Last few years prove Nash sucks (a story of hope)!

John Nash, that is. . .

When the Blazers' testament to misery ended this season, my friend Josh and stood chatting on my front porch, reflecting on how it felt to root for the suckiest team in the League, and just how far the Blaze-Crew had fallen from the days of JR, Rasta Monsta, Sheed, Sabo and a bench as deep as the game has seen.

But what bummed us out the most, it that we felt nearly hopeless about the Blazers immediate future. Significant internal improvement seemed unlikely, and our tradable players were few and of suspect value.

Portland had a log jams of promising but super young point guards, a gaggle of unpolished super young small forwards, two high paid "stars" in Zebo and DMiles that quit playing for the last 10-12 both figuratively and literally for the last TWO seasons, no bona-fide starter at two, and two defensively talented but injury prone centers.

The only guy we could get excited about was Martell Webster. . .who has so, so long to go.

In our estimation, Portland simply did have any assets to leverage significant change other than a talent dump to get rid of the discontented (and overpaid) Miles. The Blazer office had been so unimaginative and unsuccessful with maintaining Portland's competitiveness while they slashed salary to get below the cap.

Then Portland cans GM Nash, and the front office blossoms. Between the draft, free agency and trades, Portland has acquired Jamal McGloire, Raef Lafrentz, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Dan Dikau and Sergio Rodriguez, as well as re-signing Joel "the Pole" Przybilla. What Portland gave up was little in comparison--Victor Kryhapa, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, Steve Blake, Brian Skinner and Ha Se Jeung.

Now Portland has both big time young potential in Roy and Aldridge, and three talented (and trade-able) centers, and perhaps some crazy luck with the acquisition of Rodriguez, who from what I have researched of his play in Europe, could be one bad assed play-maker. I think Zach will likely come around and Miles will likely continue his petulant behavior and disappoint, but now with a deeper talent base, losing those guys is not such hit to the teams meager core.

Portland will still be bad next year. The front court may be real effective, but Portland will be relying on unproven and likely inconsistent perimeter players. Even if they shock the world with break out seasons, the likely starting back court of Jarret Jack and Brandon Roy will still be too young to make noise in the West. Too many good teams rule the roost.

But the Blazers are finally building again, and at long last things are looking up in P-Town, and that makes a weary fan get excited all over again.