[valentine]

I think the Oklahoma City Thunder have a brighter future then the Portland Trail Blazers…any one agree?

I think they do because I look at the teams. Yes, the Thunder were just in the lottery but look….The Blazers have Roy who is 5 years older then my favorite player in the NBA Kevin Durant. I like Westbrook and Aldridge but I think in the next decade, a great team will need a PG to win. Here’s the thing for me:

Who is the Blazers #3 guy? Rudy? Oden? I dunno. I mean, I see Rudy gone when he becomes a FA, I see Oden being a solid player but not a superstar….maybe a all-star but the Center position is dying (another topic, another day)

Jeff Green is more a 6th man but he can be a very good player. James Harden and BJ Mullens to me are 2 players who will grow with this young team. I see Harden being a do everything guy in the role of Andre Igoudala and Mullens reminds me of a young Elden Campbell. I think he needs to set down and focus on his game and he can be a good presence inside.

Agree? Disagree?

[McWinningParticipant]

sorry i disagree on point guards winning titles. the last teams that have won have not had premiere point guards its who’s down low and Aldrridge and Oden will be dominant together. the reason why is when the opposing point guard is weak defensively they will try to exploit that by attacking him and taking them away from their team defense.

[llperez]

Hard to say, but I think Portland is ahead right now in the building process because they have two legit big men that can change games in oden and Aldridige. All of OKC’s players are more perimter oriented. But is close especially since Westbrook is a young and improving pg while Miller is in his prime right now.

[QHaynes20]

I disagree. I look at the NBA and I see alot of teams with good PG. I think alot of teams have “big bodies” inside.

Rose, Paul,Westbrook, WIlliams etc…young PG and I think there are another good set of PG coming in and to me……you will need a good PG to be great in the next decade. my IMO

[d-grizzlyParticipant]

RIGHT NOW portland is better. if okc picks up a dangerous dominant center, another PF, they could beat portland….ANYDAY…

[JNixonParticipant]

I think the Blazers have the brighter future..

They have a roster with a perfect mix of young players that provide offense and defense. They are a rare NBA team that can put any type of lineup on the floor..

-Brandon Roy is 25 years old, and will be effective for nearly the next decade since he doesnt heavily rely on athleticism (that will be zapped later in his career).
– LaMarcus Aldridge will be a factor for the next decade, and he’s as gifted a post player as there is in the NBA.
-Greg Oden hasnt played his best basketball at all. He isnt polished on offense, only have 2 post moves (drop step, and a jump hook) and he’s been injured a lot, but he is already an enforcer on D and with his size and ridiculous physical tools has the potential to be productive with an underdeveloped post game ala Dwight Howard.
-Travis Outlaw is clutch and gifted offensively, with freakish length and athleticism and a pretty shot. As he realizes the freakish physical tools he has, he will be a decent defender.
-Nicholas Batum is also a freak athlete and already a great defender, and as his offense gets more polished he will be an above average player.
-Rudy Fernandez is the scorer off the bench with tremendous passion for the game.
-And Jerryd Bayless is the scorer that can be used as trade bait to get a veteran player.

They have 7 or 8 young guys that are valuable and can get alot better. And they have them at every single position. The Thunder have 4 guys that can be above average/great players…Durant, Green, Westbrook, and Harden

[McWinningParticipant]

yeah but none of those players you mentioned have made it to the finals. what i like is a point guard who pass creates, he can score but is more of a creator and plays good defense hes the perfect fit for a title team because on a title team unless you are so good you can just take over )Magic, Thomas maybe Paul) your scorers should mainly be your other players.

[McWinningParticipant]

yeah i agree people are forgetting Outlaw is still youbng and can add to his game a lot. plus i think Batum will be one of the best defenders in the game 5 years from now hes a beast.

[QHaynes20]

Iguadala everything you said makes sense but here’s how i view some of those players

Travis Outlaw- I dont see him as a #3 scorer on a championship team

Jerryd Bayless- Unless he shows something, his value will fall

Batum- Ok, to me- gotta prove it. He needs to show something to me. He is not special to me.

Rudy Fernandez- I see him bouncing, I think he is a threat but not a #3 option on a title team

Oden- Gotta prove it. If he can, good.

Bird- Like I said, The next era of PG will run the NBA. No one player will win a title by himself but i think teams will good PG’s will be in the runnings for titles

[JNixonParticipant]

I agree, but Outlaw is not going to be a number 3 scorer for long, Fernandez and Oden will probably take his scoing load on and he’ll be an off the bench scoring option and he’ll be out there at the end of games. And Martell Webster is also a factor in the rotation, and he’s the shooter and defender. They have a loaded roster and all of them accept their roles and are only going to get better. Their roles will be given out right.

[llperez]

my question about portalnd for you guys is who do you think they should look to develop as the starting sf? Batum, Ferandez, Outlaw, or Webster?

[sheltwon3Participant]

I agree only because OKC drafts so well. Portland had a few good year but OKC will get this one especially if Mullens pans out.

[McWinningParticipant]

probably Batum hes best suited to guard players like Lebron that they might face in the future. and i have a question who was the number three scorer for the Lakers when they were winning titles? im guessing Fisher. and true they may lack a third scorer yet but the Thunder are thin and its depth that wins games just look what Mighagin State did. and most of their players are so young they havent even developed yet i mean last year they were the second youngest team in the league and they had two 30+ year olds not playing at all.

[JNixonParticipant]

They’ll give them roles. Outlaw is the perimeter scorer on the wing, Webster is the shooter and a very underrated defender, Batum is the lockdown defender and Fernandez is the scorer that can swing positions. Its a committee approach for them, I dont think they are developing one player to overtake another…

[RickyRubio9Participant]

No one has even mentioned Bayless. LOL, dude was suppose to be another building block for this team…waste of a pick or so it seems if someone were reading this topic/forum.

[McWinningParticipant]

no its just he doesn’t fit here i think hes an All-Star on the right team but the Blazers just don’t fit.

[JNixonParticipant]

I mentioned Bayless…but he does need to be traded. And come to the realization that HE’S NOT A POINT GUARD! Then he’ll be a hell of a scorer for the right team…

[quincey hodges]

cant agree on the elden cambell. cambell was more agressing and was a go hard player as well as being smooth. i just dont see it in mullins and that fire is something that you are born wit or develop early

[canesboy6Participant]

I just don’t see anything in him that suggests to me that he will become more than what he is now..A really big body that doesnt have a whole lot of skill or understanding to bring to the table. I see him more as an expiriment than somebody to use as a building block. Dont get me wrong, I like the pick because the upside he has is great considering how late they got him.

Portland is a little better equipped right now. Roy is a great all around player and to me seems like a championship type piece. Aldridge is a great post player, so they have the foundation for a great inside out game. Combine that with Oden, who is already a top 15 center in this league, and obviously is miles from his potential. Their stable is too stocked with young developing talent IMO though. If I were them, I would put together a couple good pieces, Bayless, Fernandez, and Outlaw for a big time small forward sure sounds nice for them. Bayless is too talented to let rot on a team that just doesn’t need him. Milwaulkee or Toronto or Minnesota should jump all over that.

[quincey hodges]

exactly…although being a top 15 center in todays leauge( actually in just about any year) isnt that big of a deal. but even if oden is hurt r isnt that great this year joel is more then able to get the job done

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Iquodala09 is on point with everything he said. The Blazers are stacked and better than the Thunder at every position, except small forward and point guard. The main deciding factor for me is Portland’s front court. They have a front court that could dominate the paint for the next decade. Not to mention they have a ton of young talent they could package together to trade for another big time player. The Blazers are unique in the fact they have a ton of young talent, but are also ready to compete in the playoffs right now.

[quincey hodges]

and ya’ll dont forget webster..before he got hurt he was doing pretty well and hes actually in the running to start

[QHaynes20]

we were talking about webster…

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