FanPost

Where do we go from here?

What now?....This is a great question. Like everyone, I've been watching "The Last dance". This has taken us all down memory lane, conjuring up for Blazer fans, memories of the 1992 NBA Finals. Jordan's Bulls vs Drexler's Trailblazers. For many fans, the Drexler era Blazers are a faint memory. The franchise perception for some stems from the Jailblazer and Roy era teams. Teams frought with lawless behavior and unlucky twists of fate. What the "Last dance" has reminded me as a fan....is that the Trailblazers were once a storied franchise. We were indeed one of the "leading teams" in the association, along with the Spurs, Jazz, Lakers, Bulls, Celtics etc. As other franchises rose to prominence and fell by the wayside. The Blazers remained near the top of the conference for well over a decade. So I ask myself, what's changed?

Undoubtedly the "Jail Blazer" era drastically altered the way the our GM's build rosters. For fear of taking public relations damage from an era we can't seem to shake. We've traded the need for "grit and grind players" in lieu of squeaky clean franchise first players with no personal baggages. The NBA's version of law abiding citizens. For me the model has run it's course. Chad Buchannan and Kevin Pritchard tried and failed, currently Neil Olshey has taken his shot at producing rosters devoid of toughness, but high on character. But this method of roster building has also failed and run it's course. I'm not saying Olshey and Stotts must go, however they need to recalibrate what they are doing. The status quo simply isn't working any longer and we've wasted the majority of a future hall of famers career chasing high character guys.

2016 was supposed to be the year we turn the corner and reestablish ourselves as a force in the league. The "high character" model has become a bit of a crutch if you will. In the summer of 2016 our inability to sign the necessary players to put around Dame lead to the signing of one high character guy (Evan Turner) to a monster deal and resigned three in house players to deals they didn't deserve. Again Olshey touted their characters as being the most important aspect in signing them. Forget what they offered on the court, but they'd never taint the franchise off of it. So it seems that team image was traded for winning. Our fans simply deserve better. Dame deserves better.

Fast forward 4 years and it's April 2020, we have a devastated roster that's headed for the lottery. Injury played a major role of course. But lets face it, we still lacked the toughness to get past the Warriors, Nuggets, Pelicans regardless. We just don't have those imposing smart basketball players because, 1. Portland is viewed as a finesse team. 2. Players don't wan't to come here because of the roster makeup. and 3. While we preach family and community to incoming players....we forget that basketball is a business and players rarely stay long enough establish a family relationship with teams. So why is this so important when picking free agents to pursue or players to draft?Why aren't we drafting for "now" and more so players with a familial fit?

In the past 4 years I've watched as teams snatched up the likes of the Morris Twins, Montrez Harrell, Pat Beverly, Lopez Brothers, Robert Covington....etc guys that don't need to get you 20 pts a game in order to drastically affect the games outcome. Players who take opposing stars out of the game with trash talk, subtle bumping, on court demeanor and voice. The blazers don't currently have those guys on the roster. Nurk is great, but he's still quiet, Meyers Leonard sadly was close, but not a great basketball player. Currently we have Trevor Ariza, who's precisely the type of player Dame needs going forward. Hell I'd even bring Melo back, simply for the edge and experience he brings to the team. Surround Dame with Ariza, Melo and 1 or two other "grit" guys and you have yourself a team fit to compete for a title.

So what would my 2020-21 roster look like.

First things first, I'd address the elephant in the room CJ Mccollum. I'm a huge CJ fan. I love his game. But he's 28 and we've seen the Blazers at their current makeup reach the Western Conference finals only to be swept. That was their peak. We simply can't win with Dame and CJ in the backcourt and have the other three players makeup for their deficiencies on defensive. He still has great value around the League and I believe his contract is still tradeable....If we trade him now.

Trade CJ and let Gary Trent assume the shooting guard role. He's stronger, he's a better defender, and he can score the ball. He won't get tunnel vision and try to take over and he's less predictable for opposing defenses.

Trade CJ, Simmons and a future 1st round pick for a package of Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter. This makes sense for both teams.

Option 2 CJ, Simmons and a future 1st round pick for a package of Julius Randle, Taj Gibson and Frank Ntilikina.

In any senario CJ and Simmons must go. They are both supremely talented, CJ a proven commodity ready for a prominent or 1B scoring role and Simmons brimming with Talent yet to be exploited. With Dame for the forseeable future they're wasted assets and redundant on a roster that needs to fill other roles.

It's time for a bold move from Neil Olshey, we still have a great staff (David Vanterpool was immeasureably important to the Blazers) but he needs to bring in proper talent. He needs to be more open minded and forgiving of a players past when accessing team fit. Guys, change and I think with Dame onboard, he's more than capable of reigning in guys with checkered pasts. Growing up in Oakland, he simply commands a certain kind of respect from all kinds of players, which is a luxury Olshey has yet to exploit. The time is now.

So what would my 2020-21 roster look like?

PG Dame Lillard, Dennis Smith Jr or Frank Ntilikina

SG Gary Trent Jr, Rodney Hood, Tim Hardaway Jr or Will Barton

SF Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Nassir Little

PF Julius Randle or Lauri Markannen, Zack Collins, W. Gabriel, Drafted Player

C Jusuf Nurkic, Hassan Whiteside (pray he takes MLE)

Bottom line is that CJ with assets needs to be flipped for a starting level Power Forward or Small forward and role players. We don't need more young players and we for sure don't need projects. The best teams of the present and past sacrifice both of those to build championship rosters now. Thus far, Olshey has accepted 40-50 wins as success. It's time decide who we want to be and how we intend to get back to who this franchise once was. As fans it sure would be nice to hear our teams name back amongst the elite. But our young stars are growing old and that bright light is quickly growing dimmer each year the roster contruct remains the same.