How do you evaluate Portland season?

I think they had a tremendous season.

The fact that you have C.

J.

McCollum as well as Damian Lillard to believe this team and without the services of use of Nurkic.

When you have a team quite like that, that gives you three individuals that could take over games.

But more importantly, help others to be better role players to be better.

We saw CJ McCollum have a coming out party, but at the same time, you still got the same production from Damian Lillard.

Now you add yourself in there.

It creates a different type of throwback team as far as getting the ball inside and playing out of the inside out type of basketball.

So what kind of a difference you think Nurkic would have made had he played in the Western Conference finals?

Unfortunately, we can never know that, but at the same time, I think he gives you someone that stabilizes the inside presence as far as the post when you're able to get easy baskets down low.

It opens up the perimeter game, and when he's defending on the block, you don't have to worry about so many rotations as to getting guys out of position of play with the player, like nervous down low.

He is tremendous, and he will continue to get better for that bowling ball club.

Yeah, you're right.

If Nurkic is there, does day and make those shots to see Jamie.

You just know you never know you never but he's really good.

Yeah, we saw Damian Lillard come up big in the postseason.

What challenges Desi face in the Western Conference moving forward.

The point guard play in the Western Conference is tremendous.

You talk about his first Siri's against Russell Westbrook and what he had to deal with, and as far as getting past that Siri's.

Then it's on to Denver, and after that, there's another guy waiting for him by the name of Steph Curry.

It ISS, but in these situations he has tremendous individual TDs.

Tickle up a cancer.

When your plan against so many different guys, you have to change your mentality.

Siri's after serious after Syria's, It's no longer something like you might have seen them three times in a month.

But he went from one Siris of Delaware, Russell Westbrook, in his attacking style.

Then he went to Murray and then on to Steph Curry.

You scared me for a second.

I was like, Oh, God, is there another?

Is it another thing trying to bring you win?

I appreciate that I do.

All right, let's bring you back in because I have another question for you.

Both Dame and C J Big contract extensions coming up soon.

How should the team handle their contract negotiations and moving forward?

These with these two young men?

It should have been done yesterday.

It could be the fact that you don't want to break up something that's good.

You look at what they do for the ball club.

They are productive.

And usually when you start talking about contract situations is usually when someone else is not being as productive.

But this has been a great Siri's or excuse me a great season core.

The Portland Trail Blazers.

You keep Damian Lillard, who says from the beginning, I'm not concerned with going elsewhere.

I want to build a legacy here in Portland now CJ coming on board what he did this season.

It reminds you a little bit off Detroit with Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumars real quick.

Everyone comes back.

What do you see from Portland next season?

I see a better team.

I see a team or confident.

I see a team who understands how to win.

And getting to the Western Conference finals will be some that they're not thinking of.

But they're playing for because they understand they came up short of their goal of MBA championship.

But along with that came experience.

I would like to see something good for them.

Good team, Bruce Bowen.

Thank you, brother.

All right.