Portland Trailblazers Team Review

2021-22 Finish: 68-14

THE CHAMP IS HERE

The Portland Trailblazers are once again champions of the NSL world! GM Jmac and his boys returned to the summit claiming Portland�s second chip since league inauguration. Led by Kevin Durant and James Harden, the Blazers were the team to beat all season, finishing with a regular season record of 68-14 before going on a perfect post-season run 16-0 on the way to the championship.

Finals MVP honours went to Kevin Durant who was brought across via trade with the Knicks in an early season move, sending the injured Leonard with picks, bringing back Kevin Durant and an eventual rule change. Durant became the focal point of the deadly 3-headed dragon that was the Portland Trailblazers, the front man if you will, while James Harden played lead guitar while Russell Westbrook played drums with bricks not sticks. A plethora of additions towards the back end of the season changed the Blazers� fortunes from hopefuls to champions. The best addition being Hasaan Whiteside and his humongous wingspan in a trade with fellow contenders the Bulls near to the trade deadline.

 

Season Highlight:

The Championship

This story was no underdog or Cinderella tale, no, it was one of complete and utter dominance from the best team in the league. Each series seemed a formality, the Blazers pushed aside four quality opposition teams 4-0 on their way to the silverware. That�s right, not one team could take one game off the eventual champs.

Full credit to GM Jmac and his team for the run of form in the post-season, the chemistry was through the roof and team balance was perfect. Producing an unblemished playoff run is every GMs dream- minimal stress, every game as enjoyable, as torture can be, and at the end of it the satisfaction of knowing your team is firing on all cylinders and can�t be stopped no matter how tall a player you start at PG.

The league watched on helplessly cheering for just one upset win as the playoff contenders fell like dominoes to the well-oiled machine that was the Blazers. In the few close games there was, KD came up big with unstoppable scoring runs down the stretch, most notably against Memphis in their only close game. The Larry O�Brien Trophy was never in doubt and would be heading back to Portland in 2022.

Trading:

A smooth negotiator, GM Jmac is never one to lose a deal but is also one of the few GMs willing to pay to cost for a title. Most of moves made by the Blazers� front office were met with murmurings of a �Portland tax� � a mythical surcharge somehow applied due to opposition GMs not wanting to �assume the position� and bring the league into disarray. The reality is, when you�re a piece away and the league know it, a good GM should make you pay a price. But there�s nothing that justifies a trade more than trophies and if there�s a move to put you over the top, you make the move- Great GM 101.   

Best Trade:

Blazers send: Kawhi Leonard, Bobby Portis, first round pick and second round pick
Blazers receive: Kevin Durant

The trade that would eventually lead to the title, Durant found his way onto a championship contender for the cost of an injured superstar and draft collateral. The trade worked out to be a masterstroke for both GM Smokey and GM Jmac. Smokey would eventually land the 2^nd pick in the draft off a tanking season with two injured stars, now there are rules to stop that, Lel, while Jmac would secure a healthy and marginally better player, allowing the Blazers to contend again with an improved roster. Durant would eventually be the difference in putting Portland over the top, meaning the deal would crown a champ and create a contender in the coming season.

Worst Trade:

Portland send: Keita Bates-Diop, Taj Gibson, 2024 first rounder (GS), 2026 first rounder (Min), 2023 second rounder (Cle)
Portland receive: Hasaan Whiteside and Lou Williams

Before being critical of a trade that on paper looks bad for the Blazers, it�s important to note that this deal played a huge part in winning Porland the championship. At the time of trading, GM Merencio was aware of what he was doing, he was trading away two 2k difference makers who were on the decline in real life for two role players and quality draft collateral. The deal would probably put the Blazers over the top and draw a line through the bulls but the return was right for Merencio but disasterous for the league.

Looking long-term, both Hasaan Whiteside and Lou Williams are without NBA contracts for the coming season. Williams is likely retired, while Whiteside could be up for grabs later in the season if he is signed in the NBA. The two players who were brought in played pretty much from the trade deadline through playoffs and will be gone from the league and the Blazers roster hereafter.

A price had to be paid and it was by GM Jmac. I�m sure he would, and probably will, do it again which is why he�s great and the winningest GM in NSL history. When it�s winning time he is not afraid to push the chips in. Kudos.

 

Free Agency:

The Blazers will play a huge role in Free Agency though they will be busy retaining stars first. James Harden will be brought back while Drummond appears to be their number one target to convince to stay in Portland.

James Harden (UFA)- Harden opted out of a player option to take a team friendly deal and allow the 76ers build greater depth. A noble act but one that is annoying for a GM who has to pay to bring back a guy they thought they already had secured. He will be retained and will come back to Portland for a short stay til week 9.

Andre Drummond (UFA)- No signing bonus will be given to Portland as Drummond walked from Brooklyn in the NBA to sign a deal with the Bulls. Drummond will be looked at closely by GMs with favourable algorithm calculations, however it would take something big (and ballsy) to steal the winningest big man in 2k land.

 

Potential Targets:

GM Jmac has hinted at a few additional targets on the team news section but opposing GMs are wondering if it is all smoke and mirrors, a strategy to shift the attentions of lesser teams away from their ultimate prizes. Do the Blazers have enough roster spots for additional free agents? What could they possibly be planning? Can they afford the GMs for additional signings?

Players linked to Portland- Goran Dragic, DeAndre Jordan, T.J Warren and Montrezl Harrell.

 

Star:

Kevin Durant

KD was one of the best in the league throughout season 2021-22. He proved himself as an unstoppable scorer throughout the playoffs, in particular in a late run against Memphis in the Conference Finals. His ability to hit timely shots and singlehandedly drag his team back from large deficits makes him one of the most exciting players in 2k.

He averaged just 30 minutes per game throughout the regular season largely because the Blazers sent every opposition team packing within the first 3 quarters, meaning there was no need for KD to play down the stretch. What�s incredible is in those minimal minutes, his numbers were good enough to put him in league MVP discussions. If the award was given to best player on the best team it was arguably his to lose, however the Finals MVP and Larry O�Brien Trophy is likely a good enough consolation prize.

Averages: 33 points, 7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 blocks, 58% FG, 97% FT and 45% 3ptm.

 

Flop:

Russell Westbrook

It�s so hard to find any flops on this team that weren�t moved for a good return. Bobby Portis was a bit of a flop but he was traded pretty quickly after not fitting the Portland system, 20 games into his tenure.

Westbrook doesn�t deserve the �flop� because his 2k output was still terrific. He averaged 19 points as a third option with 7 assists and 5 rebounds. His 2k ratings were in free fall throughout the season however and fell to sub 80 from an 85ish starting point. His reputation amongst the league took a hit as well as GM Laddas spewed hate at any possible opportunity, making his contract a nearly untradeable gargoyle. But great GMs always find a way to get it done and just after the Finals celebrations ended, Russell Westbrook was shipped off to the Sacramento Klemms to the utter bemusement of GM Pistolpk and the league. The league collectively prayed for Sacramento and Klemm once again as GM Jmac received a generous bundle for a bag of dicks.

 

Draft Grades:

#6 Benedict Mathurin
# 59 Karlo Matkovic

A self-proclaimed hater of the youth, Jmac has a Walter Matthau � Mr Wilson type vibe around draft night. Grumpy, disinterested and too busy with his memoirs to feign interest in the kids on the block. He drafted Mathurin but traded his rights as part of a blockbuster deal to shake up the league and accidently took Karlo Matkovic at pick 59 as thinking he was clicking a link to the Karl Stefanovic fan page on Facebook. 

 

The Future:

�The time is now� is the slogan in Portland. But in fine print at the bottom of the billboard is a footnote, �it could also be next year, the year after, the year after that and the year after that�� The Blazers have perhaps the most vetted and talented roster that will become more talented after free agency and then again in week 9. They have half the league�s picks and have and will continue to shake down the pray4Klemms of the league for whatever assets they possess, leaving them to gloat about their Human Nature cassette that only works for the first two songs before producing static sounds and getting tangled in the car sound system. Here�s the kicker, the best song on the album is always track 3.

The only thing standing in the way of a title now and a dynasty for years to come is a strong flex from GM Pistolpk who �isn�t having fun anymore� and an admin team that refuse to allow this farce to continue to happen. Pray for Klemm, pray for us all. At least he hasn�t gone back to back to back� Yet. We know who we can thank for that.

 

Projected Line Up

C:  Andre Drummond
PF: Kevin Durant
SF: Robert Covington
SG: Lebron James (oops I mean James Harden)
PG: Patrick Beverley
Bench: Cole Anthony (probably traded), Josh Richardson, Nerlens Noel (ma boiee), Cam Reddish

Congratulations to the Portland Trailblazers for work in securing the 2021-22 title. GM Jmac truly is elite amongst all others and continues to be one of, if not THE hardest worker in league. We look forward to seeing the Portland roster take shape and quiver at what we might be looking at come week 12. For god�s sake, pray for Klemm.