How good would the Blazers be if they were without Roy and Blake? With the depth the Blazers have, and the salaries that are going to be negotiated in the next three years. How good potentially would the Blazers be without these two guards? Surely they could put a very strong team on the floor with Oden and LMA. What if the Blazers only had Outlaw, Webster, Rudy and or Bayless to fill out their starting five, and then the extra player as the sixth player off the bench? Could they be as competitive as a 50 win team? My immediate reaction would be that they would have the potential to be a 50 win team. But would struggle without a true facilitator. They would miss having player’s whose play can make players around them better. This is one reason I don’t like both Roy and Blake as starters. I feel by Christmas that Bayless will be at the point position, not Blake. With the depth this team has they are easily the deepest talent in the league. It would be very easy to argue this point against any team. But, if they were gone, injuries, salaries, you would have to believe that the Blazers would need a different PG. One who could do all three areas of Shooting, passing and penetration? Now looking around the league the player that comes to mind would be a player like Conley. They would still have Webster and Rudy to play the two and the three. Outlaw would fall to the starting fulltime SF. If Webster’s progress is anything like Outlaws jump was last year, he maybe the strongest player for that position if Roy were injured or traded. The way he is developing his body, ball handling and attacking the basket. He could very well be the off guard of the future, but not with a player like Bayless running the point. The problem would be assists. I think that the one thing that would be missing would be that player that makes players better. That is what Roy does and Blake to an extent. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe Bayless will be that. Rudy would be the 6th man. He is probably the closest to a facilitator like Roy and Blake. But his physical makeup and game seems to be more of a "Ginobli" to me. The Blazers would surely have a solid 8 deep team. It makes you wonder how the lineups will work out. I know it has been stated and written that the starting lineup will be Roy, Blake, Oden, LMA and either Outlaw or Webster. If we had a true second unit with a full second five playing, Rudy, Joel, Outlaw or Webster, Bayless and Frye. I would have to think that the second unit would be one that will lack that player that makes players better. I obviously see Roy here for awhile. I’m not so sure about Blake. I’m not sure he will ultimately be our guy. I’m sure we will see Roy playing with all these players effectively. I’m just concerned when Blake and Roy go to the bench. I don’t know, maybe Sergio will surprise us all. I doubt it, but stranger things have happened. I’ll just hope that Roy stays healthy and is here for a long time.