Alternate Timeline

[enlightenment]

Imagine what Blazers could have looked like, if not for injuries:

Lillard,
Roy,
Batum,
Aldridge,
Oden

scary.

Portland has such a good front office. The fact that Oden and Roy had those injuries and STILL Portland recovered to their position today. Unbelievable. That lineup you listed is unbelievable. Aldridge and Roy would be considered the best players in their position, each of Batum Lillard and Oden would be the number 1 star on a team like the Raptors. The defense and offense is there. It makes me sad how I could not see this lineup play...

[vino]

... and I think the same goes for every team ever.

Imagine what Blazers could have looked like, if not for injuries:

Lillard,
Roy,
Batum,
Aldridge,
Oden

scary.

[psrs1]

I've often thought of this but thought of losing that NJ game in 2012.

Lillard
DD
'Po
PF***
JV/Drummond


***One of JV/Drummond traded for a PF.


But your thoughts are pretty cool!

BC I think would have drafted Lillard if POR hadn't. I believe POR had two top 5 picks. Lillard worked out twice for Raptors I believe.

[enlightenment]

Basically, if all decisions were made with hindsight we would have a much better team. I don't disagree, and I think the same goes for every team ever.

[Raptorsnz]

Nets ended up with a 22-44 record. Raptors with a 23-43 record. If Nets won, then the records would have flipped, and the Raps would have had the 6th seed. The Raptors ended up 8th instead of 7 because GSW won the coin flip.

True forgot it was their pick that went to Portland. But then we never would've had the immortal Ben Uzoh triple double so it all worked out for the best clearly.

[planetmars]

How did we get Lillard? He was taken 6th and we drafted 8th instead of 7th because we won that NJ game.

Nets ended up with a 22-44 record. Raptors with a 23-43 record. If Nets won, then the records would have flipped, and the Raps would have had the 6th seed. The Raptors ended up 8th instead of 7 because GSW won the coin flip.

[Raptorsnz]

I've often thought of this but thought of losing that NJ game in 2012.

Lillard
DD
'Po
PF***
JV/Drummond


***One of JV/Drummond traded for a PF.


But your thoughts are pretty cool!

How did we get Lillard? He was taken 6th and we drafted 8th instead of 7th because we won that NJ game.

[planetmars]

I've often thought of this but thought of losing that NJ game in 2012.

Lillard
DD
'Po
PF***
JV/Drummond


***One of JV/Drummond traded for a PF.


But your thoughts are pretty cool!

This is the alt reality I like to dream about. Would have been cool to have Lillard and Po instead of Lowry and Ross. Would still prefer JV over AD though.

[mcHAPPY]

I've often thought of this but thought of losing that NJ game in 2012.

Lillard
DD
'Po
PF***
JV/Drummond


***One of JV/Drummond traded for a PF.


But your thoughts are pretty cool!

[The_Warlord]

Starting with the 2012 draft

1) 2012 draft - Go BPA and draft Andre Drummond over Ross
2) Don't make Kyle Lowry trade
3) October 2012 - Trade JV for James Harden, that deal was on the table
4) January 2013 - Make the Jose Calderon + Ed Davis for Rudy Gay trade
5) June 2013 - Draft Giannis the Greek Freak, Masai has stated he was trying to land a pick to draft him
6) Summer 2013 - Trade Demar for best young PG available, (Brandon Knight? Jrue Holiday?)

Also at some point #Firecasey or allow contract to expire and Hire coach Bud, SVG, Steve Kerr or any of the capable coaches out there

PG - Brandon Knight
SG - James Harden
SF - Giannis Antekoumpo
PF - Rudy Gay
C - Andre Drummond

The point is that we're only a couple of years into the Masai era and he's been shrewd so far. A couple of great deals, no real flops and still working through some of the mess of his predecessor but it's not insane to think some of the above best case scenario home runs may have been hit by him if he was in charge a year earlier..

Meanwhile the NBA seems to have smartened up a bit so you might not see a Harden trade or Greek Freak fall in the draft again but after this season he should have a pretty good idea of what he has with plenty of flexibility to work with. We might have a very different team a couple of years from now.