Right to Blazers ahead -- basketball coach Nate McMillan. Now joining our show are you know I'll ask you the same question I ask him Bridget -- batteries fresh are your rejuvenated ready to go. Yes certainly -- ago it's been a long offseason and you know we've had time to think about. You know all of last season and the playoffs and you know this is -- time ago like him weeks ago. Next Monday you know what kind of tasty having your mouth from last year.
Well you know to have an opportunity to -- four guys to experience the playoffs and you know one of our goals last year was too -- in the playoffs and and in Seattle for a week ago. We were able to do that and get home court we didn't take advantage of home court. Lisa you know sour taste and you know you. We at least we will be hungry. To go farther in the playoffs and done our goals are going to be. Certainly higher this year a thought it was a good here last year put certainly hired this year. We wanna win our division and you know due to their second round. And you know see -- weekend. You know win the Western Conference.
Is everything changed now the way you judge this team the way we evaluate this team now that it's no longer just the you know the young team hope ended. To kind of make good -- now this is a championship contending team.
Well I you I don't wanna throw it throw it around. Lightly a championship. Team you know because a lot of things. Must happen. You know myself I have some luck. To get care and we feel that from here on now. That's certainly what we're competing for we're not a team that's developing. Or seen that. -- is you know we will be talking about that's being young you know we still are young team but we've gone through that. And not to see that we were making excuses. Last year in the years prior to that. I was real we build our team and building it through the draft and we were young team and our goals were to -- to the playoffs what we've done all that you know we've talked about. -- in the respect back. -- this organization. From my you know top -- our fans would be proud and respect this team as well as the rest of the league and we we felt like we've accomplished that. And you know qualities to. Of this transition. We wanna be a contender in you know that is what we're trying to. Become this year.
Do you set that tone early running camp that. Let the players know right off the bat that you expect more out of them.
Well what we all know that you know if you get to the playoffs as we did last year. And you have. The -- the year that we do and you know you don't get to the second round. You know that we talked about that -- and our exit meetings. Right after in the playoffs. You know that we wanna go farther next year and you know the ultimate goal you know four. Not only our organizations. You know teams in this league is to win a championship. That was talked about before we left for.
One last summer so well. How important was it free to sign Andre Miller a guy yourself who's been clamoring for veteran presence on this team for quite some time.
While I think this is good you know we we have we were in position this summer to. A free agent to a roster and you know one of players that we want it was another ball handler a guy that that could create some. Some. Offense and experienced player. That could help. You know our younger guys and I think adding on trade. You to our roster he's gonna make guys around him better he's the guy that has has played with some all stars and have to. To a number of different things four has -- in full school in -- a leader by example. And you know having gone through that it should help. You know this roster. Become better. But how do you characterize did the point guard. Competition Steve Blake -- Andre -- in terms of who starts. I think we got we aren't known I've -- I think I know we got two really good guard stand. On -- Tuesday when we start. And we put our first -- the unit out there Steve Blake will be the guy. That we will excuse our offense so.
Is one of the biggest. That concerns but tasks on your plate don't in this season is to make sure that there is enough minutes to go around you arguably the deepest team in the NBA and -- got to keep people happy.
Now they have to keep me happy to fifty and you know I'm not -- concerts in the sense that. I've always been a coach that. I don't determined that you know you would determine that all of our guys we'll get an opportunity to play and we'll look at our guys. In training camp and -- to a pre season in two in the regular season. And you know what you do. On the floor. In practice to get to that game floors and how productive you are. Two in the game -- determine. If you play and how much you play. You know we are deep team and you know. We can -- seeing guys but it's gonna take our guys -- sacrifice. All of them to sacrifice. Four you know what's best for this team and you know the bottom line is I will come -- with a rotation. Starting unit and play unit that comes off the bench. Where we can take advantage of what our players can do in match ups and give us the best chance to. Win and a ball game is not one individual players about the Blazers and what's the best team at that particular time. On the floor that can give us a chance to win the game.
All right hey thanks for us stopped by today coach you know it's a busy day so we appreciate that. Okay guys thank you all right thank you that's Glazer -- coach Nate McMillan on Blazers non player media day.
