Building a succesful team

It seems everybody and their mother thinks the Blazer's  should be trading Zach and Jack.  I just don't see it.

A good team has a rotation, not just five starters.  That means about eight rotation players and then five or six guys to fill the hole if one of those eight goes down with an injury (and are content with that role). This is what makes successful teams.

Our eight would come from the group
jack, sergio, roy, martell, zach, aldridge, the #1 pick (I'm assuming Oden), outlaw and udoka (the latter two, if they are resigned).  Sure there is room to upgrade this group but it must be in a balanced way to make a successful team.

For the bigs, a 3-man rotation is ideal as the 4-5  spots offer 96 minutes total giving each player 32 minutes each.  That is good number to stick to over the long haul of the season.  I think it would be awesome to have a 3-man rotation with zach, aldridge, and oden...there would be no letting up of pressure in the second unit.  It also give versality in scoring (zach & aldridge) or defense(aldridge & oden) or both (zach & oden) for what ever the sitution in the game dictates.  Or backup bigs are then Joel and in a pinch Outlaw.

If we trade away Zach for a premier SF (sorry there is now way we trade an established 20&10 guy for a rookie, that's just stupid), then we need another big to complete the rotation unless you think Aldridge, Oden  and Pryz (or Raef) are a sufficient rotation.  Hey I like Joel, but I can't see him and Oden on the floor together. Therefore another PF will also be needed. Joel and Raef make great reserve in case of injury players.

For the backcourt players, you want five guys that are flexible so that different strengths are available with differing 3-man combos. I'd want Jack, Sergio, Roy, Outlaw and Udoka. I'd have  to leave Martell as the odd man out for injury relief  or sparse minutes in blowouts (with Blazers winning of course). Jones and Dickau would make up the remainder of the backup crew.

Notice it is safer to have 3 PGs, in case that one goes down you still have left to rotate. Jack is a very servicable PG after his 2nd season. He was about average among starting points.  Sure he came from a draft class with two premier points, but name that last good point in another draft class who is established.  PGs take longer than any other position to blossom (4 years on average). Jack is well ahead of the curve and only getting better. We'd be foolish to let him go even with Sergio.  I see the possibility of a great 3 guard rotation with Roy, Jack and Sergio.  

That leaves two rotation men for SF. It'd be better is one of those could play some minutes at SG.  Take you pick Outlaw for O or Udoka for D. Martell would have to spell these guys in case of injury as the backup until he establishes himself on the court.

This is what I beleive KP is going to try and build.  However due to the teams' young age it is not clear who are longterm keepers and who will be happy on the reserve crew (players either on the downside or up-and-coming side of their careers).  These are the roles that need to be filled.  The blazers biggest weakness is the 3.  If you trade away a mainstay like Jack or Zach to upgrade the 3, the drop at one or four should be bigger than the gain at the 3.

Sorry for the longwindedness, (that's why I love reading Dave'S Blog), but please for the love of god no more posts about trading Zach for a rookie 3 as an upgrade or Jack just so we can gamble on Conley.