Off Season Winners and Losers Blazers ranked 2

by Earl on Aug 13, 2007 11:10 PM PDT

According to David Aldridge over at Philly.com the Blazers had the second best offseason including the draft, free agency, and trades. This list is pretty interesting, especially considering who he thought number one was... I won't ruin it for you. Check out the link Off Season Winners and Losers. It's a good read, plus I like when people rank teams for things other than wins. Gives my team a chance to be on top for once!

Poll

Is this list even close to accurate?

He hit the nail right on the head. He should come to the Oregonian.

12 votes

He wasn't too bad, I agree with some but not all.

54 votes

I agree with a couple, but that's about it.

15 votes

I agree with nothing. He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

2 votes

...What? Are you kidding, this guy gets paid to write this crap?

3 votes

86 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Ummmm...

He lost me the moment I read "Houston".

Seriously, he used Steve Francis and Mike James as pro arguments? And with a Bonzi Wells reference no less? Revoke his typing pass for 48 hours and he's on probation for the rest of the week.

--Dave

by Dave on Aug 14, 2007 1:30 AM PDT reply actions

Houston is a tough one for me

I can't say Mike James is necessarily a negative. I think he's fine in a backup role where his job can be to put some points on the board. I'll also be curious to see how Steve Francis plays. He has two guys on that team who will remind him every day that he is not "the man". If he can put his skills (which are obviously considerable) toward facilitating a little more, he could be a huge asset for them. Granted, he has never shown any ability to do that, but maybe this series of trades/benchings/buy-outs has humbled him to where he'll comply.

The other change in Houston was the Rick Adelman hiring, which ought to be interesting. I have never been a fan of Van Gundy's style...but we'll have to see if Yao can play more up-tempo.

I guess if you're looking at the big picture, Houston made a very small-risk, high-reward move by bringing in Francis. If he meshes with the team, you have to look at the Rockets as a serious contender. If he doesn't, oh well. They're no worse off than they were last year.

by HarryManback on Aug 14, 2007 7:51 AM PDT up reply actions

Also Luis Scola is supposed to be really good...

If he is, having a legit power forward next to Yao would be pretty significant. The other moves from Houston, I'm not so sure about.

by ranma on Aug 14, 2007 8:01 AM PDT up reply actions

Hayes

They also have the youngster, Chuck Hayes...seems like a good complement to Yao in that he'll just do the dirty work and not expect shots. And if all else fails, I suppose Battier can play some 4. Yeah. That's the ticket. They can play some Francis-James-McGrady-Battier-Yao small-big ball.

by HarryManback on Aug 14, 2007 8:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Me too

I agreed with some of his assesments but Houston? That threw me for a loop. Bonzi Wells and Steve Francis cannot be considered top teir or even safe aquisitions.

I think he needs to write a retraction.

I am the master of my fate, I am the Captain of my soul. - Charles Wesley

by Earl on Aug 14, 2007 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Strike Bonzi

He just picked up his option, but he did mention him as a reason they're number 1.

I am the master of my fate, I am the Captain of my soul. - Charles Wesley

by Earl on Aug 14, 2007 9:23 AM PDT up reply actions

Steve Francis and Mike James

is a better starting backcourt than Portland's.

by EnglandDan on Aug 14, 2007 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions

is it?

I would take a Blake/Roy backcourt over Francis/James.

by jksnake99 on Aug 14, 2007 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions

No it's not

Those are both shoot first PG's that aren't accurate shooters. Blake and Roy are better.

I am the master of my fate, I am the Captain of my soul. - Charles Wesley

by Earl on Aug 14, 2007 9:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Francis and James

have to be among the WORST starting backcourts out of any team in the western conference. Both are me first shooters who shoot low percentages. Adding Bonzi to the rotation only adds to the hilarity. With those three and T-Mac all being me first guys, I don't see how there are enough shots to go around.

By midseason, Aaron Brooks will be starting in Houston, simply because Francis and James can't be on the floor at the same time.

--Dave

Addicted to Quack SBN's Oregon Ducks Blog

by David Piper on Aug 14, 2007 9:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Waiting for the fatty comment

about his "lock" championship team.

Houston is a good team, but over rated in every sense of the word imo.

Neither of their superstars are dominate, and none of their new personal, save Rick Adelman, have proven much of anything.

They are a 50/50 team of being championship contender or 1st round losers again.

by usmcr3049 on Aug 14, 2007 9:58 AM PDT reply actions

While they are not Championshiop quality

I do think that Tracy Mcgrady is very dominant. No one in this league can stop him or slow him down. The only time he's not effective is when is back is acting up, which seems to be all the time. Without that back injury I'd have to say that they'd have a shot, but you never know what Mcgrady will give you, or for how many games.

I am the master of my fate, I am the Captain of my soul. - Charles Wesley

by Earl on Aug 14, 2007 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions

well well well

i'm just going to say for the record that the trailblazers off season was nice.but no way #2 more like #15-18 range.now as for the new world champions of 08,it's just early gang and remember who's the home opener for the new champs mr.oden.i will coment in full when my predictions come out in 2 months.as for david aldridge espn as usual dropped the ball on a fantastic journalist and a class act.

by fatty on Aug 14, 2007 10:26 AM PDT reply actions

Are you saying

That Aldridge was accurate accept for the Blazers?

I am the master of my fate, I am the Captain of my soul. - Charles Wesley

by Earl on Aug 14, 2007 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions

15-16 range???

So we had just a average offseason??

by myemic23 on Aug 14, 2007 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions

Other than getting lucky with Oden,

I think the moves this summer have been mediocre, at best.

by EnglandDan on Aug 14, 2007 1:12 PM PDT up reply actions

true

If you are grading GM offseasons, then KPs has been pretty average.

If you are grading who had the most positive offseason in terms of the long term future of the franchise, then getting lucky with Oden has to put the Blazers at or near the top of the list.

by jksnake99 on Aug 14, 2007 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions

I disagree,

this team has been set up to get damn near anybody they want in a couple of years. No contracts past 2010 combined with a roster full of trade-able assets equals amazing flexibility. Sure they didn't pick up an aging superstar to push them to a second round playoff loss en route to mediocrity (AHHHHHHHboston, cough cough) but for a team that was shackled as recently as last year by a roster full of bad contracts this offseason has been fantastic. Oh yeah, Channing Frye is good.

I got my front court aLaMOde!!

by shenanigans on Aug 15, 2007 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions

ya but this does include the draft.

and shouldnt you always look at the long term??? When you look at who we lost and who we gained, I dont see how this was an average off season. We also got 2 jewels stashed away in Europe that have a chance to be pretty dang good IMO.

lost:
Zach, Dickau, Fred Jones, Ime, and sum $$$

got:
Frye, Oden, Mcroberts, James Jones, Green, Blake, resigned Outlaw, petteri, Fernandez. (off top of my head)

How was our bench last year???
I remember reading pretty recently that portlands bench has been much improved, possibly even near the top of the league. We are stacked with pretty good players through 13 or 14 guys, KP didnt have anything to do with that???

Both teams played hard, god bless and good night.

by myemic23 on Aug 14, 2007 2:13 PM PDT reply actions

guys

i'm being honest and sincere until proven otherwise.outlaw*webster are going to break your hearts.see the fans excited about g.oden don't care about those 2.but the guys who do do.and if pricthard would've went and got a major upgrade at the 3.my attitude would've been a lot different.so for you guys shake,i hope outlaw*martell do well.

by fatty on Aug 14, 2007 4:07 PM PDT reply actions

fatty, these

are great posts from you as usual. You know your sport and make great observations.

I too see little hope of Martell and Travis amounting to much when we have gelled.

I really did like the lucky draw and the selection of Oden.

I'm also cool with Blake backing up the two starting guards.

LMA, Oden, Frye, Pryz, Roy, Jack and Blake seem like eight solid and improving guys we can ride from fairly competitive to special while we seek out the last one or two additions to make us really special.

I think all of this makes us okay throughout the rotation, as we wait for the current longshots to pan out; Sergio, Petteri, TGreen, Rudy, McRoberts and the two long, long, long shots.

If none of them pan out, we get one more lottery shot next year and have the room to buy the last piece shortly thererafter.

I like the plan.

And my friend fatty, well done! Not only did you make another excellent post, but you did it with class. I really appreciate you for that.

Thanks brudda.

by ojala on Aug 14, 2007 9:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Totally agree

couldn't have said it better.

by drawingjeremy on Aug 15, 2007 12:54 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not holding my breath or anything

But I'd love to see those guys do well. I'm rooting for them. Particularly Martell because I think if he puts it together his shooting can help us in 4 years when we're legit playoff contenders.

I am the master of my fate, I am the Captain of my soul. - Charles Wesley

by Earl on Aug 15, 2007 12:08 AM PDT up reply actions

*seven solid guys

by ojala on Aug 14, 2007 9:58 PM PDT reply actions

Rockets ???

Francis & James better than Blazers backcourt?
I'd take Roy with JJ or Blake over the Rockets any
time. Francis and James shoot terrible FG% and
are not team oriented players. Basketball is
a team game, not Streetball !

What happens when Yao or McBack goes down ?
Can you BOOK that ?

It's GO time !

by walkoff41 on Aug 15, 2007 2:59 PM PDT reply actions

yes i can

book it,why because adelman get s the best out of malcontents.nobody does it better.world champions this upcoming season and you can book it babee book it!!!!

by fatty on Aug 16, 2007 9:31 AM PDT reply actions