lead to a combustible environment — such as what happened with Rajon Rondo last season with the “Big Three” — and that outburst can create quite the mess.

Yet, even though I’m glad that these guys don’t lie to themselves and others by pretending everything regarding on-court chemistry is peachy with Brandon Roy and Andre Miller not clicking as teammates on the hardwood, I’m not sure if this back-and-forth game that they’ve playing with media outlets — as Miller used a national forum by talking questions from columnist Marc Spears, while Roy stuck close to home by divulging bits of information to local reporter Jason Quick — is a healthy way to handle this delicate issue.

Yet, before I go any further, let me make one thing abundantly clear here: Roy and Miller don’t have to be all buddy-buddy and crap off the court. That aside, however, their on-court working relationship as coworkers seems to have taken some bumps in the road. That, without question, must somehow be smoothed out before the season more than a few weeks into it; otherwise, the pressure building up against Kevin Pritchard’s patchwork job at roster construction might not just spring a leak, but rather blow a gasket altogether.

The fact that the Blazers do talk openly about these things, even to the media, is troubling. His behavior to date indicates that he does not trust the media to the point where he went to a national source to air his early grievances with local sources and their coverage of him.

Nothing in that history makes me think he will appreciate the fact that Brandon is talking to the same reporter who ‘outed’ Miller for failing the conditioning test about what Miller will need to do and sacrifices he will have to make. Also, it appears as though this has been released before Brandon has instigated the plan to talk with his teammates – I don’t think Miller will appreciate that at all. He also talks in absolutes without mention of Andre perhaps earning the starting role which gives credence to early rumblings about how Roy committed to Blake early in the process due to the ‘comfort’ factor.

I love the content of this piece for the most part and truly appreciate the access we get through having a great beat write like Jason Quick but for me the statements made by Brandon are both encouraging and troubling. That he wants to take a leadership role and talk the the team proactively before the season is great. However, having this aired in the media and the specific comments addressing Millers role on the team seem more likely to create a rift between the two than encourage any positive action. Nobody should want that, least of all Brandon.

For example, Travis Outlaw — who’s known for being all palsy-walsy and crap with both Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge — is a complete joke out on the court no matter his camaraderie.

Regarding Roy and Andre Miller, it’s got nothing to do with them being friends; rather, it’s about them having a sturdy working relationship. Co-workers can successfully accomplish a task together without forging a friendship and being fairly apathetic on a personal level, but them having contempt for each other can cause turmoil.

The thing y’all must take into account, however, is that Roy and Miller have tension between them due to their on-court fit — or lack thereof, as is the case here — being the crux of all their problems. If they can solve their difficultly meshing on the hardwood, then everything else will fall into place. They don’t need group therapy with some half-witted sports psychologist, since what would help them the most is to have a coach who can maximize their indvidual skill sets in tandem as a functioning backcourt.