Nicolas may be being “over hyped”, but that’s not the question. Is Travis effective as a SF ? I personally think that Travis is more effective as a PF. He creates more matchup problems at the “4”, where he can pull slower players out away from the basket. I think Travis doesn’t have the same type of advantage when he’s playing against quicker players, who are comfortable out on the wing.
Phil

Trout is can create his shots more easily against slower PFs, and his shots tend to come from closer to the basket. Because of this, he scores more and does so more efficiently(though his efficiency is still below average) when he is playing at PF. On the other hand, Travis is a very poor rebounder for a PF and there is a significant negative impact on the Blazer’s team rebounding whenever Travis plays at PF (when Trout is at SF this isn’t an issue). On defense, Outlaw isn’t strong enough to stop the more physical PFs, but he also isn’t fast enough to keep up with the quicker SFs and will sometimes loose track of his man on the perimeter.

Overall, I think he is better off at the 4. Playing at the 3 decreases his ability to create his own shot and score, which is really the only good skill he has. Unfortunately for Travis, Channing Frye is also able to provide the same type of jump-shooting offense at the power forward position, except with better shot selection and a lot more rebounding. It’s hard to see where Outlaw’s minutes will come from when Oden and Webster return.

The pre-determined qualifiers to a yes or no question leave me with no place to vote in your poll. My answer is “Yes”, he is better at PF. But as Dave pointed out, he doesn’t rebound well enough nor is a big enough body against some teams to warrant pushing aside “true” 4s on our roster. But his problems at the 3, especially defensivley, continue to hurt us I think. I like the Webster/Batrum combination at the small forward spot for the next few years, which leaves TO without a place in my hypothetical rotation.

All of his big games have come at the 4, and there have been some stinkers at the 3.

It’s time to trade him.

Brandon even endorsed Batum before the Lakers game because even he doesn’t like playing with Travis. Travis has reached his ceiling. His defense is what it is and won’t get better. His offense is pure jump shooting, which would be fine if he would see himself as an outlet who hits a shot as the shot clock winds down once in a while to help the offense. But that’s not his game… he wants to be a scorer, he doesn’t move the ball well, and he hurts the offense more than he helps it, not to mention, he’s the weakest defender in the rotation.

He’s the third best option on this team at the 4 and the 3. Time to let him go.

Zach hurt his hand and they put him in at the 4. That team was built around Zach offensively, and when Travis went in for him, he went off. Last year (Travis’ best by far), he played 44% of our minutes at the 4, and only 10% of our minutes at the 3. All of his games at the 3 were because of injury, and he blew. by-the-way, he gave up over 21 points per 48 minutes at both positions… you have to play some pretty good O if you’re playing that bad of D.

Check out this link if you want to see Travis’ production in black and white without all the ‘mr.4th quarter’ emotional b.s.

http://www.82games.com/0708/07POR9C.HTM

But it’s the same as Zach and Boozer, and he’s taller than Ike. Travis’ game is purely a jump shooters game anyway. All jab steps, fade aways, and jumpers. He rarely posts anybody up, or puts the ball on the floor, and when he does, he’s not exactly breaking people down with his superior ball handling skills. Yeah, he’s too small, but that’s why his game has adapted the way it has.