Draft Workout Report
by Ben Golliver on Jun 21, 2008 2:29 PM PDT
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PrintI bounced quickly over to the Practice Facility this morning to check out the day's scheduled workouts (Rush, Chalmers, Ewing, Mbah a Moute and Randolph). In the 2.7 minutes that they were open to the media, I was able to reach the following rock-solid conclusions about the NBA draft:
1. Seeing Captain of Industry Kevin Pritchard decked out in his Saturday morning finest (untucked polo shirt and knee-length cargo shorts) was like seeing the usually pantsuited Hilary Clinton in daisy dukes. Serious cognitive dissonance.
2. Brandon Rush's jumper was not what I expected/hoped -- his shoulders were not square to the basket and his shooting motion was inconsistent (not quite herky-jerky but not nearly as smooth and repetitous as you would like... something like a small catch or hiccup that you might see in an amateur's golf swing).
3. The best prospect in the house was Leandro Barbosa. Sure, he wasn't there in the physical form but his name was on the lips of a number of media members. Whether any of these guys comes to us at #13 (Rush still seems the most likely), I'd trade any/all of them with Webster/Jack/whoever for Barbosa and not lose a wink of sleep. In fact, I'd be sleeping soundly dreaming of championships.
-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)
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Okay, I did not need the mental image...
...of Hillary Clinton in Daisy Dukes.
Ew.
Wherever you go, there you are.
I can erase that image from your mind.
BILL Clinton in Daisy Dukes.
Woof.
Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.
But it made Ben's point
perfectly clear didn’t it?! :-)
Actually I’ve seen enough film of KP in his Saturday-go-to-practice-clothes that I probably wouldn’t have even noticed other than to say something about him looking cute in shorts.
Last time I checked BSoftheSun the fans didn’t want to let Barbosa go, but perhaps it’s just the Overvalue your Own Roster Syndrome. I didn’t see them salivating over anyone on our roster.
I’m still in the “let’s wait it out” mode – esp. since Barrett said there was talk of signing PK and giving him a roster spot. That might mean Boise, but if they do that it means they’re thinking he has a future either with us or as good trade material.
If I was Phx
I would trade everybody on that team except Amare Stoudemire and Barbosa. I hope we have a spot for PK (I like the nickname Jorga) It all depends on how good he does at summer league.
President of the Petteri Koponen fan club.
by Sabonis4Ever on Jun 21, 2008 6:38 PM PDT up reply actions
WhenEVER
you are aroused it is very strange…for the rest of us
GO says " Sir, you fornicated vertically…observe the consequences!
by 92wastheyear on Jun 21, 2008 9:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe 3 or so?
Some of the guys will turn out to be better, but he is proven whereas everyone else is a gamble.
3 sounds right
It would depend on the needs of the team as far as win-now or rebuild. Different teams would value the commodity of ‘known value’ differently.
Help me to understand
Barbosa being a PG (really not trying to be contrarian). Last year he averaged 2.6 assists in 29.5 minutes per game. A scorer and driver – absolutely. A distributor? Not sure if he is worse than Blake/Jack (at distributing) but certainly does not have the stats. His defense is unknown (0,9 steals) under D’Antoni but if he is on the block could it be because Steve Kerr wants emphasis on defense and Barbosa is not the man?
I read Dave’s excellent commentary below and got the impression that Barbosa would draw the defense in with his drives and yet against San Antonio in the playoffs he was unable to finish or to dish (35% FG, 22% 3FG,1.9 assists per game with one good game of the five). In the playoffs last year Barbosa shot 36% FG, 60% 3FG, 2.5 assists per game against San Antonio and 45%FG, 38% 3FG, 1.8 assists against LA.
So if Barbosa is primarily a scorer and Roy is a scorer and Rudy is a scorer and none of them can guard SFs then where do the minutes come from for all three and who does play defense at the 3 (especially if Webster goes)? Do you envision Roy and Barbosa starting at guard and Rudy playing backup with Blake?
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
by lee3022 on Jun 21, 2008 4:42 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
process
Barbosa won’t solve all of our problems. Nor will anything else KP does on draft day. I see KP as targeting available players who will be a good fit for the team and offering fair value (or less) for them. Barbosa will help much more than anyone available at #13 for sure. I think you’re right that assumes we find a better defender at SF down the line (probably at Martell’s expense) but we don’t need Barbosa to be a “traditional” PG with a lot of assists. He needs to be quick, be able to shoot the 3 and score in other ways while Roy handles most of the ball in the halfcourt. He can bring the ball up on a break but doesn’t have to get a ton of assists either. Phoenix used him very well in that capacity alongside Steve Nash when they realized he wasn’t really a backup “quarterback-style” PG. He’s a combo guard in the truest sense and would be awesome alongside Roy. Certainly more awesome than Brandon Rush!
If Martell was part of what we traded FOR Barbie Lee . . .
. . . then the trade would simply be a massive upgrade at the 3 spot.
Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.
Scratch that . . .
. . . I didn’t realize he was only 6’3”.
Hmmm.
Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.
Except that Brandon Rush
is a superb defender in college. It is who we give up for Barbosa that bothers me. If it is Martell we need to draft a SF defender. If it is Outlaw we need to find someone who can create their own shot (maybe Barbosa but most of the shots I have seen were wide open jumpers or drives). Now Jack for Barbosa makes sense if Sergio and Peteri are (one or the other) going to be ok except we lose some cap space.
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
Agreed
I agree with lee3022. In Oden and Fernandez the Blazers essential have two top ten draft picks this year who 1) are likely long-term components of the team, 2) have yet to play a nanosecond on the NBA floor with the rest of their teams, and 3) will affect the play and playing time of their team mates. We know we’re weakest at the 1 and 3 positions, but it will take at least half a season of NBA play to know where the greater need is that a trade for a veteran should fill. Maybe Roy is the answer at PG. Maybe Fernandez starts at SG and Martell backs him up. Or, maybe Martell finally blossoms at small forward. Or, Trout becomes the starter at SF. The Barbosa trade is premature until such uncertainties are resolved. In short, we can’t trade for need until we know what we need. And we’ll need until 2009 before we know that.
by Trutherlizer on Jun 21, 2008 8:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Couldn't defend at PG either
With Roy, Rudy and Barbosa on the floor, not only would we not be able to defend at the 3, we wouldn’t be able to defend the faster point guards. Roy can do ok, if he puts all his effort into it, but he has struggled when we’ve had to put him on star PG’s at the end of games (because they just blew by Jack, Blake and Sergio).
Defending Paul, Byron Davis, Tony Parker, Deron Williams, and even Iverson is going to be crucial to emerging out of the west in the next few years. I don’t see the point in going after someone who hasn’t shown they can the ability and/or inclination to do that.
I’d much rather see us trade up to get Westbrook. And if we could trade Martell or Jack to do so, it would be a net positive for the Cap discussion.
Thunder in the alley...
...the Old PDX “Shanghai Tunnels”.
Is Bararosa “The Best”?
No, I don’t think so. Let me see what ya got.
I don’t , Think So.
We gots a killer in the alley, cuts your throat ‘n leave ya bleedin’
Ain’t no room, for your kind.
"Always Willing, Ever Able" - rivbike.com
"If you don't want to get banged. Don't go in there" - Van Gundy
White Unit Scoring
I don’t have a problem with the trade, but I see Barbosa primarily coming off the bench to back up Roy at the 2 spot. When Brandon runs the point occasionally it would work well to have Barbosa at the other guard spot, but only in certain situations.
Having Outlaw/Rudy at the 3 and Barbosa at the 2 would provide our white unit with some real scoring punch. I say it would be worth giving up the #13 pick and Martell. I should note that I’ve never been a big fan of Martell’s game. (He needs to attack the basket more.) I think he will improve, but I like the possibilities that the Barbosa trade opens up.
I certainly do not see Barbosa as our starting point guard. We would stick with Blake.
I think Travis should start at small forward with Rudy backing him up unless and until Rudy takes the job from him through his great play.
I can't believe nobody has mentioned Patrick Ewing, Jr. yet
He was one of the players I was most impressed with this year. Granted he was only a 6th man at Georgetown, but he does everything. Unfortuanately there isn’t room in Portland’s rotation for him.
"No, you're not imagining things: Black America is ecstatic." -Errin Haines, Associated Press writer
by Junior Del Norte on Jun 21, 2008 9:04 PM PDT reply actions
Nothing wrong with 6th men
Westbrook started nary a game that Collison wasn’t hurt.
And I honestly never thought for one minute when he was out there that he was the best player on the floor, and he is going top 6 in all likelihood.
Many times (this may be more of a reflection of Gtown vs UCLA) I thought Ewing Jr was the best player on his team. (hibbert sucks btw)
by RememberRastaMonsta! on Jun 23, 2008 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Nothing at all wrong with 6th men
I just haven’t even seen him on a mock draft yet. I don’t quite understand it. Georgetown was on tv a lot, and I also thought he was the best player many times. He’s all hustle and I’d love for him to be a Blazer. I don’t think it’ll happen though.
"No, you're not imagining things: Black America is ecstatic." -Errin Haines, Associated Press writer
by Junior Del Norte on Jun 23, 2008 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions
And need I remind you of
The Black Pooh Bear or BPB if you prefer. We drafted him #20 (if i recall correctly) without him ever having started a game. In fairness though BPB did play for a loaded Mich State team and when he did get in the game he was CLEARLY the best player on the team. JRich was close.
by RememberRastaMonsta! on Jun 23, 2008 12:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Rudy is not a 3 by any measure
He might be able to play that position in very limited stretches, but he is most certainly a 2/1 not a 2/3.
I don’t like the Barbosa trade at all and I’d be shocked if this was the deal that went down.
A scoring punch!
Barbosa certainly provided that for Phoenix and could for us.
Currently, only Outlaw does that coming off the bench.
I’m hoping that we trade JJ to LAC for the chance to draft Gordon.
I think both Gordon and Barbosa have the physical tools to become very good PG defenders.
Our coaching staff can polish their defensive skills.
Can’t get Gordon via LAC than I’m hoping we acquire Barbosa.
Blazers need to get a additional Scorer before the season starts.
Why do we need an additional scorer?
Talking worst-case scenario here: we know Roy and LMA can perform at a high level being the focal points of our offense. Last season demonstrated that. Since it’s the worst-case scenario, let’s assume Oden’s gonna come in and have no refined offensive game; he’s still gonna score 12 ppg on put-backs and alley-oops alone, using Howard’s rookie season as a baseline. Martell averaged double figures as a 20-year-old last season; we know he can score.
In the second unit, as you mentioned we have Trout. We also have Jack, who at 9.9 ppg was half a whisker short of double digits off the bench. We have Rudy coming in, whose scoring potential and shotmaking ability have KP and Nate drooling. And Jones chipped in 8 ppg and was one of the league’s best deep threats all year. I really don’t see the need for more offense. A lineup of Jack, Fernandez, Jones, Trout, and Pryz chasing down boards is gonna absolutely fill it up.
by BlazersOrBust on Jun 22, 2008 5:54 AM PDT up reply actions
JJ at 9.9 coming off the beanch
vs 15.6 for Barbosa coming off the bench.
That’s the difference between 98th vs 21st guards (calculated for 48 minutes).
5.5 more points per game. That difference is NOT lost on KP.
by spencerbutte on Jun 22, 2008 7:40 AM PDT up reply actions
5.5 more points per game
would have placed the Blazers in 9th place in Offense
NOT the 27th place where we wound up.
by spencerbutte on Jun 22, 2008 7:59 AM PDT up reply actions
One more self-reply
and you’ll owe Timbo royalties—be careful. :)
You had to realize that this point made no sense before you made it. First of all, you didn’t adjust for pace—the Suns played at the fourth-highest pace in the NBA last year, while we played at the second-slowest. Barbosa will have fewer shot attempts just by virtue of our slower pace, and his ppg will drop accordingly.
Secondly, guess who was second on the Suns in FGA per game? Give yourself a gold star if you guessed Barbosa. Want to know where Barbosa won’t be on the Blazers in FGA per game? Knock his scoring average down some more.
Third, points per game is a lousy measure of a team’s “place on offense”—offensive efficiency is much better, because it takes pace into account. On a points per 100 possessions basis, we’re not the 27th-best offensive team in the NBA, but rather 15th. That number makes the perceived need for a scorer much less pressing.
You can’t just transplant a guy from one team to another without taking all the mitigating factors into account. That trade doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
by BlazersOrBust on Jun 22, 2008 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Barbosa got most of his minutes
coming off the bench. When the second team is on the floor. That uptempo momentum that he brings will still translate to the Blazers.
Our first team can still go back to the ploddy, half court game but his offensive burst would still add to our final score.
“That trade doesn’t happen in a vacuum.” The fact that this rumor is being discussed indicates that KP may be looking to add some of that type of energy.
by spencerbutte on Jun 22, 2008 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Was I threatened?
Nope! Must be some mistake.
by spencerbutte on Jun 22, 2008 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions
We absolutely agree
that KP may be looking to add Barbosa. When I said it doesn’t happen in a vacuum, what I meant was you can’t just subtract Jack’s points, add Barbosa’s, and say, “Hey, look at us adding five and a half points a game!” It’s not nearly that simple—for all the points I already brought up, plus probably some other ones that I’m not smart enough to think of.
I don’t get your last post…I apologize if you felt like I was threatening or blustery in my reply. It definitely wasn’t my attention.
by BlazersOrBust on Jun 22, 2008 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Hmmm.
Plus that perspective doesn’t take into account defense, turnovers, assists, rebounds, loose balls, or anything else. Sure, Barbosa is far superior, but that doesn’t mean he is automatically adding five points to our offense.
by bleedingblackandred on Jun 22, 2008 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions
You threatened him with Timbo's royalties claim
For shame.
If it is just a case of comparing individual scoring averages, KP was an idiot to trade away Zach.
Comparing individual scoring averages of Jarrett and Barbosa also assumes that the #13 pick will be chopped liver and contribute nothing. Questionable at best.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
Rudy Is Versatile and We Still Have James Jones
Rudy can play the 1,2, or 3. He is only a few inches shorter than Travis. Yes, he’s skinny but you could say the same thing about Travis. KP just made the comment today that there isn’t much difference between a shooting guard and small forward in this league anymore. That’s not really the point though.
We still have James Jones. He’s not gone yet. If KP knows he’s gonna move Martell, he can send that signal to Jones, or possibly even sign him to a reasonable deal.
Then we would have Travis and JJ at the three, and Roy, Fernandez, and Barbosa at the two.
KP could probably still manage to bring in Augustin even if this deal gets done by buying a first round pick and packaging it with Jarrett Jack and the three second rounders. Barbosa would be the perfect fit with Augustine on the White Unit. The player that Augustine is most often compared to is Steve Nash, and I think Barbosa worked pretty well with him.
In 2006-2007 Barbosa won the sixth man of the year award and averaged 18.1 points per game, 4.0 assists, shot 43% from the 3 point range, and average 84% on free throws.
He’s 6-3 with a 6-10 wingspan, which is a great size, and he’s only 25 years old, so he fits with the Blazers’ youth, but also brings playoff experience.
Giving up #13 and Martell for that is a no-brainer. If they want another player, they could be pushing it, but as long as its a minor player (not Jarrett Jack) I say do it.
Get it done.
I have read that Barbosa’s biggest problem on D is getting posted up by bigger opposing guards. He was charged with guarding the other teams taller SG since Nash is a bit smaller than he is and this caused some match up problems. This shouldn’t be as big of a problem with us as we have Roy and Rudy in the backcourt.
If somebody hits you with an object you should beat the hell out of them.-Charles Barkley
His biggest problem
Is, he has never been able to get how and where to rotate, simply STAYING with his man even when he is so quick, and even trying to give the basic effort needed to defend. He lacks focus, and his feet are stuck in the mid when defending anyone (similar to Outlaw).
His problem isn’t just people posting him up. He has extremely long arms that match up well with most SGs, and most SGs don’t take guys down to the block much these days (same with PGs too). Barbosa’s problems is that he moves extremely slow left to right (but blazingly, maybe fastest-in-NBA up n’ down), has never ever understood where to rotate, and makes many defensive mistakes that aren’t acceptable after this much time in the NBA and in such a key role.
Really, he is so similar to Outlaw it is making me wonder if I have ever seen them in the same place at the same time. If they were in the same place together, they were not defending anyone there.
Barbosa did play with Nash as the SG, but he also played a lot as the backup PG whose role was to score. He did that very well, and he’s a terrific shooter. But, his negatives are really bad and the exact things we need to get better at with our PGs.
His extreme length and quickness should make him at the very least, a PESKY defender. Maybe he can become that. I don’t think he has ever shown what it takes to be a dependable defender and some things can’t be blamed on the coaching staff. I’m sure D’Antoni and his staff told him a million times where to rotate and when, just like we have with Outlaw.
He could change, I just wouldn’t trade for him EXPECTING him to change. He hasn’t even shown glimpses of defensive potential. If we trade for him, it’s for scoring and to add mega quickness in our offense.
Barbosa has also been heavily criticized for playing so poorly in the playoffs every year, and other big games. Getting him for playoff experience is like getting Kobe for team chemistry. ZING.
Mortimer
Didn't he clothesline Kobe or was that Raja Bell?
If somebody hits you with an object you should beat the hell out of them.-Charles Barkley
That was Raja Bell.
Which was why Barbosa got some decent playoff time in a big game, from Raja Bell being suspended.
Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.
I laughed (not out loud, but I laughed)
“Really, he is so similar to Outlaw it is making me wonder if I have ever seen them in the same place at the same time. If they were in the same place together, they were not defending anyone there.”
That’s hilarious!
So, Ben...
...I’m scratching my head over this one: you have a problem with a little hitch in Rush’s shot yet you’re all Ga-Ga over Barbosa whose delivery looks like it was inspired by Rube Goldberg?.....:-)
just expected more from him, that's all.
i have been high on rush based on his body of work. i was going in looking to be wow’ed as his fg% in college was solid and his reputation is as someone that has the fundamentals down pat (and he’s coming from a program with that reputation).
the hitch certainly does not disqualify him. i’m still totally good with taking him if we do pick at 13. i think he will be a very good pro. the jumpshot was just my first impression of him during the extremely limited amount of time (5-10 min) i saw him in person. unfortunately i did not seen him play in person in high school or college.
barbosa i have seen a lot of in person. we know what he is capable of on the pro level. as mentioned below he has proven himself a sharpshooter despite his unorthodox form. yes, it’s difficult to watch but you can’t argue with the consistency against nba competition.
obviously the two players are coming from totally different backgrounds. clearly those jj redick “better basketball” dvds need to be dubbed in portuguese and distributed throughout the playgrounds of brazil.
"Honor Terry Porter." Email me with your TP stories and memories.
by Ben Golliver on Jun 22, 2008 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Thanks, Ben...
...just razzin’ ya. Maybe Barbosa got ahold of some bootleg “Chris Dudley’s Freethrow Tips” as a kid.
Rube Goldberg?.... I see results
Barbosa: 0.462 FG% and 0.822 FT% and only started 12 games
How many players can come in cold-off-the-bench and give you those percentages?
Okay, I'll bite.
Jarrett Jack. FG% is slightly lower, FT% slightly higher. I know you’ve been arguing Barbosa hard in this thread, and I think he is a pretty good player. But to be honest, Hinrich was more intriguing to me, and I’m not that sold on Hinrich.
One of Two Official Blazer's Edge Poets Laureate for the 2008-2009 Season
Chaplain of the Jarrett Jack Fan Club
"Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary." - Patrick McManus
Wasnt Courtney Lee supposed to be at this workout?
Can you let me know what is up with that Ben? I havent heard of him pulling out of workouts yet.
He seems to have Blazers culture written all over him. Also, David Thorpe compares him favorably to Kevin Martin.
See what I did there. A little question and a little lobbying for Courtney Lee.
Life is exhausting when you are this stupid.
Why?
He is listed as supposedly working out yesterday and he didnt. I want to know what happened at yesterdays “Draft Workout”. I dont understand your post at all as it seems a little jerky and not in the spirit of BE.
Life is exhausting when you are this stupid.
I try to apply the spirit of BE to my everyday life, and share the joy with everyone.
Come help me celebrate June 26th - Flush The Trades Away Day.
and then
it is all ameliorated by your mullet. Ameliorate; that is not a word you hear everyday
BTW I remember that you used to have a Gummo quote on your signature and I was wondering if you saw the “new” Harmony Korine movie “Mister Lonely” I say new as it came out last year, but just made it to the ABQ.
Life is exhausting when you are this stupid.
Nope
I haven’t seen it. I’m still waiting for Blockbuster to send me that Werewolf in a Woman’s Prison movie.
Come help me celebrate June 26th - Flush The Trades Away Day.
yes he was on the original list
but not on the final list of names mailed out the day prior.
there has been a lot of turnover between who was originally scheduled and who was added/removed/etc.
for example leunen and palacios were originally scheduled for today however it is my understanding there were no workouts this morning.
i have monday’s schedule and he is not on the list either (arthur and palacios).
sorry that’s all i’ve got.
"Honor Terry Porter." Email me with your TP stories and memories.
by Ben Golliver on Jun 22, 2008 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions
arthur, leunen and palacios
What is dis?
Sounds like…The arch enemies o’ the “Three Muskateers”.
"Always Willing, Ever Able" - rivbike.com
"If you don't want to get banged. Don't go in there" - Van Gundy
I'd be interested in seeing how Lee is fairing in his workouts.
I think he’d be an interesting addition.
Problem solved.
Wait until July 1, then trade Sergio and Jones to Phoenix for Barbosa.
Trade Freeland!
NEW P.G.
Petteri Koponen If we can find a spot on the roster. A nd I think K.P. would be doing a very smart thing to find Koponen aspot on the roster all he can do is get better.He already look’s as good as sergio so why not make room on the roster for the point guard.
Why ?
We have plenty of scoring in the backcourt. Trading for Barbosais stupid, as we need DEFENSE ! Martell would be a college seniorthis year, is 6’7” with an NBA body and has improved to the pointwhere additional work on his handle and GO in the middle will helphim jump forward this season. In addition, doing deals will change ourchemistry, witch is just as important as talent. Keep the core togetherwhile adding the # 1 and Rudy to the mix. Martell is going to become an All-Star since he’s agreed with Nate to focus on defense. Don’t do deals to just to DO A DEAL ! STUPID !!! COINCAST NEEDS TO GO ! BRING BACK THE BLAZERS TO So. OREGON !!!!
It's GO time !
BRING BACK THE BLAZERS TO So. OREGON !!!!
And “The Oregon Coast”, Please.
I’ll pay for it. I just want this option.
"Always Willing, Ever Able" - rivbike.com
"If you don't want to get banged. Don't go in there" - Van Gundy
Yes to the coast!
Retired to the beach…want my Blazers fix!
Thanks Ben
I don’t know if I ever took the time to thank you for all you do on this here blog. You do good work. It inspires me.
Another great prospect
At 21 years old he is younger than Brandon Rush, and has become a solid perimeter defender at the nba level- he could be an instant starter, and he has the physical tools to bring his game to the next level. Who is he?
Martell Webster
I would trade Jack and our 13 for Barbosa
But thats about it for for me, and that likely wont get it done, I dont believe he is our future point guard by anymeans and his defense is hideous. He is a good shooter and has a knack for running the ball down peoples throats, but I just dont like where he would fit on this team. He is essentially a Rudy duplicate(assuming Rudy’s game transfers over without any major hitches). Why would we need two pg/sg combos with a knack for scoring and a propensity to jack up 3’s and run 1 man fast breaks??? At least Rudy has shown he has some point guard skills, even if it was against weaker competition. If you ask me, the scoring combo guard role is already filled by Rudy, we simply dont need two of them. Although, if KP does pull the trigger, this is all written in the infamous sarcasm font…
RUDY > MJ
Disagree with the post: Barbosa at too much price and doesn't fill need.
To me, Leandro Barbosa is the same type of player that Rudy Fernandez is. Two talented, slashing, creating, scoring guards with great speed and international BBIQ and fundamental make-up. Rudy is 6’5”, where Barbosa is 6’3”. Barbosa isn’t the best ball handler, not a huge assist guy, a little sloppy, 5 years NBA experience, and is proven to be an effective NBA player. Good for you Barbosa… Good for you. I think you will have a fine career and help some team be better. BUT, I don’t think Barbosa is the answer in Portland.
True Barbosa could start at the point for PTB, but so could B.Roy if Rudy were to be in the starting line-up. Honestly, I will be hugely disappointed if Rudy Fernandez isn’t at least equivalent to the value and impact that Manu Ginobli brings to the Spurs. High expectations, I know, but he won 3 tourney MVP’s this year… this guy is a legitimate baller. If KP & Nate could stand a starting guard duo of Roy and Barbosa, no doubt could they likewise see a Roy and Rudy starting tandem. PTB already has Rudy.
No need to give up talented and improving wing Martell Webster. You gotta give it to Martell. This was his first season starting the entire season, and most fans really doubted that he would improve the small forward slot left open when KP let Ime Udoka walk. The good news is that at age 21, Martell Webster had a statistically better year than his pedicesor Ime Udoka. Martell averaged 10.7ppg, 3.9 rpg, and 1.2apg in 28 minutes per game. At 21! Watch what happens in his second year as a starter… and hope that he is still in a Blazer uniform. I am betting Webster is going to be 14+ppg, 5+rpg, 2+apg in 28 minutes if still a Blazer for 2008-2009. Why would we want to get rid of a 22 year old who gives us as much production with the potential to blow up offensively and young elite level athlete whose skill set really could enable him to be a great NBA defender. I have no doubt that Websters scoring ability and confidence will be able to get stronger for years to come. Webster is going to be a highly efficient scorer by the time he is 24 years old. That dude Josh Howard from Dallas had a very consistent and steady growth. Next thing you know, Dallas has a wing who drops 20 points a night and is an active perimeter defender. Tayshaun Prince’s stat line was 13.2ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.3apg over 32minutespg, and Josh Howard’s stat line was 19.9ppg, 7rpg, 2.2apg over 36minutespg. I expect Martell’s season NEXT year to be 13.5ppg, 4.9rpg, 2.2apg in 28 mpg again, which for the minutes played is really on par with those two very prominent small forwards.
Giving up Jack would be fine and the pick. I guess I could have Barbosa. But I think we would be better served getting a player who is BALL-HANDLING SPECIALIST. That is the one thing that we are missing from our potential guard rotation. Under that criteria, Barbosa is not the answer. That is why Derrick Rose is so coveted, he is a ball-handling machine so he can break down and create against any sort of defense.
Other than Rose, DJ Augustin and Jarryd Bayless are the best ball-handlers in the draft. I think Portland has enough juice with Pick #13, 2nd Rounders #33, #36 and #55 and Jarrett Jack to trade up with New York at #6, LA Clippers at #7, Milwaukie at #8 or Indiana at #11. All those teams wouldn’t mind having Jack and plenty of flexibility to get prospects in this draft. I have seen DJ Augustin available at all of those slots in various mock drafts and think that would be the best complimentary player available while keeping the core of our 41-41 “Lesson 1: hard work pays-off” Season with Roy, LMA, Outlaw and Webster at the helm. Add in best rookie class ever of Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez, and, say, DJ Augustin, and retaining former center starter Pryzbilla as the best backup center in the NBA. Channing Frye is undeniably talented and retain his trade value for at least two more years thanks to his combination of rare size, shooting ability, and hustle. This team really is only one piece away, and I truly believe that the final piece IS in this draft. Drafting is the easiest way to get another piece without sacrificing any of the the other players too soon in the development of this team. I hope KP is prudent and trys to retain what we have established and continue to focus on bringing in what we want, and not getting rid of things we wouldn’t mind holding on to.
We don’t need to sacrifice our depth and talented youth to “get better now” in a trade.
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 22, 2008 9:07 PM PDT reply actions
DG Augustin is too small for the NBA
He won’t be able to defend anyone. Championships are won by defense, and that has to be part of every decision from here on out.
Otherwise, I agree with almost everything you say. However, Dave has convinced me that we need to trade Jack or Martell, and I’m not sure how much demand there is for Jack, so we do need to “sacrifice” some depth to keep cap space.
a Take
If the Blazers “target” anyone, I suspect it will be Alexander and Westbrook, and possibly Augustin. Alexander is by far the best SF in this draft, Westbrook has a nice upside and is a good defender, and Augustin, followed by Chalmers, is the best PG in the draft not named Rose. Personally, I don’t see Gordon as a fit on this team, and we’d have to get to 5 to get Bayless or Mayo. Other than that, if we draft anyone else it will be to conserve the value of the draft for trades downstream in combination with our cap space for vets, because we don’t need big men (not one of which strikes me as better that what we have in any case), and other SF’s such as Greene and Alexander have dropped down the board as bigger projects. They aren’t likely, as a result, to be much better than what we already have. We can also deal LaFrentz and his contract, as it was reported we offered to Memphis, if the return gets us a player now that we want, as opposed to next summer. This is all why everyone is predicting that KP is active on the trade front. Either trade up to get a “key” player, or trade out and package the pieces to get a vet. For Portland, after all, there simply aren’t that many players in this draft that will actually help us that much. We have youth and depth right now. Even taking a Barbosa or a Gordon of Chicago is more of a “he can help us now” while conserving the value of our current position so that we can use him as a trade chip later. After all, they may be better than what we can get in this draft, but they don’t strike me as being the player we’d actually prefer to have at the positions they’ll play. In sum, if we had the option or choice, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.
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