As to the remark about former players having success elsewhere, maybe if Portland spent a little bit more on a better training and medical staff they could field a team worth watching all season.

But they have no one on the bench. Earlier in the season, they would be playing all of their starters for 38-40+ mins a game. Not one bench player with double digit minutes. They have started using the bench more often now, but it is pretty bad.

Attributing a stat like +/- to individual players in a team sport is not scientific. If everything remained equal ie: Player A is swapped with Player B, while the rest of the players remain the same it works, but that is not reality, many times there are multiple changes on the floor and then the flaws in the stat begins.

It’s not entirely useless, but to call it “plus-minus is the most important stat in basketball.” like the writer did to start his article only to say “But in basketball, with nine other guys on the floor affecting what each player does, plus-minus always needs context, and lots of it. Who is a guy playing his minutes with? Who is he not playing his minutes with?” is foolishness