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To Tank, or Not To Tank?
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  1. postedbailblazers
    postedbailblazers
    Posts: 165

    Posted 03/23/2012 12:01 PM

    Last night Alexi Harper of PRS wrote:

    "The Blazers are at a point in the season where the definition of success has become so slippery, Tweeters everywhere aren’t sure how to feel after a solid home win.

    It’s complicated.

    The team–who just lost a coach plus two veteran starters one week ago–remains absolutely good enough to win close games against good teams. The team simultaneously is not good enough to beat one of the top four teams in the West in a seven-game series.

    This leaves players and fans in a difficult conundrum: To Tank, or Not To Tank?

    Reasons for tanking pretty much follow the “lottery picks are our future” school of thought, while giving solace to desperate fans trying to cope with a 29-point home loss against the Bucks.

    Reasons against tanking can be summed up thusly: It’s no fun at all."

    IMO there are other reasons not to tank.  Tanking makes you look bad.  We are trying to look as appealing as possible to FA's.  Having just tanked a season will not lend to this.  Thoughts?

    I am a fan of rhubarb pie.
  1. postedbailblazers
    postedbailblazers
    Posts: 165

    Posted 03/23/2012 3:22 PM

    ALEXIS Harper
    I am a fan of rhubarb pie.
  1. D_pickett
    D_pickett
    Posts: 608

    Posted 03/23/2012 9:58 PM

    I agree with the FA idea. Yes, we have draft picks, but one of our first-round picks depends on NJ's performance, not ours. That means we can only improve the position of ONE first-round pick by tanking. Also, in the deals that brought us extra picks, we also gained a lot of cap space, which gives us a lot of money (and I mean A LOT of money) to offer free agents. This year's FA market is almost as good as this year's draft class. Essentially, we have a better chance of building a great team through the draft and FA market if we DON'T tank.
    I am a fan of
  1. Tobyus Sanchezo
    Tobyus Sanchezo
    Posts: 1600

    Posted 03/23/2012 10:20 PM

    Like we have a choice. We're just the fans. We're not the guys letting our man beat us down the court, punish us in the paint, and out work us for loose balls. Then get mad at refs because we were too lazy to jump and try to block a shot, instead, slapping at the ball and giving the shooter some free throws.

    I could go off for days about what tank ball is, but I'm just glad we didn't lose by 30 to the Lakers.
    I am a fan of playoffs in two zero one three
  1. kenny c.
    kenny c.
    Posts: 412

    Posted 03/23/2012 10:23 PM

    The idea of "tanking" is to pay these competitors millions of dollars to lose in hopes that makes you win. Millions of dollars to lose, god what a good gig if you can get it, except it lacks all honor.
    I am a fan of Winning
  1. barnettfan
    barnettfan
    Posts: 370

    Posted 03/24/2012 2:50 AM

    The other idea of tanking is to see what exactly we have in the way of benchplay although I think we have a pretty good clue in Nolan. A bummer on Elliot for the season would like to have seen more of him even Nate was giving him time,but that might have been forced. that being said I am not a fan of it but I would not be looking forward to being swept in the first round...again.
    I am a fan of
  1. Blazer247
    Blazer247
    Posts: 503

    Posted 03/24/2012 11:29 AM

    THE PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS DO NOT TANK.

    STOP POUTING.

    If you're a fan solely of winning than you are not necessarily a blazer fan, just a basketball fan.

    If you ARE a BlazerFan, then you know better than this "it's either win everything or cry and give up" attitude. Right now, a BlazerFan is disappointed, but they want to see their team PLAY, and play HARD. Every game, our 2011-2012 record be damned if it has to.

    We will improve in the offseason and next year, there's no doubt. That, too, is exciting for BlazerFans. So with that in mind, there's even more to enjoy about the rest of this season; it's a televised, frequent chance to see players audition for the squad we're putting together.

    If you're just a fan of basketball and winning, then please, go back to your xbox. Or if you insist on having the real thing and are trying to use the Blazers as your fantasy team, then remember this: like was said above, in real NBA basketball, while tanking could theoretically improve ONE of our draft picks and nothing else, it would significantly hurt not only our image to potential free agents, but would also damage the value of any players currently on our roster that we will be trying to use as pieces to pull in better players. Even if the upcoming draft is as strong as we expect, no draft is THAT strong that slightly improving one pick is worth trashing the value of everything else you have.

    Now please guys, stop acting like kids where it's all about winning and video-game strategies, and grow up and be BlazerFans. It's WAY more rewarding.
    I am a fan of BLAZER BASKETBALL. Not drafts, not business, not trades, not David Stern. Just BLAZER BASKETBALL.
  1. barnettfan
    barnettfan
    Posts: 370

    Posted 03/24/2012 5:29 PM

    As too hurting the image of players we are trying to trade I dont think there is much chance of that since they have done a pretty good job of it themselves. I do not think we should tank but I do think we should see what we got on the bench and go from there. In this shortened season practices have been nil so developement might have to come from the rest of the games. It would also give a good look to any prospected coaches. Everyone knows we are going to suck for the rest of the season and more than likely will be looking for a high profile coach. When we picked up Jack Ramsey he was the best coach available at the time. I think we should do that again. Canolli might one day be a great coach he has the passion but I am not sure that is the way to go since we are basically rebuilding with all this cap room and good position in the lottery even if we get only one pick.
    I am a fan of
  1. ClydeFrog
    ClydeFrog
    Posts: 975

    Posted 03/25/2012 8:54 PM

    This is a lost season. It was lost the moment Scott Foster blew his whistle and we failed to respond. Honestly, what good would ANOTHER 1st round exit do for this franchise? This upcoming draft is a game-changer and we'd be foolish to not want the highest picks possible. Let's stink up the joint for 18 more games, get good lottery position, draft well, and go big in free agency and BOOM we're back in contention NEXT year. Normally, I hate waiting until next year but I see the writing on the wall with this team, time to cut our losses and look forward. I mean, half of this team is on expiring contracts so I wouldn't expect many to be back next year. So unless it's LA, Luke, Nolan or Nic having a big night in a win, it doesn't mean too much to me.
    I am a fan of Watching Elliot Williams Take Flight!
  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2232

    Posted 03/26/2012 2:09 PM

    You cannot tank when your teams growth is dependent on Free Agency. Portland will have around 25 mil in cap space this summer and if they want to sign any quality Free Agents tanking will not get it done. There is no Rose, Duncan, Durant, or Lebron in this draft. Anthony Davis is great but we cannot lose enough to guarantee drafting him. Plus this draft has lots of depth if anything we need to play hard enjoy our 2 first round picks and try to get something out of our 3 second rounders this year. 
    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. postedbailblazers
    postedbailblazers
    Posts: 165

    Posted 03/26/2012 5:42 PM

    Posted By cmeese47 on 03/26/2012 2:09 PM
    You cannot tank when your teams growth is dependent on Free Agency. Portland will have around 25 mil in cap space this summer and if they want to sign any quality Free Agents tanking will not get it done. There is no Rose, Duncan, Durant, or Lebron in this draft. Anthony Davis is great but we cannot lose enough to guarantee drafting him. Plus this draft has lots of depth if anything we need to play hard enjoy our 2 first round picks and try to get something out of our 3 second rounders this year. 

    Well said Cmeese.  I do see the advantage of tanking.  It's clear-cut.  But the disadvantages are not so clear and there could be more consequences than we can predict.
    I am a fan of rhubarb pie.
  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2232

    Posted 03/26/2012 11:47 PM

    Thanks although I did over estimate the Blazers cap room. 
    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. ClydeFrog
    ClydeFrog
    Posts: 975

    Posted 03/28/2012 3:01 PM

    Free agents could care less how a team finishes the year before. If they or their agents are smart, they will look at the upcoming situation, location of city, playing style, coaching philosophy, and surrounding cast. If you think a guy like Deron Williams is paying any attention at all to whether the Trail Blazers scrape away a few wins here or there, then you're crazy. You don't think D-Will would like to play with Aldridge, Matthews, Przybilla, 2 Lottery Picks + other free agents Portland can add along with Deron? And if by chance we don't get Deron, the better lottery picks we can get, the better. We need this rebuild to be quick.
    I am a fan of Watching Elliot Williams Take Flight!
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