our roster

by winnerwinner on Jul 16, 2007 9:00 PM PDT

what do we really have? why does everyone seem to think we need to make another trade? i think our roster might be set:

pg: blake
Jack
Sergio
Green
Sg: Roy
Webster
Sf: Jones
Outlaw
Miles
Pf: aldridge
Frye
Mcroberts
C; Oden
PRyzbilla
Lafrentz

Isn't that a full roster? send the euro's home for one more year...let these guys develop then add rudy next year. i don't see why we need to make a move... you could assume that green, mcroberts, miles are inactive....and sometimes lafrentz could be inactive if mcroberts needs to get some minutes...seems liek were ready to go to fall to me

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Webster's not a guard.

by ojala on Jul 16, 2007 9:19 PM PDT reply actions

He can play SG

I don't think there's a whole lot of difference between SF and SG especially for a guy coming off the bench.

by jayseyfield on Jul 16, 2007 9:26 PM PDT up reply actions

That's a matter of opinion

Webster was drafted as a SG, and also started all 5 summer-league games at SG. I understand that Webster might be better at SF, but he is a swing-man, and will most likely get some PT at both. If we keep Jack, which I hope we do, he'll probably get most of the backup minutes at SG, so that might leave Webster at SF for most of his minutes. Luckily Outlaw can handle the PF, sometimes and Frye can handle the C.

All and all, we have a pretty versatile bench that Nate can do a lot with. What I don't understand is when people want to trade Jack or Webster, or both together for yet another SF, that leaves us completely depleted at SG. Stick with what we have this year, some players might surprise us.

Bingo Bango Bungo

by DetriquesAngst on Jul 16, 2007 10:31 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree

We should see Jack playing some time at the 2 and Webster splitting time at the 2 & 3 spot.
I like the flexibility of this roster, we have a lot of "small" and "big" options we can go with.

by mpressive on Jul 17, 2007 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions

JaJo on courtside.

Wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong but I seem to recall Jones saying he plays the 2 or 3 so maybe we've got more depth at the 2 than we know. Of course that's a player's opinion so maybe we take that with a grain of salt.

I'm a buffet of goodness.

by TP43 on Jul 17, 2007 12:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Let's jump it up

Leaving the Euros off makes your GMing job easier so we'll wait and see on that. They may know something we don't. But I have long been preaching that we should stop trading and let's see this team play. It's a good looking team.

GO BLAZERS!

I love women and basketball... but not women's basketball.

by T REX on Jul 16, 2007 9:22 PM PDT reply actions

I think its less that people think we need a trade

and more than Pritchard and Quick (who is generally pretty close in his guesses) and hinted relentlessly that there are things still in the works, and that the signing of Blake was curious if that was the last move of the off-season.

If the Blazers went into the season with that roster, I don't think anyone here would complain.

That said, some people (and I'm on the fence about this) are concerned about the logjam at point guard and (I'm also on the fence about this) concerned that no one on our roster is going to step up and claim the small forward position.

So, swirling trade rumors + glut of point guards + question marks at the 3 = speculation on a trade for a small forward.

I guess I lean towards trading Jack to free up PT (preferably getting a future first over another average SF), and I lean towards seeing what Webster has in his third year.

by matthewcc on Jul 16, 2007 9:22 PM PDT reply actions

you say our roster is full...

I think we all agree on that. The issue is that some of us feel the roster is TOO full, particularly at the PG position.

by jksnake99 on Jul 16, 2007 9:24 PM PDT reply actions

I was just about to post a similar article

I agree that this looks like a full roster. Your count would be my guess as well, but I prefer to view them in terms of starters and bench players.

Starters:

Steve Blake - PG
Brandon Roy - SG
James Jones - SF
LaMarcus Aldridge - PF
Greg Oden - C

Bench Players:

Jarret Jack - PG,SG
Martell Webster - SG,SF
Travis Outlaw - SF,PF
Channing Frye - PF,C
Joel Pryzbilla - C

Third String:

Sergio Rodriguez - PG
Taurean Green - PG,SG
Josh McRoberts - SF,PF

Injured Reserve:

Darius Miles - SF
Raef LaFrentz - PF,C

When you see it like that it's easier to understand where they are going. There are definately steps left to be taken, the question is whether or not they need to be taken now. It might be time to run with what we have and see how it develops. That way we can see where our weakness lies.

All in all if I were a GM I would take our roster and cap space over pretty much anyones. The future is bright and keeps getting brighter. GO BLAZERS!!!

by mjm6783 on Jul 16, 2007 9:51 PM PDT reply actions

Petteri Koponen

Petteri Koponen was the best player on the floor when they let him play point. He can shoot, pass, run, and play defense. Watch the second quarter of the third game. It gave me the chills. He made a scorer of Chris Ellis. He made every player on the floor with him a better player. He made T. Green look like a very good 2. Don't let him go anywhere but to Portland.

by Kampeska on Jul 16, 2007 10:34 PM PDT reply actions

I'm with ya...

and worried about Koponen's coaches' warning that if sent back to Europe, there's the danger that he could sign a long term deal there. With so many players, barring a trade, it would seem that Green and McRoberts get a one year shot and if they cann't take a roster spot from the players just above them, their contracts simply expire and those roster spots are taken by the Blazers 2008 #1 pick and Koponen.

I've studied the CBA summary and looked at the player contracts. Since, all of the Blazers free agents count to the cap, by 300%, if not signed or renounced. The Blazers will have to do serious blood letting, ie cutting of multitude of players that year. The next two years are like one long try out for the core of the team. Then after signing the free agents, the blazers would have to build back up to the 12 player minimum.

It isn't clear to me if unsigned European players would count as unsigned free agents. It's probably just wishful thinking on my part. If not it may be in the Blazers best interest to ask Koponen to stay in Europe two years. Then bring him over after the free agent signings.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 16, 2007 11:41 PM PDT up reply actions

I like our roster

but I think we'd be more solid if we had Udoka. I'm not sold on James Jones.

The PG position is mildly worrisome. I wish we could just get rid of the logjams for once.

I do have a insight which is Pryzbilla will absolutley not be a factor this season. My reason is that Pryzbilla is at an all-time low in terms of confidence, I think us drafting Oden has destroyed whatever confidence he had left. I don't think he's going to contribute even as a backup.

I hope I'm wrong but that's what I'm seeing for the future.

by jayseyfield on Jul 16, 2007 10:42 PM PDT reply actions

pryz=

Jason Q., I think on the thursday interview with Casey, said something that would make you think just the opposite. It seems that Pryz had difficulty with the pressure of signing the fairly good contract and being expected to produce, or was it just guilt for getting the bucks while injured. Anyhoo, J.Q. seemed to think that pryz would thrive by having the pressure off of him and being the back up center.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 16, 2007 11:29 PM PDT up reply actions

ime and jones

To be blunt, Ime is to old to be in the championship run, which no on expects for about 3 years from now. And when the run does happen they want someone to be there that is better and younger tham Ime. So the roster spot and playing time is to valuable at this point give to Ime even if he wins you a few extra games this year.

To be blunt about Jones, Jones is nothing but the price Portland had to pay the Suns to get the 24th pick. After getting Sergio for $3 mill last year, a measly $3mil ( the league maximum allowed) just wasn't going to cut it. So the Blazers paid additional by taking Jone's salary of the Sun's books. Don't take Jone's serioiusly, giving an extra guard to N.Y. and then taking Jone's was all about getting Fernandez.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 16, 2007 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions

You said Miles?

That guy will never play in a blazers uniform again.

As for a trade, the reason is that we're log jammed at positions and we need to clear out space for playing time.

PG is too heavy. Back up to SG is weak. SF lacks outside shooting unless you count webster which wouldn't be a bad idea because he's too slow to keep up with SG's.

People need clear cut well defined positions to play. We need to really see what they can do.

Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.

by ratbastird on Jul 17, 2007 5:57 AM PDT reply actions

I imagine all

the GM's are very aware that we are over-stocked with PG's and some could come calling. Sure KP said we weren't shopping JJ but you'd think he would certainly listen to offers.

I have no foundation for this what-so-ever but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it is Sergio that we are trying to market.

by TwoDeep on Jul 17, 2007 7:30 AM PDT reply actions