Win Now or When...Now?

by Krang on Jun 19, 2011 8:48 AM PDT

I keep hearing about how Paul Allen is in a "Win Now" mode. And I just want to discuss this popular buzz phrase. Are we in a "Win Now" mode..and what does that even mean?

Besides most of the media telling us Paul Allen is in Win Now mode...besides "hints" or rumors that Paul Allens "Win Now" desires vs. Rich Cho's lets rebuild for the future approach was what- maybe- allegedly led to Cho;s dismissal, what evidence do we have that Paul Allen is in Win Now mode?

Most will cite the trade for Gerald Wallace. But in fairness was that a "Win Now" move...or just a move The Blazers had evidently considered or desired making for years, that became almost a "slam dunk" you have to make it trade, designed primarily not to support win now...as much as to support..keep us in playoff contention?

Because I think as fans, I think we have to be careful that we aren't simply telling ourselves what we want to hear. Because isn't in "nicer" as fans to hear that your wealthy owner is in "Win Now" mode? Don't you want to imagine that Paul Allen is sitting behind the desk, with thoughts of championship Blazers haunting him like dreams of The Spruce Goose...and Allen is saying...I don't care what it costs...get this baby off the ground!

But really? Actions speak louder than words. Words we mostly hear from the media...almost every team is going to "Say" they are in win now mode...but even The Blazers ticket sales advertising seems to be embracing and promoting "The Direction" or the Journey more than the destination....

To me? If Paul Allen REALLY was in a Multi-Billionaire "win now" mode....then the questions become Win What? and Win When? Win a trip to the second round?..nice but ultimately underwhelming...Win continued playoff contention but first round exits...no longer acceptable as a yard stick of success...Win we are NOT rebuilding and NOT in the lottery?...nice but semi-succesful mediocrity can be damaging and difficult to build out of...

So what does Paul Allen want to win? Are we talking a championship? Because if so? Then we need bigger realities to match his dreams. Purchased late 1st round picks...or generous resigning of assets already in place are not going to result in this team winning a championship.

Win Now? To me is like Boston a few years ago, going all in, with Allen, Garnett and Pierce....Win Now..is Miami getting Bosh and LeBron...Win Now is even NY with Carmelo and Stoudemire...

Additions like Wallace...Matthews...are great. Allows this team to suffer setbacks like the situation surrounding Brandon Roy and Oden and still remain a viable playoff contender...but are those moves that really put us in Win Now mode?

I'm afraid if Paul Allen is being told we CAN win now..with what we have now...he's being mislead. It would take the amazing emergence of Greg Oden...before this team could even possibly begin to dream about looking at a championship. And I'm hearing a next year return for Greg Oden at best...and that's divorcing his situation from all the questions about what his status and contract with The Blazers might be....

We all want to win now....but I guess what I'm thinking about are the rumors. Rumors that Cho wanted to slowly start to rebuild. Was Cho right? You can want to win now..but if you haven't got the horses..you aren't going to win the race...

The Blazers are IMO a good team. At times? A very good team. But with teams like Miami, NYC, and OKC emerging or having emerged...there seems to me to be a very hard ceiling as to what the most this team in it's current incarnation could achieve.

Is Allen banking on keeping Oden and further banking on his development and health? Is he expecting Brandon Roy to return to All-Star status? Or does he believe a Batum, Matthews, Wallace, Aldridge...core is enough to win, whatever it is he wants to win now? Because as much as I do like The Blazers..I simply could not look Paul Allen in the face and tell him I think that nuculeus is becoming a championship team anytime soon.

Win Now...IMO means we get another All-Star..and that isn't easy. You want to hope that All-Star already exists in either Oden or Brandon or both? Okay...but that's a big gamble.

So what do you do? If it's REALLY win now, we need to hear about talks with Dwight Howard...not how Buchanan is looking for a role player at pick #21.....

Otherwise we aren't in "Win Now" mode, IMO we are in "Tread Water, stay Marketable" mode.....

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Despite the fact we have the 5th highest payroll in the NBA

I completely agree with you. Especially the point that win now mode is what Boston did, and Miami did, picking up major allstar type players and great roll players. Although POrtland just isnt big enough for these bigger stars, youre still correct-win now mode would be going for Dwight Howard or (any other major star not named Chris Paul! LOL) Anyways, lastly I agree with- (we are in “Tread Water, stay Marketable” mode) thats a great way to put it.

by cavejunctionblazer on Jun 19, 2011 11:43 AM PDT reply actions

Well said.

Because as much as I do like The Blazers..I simply could not look Paul Allen in the face and tell him I think that nuculeus is becoming a championship team anytime soon.

This team, as constructed, has a “win now” ceiling of the WCFs, at best. There are pieces to work with, but it’s going to be very difficult for the Blazers to add the type of perimeter talent necessary to lead this team to ‘contender’ status. It would be ‘better’ to restart this roster and build solely around LMA (shooting, pick and roll players, banging big with positive outlook health-wise), but that is going to require time, patience, and risk that Mr. Allen might not be interested in right now. With Roy and Oden, the Blazers made their bed, and appear determined to sleep in it, for good or ill (more likely).

by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jun 19, 2011 11:49 AM PDT reply actions

If the Dallas Mavericks can win a championship

I don’t see why we couldn’t win it all next year

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by JuwanMVPHoward on Jun 19, 2011 2:15 PM PDT reply actions

Dallas is versatile on both ends of the floor, had the best offensive closer in the playoffs,

can run pick and rolls with multiple players from both sides of the floor (basically out of the same set—mwahhh), and has knock down shooting from several players.

Portland is versatile on defense, has inconsistent closing, can’t really run any sort of pick and roll to free LMA, and doesn’t have any consistent knock down shooting to speak of.

At best, I think Portland could go a run similar to Chicago’s this past season. Sooner or later, they’ll run into a team with the length and athleticism to disrupt their one dimensional offense with paint defense and active closeouts. Dallas has playmaking galore—Portland has limited ball handling and can’t shoot.

by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jun 19, 2011 7:21 PM PDT up reply actions

BLAZERS

I really agree with this article…I cant understand why Paul Allen cant bring players like Howard or Derron or Melo or Wade etc…here in Portland…I cant understand why Cuban who loves so much his team tries to bring in Dallas the best players every year and Paul Allen cant do this….i cant understand why this team is just a good team who tries to do something special with mediocre players such as Mills,Babbitt or a rookie at #21 and is not a super team like Derron,Iggy,Jamal Crawford etc….

by sabonis13 on Jun 19, 2011 2:31 PM PDT reply actions

Portland is a small market and the weather during the NBA season sucks.

Other than that it’s the best place ever.

by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jun 19, 2011 7:22 PM PDT up reply actions

I think Chad B. and Nate have both said

They need to add 1 or 2 prime players. One of them obviously has to be a point guard. The other really needs to be a shooter who can, you know, …shoot. Under pressure. In the playoffs or in Cleveland in February.
Trade for Dwight Howard? Sure, we would have to unload 3-4 starters. Then we are Orlando west. They lost in the first round as well. This team has not reached its zenith as it sits. Yes if we resign Greg. Trade for a starting point guard who shoot from deep as well as distribute the ball, and draft a backup big we are well on our way to becoming a contender.

by Odenrising on Jun 19, 2011 3:45 PM PDT reply actions

Ya

prime players. hopefully they dont mean ramon sessions. i hope they mean Devin Harris. Or something atleast to his caliber

"Tommy: Did you hear I finally graduated?
Richard Hayden: Yeah, and just a shade under a decade too. All right. "

by jbay4 on Jun 19, 2011 6:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Completely agree..

and its sad. that PA+ thinks that a broken down Roy and Oden can lead us anywhere. they need to realize tthe truth…. we need a bigger star than LMA. more versatility. Dirk is one of the best players to live. Terry is one of the best scorers in the league. we have neither.

"Tommy: Did you hear I finally graduated?
Richard Hayden: Yeah, and just a shade under a decade too. All right. "

by jbay4 on Jun 19, 2011 6:30 PM PDT reply actions

We don't need a miracle

Batum, Mathews, Wallace and Nates coaching, will all improve, Camby and Miller
will play hard, and will benefit from the other improvements. Brandon and Greg are
medical wildcards, so that leaves the rest of the pieces and draft picks, to add one
good point guard, and one good big man. No reason it can’t happen.

Odens former running mate is still languishing in Memphis, and bringing in such a moral boost will only help Gregs recovery odds.

by dubbledribull on Jun 19, 2011 8:12 PM PDT reply actions

I love the optimism.

Memphis was pretty awesome in the playoffs. I don’t see any reason why they would be unsatisfied with Conley Jr or see anything the Blazers have that they might be interested in.

by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jun 19, 2011 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions

picking up nash would be a win now move.

what other all-stars / superstars might available this offseason?

it’s usually a short list and the blazers are typically only a footnote in the story (ie, “the blazers are among other teams who have shown interest…”). if the blazers can get their hands on one of those guys, then it would definitely be “win now”.

the trouble is, these things don’t always go well – especially if you’re giving up good assets for guys who don’t fit… think shaq, richard jefferson, vince carter, turkoglu, which are a few examples of these types of pickups from the past few seasons.

by SaveOden on Jun 20, 2011 5:05 AM PDT reply actions

Let's not go overboard.

We cannot claim that Paul Allen isn’t dealing with the same issues the fans are, and that he has the options we like to claim. We can’t do anything about Roy – but he’s here and he’s consuming a lot of cap space. This isn’t Paul Allen’s fault. He’s not tradeable, and cutting him won’t help the cap space. Similarly, we can do virtually nothing about Oden other than get him on board for one more year, and then hope that he remains healthy. This also isn’t Paul Allen’s fault. We might offer him a multi year contract, but he doesn’t have to take it, and if he doesn’t remain healthy then he, like Roy, is simply a boat anchor.

He’s not, in sum, relying on these players. He simply has no choice. And these two players are the key reason we can’t decide to win now – or win later. I believe Allen wants to win now, but he doesn’t have the assets and won’t have the assets until we resolve Roy and Oden. Then, and only then can anyone put a “win now” strategy together that we can possibly execute. Right now we’re staying marketable, and doing the best we can until we get a new CBA, know the groundrules, and can decide what Roy can or cannot bring in the future, as well as whether or not Oden can be a stable player.

We’re all in a very tough spot. Two of the three players we expected to put us into the win now category are injured, and their future is questionable. We can’t pay for or add other such players, until we deal with them. We already have the 5th highest payroll. Expecting Allen to spend even more isn’t realistic. So my observation is that we are one year away from being able to have any clarity on winning now. Then, we can decide the right path.

by Eben Calder on Jun 20, 2011 6:52 AM PDT reply actions