No Playoffs This Year

1.) We agree that the low post, both offensively and on the boards, is a weakness for this team. However: what effective low-post player is available for trade or signing that we would actually be able to obtain? (Don't say Oden.)

2.) I'm of the opinion that our chemistry, more than our talent or current level of ability, is what's fueling our playoff push this year. Assuming KP feels the same way, why would he want to make a trade? The move that would allegedly "help" us might in fact take away our biggest strength. Think of it as the reverse of the Z-bo trade, or the Rod Strickland pickup years back--subtraction by addition.

Can't argue with every season being important, but there is a lot of leeway in determining what the focus is on. i.e.: Getting into the first round now vs. building a team to compete deep into the playoffs over the next 8 years. These are two different goals one could have over the course of a given season that don't necessarily require the same set of personnel moves. Look at the Bulls. They are trying to make the playoffs this year at the expense of developing their youth. It is wearing out their older guys, preventing them from developing their youth, and creating chemistry problems in the locker room just to try and fill the stands for a few extra home games.

"6. It is KP's DUTY to try and get the Blazers into the playoffs every year -- WITHOUT destroying the team's long-term core."

Did Paul Allen tell you this himself or is that just a wild guess as to Pritchard's job description?

"8. There is a need for at least one SOLID LOW POST PLAYER -- in addition to Oden next year. Somebody that can defend and rebound (a la Pryz). Scoring an added benefit, but not strictly required."

This is a little confusing. Talking about next year needing another low post player, and mentioning two solid guys in the same breath doesn't add up to me. NBA teams are lucky if they have two big men that can do the work down low that we are all expecting from Oden and Ghostface next year. Also consider LaMarcus is still just halfway through his sophomore season, and has missed considerable time due to injury up to now. He hasn't reached his potential as far as size and learning to put a body on opposing rebounders yet. Forget that he is still expanding what is already a neat little offensive game.

"9. Therefore, KP has a DUTY to deal players not in the long-term future plan to acquire the player NEEDED to MAKE THE PLAYOFFS THIS YEAR, even at the expense of the "Gol, our chemistry is swell! I love everything!" vibe."

Who is or is not in our long term future plans as of now? This team has so much youth, it is awful early to say at this point which players will reach their full potential, or what roles the team will need to have filled once everyone starts growing up and we can see what we are dealing with. Pritchard is going to show the kind of patience needed to sort out the answers to these questions, which is why he is our man.

"10. Even if KP's attempt to fix the problem fails, like Golden State's effort with Webber seems sure to fail, THE EFFORT COUNTS. That's his job -- TO TRY."

Great. That's exactly the kind of thinking that gets you a team like the NY Knicks. I don't want a GM that makes moves just for the sake of doing something. If you don't think KP has been putting forth every effort to assemble the best Blazers team possible, then you should probably follow a sport you can better understand. Have you heard about the one where they roll a heavy ball down at a cluster of upright objects called "pins"? You get two chances to knock them all down. Maybe that would be your speed. ;)