The Significance of Channing (and James)

by Dave on Dec 28, 2007 3:06 PM PST in News

I'm finally getting around to being able to update today. I couldn't help but notice not one, but TWO articles on Channing Frye in the papers this morning. The first is Joe Freeman's, the second Brian Hendrickson's.

The first, and most appropriate, response is to say, "Nicely done, Mr. Frye!" After the first month of the season (during which he got some grace time for the adjustment) it was hard not to be critical of his play. He wasn't doing many things well out there. That has changed, at least where offense, rebounding, and energy are concerned. He's performing at a much higher level in all three areas now and he's making it easy to appreciate his game. Sometimes folks have astronomically high expectations of players and obsess on their flaws. I think with certain players--the ones who have the potential to be legitimate, team-leading superstars--that's somewhat appropriate. If Michael Jordan had never addressed the youthful flaws in his game he wouldn't have become Michael Jordan. But for most players, most of the time it's better just to ask them to show us why they're in the league. Steve Blake may never be a great off-the-dribble scorer. Neither was Steve Kerr. That's not why they made it. They play in the league because they have certain skills that you know you're going to see on display every night. You know what you're going to get when you acquire them and presumably you picked them up because their skills matched your needs. If a guy is demonstrating why he's an NBA player most every night then we shouldn't have much quarrel with him. If you want something besides what he does well then you need to get a different player, not complain about the one you have. Earlier in the year Channing wasn't looking like an NBA player. Now he's showing us why he is. Fair enough. Well done.

The bigger point, though, may be the fact that he can improve with this team. James Jones as well. This shouldn't be taken for granted. Ever since the Drexler era ended this team has been a place where people get worse, not better. This was even true of the Rasheed teams of the late-90's. We acquired Pippen, Smith, Damon, Derek Anderson, Dale Davis, Shawn Kemp...the list goes on. Their production went down when they came here, not up. For some it was age, but not all of it. We didn't have the kind of team that helped each other, that recognized strengths and how to play to them, that could nurture/facilitate a guy's emergence. No trust, no camaraderie, no vision of the greater goal equals no growth. Obviously this didn't improve any in the Jailblazer era. But now look! How many guys--young and veteran both--are playing better this season than they have the last few? That's no accident. Some of it is more shots, minutes, and spots on the floor being opened up with the changing of the guard, but some of it is the attitude and teamwork as well.

This is another sign that speaks well of the direction the team is headed. It's one of those corners you can't predict turning in advance but once you're around it you can clearly see the difference. The "nicely done" belongs not only to Channing, but to the team as well.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

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I completely disagree with your description

of the Rasheed Blazers. Several players developed on that team, Zach Randolph, Bonzi Wells, Rasheed Wallace, Brian Grant, all developed into decent or better NBA players. he Blazer fans of the time might not have had camraderie with the players but just watch them meet each other at the start of the games. Those players have a respect for each other and a lasting friendship. It bothers me that the best team on the Blazers in fifteen years is derided without qualms. Because I don't want to hijack this thread into something that Dave didn't want I will readily admit that my position is a minority position so don't feel the need to take lots of posts to tell me how wrong I am.

As for the thread topic, even our old players aren't too old to improve. Which is nice. Steve Blake is just entering his prime, and has moved around a ton. Perhaps once he knows his role he will take strides to perfect being the compliment to Roy. Frye's improvement coincided with him understanding his role. James has the advantage of having had such a role for some time.

by EnglandDan on Dec 28, 2007 3:27 PM PST reply actions

Just so you know

Your not alone in your thought. At the time Blazer fans (myself included) didn't care about the fact that Sheed, Damon, etc were a bunch of PR nightmares prior to the Western Conference Collapse everyone loved the fact that Paul was spending money like mad, Trader Bob was wheeling and dealing, and the team WAS winning, and was EXPECTED to win. The Garden was almost ALWAYS sold out.

So while the epic crash that followed the JailBlazer era was painful to live through, we the fans didn't put up much stink at the time and loved the winning ways that those characters brought. I was rooting as hard as anyone chanting "Beat LA" during the Western Conference Collapse... not obsessing over how terrible the character of the players on the court were.

So there is at least one other person that has "fond" memories of those teams, it's just the JailBlazer collapse was so painful I think people forget how good the "good times" were...

by Rsmithx on Dec 28, 2007 4:01 PM PST up reply actions

Plus...

they had brian grant.

I loved that froody dude.

This is Portland. Portland loves its Blazers. Welcome to OUR house.

by ratbastird on Dec 28, 2007 10:54 PM PST up reply actions

Look at what

those players developed into though. That's not really developing in my book. Other than Rasheed not a one of them has gone on to have any kind of career. And it was pretty well known in that era that Portland was the town where veteran careers came to die.

--Dave

by Dave on Dec 28, 2007 4:08 PM PST up reply actions

And for the record

that's not an attempt to dismiss the Rasheed teams or their accomplishments. They played some good basketball. But there's a difference between liking the team and looking at what happened around the team. No matter what the Conference Finals runs were like (and I was screaming my head off rooting for them too and was seriously bummed in 2000) I don't think you can argue that those teams were good at developing or taking advantage of players' strengths. They won by overwhelming talent at every position and the fact that Rasheed himself was one of the better all-around players in the league.

--Dave

by Dave on Dec 28, 2007 4:12 PM PST up reply actions

Yeah, but

Thats like saying Boston is going to do a poor job "developing" their Big 3 of Garnett/Allen/Pierce.

I think the lack of development was more a product of the culture (buy the best and most overwhelmingly talented players possible) and the fact that Portland WAS so good. It wasn't like those teams had oodles of top 5 draft picks to "cultivate."

While I agree with your assessment that the development in that era was lacking, I don't see that as a flaw of the coaches/players then, but was just a byproduct of how the organization was being run.

And I disagree with the assessment that Portland was where veterans went to die. Yes veterans did have a drop off in production as they got older in Portland, but thats what happens when your players start to age! Again, it's more a product of the overwhelming philosophy of the era than a failure of the coaches/players.

Just my .02

by Rsmithx on Dec 28, 2007 4:16 PM PST up reply actions

We disagree.

Compare those guys in the league compared to their draft position. They have done better than average for those positions.

by EnglandDan on Dec 28, 2007 7:10 PM PST up reply actions

Great post, Dave

But do you see Channing and Jones in our long-term picture if they continue to succeed?

I suppose, if they are not traded, it would be up to them to test free agency or keep playing in Po-town.

But the way things are going, both those guys seem like prime candidates to opt out at first opportunity in search of a more lucrative contract.

I think I just cried in my beer...

"Life is a meaningless sequence of events in between Blazer championships"

by broggerboy19 on Dec 28, 2007 5:54 PM PST reply actions

I can see Jones in the future

for the right price. This year is his last guarenteed year and he has a player option for $3mill. I would not be against resigning him for say $4-5mill/year. He is nothing but a role player but sharpshooters value can fluxuate based on what is avalible. 4 years $15-20 mill total for contract sounds reasonable, whether or not Jones thinks that way is another question. Hopefully he will see the value of playing on this team and the chance to be part of this great thing we are building here. Who knows?

As for Frye, I have been high on him even through his struggles and think it will be intersting what happens when his contract is up. He has a qualifying offer of $4.2mill, however since he is a reserve, I would imagine that keeping him at about $4-5 mill would be reasonable. Plus he loves Portland (who doesn't) and may take less to stay here as a backup. He is a good bench guy as he has a great personality and seems like a fun guy to be around.

I was at the Xmas game and I must say that I feel Frye will continue his recent play: I saw on one posession where he was 2-3 feet behind the left elbow and you could see it in his eyes, he was clapping for the ball wanting the shot. He got the pass and from about 18-19 feet smoothly swished the shot with a guy in his face. He is starting to get his shot back and if we can rely on him for 10 and 8 off the bench, I'm all for that.

Vote Jerryd Bayless in '08

by SpyderRyder on Dec 28, 2007 6:16 PM PST up reply actions

For sure

His current level of production is what a lot of us expected from him all along. I predicted 11 and 6, but 10 and 8 would be even better cuz the rebounds are so crucial to our success.

Can anything else go absolutely right for us?

Frye was one of the major disappointments up until now and a real buzzkill.

Now he's making the front page.

Sweeeeet.

"Life is a meaningless sequence of events in between Blazer championships"

by broggerboy19 on Dec 28, 2007 6:30 PM PST up reply actions

Who else is going to rebound this year?

It may go down next year with him playing with either Oden or Joel "The Thrilla Vanilla Gorilla" Pryzbilla who are both pretty good rebounders, so for this year I'm right, next year you'll be right.

Either way we will be so fun to watch next year!!

Vote Jerryd Bayless in '08

by SpyderRyder on Dec 28, 2007 7:08 PM PST up reply actions

In between

...the end of the Drexler era and the team belonging (to the limited extent he accepted it) to Rasheed, there was Rod Strickland. He might not have had a lot of success after he left, but I think he played better here than he had earlier in his career, especially with the striking improvement in his jump shot between his first and second seasons as a Blazer.

by hugs on Dec 28, 2007 9:48 PM PST reply actions

Who gets the credit?

The coaches. In our prime we had Dr. Jack and Rick Adelman. I look back at Shuler, Carlisemo, Dunleavy, and Cheeks and wonder how any player who came through Portland could improve. Personally, in spite of what appears to be a good resume, I feel Dunleavy is a lousy head coach. He forced Rasheed to do what the current coaching staff tried to make Frye do. But instead of having the wisdom to back-off and utilizing his strengths (as Nate's doing with Channing), Dunleavy continued to force Rasheed to play with his back to the basket. When he wouldn't do it, Rasheed was given a bad rap, and, unfortunately it stuck. He's playing his game in Detroit, and, well, we all know that story. Dunleavy's the reason Jermaine O'Neal was making all-star appearances as a Pacer and not as a Blazer. Although Dunleavy's overall record apppears impresive, I don't think he'll ever be a championship caliber coach. I'd hate to see this young team in his hands. So, Frye may be looking good now, but I give credit to Nate for allowing it to happen.

by Harley on Dec 29, 2007 4:31 AM PST reply actions