Yes, I know. It's been talked about to death. While I hate to start with a disclaimer I will admit that I haven't read EVERY post about the CP3 rumors, so I apologize if this has been brought up before.

(In writing this I've chosen to simply dream that New Orleans is forced to make a trade, and simply look more at what move they could make that would save them money and save face with their fans)

In taking a quick look at the teams on Chris Paul's radar, it would appear that Portland is likely best suited to provide what New Orleans wants. They can offer expiring contracts in people like Andre Miller and/or Joel Pryzbilla. They can offer young talent in people like Rudy "I like to bring down my trade value by complaining" Fernandez, Jerred Bayless and Nicolas Batum. You might also consider that the Blazer's new GM is likely to be less emotionally attached to his players, which could put someone like Greg Oden on the table, although I'd say his tantalizing talent makes that unlikely unless it's the only move that will put CP3 in Crimson and Black.

What Portland may lack is another superstar on the level of Amaré Stoudemire or Dwight Howard. Don't get me wrong; Brandon Roy is a beast. He's also likely the kind of beast who could be even better if he could plan alongside a PG of Paul's caliber. Let's not forget: Great point guards generally make their fellow players better. Someone who can hit their own shot and get the ball to their teammates where they like it immediately makes the team much better. Obviously NO is going to make the trade that fits them best. One thing I don't know is if CP3 has a trade-veto clause to his contract. If not, then the team is free to ship him off to whichever team can offer the best package, even if they're not on Paul's short list. If Paul really has the power to pick a team, and he's willing to work with Hornet's management, then it would appear Portland fits both parties the best.

Getting to my point though: Most people have speculated that if indeed there were an earlier deal between Portland and New Orleans that fell through, it may have come from an unwillingness on the Blazers' part to send Nic Batum in the deal. He's young, he's talented, and he has upside ranging from 'defensive stopper' to 'all-star'. When it comes to inexpensive young talent on Portland's roster, he's the cream of the crop.

Along comes Wesley Matthews.

Granted, he's not a duplicate of Nicolas. Heck, he's not even a true SF. He's a combo SG/SF who plays good defense and can occasionally put the ball in the bucket. He's also pretty consistent from 3PT range. He doesn't replace Batum, but he does make the thought of parting with the talented young Frenchman a little more palatable. My guess is NO is saying 'NO' to any trade for CP3 that doesn't include Batum. I'm also thinking Rich Cho is more like to say oui to this move than Pritchard was.

So what do you say, Portland? Does Matthew's addition make you a little more confident about including Batum in any deal for CP3?

 

Personally? I'd trade anyone but Roy and Aldridge for CP3. Oden would be at the bottom of my list, but I'd let him go if that's the only thing that would make the deal work.

I'd like to start a quick series of posts. If you guys like the topic, rec it to the top and we'll keep these cycling through.

What I'd like to do is have you all take turns playing Devil's Advocate when it comes to certain members of this year's Blazers team. This is not to bash on anyone, or to encourage negativity; but I think it behooves us to occasionally use some perspective in the midst of our rabid fandom. To that end, let's start at the top and work our way down.

NOTE: Certain players won't be included in this list, since there's no real argument for getting rid of them. Brandon Roy signed a max contract, and for good reason. He's the cornerstone of this franchise, and as of right now there is no reasonable argument for going away from that course of action. LaMarcus Aldrige, certainly, we could find some arguments, but he also just signed a near-max contract, and unless something incredible happens is not going anywhere. Pretty much all other players are open for discussion, as are front office personal.

 

To wit: Kevin Pritchard.

Continue reading this post »

I know it's now verboten to speak of illegal streaming of games here, and I hope this post doesn't violate that policy. However, a recent development caught my eye, and it got me thinking: Why is Comcast so opposed to cashing in on the Blazers' success? Read past the jump for my advice to Comcast. Heck, I'm even giving it for FREE, so I'm making them money right away!

Continue reading this post »

After reading through Dave's most recent post and a number of responses to it, I got to thinking about a couple of things: The first being the free agents and trade options now rumored to be available, and the second being who is already on the team and their perceived value vs. their apparent NBA value. Obviously as fans, the players currently on the team are generally going to be over-valued, but is that only in the sense of their value to other teams around the NBA?

For nearly a decade here in Portland we watched as one talented team after another fell short, until the organization finally imploded into five years of downright crap. Egos, anger, drug addictions, you name it and the players had it. New management set about correcting the problem with a pledge which, however we derided it, has slowly come to pass. The team is now filled with players who are not only talented and committed, but nearly from top to bottom are just good guys who really care about each other. This team is, in large part, growing up together, learning the game and shocking the league for the past two years. Who can possibly estimate the value of a chemistry like that?

If you've ever played basketball in a league, you know it's the team that has been together the longest that often has the best chance of winning, often toppling teams who apparently are much more athletically gifted. Their familiarity with each other, and ability to push each other, comes through as an incredibly valuable commodity.

I'd say from what I've read on here the opinions are split about equally here between keeping the team pretty much intact, at least as we start next season, and making a splash in trades or free agency. The argument for the former generally centers around allowing the talent of our players to develop, while the latter says we need more consistent production, and veteran savvy to help us through the rigours of an NBA season, especially the playoffs.

I'm not knocking either of those views, but I wonder whether the veteran savvy of one or two additional players can overcome the familiarity our players are building together.

You can debate endlessly about what the team should do, and I don't think there is a question that the team will (and should) do something, but I believe Portland currently possess something potentially far more valuable than a big-name free agent (if you ever could have called Hedo Turkoglu that); they have a team chemistry that, by most accounts, supersedes that seen in nearly any other team in the NBA. Can the monetary or talent value of such a thing truly be counted?

What are your thoughts? Can Portland continue to advance on the backs of the talent improvement of their existing core and the chemistry and family atmosphere of the surrounding players? Is talent or 'fit' more important in bringing in new players, or trading existing players? If you assume that chemistry is more valuable than the talents of a player like Turkoglu, then how do you fill the existing holes and keep the chemistry intact?

It is Tuesday night, 6:30pm, and the Portland Trailblazers have assembled in the locker room. White jerseys with scarlet and black trim drape over massive frames, covering beating hearts and clenched muscles. The tension runs high as these boys-come-men struggle to forget possibly the worst defeat of their lives.

You are Coach Nate McMillan. Veteran of many NBA years and plenty of playoff games. You're standing at the center of this room, watching your players go through their pregame rituals like they have all year, but you know something is different. Slowly every eye turns to you. From the comparatively veteran Joel Pryzbilla to the deer-in-the-headlights rookie Nicolas Batum, they are waiting to hear what you have to say.

This is your moment. Put your words in the mind and mouth of Nate McMillan. What do you say to this team to help ease their fears and send them onto the court like a roaring lion, instead of a whimpering house cat?

I'll post my speech as the first comment below.

It's not a math question, so stick around a moment.

Continue reading this post »

For the sake of discussion, let's pretend for a moment that I'm the General Manager from another team... And let's pretend I'm not Isiah Thomas stupid. Here's your chance to argue why I should consider one of your players for a trade.

Continue reading this post »

I'm not flaming or looking for outraged remarks, hear me out:

Having read blzrfan's excellent recap of last night's game, and our lack of offensive variety and defensive accumen, it got me thinking. Everyone says what we need is a better defensive point guard who can still shoot pretty well, get to the rim and distribute the rock from time to time. We're fine with the offense running through Roy a good percentage of the time, and I think most everyone is pretty satisfied with the play of Steve Blake (but he'd be more useful in the second unit as a stabilizing influence). The general consensus at the moment seems to be that Jack should be traded in the off-season, while he still has that 'upside' that gives him even marginal trade value. Much longer of what he's doing now and we're likely to get next to nothing out of him.

Not to be too harsh on Jarrett, but... let's be realistic, the guy has been a disaster at PG. He might be better off going somewhere that can play him as a small shooting guard, or who doesn't need... you know... defense, or shooting ability, or...

However, Jack alone will not be near enough to land us that PG we NEED, of course, which means other assets need to be included. Maybe one of those is a first or second-round draft pick or two, but the odds are a higher-echelon player is going to need to be sent packing to get that PG-of-the-future we're all drooling over. Perhaps a Jose Calderon or something similar.

Among our tradeable assets, only Outlaw has lived up to his contract, and probably has a higher trade value at the moment than his skill-set deserves. Blasphemy? Perhaps. But in my admittedly limited basketball IQ it seems as if Outlaw is, far too often, a very uni-dimensional player. Despite his freakish athletisism he FAR too often settles for the jump shot. He looks great when they're dropping, but when he's cold like he has been the last couple of weeks, he looks downright miserable... And he has simply refused to take advantage of his ability to get to the basket.

Martell, for all his other faults, appears to sincerely be trying to round out his game. He's one of the few people on the offensive side of the court who is ALWAYS moving. Seriously, he may not score consistently yet, but I would HATE to have to guard this guy because he just doesn't stop cutting and setting screens. I really think with added maturity and continued work with Bill Bayno and other coaches, Martell has the IQ to become a pretty consistent 14 PPG type of player, and will probably add 5 boards and a few assists to that as well.

So, that's the long way around saying I think the Blazers' continued insistance on Outlaw being part of the future is really nothing more than an attempt to keep other teams thinking highly of him. Other than Jarrett Jack, I think Travis is the most likely player to be moved this Summer, and I think it would be a good move.

The rumors are heating up. Sources close to Jarrett Jack are saying he expects to be traded before the deadline. No word yet on what kind of deal might be in the works, but there's also rumors that Portland could be looking to move Taurean Green as well.

Speculation time: Odds are, if Portland is looking to clear up the log jam at Point Guard, they're most likely hoping to fill a need. Right now those include perimeter defense, and interior rebounding. Odds are you can't fill both at the same time, so who do you think the Blazers could be targeting?

I know Jack was included in the earlier rumors regarding Danny Granger, but you'd have to believe the price would be a LOT steeper than that in order to land him.

We can speculate, of course, about WHO Portland might be trying to get, but my assumption is that this is more about dumping Jack (an aborted experiment, perhaps) and clearing out space for Sergio to develop, and Roy to continue taking more duties at the point.

Poll

Which of the following would this trade accomplish?

24%

Clear the logjam at Point Guard (develop Sergio)

21 votes

19%

Fill another Need (Defense/Rebounding/Shooting)

17 votes

56%

Both A and B

49 votes

87 votes | Poll has closed

OK, here's the scoop everyone: Hate to ruin the suspense, but Roy IS an All-Star reserve.

Book it.

Now the big question is... Will he play in BOTH games?

(And no, there is no link to a source on this one. It comes straight from the higher realms, of which there will be no names and identities are kept secret by use of a paper bag with a giant question mark on the front)

As some of you may know, my real job is as a reporter for KXL AM (Home of the Blazers, baby), and we're doing a follow up story on the flap around the "Rise With Us" sign. I'd like to hear from the FANS what they think about this. Does it make you mad? Do you agree with the city and its anonymous tipster? Would you rather be fishing?

You can contact me via e-mail at chris.brown@kxl.com, or call the news room at 503-417-7630 and ask for Chris Brown. I'll be here until about noon, and I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks!
~Chris Brown
Newsradio 750 KXL

I've heard this mentioned in a few places, but maybe it's time to put a finer point on the topic of WHY fans are discontented.

During Portland's first three losses on the road people were worried, but jitters and inexperience could easily be used as excuses for the lapse.

During the four-game home winning streak fans were understandably ecstatic because the team showed outright moxy, poise and a killer instinct. With the cheers of the fans behind them they shocked all of us and showed just how much talent really is waiting to burst forth.

This brings us to the most recent four-game road slide and, I think, the biggest reason for the discontent amongst fans: Effort. Or, more accurately, the complete lack of it.

You can have less talent, be smaller and less experienced, but if you want it more than the other team you're at least going to be competitive. I'm glad to hear Sarge is back a little bit, because this team needs a kick in the butt. I think they've been congratulating themselves far too much on how much work they did in the off-season, forgetting that even MORE effort is required once the season begins.

You can talk about how teams befuddled the Blazers with their full court press, and how our perimeter defense is being exploited by athletic wings and sharp shooters. All of that is true, and it's all stuff that takes time to figure out, but... come on... If a player lacks defensive prowess, fine, but that's not exactly the end of the story. EFFORT, man. Effort. Why do we seem to simply accept that if a player is a sub-par defender that's just the way things are and others need to step up to fill the gap?

Look at Martell. Watch some film of him last year compared to this one. The way he plays defense is light years ahead of where he was a year ago. He's still no Bruce Bowen, but he's no longer a matador with a crimson and black cape, letting the bulls pass by him.

I know defense isn't a sexy part of the game, and most players would rather score 30 points than grab five steals, but defensive stats show effort more than any other.

And for me that's what it comes down to. There were times last year when the team was down big in the last part of the game, but they kept fighting. This year you'd reasonably expect the same, or even more of a fighting spirit, but so far it's been woefully missing, especially after the Philly game.

I'm not saying this is going to continue all year. I fully expect the team to win a game on the road soon. But that's not going to happen until two things take place: First, every player on the team commits to being fearless. They've got to have almost a college team demeanor that looks at adversity as a chance to shock people. Secondly, that energy needs to START at the defensive end. It's amazing how cathartic a few steals leading to fast breaks can be, and how much it can put the other team on its heels.

Sound off now: Which would you rather see, wins or effort? (Not that the two are mutually exclusive)

Not to start undue heart palpitations, but the hot rumor around the Blazers is that Comcast and DirecTV are all but finished figuring things out. There is further more rumors it may cost an extra buck-fifty or so per month. All this is, of course, unsubstantiated, but comes from some fairly reliable sources. Odds are, one way or another a deal is soon to happen. Dish Network customers may be a little less lucky, since the smaller provider may not be as willing to bend to Comcast's demands, but we'll see.

Let the speculation begin, but don't blame me if this turns out to be wrong. What I've heard is that the deal should be announced in the next couple of days.

OK, this is far from scientific, but in a recent diary entry I asked Blazersedge users to let us know which source they use for television. Out of 72 votes, here are the results so far:

Which TV Provider do you use?

Comcast 25%  

DirecTV 37%  

Dish 25%  

Rabbit Ears 6%  

Other 5%

What we're seeing here is that fully 75% of Blazer fans right now are unable to watch this wonderful new channel. Now, below is a NEW poll as the next step in this non-scientific experiment.

Also, if you haven't voted in the poll quoted above you can still do so. It's in the diary entitled 'comcast v. satellite'.

Poll

Would you consider switching to Comcast just to get CSN?

26%

Yes

18 votes

71%

No

49 votes

2%

Undecided

2 votes

0%

Only After the All-Star Break

0 votes

69 votes | Poll has closed

Just curious. I don't think I've seen a poll on here to gauge the number of Comcast, DirecTV and Dish customers. I know this is completely unscientific, but please vote below. Let's see what percentage of us are getting the royal screw job... And please, don't ignore the question. We need as many responses as possible in order to get an accurate count. Dave, if you're so inclined you might mention this on the main page to drive traffic here, or post the poll up on the main page after tonight's game.

Poll

Which TV Provider do you use?

8%

Other

7 votes

26%

Comcast

23 votes

34%

DirecTV

30 votes

24%

Dish

21 votes

6%

Rabbit Ears

6 votes

87 votes | Poll has closed

On Monday I had the chance to speak briefly with GM Kevin Pritchard. Now, don't expect me to have these kinds of insights on a regular basis, since sports really isn't my regular beat.

Still, I have a few quick observations:

First, Kevin Pritchard is a genuinely nice guy. He was obviously busy and I was obviously in over my depth, but he still gladly took a couple of minutes to answer my questions.

Secondly, he really loves the fans. I felt this was genuine. It's not all about the bottom line with Kevin, and that's why he's successful. There's no hesitation or hint of ulterior motive when he speaks of making sure the players know how important being part of the Portland community is. He seemed really happy to hear the buzz in the air, saying it was far more positive compared to last year (of course).

Last, but not least, I asked his expectations of the team this year. He didn't give a base line, but says he hopes to see the team improve month to month. And really, I think that's the only reasonable expectation for a young and talented team. You want to see them taking instruction, working hard and getting some payoff for their effort. Even if that doesn't add up to more WINS each month (because that's going to depend on the teams you're playing), it should at least result in more consistency.

All in all I thought his evaluation was fair. We can estimate the number of wins, but I think the feeling going into the off-season in 2008 won't be based on the win-loss record, but on the individual stories...

Will Webster show he's ready to become a consistent scoring threat along with becoming less of a sieve on defense?

Will Travis Outlaw finally learn to work in the flow of the offense? Right now he's best when things are chaotic. That's great at times, but you don't want chaos all the time. You want consistency, and I think we'd all be happy with 10-15 good points, a couple blocks and 5-6 rebounds a night from Travis.

Will Roy and Aldridge stay healthy? I think Roy is far more of a concern here. First, because he's more of a leader and calming influence on the floor. He's the Scottie Pippen type that can be having a horrible shooting night and still make his teammates better. Aldridge is likely to garner a lot of the attention this year as he makes us quickly forget that Rudolph guy... or something like that. And that's OK, because I think Roy is just fine not having the national spotlight... But he'll continue to be our favorite for years to come.

Who will win the point guard battle.. and will it really matter? I'm not sure where I fall on this. Is it better to have an all-star point guard backed up by... Tyron Lue... Or would you rather have two or even three good point guards? I think the team has the unique chance to throw out some different looks, as well as a better chance that if one PG is having an off day, one of the others can come in an do well. If egos can be kept in check, this could be an advantage, rather than a weakness.

I'm sure you can all think of a few more, but I've gone on too long already.

Time for your input: Go!

I know fan fest is designed to allow the average fan greater access to the players, seeing a side they don't usually get to observe. Still, the event is always scripted to the nth, with carefully planned publicity designed to make the team look good.

Last night I was fortunate enough to be able to attend as a member of the media, and as such I was able to observe some of the underbelly of the operations... And you know what? Even away from the attentive eyes, ears and mouths of Portland fans these guys are fun to watch.

I didn't get to do much in the way of actually talking to the guys, but almost to a man they were polite, willing to high-five or fist bump without a sideways glance and just generally fun to be around.

One of the primary observations I had is that the rookies are just as much a part of the team as the 'veterans'. Maybe that's part of having a team that's so young across the board, but watching Jarrett Jack pull Taurean Green, Brent Petway and Chris Ellis on stage to dance to a Soulja Boy rap... It wasn't just picking on the young guys, it was including them. Especially considering that two of those guys will probably not be here after next week.

Another observation: Greg Oden HATED not being able to participate. I didn't get to watch him with fans... he seemed to be hidden somewhere, but I hear he was signing autographs. He was having fun with his teammates, but you could tell he was down about the crutches he was forced to hobble around on. Despite that, the other players included him in the banter, making an obvious effort to keep his spirits up.

I wasn't able to stay for the whole scrimmage, but watching warm-ups I can attest to a much prettier jump shot from Joel Pryzbilla, Steve Blake was much more in control of his team than Jack was and overall the fans seemed to be having a BLAST.

This team may surprise some people. That success is a fragile thing and could become another high draft pick if Roy, Aldridge or Pryzbilla (yes, he is that important this year) gets injured.

Overall I think no matter what happens there are going to be more highs than lows this year, and a lot more to be happy about than last year. Still, the one thing we're going to ride on this year... is hope for NEXT year.

OK, let me preface this by saying the odds of Utah letting something like this happen are slim to none. Odds are if Andrei Kirilenko wants out of town badly enough they're going to find someone willing to take a risk on someone who's young and allegedly talented... Even a $63 MILLION risk.

But according to an article up this morning on ESPN:

"According to a translation by The Salt Lake Tribune, Kirilenko said in an interview with the Russian newspaper Sport Express that he is prepared to go without the money remaining on his NBA contract to get away from the Jazz."

It's not news, but Kirilenko hates Jerry Sloan. Granted there's probably not a player on the Jazz who loves Jerry, but Andrei seems to really loathe the man. So much that he's willing to forfeit his pay, return to Europe and play for coaches who speak his language (literally and figuratively).

The reasons for Andrei's dissatisfaction have been spoken of already, but the short story is he wants freedom to play his way and feels trapped by Sloan's domineering style.

Now... here's the inevitable question: What does Utah stand to lose here? Considering Kirilenko seems dead set against playing another game in a Jazz uniform (though he can't play in Europe unless Utah agrees to void his contract), would Utah be desperate enough to work out a deal that ends up in a trade for less money? Are they allowed to reduce the length and amount of the contract, or void this one, renegotiate a lesser contract in order to work out an equitable trade?

If Utah is able to do that, does Portland go to them and offer them cap relief in return for less of a financial burden then Kirilenko would be under his current contract.

Portland wins because they get a young talented wingman with defensive abilities and some offensive game who helps fill some of the void on the defensive end while Oden recovers. Utah wins because they at least get SOMETHING in return, and cap room after next year.

Thoughts?

For the full article go here:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3029816

Here's a thought: We've been throwing around free agent names the Blazers might pursue come 2009 when much of the bigger salaries come off the books, but there's a thought that occurs to me...

Call me a homer if you will, but there's a good chance these young Blazers currently on the roster will be among the top ten teams in the league all by themselves come 2009, so why do Kevin Pritchard and Paul Allen HAVE to sign a big-name free agent in '09?

Answer: They don't. If Portland manages to cultivate the team-first culture they're building right now, and Roy, Aldridge and Oden turn out to be as good as we're hoping, there's a good opportunity for Portland to become one of very few teams in the league who actually make money for the man who owns them.

Steve Patterson started a good habit of fiscal prudency in Portland (albeit through some pretty cruel means), and Kevin Pritchard is expanding on that. Pritchard isn't doing it by cutting lower level employees though, he's doing it by drafting young talent who WANT to be here, and who will likely want to continue the race to the top come 2009. I see this as a great opportunity to have enough money on hand to keep them all happy and together in two years, while the Rose Garden is packed every night, ticket prices are up (and people don't care), and the Blazers are on national TV 15 times a year.

The question is this: Do you think we'll really NEED a big name to put us over the top in 3-4 years, or would you rather see the Blazers become an example not only of good citizens on a roster, but a shining financial beacon in an age of bloated salaries and demanding players?

I know that everyone is spending all their brain power on wondering how we can get our hands on every talented player in this draft, but I have another question:

Remember in the mid-late 90's when Bob Whittset's (sp?) F in Chemistry resulted in a team full of would-be and has-been superstars that all wanted shots but no responsibility? I don't believe we're in danger of such a meltdown again this year, but with all the entries in here seeking to land as much talent as possible (IE, Rashard Lewis, Richard Jefferson, etc.), when by my estimation we are in a great spot as is. Explanation:

Portland has a proven scorer in Zach Randolph who can hit at the hoop or even 3's on occasion. We have Brandon Roy who, I believe, is set to score 20 or more points a game this year, while dishing 5-8 assists and pulling down 5 boards or so. Jarrett Jack, if he stays, is a proven asset who struggled at times last year, but has shown that when he's focused he's a terrific player who can add 10 points and 5 assists easily. LaMarcus Aldridge has yet to get consistent playing time while saddled with some injuries last year, but proved in the second half of the year that he's highly talented and could be the second coming of Sheed, minus the heaping helping of crazy.

Add to this Oden's already proven defensive presence and potential offensive threat within the next couple of years. Throw in defensive specialist and outside dagger-thrower Ime Udoka, Offensive fireplug and athletic specimen Travis Outlaw (who continues to show steady improvement), Martell Webster whose game is still rounding into shape, but who has shown flashes of brilliance and a more complete game than we've been treated to so far. Keep Joel and if he stays healthy you've got another defensive stopper to put in the middle, so even the second unit loses very little when it comes to stopping the other team. Sergio Rodriguez has a legitimate chance to become a consistent threat night in and night out if he's allowed to play enough that his teammates get used to his flashy passing.

All in all, that's just to say that I think even without any other moves the core of this team is well set to be amongst the elite in this league over the next 2-3 years. We're talking 60+ wins and deep playoff runs... Without Rashard Lewis.

If anything I'd say we'd do well to take back slightly less value talent-wise for Zach in return for expiring contracts so we can play in the free agent market in a year or two.

Before I say anything else I'm going to get this out of the way: I'm 80% in favor of draftin Greg Oden. I'm in agreement with most people here that I won't riot if Portland chooses Durant instead, because I don't think there's any debate that both will be terrific talents in this league.

Here's the observation and question I want to pose: Drafting Greg Oden makes us a defensively formidable team, but likely leaves us without consistent offense. Don't get me wrong, between Zach, Brandon, LaMarcus, Oden and Jack we should be able to put points on the board, but this team is going to be more defensive minded than anything else. That's part of the reason I think Nate really wants Oden instead of Durant, because he's a defensive-minded coach. He's firmly in the camp that defense and scrappiness can do more for your team than a 110 point average per game. Score 95 and hold your opponent to 90 and you're going to win a lot of games.

So here's the question: Understanding that Greg Oden as our pick likely means a much more half court oriented offense and lower scores, are you still firmly in that camp? Drafting Durant means an up-tempo team with high flying dunks, plenty of outside shooting and ball movement... IE, a much more fun team to watch.

Of course, I'd rather make it deep into the playoffs with an uglier brand of basketball, a la the San Antonio Spurs, than win a lot of regular season games and get drummed out of the playoffs early a la the Dallas Mavericks.

Your turn... Am I just wrong? What do you think?