How do you like me now? A recognizable quote used primarily as a form of braggadocio, also as the title and chorus of a hit Toby Keith song. But in the wake of LaMarcus Aldridge’s defection to San Antonio, Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, and the rest of the Portland Trail Blazers organization appear to be the real winners in a move thought originally to be setting the franchise back a generation.
Through 64 games, the 2015-16 Blazers are 33-31. True, they’re behind the 44-20 pace set by their 2014-15 predecessors, but with 18 regular season games remaining, they’ve already eclipsed their preseason over/under of 26.5 wins, and appear poised to qualify for the playoffs in a year the thought alone would’ve been comedic.
This team was supposed to stink. They lost their best player, 3 additional starters, and were roughly $20 million under the salary cap for much of the season. Only 2 teams, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves, were predicted to be worse, and the future appeared murky for a city and franchise devoid of its true star in a league defined by them. But somewhere lost amidst the world of LaMarcus Aldridge was the realization that there was a burgeoning success story buried beneath the style and ego of the man keepin’ ‘em down.
Aldridge’s departure ultimately led to the trade of Nicolas Batum, and the subsequent decisions to not re-sign free agent starters Wesley Mathews and Robin Lopez. Without the “leader” and cornerstone of your franchise, spending the money to retain the ageing role players on the brink of an inflated market made little sense for a franchise on the cusp of a reboot. After all, Mathews signed a 4-year/$70 million deal with Dallas, Lopez a 4-year/$54 million deal with New York, and Batum is making nearly $12 million this season with Charlotte. Couple that with what Aldridge is making in San Antonio, and you’d have been paying a 31-year-old Aldridge, a 29-year-old Mathews, and a 28-year-old Lopez roughly $208 million over the next 4 years, in addition to whatever Nicolas Batum will command when he becomes a free agent at the end of this season.
I’ll pass.
Especially after seeing what CJ McCollum is capable of, watching the youthful big-men, Mason Plumlee, Ed Davis, and Maurice Harkless, who were acquired during the offseason, and the further maturation of Damian Lillard who appears truly capable of leading a playoff caliber team. Something Aldridge never sincerely embraced.
Neil Olshey took a lot of grief when LaMarcus split town. People said he didn’t do enough to appease his All-Star power forward, and after he left not enough to keep the rats from fleeing the sinking ship. But he didn’t panic. He banked on his remaining All-Star, McCollum, who he drafted in 2013, and his own ability to surround them with the type of players capable of a solid foundation, which in turn could attract the type of veteran talent necessary to take the next step. Lillard came through, McCollum stepped-up, and the fresh fish Olshey reeled-in to replace the departing starters have provided the aforementioned foundation capable of luring a veteran piece or two.
And this team is fun to watch.
The lack of a true post-presence has allowed Terry Stotts to run his offense. No longer prohibited by Aldridge’s necessary touches, the Blazers lead the league in fewest possessions to end via a post-up, and subsequently spend the entire game dedicated to Stotts’ flowing offense. The result has been offensive production equal to or surpassing that of last year’s Aldridge led squad in points per game, assists per game, and field goal percentage. They have diminished a bit defensively, failing to meet last year’s numbers in opponent’s points per game and opponent’s field goal percentage. But one could argue that as a result of unfamiliar teammates learning to play together. ESPN’s Zach Lowe made that point in a recent column, citing the Blazers 8th position in points allowed per possession since the first week of January.
Do you miss LaMarcus Aldridge? I don’t. This team was never going anywhere with him as our “best player.” He’s what Charles Barkley would call a “2,” a very good player who needs a better player around him to win. There’s no shame in that, but LaMarcus didn’t understand that about himself and due to such always felt unappreciated. In my mind, he was a “me-first” player who lacked a true understanding of how to lead. And the team reflected that.
Damian, however, is not. His teammates believe in him, understand he has their best interests in mind, and further get his motive is winning. He’s not concerned with being upstaged or unappreciated, he simply wants to win and recognizes doing so results in the type of individual accolades his predecessor so desperately wanted.
LaMarcus Aldridge is winning in San Antonio. Good for him. But Portland is winning without him, and in doing so building something in the process. If you’re honest with yourself, you know the Blazers were never going to win with L.A., but with Damon leading the way, CJ coming into his own, and Neil Olshey pulling the strings, there’s an awfully intriguing light at the end of a previously very dark tunnel. And we’re all winning because of it.
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