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Jabari Young, the new writer at CSNNW.com, posted his first column today entitled, "Anything is possible for these Blazers". An excerpt:
Just think: If the Blazers can score like they did last year, with deeper bench play, and be able to stop teams from averaging 100-plus points ... no reason to think a trip to the Western Conference Finals would be out of the question.
Off the court, retaining Aldridge is No. 1 on Olshey's To-Do List. If he finds re-signing his all-star power forward isn't possible, completing a trade to get back some assets will be the next best thing. Don't think for one second teams aren't keeping an eye on Aldridge's situation as the season progresses.
As of now, the talk in NBA circles is Aldridge isn't in favor of leaving money on the table, which he would be doing if he signed elsewhere as a free agent. If Olshey is serious about keeping the Blazers competitive for years to come, re-signing his best player is mandatory.
You should give the article a read. It's a pretty good survey of the joys and challenges facing the Blazers as the season sets up. And welcome Jabari Young to the circle of coverage. Here's to many more informative articles!
--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / @DaveDeckard / @Blazersedge