portland. The past year, however, there have been whispers. I don't know if he wants to be there or not. Do they want to continue to try and build around him or tear it down and rebuild?

[Norm2953]

So much of Portland's options depends on whether the Pelicans pick conveys. If the Pelicans make
the play in and succeed in getting to the first round of the playoffs, Portland will be missing one
real piece in a retool. Unless they are stupid enough to trade their hard earned sixth pick, the
proposed Jerami Grant trade to Portland won't happen.

There is very little confidence in the front office coming close to making the moves to make Dame
happy without the Pelicans pick. It would be unfair to fire Chauncey but one can easily see a
disorganized front office firing him anyway if that saved the GM's job.

Portland actually played as expected after Dame's season long injury brought him down from his top
10 all NBA player status. Injuries to all the others did not help but a new coach and a GM on the hot
seat led the team to pull the plug on the season at the AS break, despite a breakout season from
Simons and the team playing its best ball of the season.

I've been pounding the table for the rebuild all season. They have a strong piece already in place in
the 22 year old Simons who is the heir apparent to Lillard. Nurkic was playing his best ball of the
season when Simons entered the starting lineup. They have some good veteran pieces in Hart and
Winslow and in this down season. Trendon Watford and Nazr Little had their moments.

What the team needs to do is see what the market for Dame will yield prior to the draft. He's likely
going to return to his old form but until he shows he's back to the player he was, he will be playing
alongside of Simons with Jason Hart as both the third guard and backup SF. The sixth pick will yield
a solid prospect, likely up front for Portland has a big need for some size and length up front which'
they haven't had since Aldridge and Batum played for Portland. Portland does have some options like
a non tax payers MLE and a $21 Million TPE and the unique Bledsoe contract.

[Bobbymcgee]

Please trade Lillard.

[Moonbeam]

This was an absolutely shambolic season for Portland. The best thing about it was getting rid of Neil Olshey, but beyond that, it's been dismal. I'm happy for everyone to be on the table except for Lillard --- I think he deserves as much loyalty as any player deserves for what he has done. I can understand the sentiment of fans who want to see him traded, but I'm not there until Lillard says he wants to be traded.

Cronin has not impressed me with his trades --- I would not be supportive of making him the permanent GM.

Billups is fairly new, but I haven't been impressed with him, either. Back when the season was young and Portland had aspirations for competing, he seemed pretty stubborn and also made some rookie mistakes that were costly. I voted to fire him, but I might give him another season to see if he can grow into coaching.

I said ahead of the season that I felt there was a big variance in potential outcomes for the Blazers this year. So while I voted that the team performed worse than expected, I did feel it was plausible the team would hit the skids as they did.

Quite clearly, Portland is a waning team, but hopefully the upcoming offseason and draft gives them the opportunity to be right back at it with a competitive team in 2022-23.

[baldur]

trade lillard and nurkic, draft shaedon sharpe and tari eason from the draft if you don't get lucky in the lottery and start your complete rebuilding.

[BenoUdrihFTL]

I don't get the point of retooling around Lillard. He's a great player but I've never though of him as a championship centerpiece, and he'll be 32yo in a few months. If there was any time to move him it seems like it would be now

[JRoy]

Turn the page.

No amount of perfume is to pretty up this pig.

[Soulyss]

This was an absolutely shambolic season for Portland. The best thing about it was getting rid of Neil Olshey, but beyond that, it's been dismal. I'm happy for everyone to be on the table except for Lillard --- I think he deserves as much loyalty as any player deserves for what he has done. I can understand the sentiment of fans who want to see him traded, but I'm not there until Lillard says he wants to be traded.

Cronin has not impressed me with his trades --- I would not be supportive of making him the permanent GM.

Billups is fairly new, but I haven't been impressed with him, either. Back when the season was young and Portland had aspirations for competing, he seemed pretty stubborn and also made some rookie mistakes that were costly. I voted to fire him, but I might give him another season to see if he can grow into coaching.

I said ahead of the season that I felt there was a big variance in potential outcomes for the Blazers this year. So while I voted that the team performed worse than expected, I did feel it was plausible the team would hit the skids as they did.

Quite clearly, Portland is a waning team, but hopefully the upcoming offseason and draft gives them the opportunity to be right back at it with a competitive team in 2022-23.

As with everything, there has been some good and bad.

Cronin had one terrible trade (LAC) and one good trade (NOP) and one incomplete trade (SLC - depends if they resign Ingles)

I don't think you can judge this season until after the draft. Ultimately the next roster will be formed by whatever dealings or picks happen in the off-season. If Cronin manages to take the NOP pick, Bledsoe/TPE and turn it into say... Grant, J. Collins, or Cam Johnson... If Portland gets Lotto Lucky and lands a top 3 pick they will add an elite big to the team.

There is upside, but it's going to take some lotto luck and a willing dance partner. The team is rightfully taking one more shot at reforming a contender around Lillard. We'll know by Christmas 2022 if this is going to work or if it's time to detonate.

[cupcakesnake]

Not much to post-mortem here, as many have already said. I really didn't learn much about Billups. They were dead in the water with Lillard's injury from the beginning. This wasn't a competitive NBA team, and everything that happened just feels like the beginning of the story for whatever happens next.

But please, for the love of basketball, trade Lillard.
It is extremely difficult to build around a small scoring guard, and the Blazers are out of time. No one knows how difficult it is to roster build around small guards (Dame and Simmons aren't going to be an improvement over Dame and CJ) better than the current Blazers. You need a lot of good defensive players, and a complimentary larger scorer (like how the Warriors built around Steph, pre-Durant). He still has big value, but any injury struggles next season could lower his value tremendously by making more GM's nervous about his health.

I don't have a lot of judgement even for their deadline trades. Again, I'm curious what those moves turn into next. Everything with the Blazers is "what comes next?" so I think any grade for this team should be an "incomplete".

[Upperclass]

Chauncey is the reason they will have a quick rebuild

[NWGunner]

(sarcasm font) Hard enough to get any quality vet free agents to come to Portland, so why we don't reward the 10 yr franchise player that has asserted and reasserted his loyalty to the team and his wish to stay, over and over ad nauseam by trading him. Players will be begging their teams to send them to Portland. I can see Giannis, Embiid and Durant all forcing trades to land here.(sarcasm font end) If Lillard asks for a trade, then trade him, if not, don't for the time being anyway. It's that simple.

As far as the GM, his 1st trade was not good but he did what was asked of him by the front office. If things work out as far as getting the Pels pick, then the 2nd trade was much better and most likely will decide the future of the team. I'm ambivalent until things play out.

Keep the coach. He started off rough, but as the season progressed he seemed to pick things up fairly quickly. I don't see anywhere the hate directed towards him that I see and have seen to other new coaches. And as he's said, he's coached 4 different teams already this season. He definitely had a learning experience. Blazer players seem to love and respect him, including Dame and the departed CJMc.

As somebody already said, it's too early to decide on the last question until things play out at the draft and off season.