Premature Decision On Roy Could Cost Blazers

When it was announced last week that the Trail Blazers organization was ready to sever ties with Brandon Roy, Blazers fans were saddened at the thought of Roy, the former face of the franchise, wearing a different uniform at the start of next season.

But saddened isn’t really the right word, is it?

There was confusion and resentment toward a group of basketball know-it-alls who had made a decision before letting Roy get his chance in training camp. That’s what everyone focused on when they skipped the first two stages of grief and went straight to outrage.

So why feel differently now?

This week, fans are commending the organization for doing the same thing – making a decision before training camp. The only difference is that this time the decision keeps Roy in a Blazers uniform for another season.

This year could become a tryout for Roy. The choice to keep the three-time all-star is believed by some to be an attempt at preventing backlash from fans and season ticket holders. If Roy underperforms and shows no sign of improvement, it will give the organization the opportunity to say, “We tried,” and move on next season.

The Blazers are also said to have already placed Roy back into the starting lineup, but it’s only fair to let Wesley Matthews, who in the opinion of most outperformed Roy last season, fight for that job – something he’s already said he’s ready to do.

The decision to keep Roy was defended with the evidence of a weak free agent class. With Tyson Chandler and Nene demanding too much money on the open market, the Trail Blazers have opted to go forth with the goal of a mini mid-level acquisition in mind. But with young talent that has been grown in its own backyard, the Blazers are risking losing its foundation.

Greg Oden, Nicolas Batum, Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton will all be up for grabs soon enough, and if the organization uses $15 million worth of extension funds on a depleted Roy, the future could be mortgaged away for a player who is no longer the face of the franchise.

Whether this decision turns out to be a good one or not remains to be seen. But opting to keep Roy without first seeing him play is just as irresponsible as cutting him in the first place.