I’d add to the “list of concerns” their PG problem.  I’m not saying it’s a “problem” persay…but as many pundits have talked about, they now have two up and comers (Brandon Roy, Jerryd Bayless) that are very used to having the ball in their hands A LOT to be successful. 

Personally, I’m not the biggest Bayless fan in the world…I think he’s much more of a SG in a PG’s body then a true combo guard, although I do see that Billups potential.  On ANY other team, I don’t think he’d work…but I think on Portland, sliding him to SG would be an interesting fit; that, or have B-Roy as the SG that shares a lot of ball handling duties.

Brandon Roy has proven to be a true combo guard when he has the ball in his hands, directing traffic…excellent passer, court vision, nice shooter, can slash, great decision making…putting him with a dynamite, fearless scoring eruption like Bayless should be fascinating to watch.  Roy’s senior year at UW he literally had the ball in his hands 90% of the time to do his thing…and Nate has often allowed him that same freedom in Portland.  Bayless was treated the same way in high school and his one year at ‘Zona. 

If this combo works, they are going to have two absurdly talented guards that can score and dish the rock…a high rising and still improving athlete/slasher and a Euro versatile scorer at SF (Outlaw, Rudy F)…a fundamentally sound center that can concentrate on defense, blocks and rebounding (Oden), and a PF that has a nice balance of back to the basket post game and able to score facing the hoop (Aldridge). 

I’m the biggest Nate fan on the planet…like Pops, one of the few coaches in the league that wins players respect so they allow him to be a no nonsense taskmaster (i.e.: opposite og George Karl)…if there’s anyone that can get all this great talent on the same page, he can.

Apparently they are also strong in the hunt for Shawn Livingston, along with Phoenix and G-State.

Dr. Jack Ramsey, HOF-er who coached gifted San Diego-bred hippie-jock Bill Walton & Pittsburgh mean streets Maurice Lucas in Portland – how’s that for a rebounding tandem?! 
… they had 20 yr. old Darryl Dawkins tearing out Spectrum 
locker room plumbing in ‘77 Championship series frustration, 
following a Game 2 brawl and ejection

the late Jim Croce, highly-successful 70s singer-songwriter 
(”Operator”,”Time in a Bottle”, “I Got A Name”, “Big Bad Leroy Brown” and “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim”)

Todd Rundgren, lead singer of Nazz  (”Hello, It’s Me”) and Runt (”We Gotta Get You A Woman”); progressive/experimental  reknown recording artist

Tina Fey, current TV sit-com (don’t know name of it) impresario and star, Saturday Night Live writer & performer, recent Sarah Palin parodist

Alvin Sargent, Academy award-winning screenwriter of “Spiderman”, “Unfaithful”, “Ordinary People”, “What About Bob?”, “The Sterile Cuckoo” and many others

Bobby Lloyd, Rutgers/ABA New Jersey Americans shooting guard in mid-to-late 60s – Americans were precursor to Nets, home games at Teaneck NJ Armory; teamed with Tony Jackson & Levern “Jelly” Tart (one of my all-time favorite sports names) in backcourt

Lee Tress, gangly, undersized (6′5″), hustlin’ Temple forward/center in late 60s-early 70s; was ‘67 HS All-Delco team selection, along with Geoff Petrie (Springfield/Princeton/ Trailblazers/Kings exec) & Mike Hauer (Bonner/St. Joe’s)

Todd Rucci, former Penn State/New England Patriots lineman; starting guard, Super Bowl XXXI vs. Packers

Floyd Wedderburn, former Penn State/Seattle Seahawks lineman 

And, finally, above-referenced Dean Demopoulos

10 cheers for the purple-and-gold Royals! 

Now Cheeks has played against Scottie Pippen, as well as coached him.  And with Andre Iguodala, I keep hearing about him being compared to Scottie Pippen.  I wonder if anyone can reach Mo and ask what coaching Pippen was like and if there is any Scottie Pippen in Iggy?  Pippen has 6 rings, could of had more if the Blazers didn’t lose Game 7 2000.  I don’t know how many rings Iggy would get, but Pippen is definitely someone Iggy should call and have as a real mentor!!!  Maybe it is just me!!   

Greatest strength(s):
-Maturity for a young team
-Nate McMillian (Give Mr.Sonic some credit)
-Rose Garden(the energy, fans, Paul Allen, ”Rip City” is back)
-Athletic & deep                                                                        
-Greg Oden (when healthy– a fundamental center)
Weakness(es):
-Need professional/productive veterans
-Road woes
-HEALTH is the key!!
-Cannot let youth get too exposed
-Too much competition in the West

Now a key series to keep an eye on would be their series against the Utah Jazz:
last season v.s Jazz  (3-1)

That is something to keep in mind for the Division Title!!

I think the Blazers will be 2nd in the Northwest Division, 8th in the West!! 

The Blazers are like a stock with a potential, which means great return and less risk.  I cannot really point out the weaknesses properly, but they have so much potential.
With that said, the Blazers can quietly creep up on people and perhaps go higher in the standings, but they have to bottle up whatever they did in December and January last season.  Also, good luck to Shav if he makes the roster come next month!!

(On a side note, the Sixers will split the season (1-1) against the Blazers with each winning on their respective home floors.  Although if injuries really do become a major problem for the Blazers, a (2-0) sweep of them is possible.  Although, I will still stick with the (1-1) split!!  Last season, both teams had incredible comebacks against each others, amazing runs in both second halves!!!)   

Here is a history on this historical franchise (even though they only won one championship)

Portland was an impressive team in the late 90s and early 2000s.  Mike Dunleavy Sr was the coach then.  They had a load of talent and headcases, but talented at that.  Imagine if they did not been swept by the Spurs in the WCF 1999 and lost Game 7 against the Lakers in 2000, they would have been champions!!  I started watching a little bit of the Blazers when Mo Cheeks was head coach thinking he was ” ‘a players coach’ who some thought would relate better to the players than Dunleavy did”.  They were fun to watch: Rasheed, Scottie, Stoudamire, Sabonis, Bonzi, etc.  Watching Mo helping that girl out with the anthem.  Also, they used to have a young Jermaine O Neal then, but traded him for Dale Davis.

Then with the whole reputation of the “Jailblazers”, the organization created a 25 point pledge and then had to revamp and rework the team top to bottom.  And thus far, have done a tremendous job!!!

In summary, a great franchise with only one championship!!

Great past, and now we will move on to this bright upcoming season for the Portland Trailblazers!!

i would have to assume that aldridge for korver deal was before the season started, cause aldridge was pretty good all year. either way, add it to list of why we are all so happy to be rid of b-king.

I think this is one of the better frontcourts in the league if Oden lives up to the hype. I think he will. I would not be suprised if the Spurs took a step back and the Blazers passed them up. The Spurs still have their big 3 but who else, aged role players and Salim? I definately put them ahead of Dallas, PHX and the Nuggets. It might be a stretch but I think the Jazz are gonna have their hands full trying to lock up the NW division and the Blazers may take it.

I heard a rumor last year that Billy King rejected a trade for Aldridge/Korver straight up and that was part of the reason he was sent packing. Did anyone else ever hear that? When I did, I was pissed..I have to say now it worked out pretty well.