Quick Zach Article

by Dave on May 30, 2007 1:34 AM PDT in News

Jason Quick's official Zach article is up at O-Live. This complements the blog entry we referenced last night and includes many quotes from Zach himself.

As I read it somewhere in between the lines lies the sense that Zach is not confident at all he'll be here next year. You usually have to take what a player says and multiply its intensity by three or four to get the real meaning. "I'm definitely not going anywhere" means "More than likely I won't go". "I want to be here next year" means "Chances are I'm going to be shopped." Zach named his criteria for teams he'd like to go to so draw your own conclusions.

Quick also expanded on the Pritchard quote from his blog about not having made a single phone call about a Zach trade. In addition to the obvious loophole about receiving calls about Zach this modifier was added:

And I'm not going to right now. What we have to do right now is get this draft and make the right decision.

None of this proves anything but I think there's ample wiggle room in there to think whatever you wish about the situation. As far as denials go, this one is probably slightly across the middle line towards the weak end. Not conclusive, but not a ringing endorsement either.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

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We'll see Zack here next year

I don't think moving Zack is Pritchard's highest priority, as many fans (at least that I've seen) think it should be. Pritchard seems to be far more patient than that. If the right deal comes up, yeah, Zack would be traded, but the Blazers are not holding a fire sale.

I would not be surprised in the least bit to see a PF/C rotation of Zack/Lamarcus/Greg Oden with one of those coming off the bench. I'm not convinced that this is the best for Lamarcus, but it's better than giving away our best player. Having too much talent is the kind of problem teams like to have.

But if (IF) Zack and Jack are not being shopped, who is left for Portland to trade for another pick? Webster? Pryzbilla? It is going to be hard to get another lottery pick with them.

by T Darkstar on May 30, 2007 4:38 AM PDT reply actions

Zach is great...

Great at saying the right things in these interviews. Great at working hard in the off-season. Great at getting your hopes up. Not always so great in the follow through.

This article kind of reinforces what I was thinking when we got the number one pick. All of a sudden the Blazers are truly an up and coming team and Zach just might feel a little bit like maybe he should have tried to be more a part of that team before now. Now he is just a little bit on the outside wishing he was a little bit more on the inside.

As I've said over and over, it's still all up to Zach. If his basketball persona ever becomes more important than his gangsta persona, if his team-mates ever become more important than his posse, he will be a force to be reckoned with.

Zach confuses me. He can wait a couple of days and then stop off to see strippers on his way to the funeral of a friend - while his team-mates are playing a game - and then he can turn around and be there for a team-mate when he wins ROY. I think Zach has a really good heart, a soft heart, but a soft head to match sometimes.

Still, there's something about Zach that makes me want to keep rooting for him. I'm just never sure whether I want to root for him as a Blazer or maybe as Bull.

by ken @ Blazer's Edge on May 30, 2007 6:34 AM PDT reply actions

excellent article

and zbo gibson's is the best steakhouse in america period !!!!

by fatty on May 30, 2007 7:08 AM PDT reply actions

Zach

I feel for Zach in the same way I felt for Damon. There's an intangible talent of being able to win when you're not "the guy". You can try to pass more, improve your defense, etc., but I'm not sure overall court and team awareness can be cultivated beyond a certain point. Sort of like rebounding or shot blocking. Players can train to get 20% more rebounds, but not 80% more.

The mistake made by many is to assume this is the player's fault. Damon just didn't have the talent to be a distributor. When a player isn't playing a team game, it's assumed they aren't a "team guy".

I think Zach is in the same boat. He wants to win and has worked hard. He's very good at what he does, which is run a one-man post offense. Other stuff, not so much. We'll see some future maturing (he's only 25), but I doubt he'll ever have the innate court sense of even a Carlos Boozer or Marcus Camby.

If Zach's energy resulted in a 55 win team, we wouldn't care so much about the strip clubs, etc. His role would be defined and his basketball insecurities would disappear.

Bottom line: I don't think Zach has the talent, broadly defined, to play on a winning team.

by Engineering Problem on May 30, 2007 9:30 AM PDT reply actions

Pritchard is playing it right.

The offers for Zach are improving. We will get a starter for him by the end of the summer.

by EnglandDan on May 30, 2007 10:32 AM PDT reply actions

Pritchard says the idea

is to amass as much talent as you can. Zach is certainly a talent. Why trade him away?!! Keep him (and I suspect we will if, as KP mentioned one time, Zach is willing to be a 2nd or 3rd option). I think he wants to be part of the Blazer's promising futuere.

by TwoDeep on May 30, 2007 10:43 AM PDT reply actions

Talent

...isn't everything. You need guys who will play together and get the job done, and who's abilities are complementary. A team full of great power forwards won't win as much as a team that is more balanced.

by jamon51 on May 30, 2007 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions

Pritchard

has always been far more measured in his comments about Zach than he has about, for instance, Roy, Aldridge, and even Sergio. Of course he says good things about Z-Bo but it's seldom without a measure of qualification. Also he's almost never mentioned when the subject of core players comes up.

I'm sure Zach won't just be dumped for nothing (or worse than nothing). However right now I wouldn't count on Zach's value in KP's eyes to keep him in town. I have a hunch there's a clear line between Zach and the players that Pritchard relies on.

--Dave

by Dave on May 30, 2007 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

However, Pritchard could be convinced.

I'm sure Pritchard is wondering to himself what it would be like if Zach puts in another summer of work like he did last summer and comes in ready to play 30 minutes at full speed at both ends of the court.

by EnglandDan on May 30, 2007 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions

Absolutely

He'd be a fool not to.

--Dave

by Dave on May 30, 2007 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions

i dont think kp

will trade zach right now because he knows a lineup of oden/LMA/zbo will be dominant and get the team in the playoffs. He'll move zbo then.

Welcome Greg Oden

by junit3123 @ Blazer's Edge on May 30, 2007 10:44 AM PDT reply actions

Why move Zbo ?

1. Zbo is not our Best Player.
Leading scorer/rebounder ? Yes, but only
because he gets the minutes/shots. BRoy
and LMA are already better players, because
they play defense, make good passes to the
open man and fit into the team concept.
Stats didn't show it this year, but from here
on they will. (No injuries, please.)
2. I'll keep posting that Zbo dosen't fit the
CULTURE. Everyone but the Zack diehards
get that already. Why would you want the
ghetto always creeping back into a great
team dynamic. Roy and LMA are the kind of
great kids who have talent and understand
teamwork. Now you add a great talent like
GO, who from everything I've read and watched,
is all about team and not stats. Having been
a coach for many years, it's rare and the
ultimate.
3. Zbo's trade value will never be higher. Think
about Zach with less minutes/shots/importance
if he stays. A sure recipe for disaster !
Next thing after is demanding a trade or
getting caught for dog fighting or strip
club thuggery ? Give this team a chance to
create it's own identity with Nate, Roy, LMA
and a good supporting cast.
It's GO Time !

by walkoff41 on May 30, 2007 12:05 PM PDT reply actions

If Zach continues to get into trouble,

and doesn't work on his game his value will never improve. If, however, he comes back in better shape, has no issues with his coach and improves his defense his value will increase. Last year he did two of those three things.

by EnglandDan on May 30, 2007 1:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Also

Remember that LMA is still very young. There is no rush to put him in the starting line-up. LMA still needs to bulk up to be able to guard the Duncans and Boozers of the world.

ROTUNDITYDOTNET

by damir on May 30, 2007 12:12 PM PDT reply actions

dunno that

I'd really say Z-bo was really "guarding" them either

at the same time, everyone loves to make a big deal about zach not being a 'character guy,' but his transgressions won't be near as big of a deal when we're winning more games.

like i read somewhere or other, not a lotta people are going to cancel their season tickets to see oden or durant because zach was arrested on something or other

by DominicanAvenger on May 30, 2007 12:24 PM PDT up reply actions

agree damir

no need to rush LMA. People forget we were talking about him as a project and he barely played the first 25 games or so. I think he'd be 6th man of the year next year if we keep zbo and start oden. LMA would put up some big games and continue to develop.

Welcome Greg Oden

by junit3123 @ Blazer's Edge on May 30, 2007 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Zach WILL eventually be traded

I don't think anyone, not even Zach, imagines Z-Bo playing the rest of his contract here in Portland. He WILL be traded, the only question is WHEN and for WHOM. The right deal comes along, Pritchard will pull the trigger in a heartbeat.

NOW, he is just waiting for that deal. I figure it won't be until well into the season, as long as Zach continues to keep that punim clean, work extremely hard off the court, and make an effort to try to appear to attempt a defensive stance.

If his numbers are exactly the same as last year, with no improvements, AND he stays out of trouble, his value will go way up again. The off the court stuff will begin to be yesterday's news with a lot of teams, and the value of the offers will be much more attractive.

I think he'll keep improving though. If he is nothing else, he is a tireless worker off the court. He really could be an ideal TrailBlazer, in an alternate dimension.

But the ol' puddin' headed stuff gets in the way, even if some of it is overblown. Whenever someone brings up "Well he sucker punched a teammate!", I just wanna remind everyone it was RUBEN PATTERSON, one of the most sucker-nut-shot deservingest players in all the land. You can be assured Zach popped him for a reason. Ruben is a dumb big stupid head with malicious intent.

Z-Bo is just a puppy who don't know no better sometimes.

His value will go up if he stays off the junk sauce and goof balls. Even if we get a great player who takes away some of his offensive punch, he'll still play well enough to get us a better deal.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on May 30, 2007 4:29 PM PDT reply actions

I hope his scoring average is the same next year.

But I really hope his average shots attempted per game decreases. I am hoping we aren't going as dependent on him next year as a first option, and that our other guys are getting their chance to show us what a wonderful young core they are. However, if he is passing out of double-teams and concentrating on second-chance scoring, and his scoring stays the same I think his value will be at least equal and likely increased. Imagine if he averaged 11-12 rebounds next year, with the extra rebounds on the offensive end!

Granted, we will still be a young team next year, and if Zack is around, we may be leaning on him again, when no one else is hitting and we have to get that win. I just hope we don't get into a rut of depending on him to the point where our young guns don't get enough chance to get their shots up, be it because the don't get the ball or because they have it and feel they are supposed to pass it to Zack.

by archemed on May 30, 2007 6:18 PM PDT reply actions