NBA/Blazers 2026-27 Thread

[Boom]

I'd call former Blazer AGM Mike Schmitz over at Dallas and see if he'd swap PJ Washington for Shaedon Sharpe.

[pezsez1]

Didn't watch the game yesterday, so can't really offer any insights. I will say though as the resident Lillard fan that it looks like Dame had another solid game -- in fact he might of been the only rotation player who actually played well. I know that's about as meaningful as a candle in a rainstorm, but I'm feeling a lot better about Dame right now than I was a week ago after he'd put up a few clunkers. Phalanx, you'd joked about him taking tequila shots and being out of shape, which I'm sure even you agree was somewhat hyperbolic... but there may have been some truth in him being more out of game shape than others on the roster. His shots earlier in the season (after the first game) looked pretty flat, and over the past few games he's just looking much more like himself. He's shooting better, his shots seem to have more arc, and also he's getting to the hole much easier. Perhaps the most glaring difference is his free throw percentage, during that wonky stretch he was shooting like 70 percent, and now he's back to over 90 percent with a high volume of FTs.

This bodes well for the team. Until either Ja comes back or we make some kind of trade, I think it's pretty clear that Dame needs to be our #2 scorer behind Deni. And some nights we might need to lean on him to be #1. It's a weird place we're in to be relying like this on 36-year-old Dame off of a missed season, but here we are.

To anyone who watched the game last night, what were the big issues? Were we just gassed from Friday night?

[Phalanx]

I didn't watch and just checked the box score at various points throughout the game. I generally expected the two 36-year-olds to have flat games after playing full minutes the night before. Micah sold out to try to beat the Lakers, likely knowing they had no chance vs the Spurs. Both played 20 minutes and were less involved in the offense, and Scoot and Youngblood played more than usual instead. I did notice that Lillard had 7 assists, which I think is a season high for him. The role I would have for him involves taking less shots and getting more assists, pretty much exactly the way it played out last night. He obviously has needed to improve his shot selection, given that his efg% is the worst of anyone in the rotation except Scoot (and now Youngblood). He did better last night, but something tells me it isn't a harbinger of things to come for him.

Cold shooting from distance, to go with 17 turnovers and a wide rebounding deficit (51 to 38) tells the story here. The Spurs are playing with the big dogs and the Blazers are incomplete with some guys too small and too old. Deni, Toumani, Clingan, and maybe Shaedon are the pieces that can translate to the new era. Scoot too, if they can sign him to a cheapie deal for a back-up combo guard who plays good defense. Draft the missing pieces.

PG: 6'5'' Stud draft pick who passes, shoots, and plays hard D, Scoot on a cheap contract
SG Toumani, Shaedon
SF Deni, Cidy on a vet min deal
PF 6'9'' 245 Stud Draft pick who rebounds, stretches the floor, and dunks on people's heads, 2nd draft pick who is a strong defender and finisher at the rim
C: Clingan, RWIII

Something like that.