2013-14 Indiana Pacers

[Kingspoint]

Getting a 26-year old Turner for a 30-year old Granger is outstanding. They also have four bigs who can foul James, too. Granger is no where near the player he was several seasons ago.

[Kingspoint]

Plus, Turner will also be a restricted free agent at the end of the year and will provide insurance in case the bidding for Stephenson gets out of hand, which is likely.

Exactly this.

[Kingspoint]

The Trail Blazers are still reaping the benefits of Kevin Pritchard. Neil Olshey was outstanding during the 2014 Draft and Free Agency period, but for the second straight season, he sat on his hands during the trade deadline. Both times there were opportunities for him to get players who could help the team that would do a couple of things, give the team a chance to finish higher in the standings, give the team better playoff experience, and give the core players (Aldridge, Batum, Lillard and Matthews) more rest. Last season, their core-four were among the Top-10 in minutes played and this year they are all in the Top-16. Last year, they could have absorbed Samuel Dalembert's contract, or adding a player like a Stiemsma. The need is obvious...a Defensive Center who would have spelled Hickson last season, with the trickle-down effect of giving Aldridge both assistance in the paint and more. The trickle-down effect would have made itself apparent in practices as Meyers Leonard would have been going up against Dalembert instead of Hickson. There also would have been an opportunity to add Dalembert in the Free Agency as players often have stayed in Portland for additional year(s) after getting here mid-way through a season. Dalembert would then have been platooning with Lopez this season. Another trickle-down effect would have been that Batum could have sat out several weeks in order to get healed, something he didn't do until the season was already tanked at the end of the year. The same is true this season as Batum needed to sit out for two to three weeks over a six weeks ago instead of playing injured (he's shot less than 30% from 3's since December 17th along with shooting poorly, for him, from 2's for the last two months).

This season, Stiemsma could have been added quite easily. Stiemsma is 28, experienced (as many minutes as Freeland and Leonard put together), while being a good defender (three times as many blocks and three times as many steals along with the same number of rebounds than Freeland and Leonard over their careers with the same number of minutes). Stiemsma has no Offensive game, but he makes the shots he takes (.500 over his career). With Freeland out the last three weeks along with being out another three weeks, Leonard out two to three weeks and Aldridge out at least a week, probably more, Stiemsma would be only the 3rd big man on the team. Right now they have two, Lopez and the rough around the edges Thomas Robinson. That's it for PF/C. Claver is listed as a PF, but he's a SF all the way.

Not happy with Olshey sticking to his "plan" at all costs. Throwing away a 22-4 start makes no sense to me. Fans deserve more than this. Not asking him to ditch his plan, but to slightly adjust it. So, we give up a couple of young prospects for Stiemsma, who isn't in New Orleans' plans for next season. (The Blazers have zero first or second round picks to trade...not even any future ones.) They could have given up a combination of Allen Crabbe, Will Barton, Victor Claver, Joel Freeland, and Dorell Wright. That should have gotten it done.

The Trail Blazers are a defeated unit. Their Fourth Quarters of their last 9/10/11 games have been consistently bad. They no longer have the patience to move the ball around for the open shot. They miss/choke on the open shots they do get. They no longer play Defense where they used to play Defense in the 4th Quarter. They look confused. They have very little confidence. Batum is worthless because of his injuries and can't hit the broadside of a barn. Lillard passes up shots he used to take. The poor play is team-wide. Thought it would take a turn for the better after the break, but they went 8-1/2 minutes (from two minutes left in the 3rd to 6-1/2 left in the 4th) vs the Spurs where they scored just one point. Nothing changed during the break. And, now they are scrambling with trying to play basketball using four Guards at times, rarely having anybody of strength in the middle. They have seven easy games coming up, six of which are at home, in order to get their confidence back, but it's moot without any help from Neil Olshey to strengthen the front court, and now it's too late. Their 2013-14 season is over. If they're lucky, they make the playoffs and get a first round exit. Too bad after such a promising start. Next year will be completely different as they use their MLE on a backup big and all of their young players get a year older, while they get to play together with Lopez for their second season, being able to improve Defensively dramatically.