about some ESPN talking head obviously trying to fill air time by stirring up fans. (Of course, I’m sitting here pissed off and posting about this…) None of our Big Three are gonna have any reason to leave. We’ll pay them like kings, they’re the three cornerstones of our apparently triangular future championship-winning team, they’re already beloved in Portland, and they’ll be competing for titles for LITERALLY the next decade.

I don’t see a Joe-Johnson-to-Atlanta or Marion-to-Miami situation happening cuz none of the three seem to have that kind of ego. Jason Smith needs to spend more time focusing on Game Six against the Pistons and less time on whether or not Portland’s a dead franchise, thank you very much.

the kings are dead too.

But this is one of the major reasons for KP’s favorite word: Culture. Sure, the city can identify with the player better, and that helps in the rough times, but when winning, it didn’t matter who was here, people came. But, in that culture, if someone wanted to be the man somewhere else, Portland had little recourse.

But the culture that KP is fostering now is that of family. James Jones and Channing Frye come in, and don’t want to leave. Not because they have no where else to go, but because they are part of the family that Portland has built here. Roy and Aldridge are a big part of that. Both put their team first, and the players that KP brings in buy into the “team as family” philosophy. You don’t just leave your family. And you don’t just leave Portland.

It’s kind of like Cheers. It wasn’t the biggest, flashiest or best bar in town, but everyone knew who you were, and loved you anyways. Oden will not leave. Roy will not leave. Aldridge will not leave. Not if they are the people KP thinks they are. Not if they’re the people we think they are.

Jason Smith doesn’t get culture. It’s a good thing our guys do.

None of these guys are even going to be Unrestricted Free Agents for many more years, so it’s kind of a silly question. They all have a rapport with the coach and GM, and by the time they’ll be able to seek other offers, we’ll be a very, very good team. They all strike me as winners, and that would be hard to walk away from, especially since we’ll be able to pay them more than anyone else anyway.

Roy is from the Northwest, and has never struck me as a bright lights, big city guy, so I don’t think he’ll leave.

Oden said himself on his blog that this was his team, that he wasn’t leaving. And I believe he feels he owes the team and the city a little something extra because of his missed time.

I don’t really know about LMA, but he has never struck me as a money chaser either. And given the chance to play next to Oden for his whole career—who could pass that up? Randolph would probably leave for more touches, but I don’t think LMA is Zach Randolph.

In sum, I think this guy is pretty wrong. KP has been very careful to acquire players who fit the culture and the city so as to avoid this very thing.

Greg Oden isn’t going to leave unless his ego becomes like Shaq’s. The Blazers organization from the top down is one of the best in the league since the recent purge. Espn stooges should be listened to for strictly entertainment and not knowledge.

Who was the last free agent who left a team that was willing to pay what another team would? Rashard Lewis left for Orlando, but only because Seattle wouldn’t match. Can anyone think of a player who took less money (as either Roy, Oden or Aldridge would have to do) to join another team as a free agent because it was a desirable destination?

like a pat of cheap, nasty margarine spread over a loaf of bread. They rely on information and perceptions of teams and players formed years ago. They’re still trying to figure out that Travis is not Bo. They’re the Big Dog in sports coverage but they’ve never been house-trained. They need a diaper and a muzzle.

I mean, who is this guy? Seems obvious that he’s oblivious to the situation. We happen to have one of the wealthiest owners in sports. Everybody knows that the NBA is a business and that money talks… that alone is a huge draw. Throw in that we likely have the best foundation for consistent success and how could players NOT want to come here. If he based it solely on the last five years I might see what he’s saying, but otherwise he’s just another guy blabbing.

As far as our guys leaving, they probably don’t leave unless KP decides that’s the best way to go. We’ve got them locked up for quite some time otherwise.

The truth is, at some level you have no control over the personal decision of a person. So I look at The Blazers like this, Blazer management, KP, Paul Allen want to build a championship caliber franchise. I have no doubt they will do everything within their control to facilitate that end. Allen has proven he will sacrifice for the good of his franchises.

When the time comes I think the best offers will be made to keep any Blazer asset here. If the person makes a personal decision against staying for whatever reason then there won’t be much anyone can do. But The Blazers should be an appealing franchise to be part of, and I think nobody will make a choice based on the fact that The Blazers aren’t trying or offering the best they can.

Dead franchise? Dead franchises are franchises that are operated with no real commitment to a goal, Portland IS NOT among those type of franchises.

That’s just funny. I mean, what idiotic statement is coming next?

The Spurs are a bad team, who will never win a championship?

Kobe has never had a clutch performance in his career?

Kevin Garnett plays lousy defense?

I mean, classing Portland as a place that “cannot resign their up and comers” (Travis, Zach, Joel) or “Players don’t want to come” (James Jones, Blake) or “Won’t be in a position to win a championship for 3-4 years” (Oden, LMA, Roy, Rudy isn’t a recipe for this? Then what is?)

This is either intentional baiting, or the guy just flat out doesn’t know basketball.

KP has gone after guys who want to be in Portland. That’s an approach you have to take when you are in a small market- some guys won’t want to sign with you. Fortunately, KP has a good sense of how to build a winner in a small market from his Spurs days.

KP is a genius, Oden, Roy, and LMA could all move to New York to play with LeBron and we’d be just fine.

....................................... by far.

And he’s a super-fan to boot.

The “dead franchise” terminology is stupid, the guy is confusing REBUILDING franchises with INEPT franchises.

The Knicks are INEPT. The Sonics are REBUILDING. Memphis is INEPT. The Hawks are REBUILDING. Etc.

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