The chips seemed to be falling in for the Portland Trail Blazers after the All-Star break, especially after they went on a rampant 13-game win streak following a rousing win over the Golden State Warriors that kickstarted the streak heading into the mid-February festivities.
Yet, now following another postseason disappointment after getting swept by the New Orleans Pelicans, Blazers general manager Neil Olshey had some regrets of his own looking back at the trade deadline.
“Probably one of the things we were a little too conservative with this offseason and at the trade deadline was, we were probably far too protective of our draft pick and our trade exceptions and the tools we had to continue to build the roster long term,” said Neil Olshey at the NBA Draft Combine, according to Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com.
“I think this offseason we shift our focus to playoff-caliber guys, guys that hit the right benchmarks with a body of work that can really perform come April.”
This offseason will bring plenty of questions, as this All-Star backcourt core of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum has failed to reach the Western Conference Finals during their stint together, even with added pieces.
Bringing in a two-way center like Jusuf Nurkic proved futile against a monstrous Anthony Davis, who got his on the block and mid-range, while Rajon Rondo and Jrue Holiday had their way in the backcourt.
A trade for another player could have given this Portland team more ammunition, but sometimes it's those missed opportunities that make all the difference in the postseason.
Follow Us
Subscribe