Although they're all in the house watching the NBA Playoffs through the comfort of their areas, it isn't all unhealthy for the Portland Trail Blazers.
With an aspiring legend at point guard and some other solid pieces on the roster, the Blazers are already very close to appearing fringe playoff team. With a few tweaks every now and then, there's no question we'll be contemplating yet another youthful upstart squad inside Western Conference a la the Golden State Enthusiast.
Free agency is great at any given time, but nothing beats adding prospects you'll be able to build around for the future. Portland will have three picks to partner with, and while no you might confuse this collection of talent while using the 2003 NBA draft, the inventors available in the earliest round aren't exactly scrubs.
The NBA draft lottery has yet to happen, but there are already whispers about the Blazers, wherever they may fall into the draft order, using their eyes set at UCLA prospect Shabazz Muhammad. After striking gold with Damian Lillard not too long ago, the Blazers would wish to have yet another impact rookie in their backcourt.
In terms associated with scoring, Portland needs assistance. Adding an offensive weapon like Shabazz, who averaged 19 points per game inside his one season in UCLA, could improve their particular mediocre production. The hope for your Blazers is that Muhammad would construct a chemistry with Lillard and the two could be the foundation for a dependable future.
As far as their remaining picks? Some draft analysts have them targeting Nate Wolters in addition to Alex Abrines—two guards would you further bolster their backcourt in the future but probably will spend their rookie seasons with the D-League.
All in just about all, Portland's primary impact out of this draft will hinge on how patient they are by using Muhammad. He has all the talent on the globe, but it largely is dependent upon how he fits in with companies LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard while others.
In addition to the team's increased exposure of getting younger, the Blazers have a few contracts that need selecting out. With numerous expired contracts, trimming some fat would provide some much-needed cap flexibility.
With regards to their expired contracts, L. J. Hickson absolutely needs to be a priority as considerably as re-signing.
Hickson was the team's leading rebounder, mostly thanks to his incredibly high car. Portland cannot afford to lose Hickson, so again, inking him to another one deal is priority number 1.
On the other give, guys like Elliot Williams, Sasha Pavlovic (team option) and Nolan Smith will not really be retained. It would also make sense for the Blazers to generate a qualifying offer to Eric Maynor, who's a compelling reserve player and a good complement to Lillard. Apart from Maynor and Hickson, the majority of these empty contracts are meant for players making questionable contributions to the team.
The Blazers would be better off going out and trying to try a Jarrett Jack or Nate Robinson while using freed up cap space or room. Yes, you'll have fewer bodies in the rotation, but Portland could really work with a gunner like a Jack port or Robinson coming off the bench—guards or wings competent at playing isolation offense. This team really lacked a punch when the first unit sat off, but an electrifying save scorer who knows his role has to be nice pick-up. However, which might mean you'd have to just ignore matching Maynor's contract.
It's still a touch too early to project that this upcoming offseason will engage in out, but Portland's primary ambitions should be letting one particular lesser contracts walk and signing an essential reserve.
Most people would take a look at a bad record, and they'd stop wasting time to blame the head coach with the team's failures.
Yes, they down season, but face coach Terry Stotts, who just finished his first year in the helm, did a good job with the pieces with which he to work.
Names such as Stan Van Gundy, Brian Shaw and Phil Jackson are most likely being mentioned in just about every front office in need associated with a coach, but this franchise isn't at least one. Stotts should be given a lot more time to work with this squad, as it appeared to respond to his easy-going, teacher-like solution. The Blazers are teen, and they still need be chiseled into form.
As opposed to a team with organized veterans, this unit isn't in need of a Zen Master to help mentally manipulate them towards contenders overnight; this can be a team that just requires a teacher like Stotts, who can correct their own errors and build these young players for the future.
Would the playoffs be a realistic goal for this team? Yes, absolutely. The Western Conference—especially the seventh and eighth seeds—is completely sports book odds. Anything can happen inside the NBA, and although you'll be able, this team shouldn't be too hung standing on missing or making the postseason at this moment and time.
Stotts need this team shooting for any. 500 record—or at least a significant improvement on last year's file. For Stotts, being your teacher means being patient.
Right now, they're somewhere between the crawling and wandering phase, but when Lillard along with the rest of these young guns eventually get more NBA experience and assurance under their belts, you can rest assured they you will need to run way past the expectations that folks will have set on their behalf.
No comments:
Post a Comment