but having four point guards is dumb.  Getting Steve Blake only makes sense if we are trading Jarrett Jack. I am certain that was the plan, but up until now it has fallen through.  The worst case scenario for a roster is to have lots of players of similar but mediocre ability.  I'd prefer to have one actually good point guard and one bench scrub than four mediocre point guards between 21 and 27 years old.

Blake is not going to make many mistakes and provide the experience that none of our other PG's have.  We are not going to win the championship this year and it is more important that we build a team over the next 3 years than get it done now.  There will be opportunities in the future for trades and free agents to fill the areas of need.

Until then we have a group that will be acceptable for our short term goals and if one of them excels then we stay with them, if not then we have enough cap and trade bait to make a move in the future.

I would rather see them be patient than to make a marginal move now.

Blake is useful and doesn't make too many mistakes, but he's also solidly average and has probably peaked. I think he'll be useful to us as a player, as well as by being a vet presence and a guy who wants to be in Portland. Maybe he'll start next year, maybe he'll come off the bench. Whether or not you think he's the best point we have right now, though, if he's still the best point guard we have two years down the road, that's a big trouble sign. This is one of the reasons that I'm not a big advocate of trading Jack just to make a trade--I don't think we should count on Steve Blake being our championship point guard of the future any more than I think we should be counting on Sergio or Koponen. That being said, I think it'll be good to have him for the two guaranteed years on his contract, as the first guard off the bench if nothing else.

to be our starting PG, simply because he's a very very average pg who would be taking away minutes from Jack's development. Now that he's signed, I guess there's no point in arguing whether or not he should have been signed in the first place. I hope his role is the backup PG (which he would be good at it). There's no reason for anyone to change their opinions on teh Blake signing until the regular season starts. If he turns out to be amazing, I'd be ecstatic that I was wrong. I think he'll disappoint, or be so exceedingly average that his signing proves to be redundant.

Alot of the arguments for Blake don't make alot of sense. I've read from posters that he's "clutch". I really really do'nt know what they are referring to. He played on a 21 win team, I'm not sure what he could have done back then that was clutch. Brandon Roy is clutch, as is a bunch of other players (Kobe, Carmello, etc.) Blake is not one of them.

Another argument for Blake is that he hasn't peaked yet. And the best evidence of this is to compare his stats to Nash, and then compare ridiculous intangibles like heart and desire. Nash is one of the best point guards to ever play the game. His career arc shouldn't even be looked at, he's on his own level. We should look at all other pgs who have put up medicore numbers throughouut their career and see how they've turned out. Comparing Blake to Nash even slightly is simply amazing.

His defense is another "positive". I know that Jack isn't a good defender, but he's big and has only 2 years under his belt, and only 1 with any consistent playing time. It's severely premature to brand him as a horrible defender, if he's at the same level in 2 years, then we'd be apt in making some conclusions. I have no idea what Blake's value is as a defender, but i can't imagine him instilling fear on any PG in the league.

His jump shot is another huge perceived advantage. His 3% was slightly less than Jack last year. Jack seems to have been working extremely hard on that shot and the percentage jumped dramatically from his rookie year. I don't think it's completely inconceivable that Jack doesn't bring that 3% up a little more.

All in all, until we see the team play, there's no way we can come to any real conclusion about this signing. I'm still disappointed that Jack is going to be losing minutes and might not start. I just think we should have some sort of stability in the lineup, and Jack has had a whole season playing with 2 of our cornerstones. That cohesiveness in itself is worth something. I just hope Blakes role is to be a backup pg and occasionaly backup 2 guard.

have something sergio*jack do not have,a college championship pedigree.those 2 guys know how to win in critical situatons.the other 2 1 is boring and the other 1 needs a hi tempo system to thrive in. while green*blake playing in big spots is no big deal for those guys pyche.they're already winners in pricthard's mind.

I've been reminded by others here, appropriately, to factor into my calculus Jack's youth, lack of experience and steady improvement by posters here. So I do.

I also accept the logic here that Jack is uncertain of his role here and is insecure, like most of us, and would mostly likely excel in a space where he felt valued.

Let him start.

I think that there's an excellent chance he grows more and more among solid defenders, with starter's minutes and in a coach-assigned leadership role.

I hate Sergio's and Martell's defensive games. Their offensive abilities, let alone potential aren't particularly improtant to me without defensive competency. I say give 'em each garbage minutes until they show the ability to be solid guys on the defensive end.

This makes Blake my first backup to Jarret (Jarrett?) and Brandon playing 20 to 25 minutes a night.

In such a role, at his current cost and at his current contract length, he's a great addition.

He significantly can accelerate the development of our three young bigs with solid, consistent (relatively) mistake free play on both ends.

Here's hoping that younger Blazer guards not Named Jack learn to combine Blake's gifts with superior basketball ability and push him down the bench as they watch him and improve.

KP and Nate far more competent to evaluate the worth of Steve Blake than I am. I like that they knew what they wanted and were able to sell Steve on it also. It is not unfair to realize that point guards and bigs don't reach their prime until long after most wings. There are a few exceptions (Magic, Kareem, Shaq) but the point guards who has the similar body type and career progression is Steve Nash. Remember Mark Cuban and Nellie did not want to pay Nash (he offered to give them the same deal as Phoenix was offering him) so they could sign Dampier. That was after Steve became a good point guard but before he became an MVP. It took Steve Nash 5 years before he became an All-Star. It took Nash 8 years before he became a 1st team All-NBA. I don't think we need a Steve Nash with the depth of talent already here. We do need a steady leader and distributer and it helps that we have some championship experience as well. Good players in Denver brought out the best in Blake. Great players in Portland will do even more. There is that very small chance that Steve Blake will become a Steve Nash II and that is frosting on the cake.

... but I linked that same article Sunday in the diary I started below.

But thanks for bringing this back up ... because I didn't see it before and never got a chance to respond.

Blake is a young veteran, but he is STILL a veteran. Okay he started most of the year on a team that only won 21 games (2005-06), but also take into consideration who was on that team with him. This time out he'll be playing alongside the likes of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge -- guys who have great attitudes and WANT to be in Portland. They're also good players. Not to mention what's to say that Blake hasn't grown as a player (and as a gentleman) in the year that he's been away?

That's my piece.

I guess I should let you know my view is different then my initial reaction.  That fits a pattern with my initial reactions to the Zach Randolf trade and the Steve F. buy out.

The reasons my views can change is usually due to more complete information and better understanding of the CBA.  This leads to understanding what the Blazers are trying to accomplish with the particular move.

With the Steve Blake case the initial report was a 3 year deal but we all now know it's a 2 year deal with the Blazers option on the third. This takes care of my cap concern.

KP has been all over the media stating that he wants competition at all levels. So I now understand the motive and am cool with the signing of Blake. Although I would have preferred to use the mid-level exception to attain a player that is clearly better than a previous starter, that doesn't mean any were available or would have been a good fit.

What I don't understand
Why some fans still say that Blake's signing has to mean that they are not done yet and Jack will be traded soon. They are just not paying attention to what the Blazers are saying.

What it does mean
Parsing KP's words carefully "all levels" instead of "all positions" and looking at the off season moves, especially this one and you'll understand that in the Blazers opinion, Sergio is not competition for Jack, Green was brought in to be competition for Sergio, and that they consider these later two guys at a different level than Jack and Blake are at now. I agree.

The bottom line
The Jack and Blake competition is not just with each other and not just for this year. It's a competition with themselves to be the Blazers best  option when free agency becomes a factor for the  09-10 team.  Steve or Jack have to show they are better than anyone else available that year.   One of them, COULD make the 09 team, but not both. Both will earn too much money for one to be on the bench.  I did read the article mentioned and at this point I wouldn't bet against Blake because of his work ethic but I wouldn't bet against Jack either.  May the best man win and best of luck.

Here is my quote from that post,

"not in love here...
I would only want to sign Blake if we traded JJ, no need to have both of them on the roster, it would just take time away from Sergio who needs this year to impress us and earn his spot on this roster.

by usmcr3049 on Mon Jul 02, 2007 at 04:38:53 PM PDT"

I am still in the same frame of mind.  I don't like having both jack and blake on the roster, as I feel it takes time away from sergio, and if the blazer want to see him develop they need to give him time.  

I think jack will be traded by the deadline, his value is still pretty high, much higher than steve's, imo, as he is still younger and has the potential tag still.  

Green will make the roster, I don't see us giving him a contract and then cutting him and eating it.  Granted it is a small contract by NBA terms, but still, like fatty said, he has the resume of a champion, you don't just cut those guys without giving them a chance.

"culture guys." I think that combined with highly talented but young stars, culture guys are hugely important. Perhaps more important that another very young and unproven future star. I think that Pryz and Blake are far more important to the mgmt than we acknowledge here.

Blake getting thirty minutes takes so much pressure off Jack. If we lose it's for not playing him enough instead of being his fault.

And we're gonna lose.

Blake guarding quicks and slashers instead of Sergio means it's Blake's fault that we lost, but it doesn't mean that Oden had four fouls in four minutes. Those extra minutes playing in our defeats is why he'll blossom in year two.