Sergio: "I want a change"
by Norsktroll on May 20, 2009 6:08 PM PDT
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PrintHere is the original article about a press conference Sergio gave yesterday that contains these quotes. Update: See in the comments below for an updated fluid translation by amlmart.
"I want a change, be in other circumstances and conditions, in Portland or outside," said Sergio before acknowledging that "during the season was much talk about a trade. Now is the moment that we will have to decide what to do with my future. We know what we can give each other, but in the NBA players are like goods. "
"What I want is to go to a team that gives me confidence and [where] I can play. I would like to go to a team where I can improve because I am sure that the best of Sergio is yet to come. "
"This year is crucial for my career," explained the player from Tenerife before clarifying that "it is the last year of my contract and I have to play to earn a new contract. I do not say that I am the best or want to play 40 minutes, only ask for continuity to do well, and that's what I have missed in Portland. It's hard to leave the stadium [or the court?] and think about not being allowed to fail, when each three is like a penalty in the final seconds."
On Nate McMillan: "This year has been different. We talked more, but he has never been clear to me and that I have always been missing, though it is not like I'm in jail in Portland, just we see basketball in a different way. "
Sergio Rodriguez answered questions from the press during his appearance yesterday. Jonay Rodríguez, via fotos.laopinion.es
Yeah this maybe should be a FanShot :)
But I think it's important that Sergio is repeating this sentiment time and again and now very candidly. He is obviously not satisfied with his situation, and would prefer a change of scenery even though he seems glad he now can play with Rudy. And he shouldn't be satisfied; he is too young to accept a role as a perennial backup getting spot minutes in the NBA. But since I don't believe Nate will build the second unit around him until I see it (he already talked about playing faster last year and nothing happened), it's becoming very likely Pritchard will have to find a new team for Sergio.
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At some point Nate's basketball style has got to better mesh with his talent
Although a lot of people around here don’t care for Sergio, the fact that Nate micromanages the offense and doesn’t play to his players strengths has to be cause for concern. If Nate gets manhandled in the coaching department like he did in the first round this year, it might be time for a change in that department as well.
Hopefully this move by Sergio doesn’t hurt his trade value much. #24 + Sergio Rodriguez + 3 million cash has to be worth a lottery pick.
by as11osu on May 20, 2009 6:52 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
That would put Portland
in a prime position to land Blair. I’m all for it
I believe in Greg Oden. To all the haters - get down with the program or stay off the wagon for all time. #52
by blazeraddict on May 20, 2009 6:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Forget Blair, let's get Sessions.
If the Bucks wouldn’t mind working a sign and trade so they can at least have some depth behind Ridnour, I’d love to try and work a deal for Sessions who is a restricted free agent (The Bucks are up against the luxury line and can’t keep both Villaneuva and Sessions and could end up losing both for nothing).
why would the Knicks do that?
They don’t need the money, and there’s way better PG prospects available at #8.
Sergio alone is worth a 2nd rounder, MAYBE a late first. We’re probably going to end up giving him away just to clear roster space.
thats overexaggerating
sergio is clearly better than an empty roster slot. if we needed a roster slot theres mc ruffin and shavlick.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions
you do not go out of your way to change the system for the benifit of a below average PG
by jksnake99 on May 20, 2009 7:17 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
It's not him I'm talking about...
a majority of our talent would play much better in and up tempo game. Most assuredly our second unit. I would’ve loved to have seen next year Sergio-Rudy-Webster-Outlaw-Oden run an up tempo offense for just a couple minutes. Nate just hasn’t shown the ability to switch things up when they needed to be. This Houston series was begging us to run Yao out of the building but it never happened. That’s on Nate.
by as11osu on May 20, 2009 7:20 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
I don't disagree with that, though it would have been tough as Houston does a great job in transition
but we should have gone small on them with Aldridge at C for extended stretches.
Aldridge at C means Outlaw at PF.
With the way Outlaw was struggling, that would have been a negative on both ends of the court IMO.
Outlaw was struggling mainly because Battier and Ron were guarding him
he would have had a much easier time if Landry or Scola were forced to guard him.
The Rockets can go small just as easily
With a lineup of Brooks/Wafer/Battier/Artest/Hayes
That Steve Nash is exactly the same as Kirk Hinrich, but worse.
by NBA Observer on Apr 8, 2009 12:23 PM CDT
by Ozzie Montana on May 20, 2009 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions
IMO we'd win that matchup...
if nothing else we’d have had a better chance versus it, but Nate never even gave it a go.
We did try to match that lineup
And they consistently ran our subs off the floor.
After game 1 when Deke got hurt
Houston didn’t play a single meaningful minute of the series without 2 of Yao, Hayes, Scola and Landry on the floor. We never saw that lineup, and we basically never played without one of Oden, Joel or Frye on the court, either, so it’s hard to say we really failed to go small on them.
Which takes two of their best 5 players out of the game
with Yao and Scola going to the bench. Plus, that lineup contains two unapologetic chuckers. If I’m the Blazers, I’d prefer to play against that lineup than giving up wide open 15 footers to Scola every possession because we’re constantly doubling down on Yao.
Outlaw plays better at PF
He is a liability when it comes to defense and rebounding at the 4, but he is much better offensively at PF then he is at SF.
54 wins
/endthread
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on May 20, 2009 8:15 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think I've got as11osu figured out
After the “Brandon Roy defends SF better than SGs take” the idea began to grow in my mind
“Could it be that what as11osu really wants is something like a Phoenix Suns-style team with Mike D’Antoni as coach”
Now it all makes sense. Mike Conley Jr playing the point. Rudy and Roy playing together. Travis Outlaw playing PF. Why not play LMA at center and run, run, run?
Well, I just went back and watched the 4th quarter of game 4 in Houston again. The Blazers led by 6 and 12 minutes later had lost by 1. Houston out-scrapped Portland for offensive rebounds and the Blazer’s best chance at getting out of the first round of the playoffs went “poof!”
Then I listened to the podcast of Pritchard’s interview with Isaac and Suke from yesterday, where he said the #1 goal was to add toughness and physicality to the team. (BTW, last year his goal was to add more athleticism in the backcourt and wing positions, and he went out and added Bayless and Batum) I repeat: this offseason the focus will be on toughness and physicality.
So enough with the “Nate doesn’t let them run enough” complaints. It took a punch in the gut from the Rockets in game 1 (and game 6) for the Blazers front office to realize what McMillian knew all along: it’s not quickness and agility (alone) that will win games in May and June. They will need to add veteran role players who must teach the young kids how to bang and not back down. This is the NBA, not the Euro leagues. If you want to want to watch a team with a motion offense run the ball up and down the court, you’re going to have to look elsewhere than Portland
by two4larue on May 20, 2009 9:58 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
I don't want that lineup starting
eventually I’d like Conley/Roy/Batum/Aldridge/Oden with our defensive specialists plus Rudy coming off the bench. You don’t need to run all the time, but you need to be able to break Yao when he’s on the court, and I believe we could’ve done that. I’m all for getting a physical player, we’ve all named the bigs (Blair, Bass, Powe, Millsap etc) and I wouldn’t at all mind getting a guy like Anthony Johnson at backup for the point. I also like getting the defensively elite Darren Collison to be our 3rd point guard. I think Batum is a very good perimeter defender and Webster has the ability to be as well. Roy defends the 3 pretty well, and Rudy defends the 2 at a decent level when he’s out there with Roy. There are plenty of defensive players on my ideal team, the ability to run has to be there. It’s not like we’re just a slow team, we’re possibly THE slowest team, and our personnel doesn’t really jive with that as an end all, especially when you consider what our second unit looked like this year.
If you can get Hinrich and Conley Jr too, I’d be all for that, but you can’t. I’ll take the 21 year old over Hinrich everyday of the week. If you’re really worried about the burden on Roy, having a guy like MC Jr next to him would pretty much relieve the pressure of always having to control the ball himself, as Conley is as good a ball handler as you’re going to find. His defensive specialty also comes in as he’s able to help on our biggest weakness, defending quick point guards. Throw him his ridiculous percentages from all over the court and the added ability to penetrate the lane and dish, and I don’t think you sell your soul going for Hinrich and his 3 year window, but Conley Jr and his 10 year window.
Nothing wrong with "running when it's there"
Nate even encouraged them to get a shot in the first 5-8 seconds of the shot clock
But if the break isn’t there (and we know Brandon won’t push the ball) then McMillian wanted them to work the clock down to the last 5-8 seconds, and get a “good” shot.
My point remains: you don’t want Roy guarding “post-up” SFs like Melo if you can avoid it. If the opposing coach plays a 3 guard lineup, then by all means play Roy/Rudy together. (Nate also prefers PGs with more “meat on their bones” than MCJ or Collison)
This is where I hate this logic
“Good” shots can come at any time in the shot clock. How many times this year, especially during the playoffs, did you see guys pass up on open shots with 15 seconds left in the shot clock.
I don’t know if we can point solely at Nate for this, but I’ve never liked that our guys don’t seem to be encouraged to take open looks with 15-18 left in the shot clock.
I hear you
But it’s like “working the count” in baseball. A batter lets a hittable pitch go by, so the opposing pitcher has to work that much harder. If enough batters in your lineup do this, you’ve knocked the talented starter out of the game earlier (on pitch count) and you get to face the less-talented middle relievers
The NBA co-relation is, if you make the opponent defend you for 20+ seconds on every possession, their legs will get tired and they’ll have less energy on the offensive end. Then they’ll have to play their bench more. And they’ll have less gas in the tank in the 4th quarter.
It’s not pretty, but it worked for the Spurs and if you play that style all season you should be more prepared for the playoffs
Umm
If you’re not doing anything on your offensive set, the defense doesn’t work harder. We don’t exactly run an offense that tires defenses out.
by Zaig on May 21, 2009 5:54 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed - Slow offense gives other teams a rest
Yao would have been worn down much more quickly if our guys went for their first good look instead of our last one.
In addition, the whole discussion assumes that you have a look with 5 seconds to go that is as good as the one at 10 seconds. If not, then you get Trout throwing up garbage or Roy putting his body on the line to get to the rim – not sustainable.
BUT
you do try and build your team around your best player…
Best of Senator Clay Davis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI4-QyAzY64&feature=related
it is hard to judge with such a young team
from a micromanagment standpoint…they can really get it going offensivley when in a groove and more open, we have seen it….can they do it consistently? we don’t know. I think that is Nate’s real hestitation, why he does not open it up more, his guys are just so young, he feels he will get more long term during a season through tighter structure. Of course then we see where that becomes a problem in the playoffs, the players have a tougher time improvising…
If I were a betting man, this upcoming season I would imagine we will see at least a slightly different offensive approach…one more geared toward winning a post season series or 2…
Goodbye Deke. The NBA will miss Mt. Mutombo
Support families in crisis in Portland www.give10tell10.org
Sergio is not in a position to be forcing changes on a 54 win team.
Lost my respect for him. At least he’s honest about it, but he clearly doesn’t understand why he doesn’t get the minutes he thinks he deserves or wants.
"I'm at the thingamajig talking the yakety-yak" - Kenny Smith
Held on to him too long
Don’t make the same mistake with Rudy, KP. If a player thinks they’re not getting the PT they deserve, you move them along before they start grousing to the media
Same thing happened with Petrovic in ‘91. (Before you knew it, it was goodbye Petro and hello, Danny Ainge.) Geoff Petrie didn’t let the situation fester then, and KP better learn from this Sergio episode and make a deal before a player’s trade value is degraded by his discontent
Not difficult for him to play his 30 minutes
not difficult at all. Its a 5 minute shift. 5 more for Rudy at SG, 5 more for Roy at SF, 5 less for Webster coming off the bench for Batum. Rudy > Webster, especially at this point. Doesn’t make sense to do it any other way. Use your other assets and get yourself two point guards you can count on. Batum plays his minutes opposite the opposing teams best wing player and we’re set.
You might be right.
Roy could do fine playing 16 minutes a game at SF. It might help to have a guy like Hinrich in that lineup though.
Hinrich, Rudy, Roy, Aldridge, Oden.
Roy is the best player in the world with the exception of Incarcerated Mike from Queensbridge .
by Nick Van Excellent on May 20, 2009 10:28 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm more for this as the starting unit
Position: Starter (Minutes) / Backups In Order of Minutes
PG: Conley (32) / Defensive PG (16) / Collison (Spot)
SG: Roy (18) / Rudy (30) / Webster (Spot)
SF: Batum (24) / Roy (18) / Webster (6)
PF: Aldridge (34) / Banger (14) / Freeland (Spot)
C: Oden (26) / Przybilla (22) / Freeland (Spot)
We screwed up here big time....
Same thing happened with Petrovic in ‘91. (Before you knew it, it was goodbye Petro and hello, Danny Ainge.)
Petro stays we win a title. Much as I liked Danny once Petro got the playing time he was hands down awesome I’ve always believed Petrie scewed up royally.
While I dont think Sergio is even remotely on the same level I certainly give the Blazers an F on evaluating his talent.
for sure
petro was amazing…
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 20, 2009 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions
for petro's sake
I thought the idea was that the blazers knew petro was to good to be a backup to anyone and as a gift to him he was traded to an east coast team.. but what did we ever get back.?.. whatever it was was not worth it.
by mrwonderfulone on May 21, 2009 6:57 AM PDT up reply actions
He had Drexler
in front of him. So you think we screwed up by not getting Petro more minutes ahead of Clyde? He also was pretty weak on defense. He played well when he went to the Nets, but they weren’t a very good team.
your right, but we can adapt
theres no rule that says you must play the best player in their true natural position…we’ve seen a ton of PFs over the past few years playing C…as talented as petro was, there was no reason he couldn’t have played a bit of SF…it doesn’t take away from my love of jerome however…i was too young to understand the details of basketball at that age however.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Use your other assets and get yourself two point guards you can count on
If I can get an all-star PG who has no obvious flaws and Rudy “has” to be a part of the deal? It’s a no brainer…see ya Rudy
There’s not an imminent need to deal him (my “window” is 18-24 months out) But the better Rudy plays, the sooner he’ll pine for minutes that Nate can’t give if he wants to keep his perimeter defense “tight”
Rudy averaged about the same amount of minutes this year
as Ginobili has for his career.
Best of Senator Clay Davis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI4-QyAzY64&feature=related
Sergio, Sergio, Sergio
I sure wish you’d be less candid with the press. Do you really think this enhances your value?
Well, think about it.
He’s probably not too worried about his trade value. If anything, trade value only hurts the team (unless the team sees the player’s trade value as so low that it isn’t worth the trade at all). This just forces the Blazer’s hand, and since this isn’t a contract year, he has a year to prove himself and possibly earn another/bigger contract next year with a different team.
"Respect everyone, fear no one." -TP
Which is my point:
He’s not a free agent, thus he has this coming season to earn a new contract.
"Respect everyone, fear no one." -TP
He's certainly forcing KP's hand
That limits KP’s options. Sergio could very well end up unhappy next year too.
I dont blame him at all.
Nothing lost here really. He wants to play who can blame him. Looks like to him being traded is the only way. He’s certainly not going to get the chance here. More power to him really. Not like we heard much about him being a cancer in the locker room or anything this year.
by lethaldose on May 20, 2009 11:07 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I can blame him
not that I actually do but
1. You decrease your trade value thus trade possibilities by going public.
2. If you want playing time you work your butt off and earn it Chances are he’ll be traded and still not have playing time because he simply is not of stater caliber.
The only thing you might accomplish by doing this is forcing a trade while possibly looking like a whiner or worse.
by mrwonderfulone on May 21, 2009 7:01 AM PDT up reply actions
Didn't he set the workout record for Blazers in a month last year?
I think this idea that Sergio didn’t work hard is just wrong. He played incredibly towards the end of the season and earned a total of less than 4 mpg in the playoffs. Not everyone who plays minutes in the NBA or even the playoffs is “starter quality” at this point, so holding that against him is a little unfair.
He never tries, he also whines 24/7.
Like when he found out he’d been cut from the olympic team. His trainer said he could take the day off, so naturally he curled up with a good chick flick and a gallon of ice cream and drowned himself in his own sorrow. (Actually he decided to do double workouts, but that’s reality, something that anti Sergio people don’t like.)
he did set the team record
for most workouts…medina has gone to say that sergio is one of the hardest workers on the team and has bought in to strength training.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:23 AM PDT up reply actions
*has bought in to strength training.*
This would be huge for Sergio. Been my biggest gripe about him. Three years in the NBA with NBA trainers he should have gotten stronger. He probably assumed that working on talent alone would get him by in the NBA, but this just isn’t the case anymore.
well strength training was foreign to him prior to the start of his career
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions
Right
I wish he would have caught on sooner to the idea that it was needed in the NBA. Sounds like he may have finally and that will help him a ton. If he had even 5-7 pounds more muscle on him this year, he would get abused far less on both ends of the court.
i can picture
added muscle will give him a bit more confidence at going to the rack and not getting abused down low as much.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 2:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Meh
1. Has anyone actually proven this or is it just “logic?” I mean, it’s quite possible that when you say you want to leave MORE teams look at you because they know you are available to look at. Obviously the Blazers can tell any team offering them a crappy deal no thanks because they have other deals on the table.
2. See Royster
Tell me he didnt earn his playoff pt
he played his butt off the last 11 games, we pushed the pace during those games which helped enable us to win many of those double digit games that we did. we made a conscious effort to run during that stretch and sergio played pretty well…yet come the playoffs he barely got off his seat.
and sergio has no trade value…had he done this or not.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions
A trade of
Sergio, Travis and drat pick for George Hill and Kurt Thomas would be good or both teams. Hill has the controlled pace we value and Sergio has the youthful uptempo they want. That would be a nice PG rotation move for both teams. That also gives us the unselfish veteran backup PF we need; a genuine banger who can hit a mid-range jumper, grab a rebound or get the put back.
i dont follow college
i dont really want to go young in the draft unless the person we get is NBA ready. i’m kinda tired of being a training ground for PGs only to dump them.
We’ve dumped Telfair, Blake, Jack, and probably Sergio this off season. I’m kinda done with the experiments and “potential.”
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:50 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
He´s saying that it´s not a drama if he continues in Portland, that he´s not in jail there.
"They didn't know it was impossible, so they did it"
just houst arrest
:-)
"The problem with tweeners is that sometimes they’re exactly what you need to plug the hole and sometimes they are the hole."
-LaughingJon
house i meant
"The problem with tweeners is that sometimes they’re exactly what you need to plug the hole and sometimes they are the hole."
-LaughingJon
We'd better start getting used to this kind of thing
For everyone wanting to crucify Sergio here, does anyone expect Bayless to sit quietly if in three years he’s still barely playing and stuck playing 12 mpg no matter what he does?
What about if we keep all three of Webster, Batum, and Outlaw, two of those guys are going to see their minutes drop from 30 mpg to ~10 mpg. They’d probably stay quiet through the season, but would any of them be happy playing those minutes? What about Rudy if the return of Webster and expansion of Batum’s role causes his minutes to drop to around 20 mpg?
For everyone that whines about people who talk about “consolidating talent”, these guys are too talented and too young to be rotting on benches, especially when they’re playing for contracts.
Sorry to see any Blazer from the last couple years go, but hopefully we can get something positive out of trading him and he can latch onto another team where he can play consistently.
by Royster on May 20, 2009 7:11 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
No matter what he does?
Like play zero defense and miss every shot he takes?
by Sabonis4Ever on May 20, 2009 7:17 PM PDT up reply actions
He played better defense this year and his shot also improved (so yes, no matter what he did)
anyone watch Blake, it’s not like he’s anything better than a poor defender as well. And Bayless stunk this year on that end too. Sergio just doesn’t play the style Nate likes, and that’s that.
Don't let the stats get in the way
His 3 point shooting was greatly improved from last year, and, as has been shown by other posters, rises into a respectable 34-35% when you factor out the end of quarter heaves.
And the opposition PER he surrendered to PGs was 15.1, compared to 19.0 for Bayless and 15.0 for Blake. Not exactly stellar, but also improved.
Besides, based on the article, it seems a lot of this stems from his complete disappearance from the playoff rotation, after playing the best ball of his career in April, when he shot 58% and 40% from three. If that wasn’t enough to convince Nate that maybe Blake shouldn’t be playing 40 mpg in the playoffs, I don’t know what would.
So yes, no matter what Sergio did, he wasn’t going to play regularly for Nate.
by Royster on May 20, 2009 7:28 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I didn't even mention turnovers
Tied for third most per48.
by Sabonis4Ever on May 20, 2009 7:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Exactly
a 2.4 A/TO ratio is pretty mediocre.
Seriously?
that was basically equivalent to Rose, Felton, Lowry, Chalmers and Devin Harris, and significantly better than Augustin, Ford, Brooks, and Mo Williams. It’s not stellar, but certainly acceptable for a backup PG, as can be seen by the fact that two of the backup PGs in the conference finals have almost the exact same A/TO rate (Johnson and Carter).
I’m not saying that he’s a star or anything, but I thought he played well enough to earn a regular spot in the rotation to audition for a greater role here or elsewhere, but apparently that wasn’t going to happen. Asking him to do more given his situation was unrealistic. Even during his much vaunted “unleashing” this season, he still played fewer than 10 minutes in 9 out of 37 games prior to Blake’s injury. Contrast that with a normal backup PG (with a high turnover rate) like Anthony Carter, who played fewer than 10 minutes once all year, or Will Bynum, who never played fewer than 10 minutes once Iverson got sent home.
by Royster on May 20, 2009 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I said it was mediocre not terrible
Where’s the disagreement?
You agree with S4E that turnovers are a problem
and then cite a stat saying they aren’t?
Unless my sarcasm detector is way off, I was just trying to put into context that a 2.4 A/TO shouldn’t be something that keeps a guy off the floor.
No Sarcasm
The sheer numbers of turnovers and the lackluster A/TO ratio make it tough to count on him — he had a turnover rate of 15.5% which aint good.
I agree that in isolation a so-so 2.4 A/TO rate wouldn’t keep him off the floor, but when coupled with his trouble finishing and hitting shots it doesn’t exactly recommend him for the starting gig (or a more substantial role). Secondly, he didn’t play very well with Brandon and that’s not something I see changing any time soon.
by nikolokolus on May 21, 2009 12:12 AM PDT up reply actions
while avging 15 mins a game
he didn’t play much with brandon. they were rarely on the court together to even make a difference.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:25 AM PDT up reply actions
Don't take my word for it go look at 5 man units at 82games.com
Sergio at point and Brandon at the two was a pretty horrid pairing in terms of production and win% … if it had been a successful pairing we’d have seen more of it and Sergio likely would have gotten a more prominent role in the off-season — this team was begging for somebody to take Blake’s minutes IMO.
by nikolokolus on May 21, 2009 10:59 PM PDT up reply actions
believe me
i know they were bad together…they were bad on paper and bad on the court.
sergio earned a more prominent role with his play late in the season IMO…but i guess since no one else was moving off the ball, sergio would have been useless and brandon was pretty much in the game 98% of the time.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 11:15 PM PDT up reply actions
rudy definitely deserved more mins and could have taken blakes IMO.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 11:16 PM PDT up reply actions
This
Keeps him off the floor. Along with many other factors.
by Sabonis4Ever on May 21, 2009 2:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Makes sense
At least Anthony Carter and Louis Williams can get minutes because their A/TO rates are so stellar they make up for their high turnover rates.
Seriously, that list reads like an all star team. Turnovers are bad, but not radioactive like Nate seems to believe.
You Forgot
to mention that Blake guards Nash, Paul, Williams, Billups, Parker, and all the other starting PGs (allowing a 15.0 PER), while Sergio is defending JJ Barea, Jordan Farmar, and Earl Watson, and allowing a (slightly) worse PER.
Sorry, but I give significantly more credit to Blake. He’s not a world-beater, but he doesn’t play matador, either.
Sixty-percent of the time, it works one-hundred percent of the time.
Thanks
for the update. It’s old news so it doesn’t generate much heat; but it’s interesting to watch the anatomy of an evolving trade demand. Haven’t players, agents, GM’s and coaches perfected this dance long ago? Sergio’s just dancing to the music.
Players seem to get better when they leave and actually get to play...
Petrovic, O’neal…
but not Sergio.
He won’t play much no matter where he goes.
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
This is definitely fanpost-worthy
It’ll be an important offseason topic. Thanks for posting it, Norsk.
He also says:
“I have changed quite a bit since I came to Portland, I´ve matured very much, I feel I´m a better player and a better person, and I think that my main evolution has been produced in my mind. In addition, this year Rudy has come and with him I´ve had a very good connection inside and outside the court.”
"They didn't know it was impossible, so they did it"
Any chance we could get a full translation, amlmart?
the google one is basically unreadable.
I try:
It´s been a strange year, because I had a good start. I went soon to USA after a whole summer training here (in Canarias), which was really good for me. But once the season started I played less (than in preseason or than expected or…), until José (his Spanish agent) made those comments (to the press), then I had more playing time, in particular in the last 11 games of the regular season, when the team was playing very well. But then we went into the plaoffs and I didn´t play too much. I´d like a change (of scene), I´d like to be in other circumstances or conditions, whether or not in Portland.
During the season there were talks about a trade Now they have to take decisions about my future. We know what we can give to each other, but the NBA players are merchandise (like goods). Asked about his preferences in a trade (teams he´d like to be traded to), Sergio said "We all have preferences, whether teams or cities, but what I really want is a team that gives me confidence and where I can play. I like to go to a team where I can improve because I am sure that the best of Sergio is yet to come.
This year is crucial for my career, it´s the last year of my contract and I have to play to earn a new contract. I do not say that I am the best or want to play 40 minutes, only ask for continuity when I´m doing well, and that’s what I´ve missed in Portland. It’s hard to go into the court thinking that you can´t fail, when each three is like a penalty in the final seconds of a game (soccer comparison).
On Nate McMillan: “This year has been different. We talked more, but he has never been clear to me and that´s something I´ve always been missing, though it isn´t a drama, I’m not in jail in Portland, just we see basketball in a different way. I have changed quite a bit since I came to Portland, I´ve matured much, I feel I´m a better player and a better person, and I think that my main evolution has been produced in my mind. In addition, this year Rudy has come and with him I´ve had a very good connection inside and outside the court.”
On Eurobasket: I´ve made plans for this summer, I can´t stop waiting for a call. I have to make my training and I have to improve, because this year will be crucial for me. The Spanish National Team coach phone him when was signed for the job, but Sergio still doesn´t know whether he will be part of the team or not.
On the strong competition for PG position in the Spanish National Team: I´m happy because we´re World Champions, European finalists and Olympic Silver medalists what we couldn´t be without these players.
On the NBA playoffs: Cleveland will be in the final. Denver will be a hard contender for the Lakers. It´s complicated playing in Denver because of the altitude and because of Denver is a very difficult team.
On returning to the ACB: I won´t return, first because I have a contract, moreover I´m making my dream in the NBA.
"They didn't know it was impossible, so they did it"
by amlmart1 on May 20, 2009 10:10 PM PDT up reply actions 13 recs
and wow, talk about a bad google translation
igniting a bunch of needless controversy. I’m not even sure this is as bad as any of the other Sergio Spanish press debacles.
thanks homes
"Whatever...I heard Bayless uses a pillowcase as a wallet." --TiH
by prezofdeath on May 20, 2009 10:29 PM PDT up reply actions
I do not say that I am the best or want to play 40 minutes, only ask for continuity when I´m doing well, and that’s what I´ve missed in Portland.
That ends the “Sergio wants to start” argument that’s been floating around. Finally.
BTW, rec’d the post. Thanks for translating.
thats what i've thought the entire time
he has clarified that he isn’t asking to start, but wanted a real “role” on the team (when asked by the oregonian after the first agent ordeal).
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 20, 2009 11:12 PM PDT up reply actions
Yep.
There’s been a long-lasting assumption that Sergio thinks he’s worthy of starting, and expects to leave Portland to start for another team.
That quote confirms that Sergio is looking for consistent minutes (and not even a huge amount), solid communication about what he needs to do to get those minutes, and he’s looking for a chance to shine in that role.
Huge difference from “He thinks he deserves to start”.
I’m noting that Sergio quote for future threads. Well, until the draft, when he’ll be on another team probably.
Sergio never claimed he wanted to start
People just slaughtered things that he did say about playing time.
i guess
not everyone has good reading comprehension skills. i blame our city govt for reducing school days.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:26 AM PDT up reply actions
Sergio never claimed he wanted to start
Yeah I know.
But there was never a decisive quote to refute the comment, since he really didn’t comment either way for the most part. But now we have one to specifically paste when the comment comes up.
Sergio says the same thing that many of us have observed...
The way Nate yanks him demoralizes his confidence.
Just a bad fit. Nate and Sergio. And it would not surprise me at all if Sergio thrived somewhere else. He has a lot of talent.
The way Nate yanks him demoralizes his confidence.
Yeah. This section of Quick’s postseason review comes to mind:
McMillan was asked whether he felt the two had different views on the game. He was unsure how to answer, and when told that Rodriguez felt they did differ, he made light of the situation.
“Yeah, because I sub him and he doesn’t know why,” McMillan said smiling.
To be fair
Nate did the same with Bayless (however not with Jack). He was pretty close to toying with Batums confidence early in the year…and now Oden has no confidence (however thats not bc of Nate).
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:52 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm not ready to completely absolve Nate of Oden's issues
how many times did we see him go to Frye in the third if Oden only had 2 fouls? Was Oden ever allowed to play in any kind of foul trouble all year? He seemed to be not half bad at avoiding fouls when he absolutely HAD to (i.e. 4 fouls in the third, 5 fouls with 4 minutes to go). It’s not like it hurt us to have him foul out, why not let him play through it?
I wondered that all year, too. I got so frustrated with the auto-pull.
So he fouls out! So what? At least you know you got maximum minutes out of him.
thanks amlmart
i dont see it as being whiney but as an honest reflection and evaluation. he is unhappy…its clear, we didn’t need a press conference to know that. he didn’t throw anyone under a bus or demand anything.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 20, 2009 11:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Has anyone really discussed why Sergio was pretty much benched in the playoffs?
Especially when Blake wasn’t exactly stellar himself…
That, more than anything seems to be the crux of his complaint here
he was unconscious during April, and then didn’t even get a shot in the playoffs, averaging less than 4 minutes per game for the series after game 1. I think he looked at how well he was playing at the end of the regular season, and then realized that if that wasn’t enough to get him some playoff burn, nothing would be.
the topic was brought up
but there wasnt ever really good discussion on it.
the points were
-all teams consolidate during the playoffs
-we abandoned what has worked for us all year (and the final 11 games)
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 20, 2009 11:20 PM PDT up reply actions
Even though we didnt do all that bad in the post season.
With the exception of the first game jitters. He is probably our only player that really makes us semi unpredictable on offense with his court vision and passing ability. Way easier for a veteran team like the Rockets to defend us with only Blake and Brandon running the offense.
To consolidation theory
-all teams consolidate during the playoffs
-we abandoned what has worked for us all year (and the final 11 games)
The rockets seemed to throw the kitchen sink at us. Even though their main guys got lots of minutes. Look at all the minutes and contributions of players like Wafer, Hayes, Landry.
well
a lot of people have said that nate was clearly underprepared and outcoached in the playoffs….i dont disagree.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Because his +/- was awful in his limited time
+2, +1 or 3 (forget which), +0, +0, +0.
We clearly get crushed in the minutes he was on the floor, I’d have benched him too!
......
pstch………………………………ptck………………………….ptchk………………………………………pchtk………………….
I don’t know how to spell the sound of clapping hands but that is my slow clap.
by TrentEdwardsHoF2018 on May 23, 2009 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions
LOL
How about ………………clap…………………..clap ………………………
Clap is an onomatopoeic word!
(this is not meant to sound mean, I just thought it was really funny!!)
Message to Sergio
You are not as good as you seem to think you are, Bayless almost beat you out for the back up spot and he is a rookie
It seems that everyone's real problem is they just don't drink enough coffee. They lose their edge, lose track of their priorities, and end up sleeping a third of their life away.
My message to Sergio
Good luck in the future, no matter which team you are on. If you leave Portland to make yourself a better career, I hope that is the way it turns out.
I don’t blame you for not quite seeing eye to eye with Nate. You are not a 6’5", 225-lb lockdown defender, and that’s what Nate really wants in a point guard. The Blazers are committed to a very slow pace and that’s not in your best interest.
If you are gone, I will understand and I will wish you good luck on your next team. – Elgin
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
by 22baylor on May 21, 2009 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
I don't understand the prevailing attitude here.
This really puzzles me. I see it over and over again. But I can’t figure out why so many of you are clearly hostile to somebody who’s doing what we all should be doing — trying to find the best way to use our abilities to earn a living. That is not necessarily the same thing as maximizing your salary. As we eventually learn in life, some things are more important than money. Being part of a group or an organization that values you and wants to see you develop your strengths is more important. So is the opportunity to work with a group of people whose company you genuinely enjoy. Well, I think Sergio is pretty happy with the rapport shared by the Blazer players. But he is clearly stymied in terms of his development. He recognizes that he needs more playing time at this point in his career, but it doesn’t seem to be in the cards for him here in Portland. So he is simply saying what everybody already knows — that he could benefit from a change of scenery.
So why does everybody get so bent out of shape about Sergio’s candor with the press? Do you think being in the NBA is like being in army? Where you are not entitled to speak your mind? Sure, there’s a lot to be said for the careful exercise of tact and respect for the confidentiality of certain information. But Sergio hasn’t been openly critical of anybody in the Blazers organization. As for his remarks about Nate over the past couple of years, I think he has been respectful but clear in his opinion that he and Nate are not exactly on the same page when it comes to basketball. Sergio does what he can to play the way Nate wants him to, but the situation is just not very satisfactory for him or for the Nate, and everybody knows it.
Sergio hasn’t crossed “the line” in his public remarks, and he is clearly not some kind of “locker room cancer”. By speaking candidly he may be prodding management to actually make a move instead of continuing this “baking” experiment where he is concerned. It’s Sergio’s right — his responsibility even — to do what he can to steer his career in the direction he thinks will be most fruitful.
by CatMan2 on May 20, 2009 9:25 PM PDT reply actions 23 recs
Good point but he is going to have to realize he is not entitled to whatever star status
La Marca has annointed him with because he is worth the same as he was 3 years ago,a late 1st round pick[?] 3 years later
by southern oregon on May 20, 2009 9:38 PM PDT up reply actions
It can be a positive and a negative to be candid in Sergio's situation
He is forcing KP and Nate a bit, who if we are candid too are not the quickest to change opinions and pull the trigger on a move (unless it’s draft day). Sergio is consistent, he said almost the exact same things last fall so they can’t claim he didn’t give a warning that he wants things to change. And as I said he is too young and talented to start settling already into the role of a third-string backup. Then it’s easier for him to go back to Spain in 2010.
Problem is: Sergio is talented, but hasn’t demonstrated it enough for another team to start him. The rest of the league knows Sergio wants out. And KP has picked up the last option year of his contract already – which might have been a mistake. If the Blazers now need the cap space for another deal KP could be forced to pay some other team to take Sergio and his salary off his hands. Sounds crazy since we think Sergio has value, but who knows how other GMs see him. And the team taking him then might not be the best new environment to boost his career, too. I hope they can work something out that works for both sides, where Sergio can get more playing time on an NBA team in a system that suits him and the Blazers get back something they can use to improve.
P.S.: Nobody called him a cancer or said he isn’t allowed to talk to the press I think? And naturally he feels more comfortable doing it at home than to Quick or Canzano.
P.S.: I think Sergio misjudged the Jack trade a bit. He thought that would open up playing time for him, instead those minutes almost all went to Blake and now he had to battle with Bayless too.
thats a good point.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 20, 2009 11:15 PM PDT up reply actions
To be fair
he explicitly says he isn’t demanding to start or play a lot of minutes, just that he wants to go to a team where there will be continuity. I don’t think even Sergio thinks teams look at him as a starter right now.
I get what you're saying, but there have been stretches
that he’s looked good even here, where we play the antithesis of Sergio ball. There’s a whole lot of middle ground between us and the Golden State Warriors in terms of pace, and I think he could contribute more in even a moderately paced team.
agreed
it makes the argument that he doesnt mesh well with Roy null and void. keep in mind that when we started the white unit experiment last year, it was designed to be 2 separate units with 2 distinct playing styles. the 2nd unit was always meant to outscore the opponents bench and push the pace. as time went on, people have seemed to forget that, and the bench became just an extension of the starting unit.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 20, 2009 11:17 PM PDT up reply actions
No
At least I don’t think so. Maybe the Blazers could have won a few games they lost, but they could just have easily lost a few games they won.
That this team, at this time, won 54 games was freaking awesome….simply above all expectations. To think that 60 wins was possible/////well, anything is POSSIBLE, but in this case, highly unlikely.
by antediluvian on May 21, 2009 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yes, I see the tactical issues here.
Mainly, I just wanted to get this point across about how he really has a legitimate right to try to take charge of his own career path — even if he doesn’t seem to be doing it too well.
As for the negativity that I alluded to, it wasn’t all from the comments in this fanpost. There are a few things I’ve read here and there that have bothered me but which I didn’t get around to writing about. To address some of the things that ARE rife in the comments here: where do people get the impression that Sergio is claiming to be some kind of a “star”? I think he’s pretty much admitted that his game needs a lot of improvement. But, what is clear to him and to me is that the improvement will have to come via increased playing time and experience. I wish him and the Blazers success, together or separately.
Pretty simple to me
When a player no longer has the organization’s best interests at heart, he becomes an ex-Blazer
We saw enough of that from 2000 to 2005
There is no “I” in team, but you need one to spell Sergio
See, this is exactly what I'm talking about.
Maybe it’s the extreme prejudice against organized labor these days. I dunno. Look, organizations have the right to manage their “assets” to maximize their profits, which is mainly what they care about. But, employees, like Sergio, have the right and even the responsibility to see to their own careers. Do you believe that we should swear blind allegiance to somebody because they trade us a paycheck for the many things we do for them and the many things we sacrifice in our lives?
By the way
you can see how far you get with loyalty if you will recall what happened to Freddie Brown.
Jones
Sergio is right, players are merchandize. KP likes to promote the “family” atmosphere but he’ll deal Jarrett Jack (etc) if that deal “improves the roster”
But now that “everybody knows” his discontent, his value to this franchise and to his next port of call has decreased, and his attitude will be more scrutinized in the future, by the media and the fans
Doesn't he have the organizations best interests in mind?
If he doesn’t think he fits in with our system, wouldn’t it be wise for him to be moved so that we can get a player who does?
Keep it behind closed doors
Maybe I’m too old school, but making these kind of comments to the media (in any form) will always be detrimental to the organization
i guess you can view it either way
perhaps he tried to keep it behind closed doors early on…but after a few years of the same thing, maybe he came to the conclusion that it wasn’t the best way to approach things? there has been 2 publicized incidents that has gotten sergio more minutes over the past 2 years…the first one was when the assistant coaching staff noticed how well sergio was playing in his soph year despite nate keeping him on the bench. the coaching staff begged nate to let him play more, and sergio came out with 3-5 good games in a row last year. then there was this year with the spanish agent incident.
if sergio got more time bc nate and kp understood where he was coming from that is great….however if the only reason he got more minutes was to shut him up and to give in to his whining…then i do not agree with nate.
we don’t have the priviledge of knowing how long this was behind closed doors without any resolution. i am glad that he didn’t publicly make these comments until after the season is over. doing so at the end of the season doesnt distract from the efforts of the team.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions
the coaching staff begged nate to let him play more
Was it the coaching staff or the front office who thought more PT for Sergio was a good idea?
Seems to me Sergio got more PT in February than expected, because of Blake’s shoulder injury
Nate is going nowhere, regardless. If he’s had 3 years with a PG and the two of them have different opinions re: how to play ball, it’s time for a divorce. KP could’ve dealt Sergio months ago and made “everyone happy” but he chose not to
This was his soph season not this year.
It was the coaching staff if my memory was correct.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Play Serg instead of Jarrett Jack?
Yeah, good luck convincing Nate to do that.
Fortunately, KP dealt JJ away so Nate couldn’t keep running him out there
(I think Rudy “coming over” had a lot to do with the JJ deal, as well)
i will take
sergio’s forced turnovers vs jacks daily unforced stepping out of bounds and botched fast breaks any day.
there were rare games where sergio outplayed jack that year but didn’t see too many minutes.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 22, 2009 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions
You also need one to spell Pritchard, McMillan, Aldridge, Nicolas,
Przybilla, Travis, Channing, Shavlik, and Ruffin. No wonder we couldn’t get past Houston! Ditch those losers.
agreed
There’s a lot of high and mighty puffery going on, and people need to chill out. He’s not being a whiny jerk. The guy is just trying to take a little control of his life. It’s clear to EVERYONE his career is being hurt here, and he’s been here 3 years now. Maybe he won’t be better somewhere else, but obviously no one is being helped by him staying. There is more to life than contracts, and sometimes a person and an organization need to part ways.
I for one hope he gets traded the summer, for the Blazers sake and for his. I live in New York and I’d love to see him a Knick. I bet he’d average 18 assists a game for D’Antoni.
Very wise words:
As we eventually learn in life, some things are more important than money. Being part of a group or an organization that values you and wants to see you develop your strengths is more important. So is the opportunity to work with a group of people whose company you genuinely enjoy.
I’ve been there and you state the truth. Take note everyone.
Brandon Roy, 'nuff said.
El Heat for chalmers brah:
"The problem with tweeners is that sometimes they’re exactly what you need to plug the hole and sometimes they are the hole."
-LaughingJon
sloppy late night BE
"The problem with tweeners is that sometimes they’re exactly what you need to plug the hole and sometimes they are the hole."
-LaughingJon
I think Collison and Chalmers are a lot alike
and hope to see a scenario where he (Collison) becomes our 3rd PG.
hollinger's wacky machine dosen't like ditching blake and sergio, martell for calderon isn't good for the blazers
It seems to respond well to the Bosh going to Miami part though
"The problem with tweeners is that sometimes they’re exactly what you need to plug the hole and sometimes they are the hole."
-LaughingJon
or the machine doesn't like Calderon
which I understand, though with his big stats and horrific D, I would think he’d grade well with Hollinger’s PER. Must not be using that.
Hasta la vista, amigo.
It was nice knowin’ ya, Serg. I will miss you.
"Whatever...I heard Bayless uses a pillowcase as a wallet." --TiH
Where is he going to get the minutes he seeks?
For a guy who can’t shoot or play defense he sure is unrealistic about his role in the NBA. He got 15 mpg here, who is going to give him substantially more playing time? Keep hearing New Jersey for obvious reasons but I don’t see this whole trade thing going as well as he is probably envisioning. Glad he said he wanted changes in Portland or outside, it wouldn’t be the worst thing ever to keep him.
by IsiahRiderLivedOnMyStreet on May 21, 2009 2:24 AM PDT reply actions
for a team with that much depth
blake played a lot more minutes than i was expecting. even if sergio isn’t deserving of a few of blakes minutes, rudy clearly was and didn’t get them.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm in the same boat as catman2
Sergio is offered up in just about any trade here that doesn’t include Outlaw and then fans get mad at him for wanting to leave for the same reason they want to trade him. This isn’t that big of an issue, it’s just being made into a big issue by the Spanish media and Blazers fans.
"Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven." - John Milton
Well grab an oar and start rowin'
We only have enough Cheezits and beer to last a couple days so we’d better hit land soon.
I don't get it.
I saw Nate McMillan all the time urging the team to run a faster pace. Wanting the team to run up the floor. It never happened unless we had Sergio in there or Rudy got he ball. So why does Nate not play Sergio? I think it is a little bit of the micromanaging that Nate does, and sometimes you just need to let go.
I am not against trading Sergio I just would like us to use him to the best of his ability to help our team improve, and that usually was when we ran our second unit as an up tempo unit.
"Do or Do not there is no Try"
Yoda
by Bakasama on May 21, 2009 8:37 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Because to run, you have to defend
It’s a catch-22. Nate likes guard who can fight his way through P&R screens. That’s not Sergio
Nate also likes to run after defensive stops, when the break is there. That’s not Blake/Roy’s strength
Which is why the optimal starting PG is not currently on the Blazer’s roster, unless Bayless makes a quantum leap
Okay, Now I get it
I see what you are saying, Nate wants a Cleveland or an L@ker type up tempo not a Golden State or Suns up tempo.
"Do or Do not there is no Try"
Yoda
I think Nate realizes
That to win a title you’ve got to play halfcourt offense and lock-down defense. Easy baskets are great, but if any fast breaking team could’ve won a title, D’Antoni’s Suns would’ve broken through
Okay seriously
I’m so tired of people thinking that to run a break you have to be the Suns.
1. The Suns stars did not play defense at all. Doesn’t matter if you run a good break if you don’t play D. If their teams were even decent defensively, they’d have won titles easily.
2. There IS A MIDDLE GROUND. You don’t have to be dead last in pace or first place. You can run breaks when they present themselves and STILL run a good halfcourt offense and play lock-down defense.
Seriously, everyone here thinks that those of us who want to run more wants to be the Suns. Reality check. We don’t, we want free points to go with our awesome halfcourt offense.
thank you!
and playing with more pace is not just about running a fastbreak. An attacking offense can create opportunities earlier in the shot clock than the BRoyball approach.
But for the record, with the exception of the Europeans, we suck at running the fastbreak.
I actually liked that way that Bayless ran the fastbreak. He was such a threat at the rim that it freed up the guys on the wings.
Fearthesword.com: "There is no doubt that the long layoff, combined with the ease of the first two rounds had the Cavaliers a bit tired in the 4th quarter."
by Cablinasian on May 21, 2009 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Common misconception
those Suns teams WERE decent defensively. Not world-beaters, but certainly not the dregs of the universe that they’re commonly made out to be by ESPN talking heads who have never heard of pace-adjusted stats. During the four years of the D’Antoni era, they consistently played okay defense — never finishing lower than 17th in defensive efficiency rankings for those four years.
The Michael Ruffin of BlazersEdge, cuz Amlmart said so.
by BlazersOrBust on May 24, 2009 12:24 PM PDT up reply actions
I just wish
that we continue to play the style of game we played in the final month of the regular season. We abandoned that style in the playoffs without even giving it a chance to fail. Who knows, the Rox still may have had an answer for it, but we didn’t even try to push the tempo until game 5.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:54 PM PDT up reply actions
the Rox still may have had an answer for it
There’s a difference between playing a different opponent evey night and facing Houston for 5-6 games straight
The way the games are officiated changes in the playoffs, as well. More bumping/grabbing, less free movement. The post season is a grind, teams like San Antonio tend to do well, teams like Phoenix don’t (yes Zaig, those are the extreme cases)
The “Rox” were a bad matchup for the Blazers during the regular season. Anyone with eyes (I’m looking at you, Dwight) should’ve known they’d take away what Portland did well during the reg season. With all of that, the Blazers were just one possesion away from winning game 4 and the series
(And alas, they were also 2 weeks “too early” for Yao to come up lame)
name 4 instances this season when Blake fought through a screen
"It's not who jumps the highest -- it's who wants it the most" Buck Williams
"and if EVERYONE confronted with a tough, disgusting situation pulled out, I don't think I would have been born." Mortimer
by Fund A Mental on May 27, 2009 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions
He speaks of himself in the third person, which indicates the real root of the problem...
“What I want is to go to a team that gives me confidence and [where] I can play. I would like to go to a team where I can improve because I am sure that the best of Sergio is yet to come. "
Timbo says that Sergio is full of himself.
Timbo wants Sergio to play for a team that gives him confidence, too.
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
I get my confidence from liquor.
"Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven." - John Milton
by tominhawaii on May 21, 2009 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions
I honestly think Sergio has got a fairly good perspective
on his game and how he fits/doesnt fit with the Blazers.
Sophia
Though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. - William Shakespeare
Roses are red
violets in bloom
Sophia’s in love
with Nicholas Batum
-Bow4Meow
by BlazerFan1 on May 21, 2009 11:04 AM PDT reply actions 7 recs
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!
He even said that he and Nate see Basketball differently. So someones got to go and he realizes it’s him.
i agree
how come the same people that want sergio off the team are complaining that he wants off the team as well?
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
"time for my poopheels to be wanderin'"
- Bob Dylan
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
WIth all due respect, undersized PG's who can't shoot are going to have a hard time finding a niche in the NBA as a whole
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on May 22, 2009 7:24 AM PDT up reply actions
His height and length are fine
It’s his lack of muscle and strength, leading to an inability to fight through picks that really kills him, but without the jumpshot and an ability to finish in the lane (ie. getting blocked 20% of the time isn’t going to cut it) that makes it impossible for him to run an effective pick and roll — you can’t draw defenders away from rolling bigs if nobody respects your shot or drive.
I wonder why no one has commented about what Sergio's comments suggest about Bayless
To me, Sergio’s comments suggest that he knows he is going to loose his back-up position to Bayless next year. If he felt confident that he could hang on to the back-up job, I don’t think he would be in such a hurry to burn his bridges with the team. He knows Portland, he is close to Rudy, why would he be in such a hurry to leave town?
Sergio is likely feeling Rex’s hot breath, and knows he doesn’t have the game to outrun him for much longer!
by upper left corner on May 21, 2009 11:39 AM PDT reply actions
Good luck in his next job, then
There’s always gonna be competition from the young bucks coming in and trying to take your PT. That’s pro sports
There’s plenty of brothers in the last 10 years who think their jobs have been unfailry given to Euros, so it cuts both ways.
Sergio just ran into the “playing style” buzzsaw. The Blazer scouts like him, but the coaching staff prefers tougher perimeter defense from the PG position. We’ve discussed this ad infinitum in the last 12+ months and frankly I’m surprised that Rodriguez wasn’t dealt awhile ago, (but I think that Rudy’s “coming over” had a lot to do with that…)
Na
I don’t think he was ever really threatened by Bayless. Sergio even wrote him off as a rookie last year. Sergio is PO’ed because he couldn’t get any minutes from Blake and anyone else playing point guard. The playoffs were the icing on Sergio’s cake.
Note to Sergio and anyone else on the team that wants minutes, learn to play well with Roy. Not to pile on Sergio, but duh!
"Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven." - John Milton
accurate assessment
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 3:07 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm sure he realizes
that the Blazers need to choose between Sergio and Bayless next season. Sergio says: Get on with it. Make your choice. – Elgin
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
Sergio looks so miserable in the picture
I want him to go for his own good
by southern oregon on May 21, 2009 12:00 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I have no problem with what Sergio is saying:
Let me preface this, I like Sergio as a player and if he is traded, I hope he does really well ( a la James Jones). I just don’t think he fits this system and team (unfortunately, I think Rudy is in that same mold too, just a couple years away).
I think what Sergio is doing is being candid with the media in his own country and at the same time stating his preference on how he would like to play in the NBA. He must feel, as a lot of people do around here that the writing is on the wall for his time in Portland.
His comments then are directed at not only this organization, but whatever team he is traded to: “hey, don’t use me as a slow paced, set up the offense type point guard, I have a definite style I can play.”
1. This is probably good coaching from his agent to try and “force” Portland’s hand to trade him now so he can get a better contract after this season..
2. It scares away teams from making a trade for him that have an offense that doesn’t fit his style.
3. It makes his expectation clear (in a non-threating “trade me now” “play me this way”) of what he thinks he is able to contribute on a nightly basis.
Good for him. I hope he goes to a Phoenix, NY, Bucks, Denver type system and is able to contribute and do well. With this much talent and this good of guys on the team, this is not the first nor the last time this situtaion will arise, and I think Sergio is handling it great. I hope KP and Portland do the same.
Trade or sign a starting PG
Draft a banger PF...that's your job KP, now get it done!
An interesting point
> I just don’t think he fits this system and team (unfortunately, I think Rudy is in that same mold too, just a couple years away)
Next year the Blazers will have to put in some offense for Rudy (lots of screens and getting him the ball where he can score with it). How that happens, especially with Roy playing the 3 and pounding the ball on the floor a lot, is anyone’s guess. Otherwise Rudy will be gone for the same reasons that Sergio has one foot out the door. And then will we hear a big outcry when Rudy complains and threatens to leave? – Elgin
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
Rudy was a spot-up shooter because of poor ballhandling and no ability to create his own shot, not because Nate wasn’t drawing up offense for him.
Rudy was one of the few guys that Nate leaned on in the playoffs. I’m not concerned about Nate not trusting him. Heck, if he plays a few more minutes per game he is at Ginobili’s career average.
Fearthesword.com: "There is no doubt that the long layoff, combined with the ease of the first two rounds had the Cavaliers a bit tired in the 4th quarter."
Please, review the olympic final
or any game with Rudy playing for other coach.
Rudy is very good creating his own shots, and not a bad ballhandler at all. I know, I’ve seen him playing for Joventut and the spanish national team many times.
It’s just Nate using him the way he uses 3’s on offense, letting them on the corner waiting for an open three
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
Part of that is the NBA game
It’s a lot more physical than the international game, which hurts Rudy in that area.
hmm
We hear that a lot…i’m not disagreeing with you, but to me it seems like NBA players have the athleticism and strength that international players don’t have. In the limited games I’ve seen, international players are pretty physical, but they just lack the athleticism and strength.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Which is turn makes them less physical I would think.
College football and NFL football have all the same bruising going on, but I would call the college game less physical. I could definitely see how you would say they have the same level of physicality, but that one group has bigger players.
In other words, I agree, the wording on that can be interpreted different ways.
my Rudy-related memories of the Olympic final include a couple Portland-style spot up threes...
… a couple threes from the same shake-and-step-back move that he used a number of times in Portland (shots that were well defended) and the dunk in Howard’s vicinity after Kobe gambled for the steal. I don’t remember Rudy creating many high percentage shots for himself. I’m not saying he doesn’t have that ability— I take your word for it that he does, but he didn’t really display it during the gold medal game.
His step back three is a high percentage shot
He nails most of them, as closely seen by Kobe and Prince in the olympics.
Anyway, if you use P2P it must be easy to find any 2007-2008 Joventut game
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
Sorry, but in the NBA that is not a high percentage shot, it's his way to free himself to shoot over tight defense
I like Rudy a lot, but it’s not Nate telling him “take those outside shots”. The plays he draws up tell a player where to receive the ball/start his action, not where he needs to shoot. Outlaw, Nic and Rudy are currently just not all that good taking it to the rim unless it’s a baseline cut.
he does hit it at a decent rate compared to others
but it is still not a high percentage shot as norsk describes. he lacks the athleticism to get a good look so has to compensate for it by stepping back. its weird bc dirk is like the king of off balance, fadaway/step back jumpers.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 9:58 PM PDT up reply actions
I watched prolly 7 or 8
Joventut games during that season because I was in Spain that year, and I have to disagree with your assessment of Rudy’s shot-creating ability. I actually thought he’d struggle this season (and have been incredibly impressed by his rookie campaign) because even against ACB and Euroleague defenders, he couldn’t routinely get clean looks without the benefit of a ball screen.
Once he shook free, he was lethal on the drive…but his herky-jerky attack style doesn’t lend itself to beating bigger, faster, stronger NBA defenders off the dribble. That’s why he was so successful moving off the ball and then attacking, because he could get the defenders on their heels that way. When they were squared up on him, he seldom got good looks.
The Michael Ruffin of BlazersEdge, cuz Amlmart said so.
by BlazersOrBust on May 24, 2009 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions
I'd love to see what you are saying
Against premiere athletes, which the ACB doesn’t have.
I love Rudy, think he is a great player (or will become one), but he hasn’t shown the ability to take NBA defenders off the dribble, like he had been able to do in Spain. I guarantee you Nate is not telling him to take harder, longer shots. We have seen Rudy on an iso play, and it isn’t pretty… he can’t dribble well enough, or create any sort of seperation against NBA defenders, as long as the ball is in his hands.
Off the ball, he is awesome.
The dribble back and forth and step back long 2 or 3 is a horrible shot, whether or not he made it in a big game. It is a low percentage shot, even for him.
I don’t think we’ve seen him be the same sort of slasher he was against inferior athletes. I think he can progress in this part of his game a lot, so it isn’t like I think he’ll NEVER be able to do it in the NBA. I think the adjustment to the size, strength, length, and general athleticism of the NBA is a steeper adjustment for a guy like Rudy than people realize.
In Europe he was one of the most athletic guards. In the NBA, he isn’t. I expect him to further adjust and improve on his ability to deal with it, however, so I have very high hopes for his future.
I love his court vision, his creativity, and of course his shooting and flair. I just don’t think we’ve seen any ability to take people off the dribble yet, which is a key skill most NBA shooting guards have.
I agree with Jksnake99; we haven’t seen it from Rudy yet, against NBA opponents. And I do not think Nate tells him not to, since that makes no logical sense. Also, he played the SG spot most of the time he played, so it wasn’t just camping in the corner like our SFs often do.
Mortimer
I just don’t think we’ve seen any ability to take people off the dribble yet
Don’t you remember Rudy driving into the paint and hitting fade-away jumpers from the FT line area?
Rudy is helped when the ball is swung to his side, and his defender is scrambling to recover and prevent the open 3 point shot. Rudy can ball fake and drive well enough in those situations.
But clearly he’s not going to cross-over and break a guys ankles like Brandon
I don't expect something as good as Brandon
But I do expect the ability to dribble the basketball past a slower defender, like any other SG in the league.
He hit a few fade away, turnaround jumpers from the FT line— and when I say a few, I mean, like, 5. He shot an abysmal percentage from mid-range. A lot of the time it was because he was taking a shot like you describe, which is a bad shot when Outlaw takes it, and he makes 40% of them.
In Spain, he could take other people off the dribble. Here, his ballhandling is weak (for a guard) and he’s too easy to guard when the ball in his hands. He offsets this with a dye-no-mite off the ball game that opens up our offense more than having the ability to create for himself— but it’d be even better if he could maintain his off the ball wizardry, and be able to do normal SG things.
He’s quick enough, he should be able to get a step on someone. He really needs to work on his dribbling, though.
Mortimer
I agree we haven't seen it yet, but I think Rudy's development opportunities are not in the 1 on 1 game
Rudy’s Offensive strengths:
Moving off the ball
Catch and shoot
Perimeter passing and creativity
Transition game
Weaknesses:
Creating own shot off the dribble
Pull up jumpers
Getting into the lane by himself
I think Nate did a great job (Sergio too) on playing to Rudy’s strengths during the season and using Rudy well. I think the development area for Rudy in this system is the pick and roll. His handles are good enough that if he gets a good screen and attacks the rim (which is neither a weakness nor a strength in his game right now) he will be able to consistently create his own shot and for the screener and weak side defender.
(Back to Sergio) I think Sergio leaving will help in this area for Rudy in that Sergio will not have the ball in his hands for 22 out of 24 seconds on the shot clock and Rudy will get an opportunity to create more off the screen and roll.
Trade or sign a starting PG
Draft a banger PF...that's your job KP, now get it done!
Yeah, I don't mean to knock Rudy too much at all
His off the ball game really opens up a new world for our team of dudes brought up on iso ball. I really, really love Rudy’s game (what he does well) and I wouldn’t trade him and what he could be for something short of exceptional.
BUT, it is something he needs to improve on, as a SG in the NBA, and so we can play him and Brandon together more. If they could split the ball handling duty and Rudy guards the PG on defense, they can play as duo-combo guards and play off of each other. Right now, Roy would have to be the PG because Rudy can’t dribble well enough, or create anything off of the dribble.
It would open up even more minutes and playmaking abilities if Rudy could dribble at a NBA shooting guard’s level, but still play his off the ball game like he does.
I really enjoyed Rudy in the pick and roll with our bigs this year, and I really want to see a lot more of it. I much, much prefer how he runs the pick and roll compared to Sergio, since Sergio still doesn’t know how to do it and usually passes it to a jump shooter instead of to the big. Rudy is even a better passer in the pick and roll as well (and his passing ability but no way to use it off the dribble because of his problems dribbling are another reason I wish to see him become a much stronger dribbler).
I think Rudy will be a very good player, but even his most die hard fans can’t argue there isn’t enough room on the team for him and Roy if Rudy doesn’t learn how to dribble beyond an 8th grade level. I don’t think he can be a starter on a good team without being able to create like a normal SG.
(I don’t think there will truly be a problem with having them both on the team either way; I just think it gets solved easier if Rudy does improve his ballhandling ability so he can be a pseudo-PG next to Roy’s pseudo-PG).
I am also sometimes tough on him because I think Rudy can be sooo good.
Mortimer
I don’t think he can be a starter on a good team without being able to create like a normal SG
Good point. Rudy’s off-the-ball movement is a throwback, at least as far as the NBA is concerned. Reggie Miller (or further back in Blazer history, Jim Paxson) are the players he’s compared to most. More recently, Portland has run Martell Webster off of screens (Utah game, 24 pt quarter) but this offensive style has been replaced by the ISO, generally speaking, in NBA circles. For Fernandez to be a starting 2, he would have to find a coach who prefers to play this retro style, so he would get the “touches” necessary to be productive
that's who I was thinking of about 20 posts up
Paxson, who tirelessly ran off screens to get open and had some good seasons for the Blazers doing just that. – Elgin
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
Fat guard
That was JIm’s nickname, hung on him by Mychal “Bum” Thompson
There was talk of the 6’5" 220# Pax playing PG to “make room” for Clyde at SG back in ‘85-86 (big PGs were all the rage, thanks to Magic) but the idea didn’t go far and JP was traded (first for Keith Lee, but Lee’s knee failed the physical)
The more things change, the more they stay the same
good observation
although roy is quite an athlete, he rarely uses his athletic ability to his potential when dissecting the defense to get to the rack. rudy may not have the handle that roy has, but i guess it is possible to get to the rim with regularity without being the most athletic on the court.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 21, 2009 10:01 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm not anti-speaking to the press
But when you know you want a deal done for your own sake, and you know the Blazers are more than willing to move you already (if a deal makes sense, of course) it is silly to repeatedly go to the press and say you want to be traded.
It’s not like he’s a guy we desperately want to keep and things have soured between us. If we can move him, we will.
He is at least a late first round pick, since he is at least a backup PG in the NBA and if a team can know they’ll get someone who is at least a backup PG with some playmaking skills who can come in and play right away AND is very young, they will spend a late 1st round pick on him.
My problem is, Sergio is a backup. He played backup minutes for Portland. He will be a backup for all 30 teams in the NBA. He will play backup minutes (or worse) for all 30 teams in the league. Backups who can’t be depended on don’t play much in the playoffs.
15 minutes is a lot for a backup PG on a lot of teams. His situation won’t magically improve until he is improved. Or, on a really bad team that believes in him and force feeds him minutes. I am not sure this team exists though, since even the really bad teams have a better prospect at PG than him.
As always, he just flat out isn’t good enough to warrant the concern, the worry over minutes, the reports to the press, or for us to be really angry with him. I know I am not angry with him, and I think he should want to be in a situation he feels better in. It’s a short career, he’s got to make the most of it.
I just think he shoots himself in the foot by doing this so much.
And I also think it’s clear what Nate wants from him, and all his PGs: run the offense if you can’t push it early, play hard on defense, hit your shots. And it isn’t that Sergio didn’t do, or didn’t try to do those things, it’s just that he isn’t very good at doing those things. And that’s fine, but it’s not some miscommunication between him and the coach. It’s him not being better at being a PG than Steve Blake.
I wasn’t that happy with Blake’s lack of poise and control during the playoffs, but I know I wasn’t hankering for Sergio to come in and dribble around either. If he is upset about the playoffs, I am sorry… you play your best players as much as they can play.
He is right to feel how he feels, and he has likely already told KP (or his agents have) many times over. This doesn’t really help, bringing the local media into it…
I just don’t know if Sergio has thought out his situation fully.
Mortimer
by Mortimer on May 21, 2009 2:08 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs
...
This doesn’t really help, bringing the local media into it…
How do you know?
Sergio is fairly powerless. And staying in Portland is not good for him because the head coach will not place faith in him. In spite of this, he has worked hard and tried to make it work. And he is in a contract year.
Going to the press is one of the only tools left him.
Seems pretty reasonable to me.
Going to his friendly local media
Makes the problem appear like a bigger problem than it is. And, it could very conceivably lower his trade value, thus making it harder for us to get a good deal, making it less likely we’ll move him (and therefore, Sergio shoots himself in the foot). It also makes it harder for us to move him to an ideal situation, since it cuts into our ability to pick and choose what deal we are comfortable with.
What do you imagine Sergio can do that means he will play more? Is 15 minutes a night not fair for his talent level? The ‘coaching problem’ gets overblown in my opinion, because the real problem is that Steve Blake is better than Sergio so he plays most of the minutes. I don’t see where you fit Sergio in more, when Blake was doing so well.
I agree, it’s a contract year, he should want to go where he will get the most minutes. While I think he won’t get much more minutes than he gets in Portland for most any team in the league, he is right that he should want to do that.
What I think the disconnect is, is that this doesn’t help him achieve those goals, because it makes it harder for us to be comfortable with a deal, since teams will hold the fact that Sergio isn’t happy here over our heads.
It’s not like the press will pressure the Blazers to move him. We don’t care that much about Sergio, to a point where we HAVE to move him, if the press starts going nuts over it (and here in America, the press won’t go nuts over it. It might be a big deal elsewhere, but not in the Oregonian or national press). What it does, is make us less likely to trade him because other TEAMS will use it against us. Going to the press just gives other teams more ammo, it doesn’t air concerns that we didn’t already know.
KP and the management team know his worries. Doing this just makes it harder to move him, not more likely.
If Sergio thinks it’s a problem of coaching, he will probably experience the same problem in his next stop. Most coaches play backups a lot less than the starters, and they got a shorter rope with the backup. That will happen wherever Sergio goes.
Mortimer
by Mortimer on May 21, 2009 5:28 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I came in REALLY late on this thread
But give poor Sergio a break…
He has dedicated his young life to the game.
He has talent and potential.
He can benefit another organization/team.
He hasn’t been rude or negative.
He just wants to fit in where he’ll be given a role.
He made a HUGE point when he talked about this being a big year for him:
“This year is crucial for my career,” explained the player from Tenerife before clarifying that “it is the last year of my contract and I have to play to earn a new contract. I do not say that I am the best or want to play 40 minutes, only ask for continuity to do well, and that’s what I have missed in Portland.”
Maybe him over Ridnour in Milwaukee, or with Telfair in Minnesota…
We do the same thing if we feel undervalued, underappreciated or underpayed. We look on craigslist or classifieds and we see where we might find a better fit.
Please hold the negativity back on the guy. He’s been fun to watch and has been a good Blazer for the past 3 years. Wish him well and let’s all move on.
by pdxer in dfw on May 21, 2009 4:17 PM PDT reply actions 5 recs
rec
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
Oh by the way
“I´d like a change (of scene), I´d like to be in other circumstances or conditions, whether or not in Portland.”
This says he’d be willing to stay in Portland if there were a change in conditions. There won’t be apparently, but he’s not exactly saying that he hates it here and wants out or else!
Sergio just being diplomatic
I understand Sergio’s frustration. Nate is not a communicator or teacher. He is a Drill Sargeant. Sergio has been Nate’s whipping boy and who can be surprised Sergio is frustrated? This is exactly what happened with Jarrett Jack. Nate compromises guys abilities, and when they finally had enough of the pidgeon-hole, they sqwauk, and are rewarded by being traded. Good luck elsewhere Sergio. I’m sure he will bloom and Nate can now look at another passionate player to make an example out of.
I AM A PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS SUPPORTER.
With how everyone has improved
How can you say Nate isn’t a teacher? Development clearly appears to be one of his strengths.
Just because one player isn’t very good, doesn’t mean it is a failing of the coaches.
Nate is also one of the more open coaches in the NBA. But what he tells Sergio to do is stuff Sergio can’t do: be good at basketball.
Mortimer
Nate
How can you say Nate isn’t a teacher?
Easy. I just typed it, finished my thought and hit the post button. I think the PTB are fortunate to have had quality assistant coaches who work well individually with guys. Take Jarrett Jack for example, was he a bad player? Jack seems to be a lot better wearing Pacer gear playing his position than red & black and being forced to play out of position, as he was resigned to doing here.
For Sergio, it’s not so much he is not very good, but his style of play is much different then the controlled approach Nate utlilizes. That’s not a knock on either, but restricting Sergio’s game to something he isn’t good at isn’t his fault either.
I AM A PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS SUPPORTER.
Jarrett played shooting guard for large portion of the year in Indiana, and struggled on defense and turned it over a lot. He just had more shots and playing time.
Fearthesword.com: "There is no doubt that the long layoff, combined with the ease of the first two rounds had the Cavaliers a bit tired in the 4th quarter."
nate isnt a lot of things but he is a solid teacher
thats probably the thing i think he is the best at.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 24, 2009 1:16 AM PDT up reply actions
Ok, Nate is a teacher...
I’ll concede that to some degree… but he didn’t get the nickname Sarge because of his devotion to tutoring. I just think Nate’s approach is mostly unilateral and he expects strict compliance to his way of doing things. Right or wrong, good luck Sergio whoever you end up getting traded to.
I AM A PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS SUPPORTER.
nate has mellowed down
you haven’t heard that nickname publicisized in awhile. he had to be a sergeant at first bc the group was out of control and he had to establish dominance…now with the whole team buying into his program he is able to let go a bit.
i agree that he does expect strict compliance, but bc everyone is complying these days theres no need for him to constantly bark out orders.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 24, 2009 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions
especially true with guys like Patterson, Dixon, and that team he inherited
but still, Nate comes across (to me) as a coach who is pretty single-minded of purpose and isn’t a great communicator. Enforcing discipline is necessary, but Sergio isnt the first player to mention Nate’s lack of accepting player feedback. What I see in Nate is a coach all to willing to yank a guy (Roy/Aldridge excluded) for a mistake on the floor without going to them and telling them what they are doing that isn’t working. I may be wrong or overstating, but that’s my impression.
I AM A PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS SUPPORTER.
i see that too
i just think hes gone a long way from the old sarge days.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 24, 2009 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions
He's not a great communicator?
What about the LMA/Roy/Oden meetings that he spearheaded during the last off-season? What about all the individual tutelage he gave Jack (Quick mentioned their late-night meetings several times during ‘07-’08) and his current relationship with Bayless (giving Rex his cell phone number and telling him to call anytime day or night)? Roy and Nate appear to have an exceptionally good superstar/coach relationship, wouldn’t you say?
I get tired of people ragging on Nate for his perceived shortcomings. Usually those complaints are centered more on the fact that Nate’s not playing their guy rather than something that Nate’s actually messing up. He’s taken a team full of young guys from doormat status to Western Conference powerhouse status in three seasons with the majority of those youngsters showing considerable improvement along the way.
The Michael Ruffin of BlazersEdge, cuz Amlmart said so.
by BlazersOrBust on May 24, 2009 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Now I'm ragging on Nate?
He’s taken a team full of young guys from doormat status to Western Conference powerhouse status in three seasons
KP deserves most of the credit for bringing in coachable talent. I think Nate’s a good coach, but I won’t concede he is perfect. Making an observation/opinion is not always tantamount to “ragging.” It’s odd considering I even said I may be wrong. Sheesh.
I AM A PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS SUPPORTER.
Sorry if I came off too rough
It was more of general frustration with people complaining about the coaching staff and Nate specifically, not “bow4meow is so stupid and I can’t believe his ugly face thinks Nate sucks!!!11”. Consider it a general gripe that just happened to be replying to one of your comments. I think you’re mistaken about Nate’s lack of communcative ability, but you’re certainly entitled to your opinion and I didn’t mean to come off as attacking you or anything. Friends?
The Michael Ruffin of BlazersEdge, cuz Amlmart said so.
by BlazersOrBust on May 25, 2009 2:19 PM PDT up reply actions
sergio did buy in
he just sucks at those things. he didn’t blow off nate…he worked on his strength, his shooting, and his defense. in all fairness he did improve on those things, but the improvement was pretty marginal.
I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer
by Philthyanimal on May 25, 2009 12:39 AM PDT up reply actions
He got the nickname Sarge
Because Z-Bo and Miles hated to be told what to do and be forced to follow rules.
The Sarge thing is way old, and Nate has been proven as a great developer of young talent. To credit this ONLY (when it should be shared) to the assistant coaches because one guy hasn’t worked out really well is silly to me.
Sergio will experience the same problems with whatever coach he plays for, since every coach will ask the same things: run an offense, hit shots, play defense.
He won’t get more than 15 minutes for a team without injuries. Nate isn’t his problem, the problem is Sergio.
Every single coach in the NBA would play Jarrett Jack over Sergio, even with Jack’s propensity for turnovers. I don’t really get why you hated him so much, he was a very good kid. He didn’t play as well for Indy as he did for us, but he played for a much worse team so the standards are lower. They really enjoy his tough play and aggressiveness, though they notice his same boneheaded turnovers and worse-than-expected defense.
His best year was for us, when he started the whole season. I’m glad he got a start somewhere else where he can be appreciated, and I truly hope the same for Sergio. But Sergio doesn’t do things beyond a backup level, so 15 minutes is what he’ll be looking at.
Nate didn’t pull him for mistakes or turnovers, he would pull him to get Blake back in the game. I dunno what else could be expected from it. And Sergio’s next coach (if he is traded) will do the same thing— let Sergio sop up some minutes as the starter rests, then pull him out regardless of how he is playing, since the starter is a better player.
Mortimer
come on Mortimer
I never hated Jarrett Jack. I have opined about his sour grapes attitude that led to his trade. He let his frustration with Nate boil over into a passive-aggressive meltdown and spoke his mind, leading to the Indy trade. I liked Jarrett Jack’s bull in a china shop PG play, but also felt he was forced into playing the 2 which didn’t play into his strengths. If every single coach would play JJ over Sergio why did Jack get traded over Sergio. I still say its because he voiced his frustration at the coach and that doesn’t fly with Nate. Watch Sergio get sent packing. I feel I struck a nerve with you, keep in my mind I am not just rabble rousing even if it comes across that way
I AM A PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS SUPPORTER.
No, you didn't strike a nerve at all
I just thought you were mischaracterizing recent events, and had overstated quotes from Jack to mean more than they mean.
One of the things everyone praises Nate on is his communication abilities, and how his players respect and listen to him. Just because Sergio says he doesn’t get what Nate wants, doesn’t negate the fact that everyone else does. If 11 out of 12 guys say one thing, and a player with severe limitations who gets pulled in favor of better players is frustrated with his role and says another, I’ll trust the other 11.
Jack was traded because we had Rudy and to get Bayless, not because he wasn’t happy. The trade was not for Sergio, and Sergio did not inherit Jack’s backup minutes— Rudy did. Jack had real value, could get a high potential lottery pick, and we had a better guard coming in. The trade was not for Sergio.
LAST season, KP got Blake because Sergio wasn’t going to be a good enough backup PG, yet everyone blamed Jack for being in his way. Back then, I said don’t be mad at Jack for Sergio not playing, be mad at KP for getting Blake, an actual PG. THIS season, Rudy is the one who got minutes that maybe could go to Sergio with Jack’s departure.
Sergio, if traded, will be to get something better. They won’t trade him just to trade him. Nate certainly was not mad at Jack for saying he’d like to be more of a PG; I’m not sure where you got that. Nate has let all his player vent their frustrations to him, he doesn’t get angry over that. Hell, Sergio vented his frustrations through his lame Euro-agent and it led to more playing time.
I remember you disliking Jack very much, and overblowing stray comments from Jack to mean something bigger. I think sometimes you have taken isolated incidents and made them to mean more than they really mean.
But please don’t think I am angry or anything like that, cause I ain’t at all. You’re my friend and I wouldn’t get mad over a minor Nate vs Sergio debate!
Mortimer
just sayin
I liked Jarrett Jack good enough, but I do feel he handled his disagreement with Nate about his role poorly. That was my biggest poopadoo on JJ. Thats what I typically sounded off on. I also sincerely believe had that particular interchange not have occurred, JJ might still be a PTB, at least I think it IS what led to the trade, the outcome of which was not why it happened. I don’t believe Rudy had anything to do with it, but you may be right. I dunno.
Jack’s biggest problem at the time was being forced to play back-up shooting guard, he didn’t like that role and I say rightfully so, but the team was not so deep and can’t say other guys werent play out of position either.
I have a feeling Sergio will get traded just to trade him and do away with any perceived malcontention, but KP will find away to get back some value. Sergio is a hypocrite for whining about Nate’s communication skills, then going thru his agent to cry about things. At least JJ eventually mustered the courage to speak directly to Nate.
I knew you werent angry. Just thought I had pushed a button.
internet push-over,
B4M
I AM A PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS SUPPORTER.
Jack considered himself a PG
But it was clear to the Portland coaching staff (and now Indiana’s staff, as well) that he’s a combo guard: a reserve who can play alongside PG or SG, but not be the primary PG for a playoff team
It’s funny, because what we’re all searching for is the ideal guard to play alongside Roy. Jack was never going to be content spotting up and waiting for a kickout pass. His strength is driving the ball to the hole, but he would generally look to score (or draw the foul) and not set up others for easy baskets.
The Blazer’s brass had a pretty good idea that Rudy would be coming over. To make room for Rudy at the 2 guard, Jack had to go. KP was able to deal him to move up in the draft and select Bayless, who has similar skills as Jack but who will hopefully develop as a better sidekick to Roy
I remember when Blake hurt his shoulder, people were lamenting that Jack wasn’t around anymore. The point is, Jarrett wouldn’t have been a happy camper playing behind Blake, Roy and Rudy. It was time for him to continue his career elsewhere
When KP says we need to upgrade our toughness and physicality
it can be done in 2 ways. The first is to acquire a veteran tough guy. That’s good but doesn’t really solve the problem. The second is to release or trade your weak links. That means trading away guys like Sergio and Travis who look like tumbleweeds in a stiff wind; very fast but hollow inside. That also doesn’t solve the toughness problem. The solution includes a combination. Sergio and Travis could go to San Antonio for Kurt Thomas which will help both teams address major weaknesses (SA needs some quick young guys off the bench). Thomas’ qualities are on the record. That doesn’t solve all our problems but it’s a step in the right direction. The PG overhaul is a major problem but backup PF is easy.
The PG overhaul is a major problem but backup PF is easy.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record…finding a backup veteran PF who will be content to play 10mpg behind LMA most nights, but still have enough game to “fill in” for Greg/Joel/LMA in case of injury/foul trouble may not be as easy as you think. Sure, finding guys like Shav, Frye, Diogu or Ruffin may be easy. But the guy we’re looking for should have had success as a starter on a playoff team, gone to the conference finals a bunch of times and now be willing/able to teach the young kids what it takes to win playoff games and series. I like McDyess, but I have no idea if he’ll be interested in Portland
McDyess and Thomas are basically interchangeable
to the extent they are both hardened, playoff tested, strong rebounding, negligible but reliable scorers on the very tail end of their careers. Either one would be a strong pickup for us and, barring injuries, could give us their last 2-3 years in the NBA. Against them is their relative slow-footedness compared to our quick young players. 10-12 minutes per night is about all we could expect and all we need from them. Neither would be a reliable backup in the event LMA went down long-term with an injury. For injury protection they might not be the answer. For 10-12 minutes beating up the other team they are just fine, especially Thomas who still rebounds especially strong.
I guess it comes down to intangibles, then
And which veteran would want to come to Portland. Is Thomas a FA? I don’t remember seeing his name on the FA list with McDyess, Bass, Gooden, et al
Best case scenario (for me) is to add this kind of veteran banger and also draft a young PF (or bring Freeman over) Younger veterans like Shav, Frye, Diogu etc will be more concerned about PT because of their “next” contract. A veteran and a rookie PF will be more likely sit patiently until needed
Solution to difficulty of dealing Sergio:
Include Rudy in the deal.
The Spanish connection could be highly valued somewhere in the rest of the league.
Ultimately Rudy’s not gonna fit in the Nate system either and he wastes a lot of energy on the court being the one guy who tries to play a team-oriented offense…so why waste 2 years before realizing that?
Sergio won't be HARD to deal
Just harder to get what we’d like out of it.
There’s certainly no need to get rid of a GOOD player, to make getting rid of Sergio easier. And there’s certainly no need to “get rid” of Sergio, either; he isn’t that bad on or off the court to think there is a rush in moving him.
I thought “Nate’s system” did a good job of making Rudy look good, playing him off the ball so much. I don’t see any reason we’d move him short of a great deal.
Mortimer
Rudy's talents,
like Sergio’s, will be better served in a dynamic offense. Nate’s Blazers are all about control, isolation and limiting errors. It seems to be working well, at least statistically. But it does not take to creative playmaking where you trade low turnovers for higher percentage baskets.
I don't see why that's a reason to trade Rudy
And Nate isn’t as rigid as some people think. I bet Rudy’s role in the offense expands as he improves. He was just a rookie, after all.
Sergio and Rudy are two different cases entirely.
Mortimer
But the two in a package w/Outlaw and w/picks and cash
could land us Jason Terry. Our guard rotation would then be: Blake, Bayless, Terry, Roy and any draft pick. That is far more formidable than our current Blake, Bayless, Sergio, Rudy and Roy. That shortens the rotation and solves the minutes problem. I think you’re right about Rudy but an opportunity to trade for a player like Terry would be rare and impossible to pass up. It’s a sure bet we’ll see something startling like this.
Jason Terry is NOT the answer.
"What is the Soup Du Jour?"
"It's the Soup of the Day."
"Mmmm. That sounds good. I'll have that."
The answer is shielded from our stares
we have to look a little bit through squinty eyes to see the shape of things. Terry may not be “the answer” but he’s twice the player than Heinrich or some of the other mediocre names getting tossed around. So who’s your savior?
I don't have a savior
but I do not see a reasonable explanation for why Jason Terry is an upgrade. He’s a shooting guard that comes off the bench yet plays 33 minutes a game. We already have a shooting guard by the name of Brandon Roy that plays that many minutes.
Terry is not a great passer and loves to shoot. And by that I mean exactly the opposite of what the Blazers need. The Blazers need someone who will get easy looks for our current stars not necessarily for himself. We need someone who will drive to the basket. Jason Terry shot’s are 80% jumpers.
Why do you think Terry is a good choice?
"What is the Soup Du Jour?"
"It's the Soup of the Day."
"Mmmm. That sounds good. I'll have that."
I also don't think you can reasonably say he is twice the player
than that of the “mediocre” players others have mentioned. Hinrich is pretty good and he plays defense, an area I would say Jason Terry is pretty mediocre.
"What is the Soup Du Jour?"
"It's the Soup of the Day."
"Mmmm. That sounds good. I'll have that."
Que lo pase bien Sergio, espero que encuentres el equipo perfecto para aprovechar de tu talento.
Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.
insert Obama-ized photo of Sergio's face here
with the big CHANGE caption below. – Elgin
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
exactly
Thank you sir. – Elgin
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
sergio deserves an oppurtunity to consistently play 25+ mins a night
if brandon roy played for toronto he'd be brandon waaaaah
I'm not seeing it.
Even in an uptempo system where he’d be a better fit, he still has trouble hitting shots and finishing which is going to make it hard for him to be anything other than a fifteen minute a night backup.
Looking around the NBA where do you think he’d get those 25+ minutes? I don’t see a lot of opportunities for a player with a PER of 12 and 39% FG percentage.
Sergio is a guy I want traded, but I don't for one second think he can't become a good player. I think
Portland would be crazy not to send him east. This is a guy that could average 10 assists a game, just not here in Portland. I say ship him out to the Wizards or Nets. Wiz are shopping their 5th pick.
Breaking news
La Marca says Sergio would be an all star in the NBA by now without Nate holding him back and not treating him in a natural manner but fails to explain why he is not good enough to sit on the bench for a Spanish team
by southern oregon on May 23, 2009 9:32 PM PDT reply actions
He is not good enough to sit on the Spanish team's bench
I read that a lot. PG is by far the most talent-crowded position in the Spanish roster. If you only play 8 min (last season), you are not going to get a call, even if you are better than others.
Jose Manuel Calderón is not going to play teh Eurobasket
so Sergio has a chance to play, but is going to compete with Ricky Rubio, Raúl López & Carlos Cabezas…. but IMO Sergio will play, cause his playing style i different to the others, he can break the tempo of a game if you need it.
Free Sergio!
I didn't know
but it makes sense, seeing as he has been injured for several stretches of the season…
Sergio has a much better chance then, I hope he gets selected, he really needs a confidence boost!!
Sergio didn't play against Houston because of match-ups
The playoffs are much more about match-ups than the regular season and he doesn’t match up well against their PGs. He’s not nearly quick enough to stop Aaron Brooks on defense or to get around him on offense. And he’s not big enough to defend Kyle Lowry, who is also pretty good at getting to the basket. Houston’s transition defense is also pretty good, so his advantage there would likely have been blunted. Even in the regular season, he only averaged 8.7 mpg against Houston, his lowest mpg against anyone but Indiana (who, coincidentally, also play a quick PG in Ford and a bigger PG in Jack). So it shouldn’t really have been too big a surprise, even with his good play in April.
It’s not uncommon for a role player to play a lot fewer minutes against a given opponent in the playoffs. Look at Orlando this year: J.J. Redick played at least 20 minutes in each game against the Celtics, but has played a total of 10 minutes in 3 games against the Cavs. Clearly SVG felt he matched up well against Boston and doesn’t with Cleveland. Same thing for Daniel Gibson of Cleveland: He averaged 15 mpg against Detroit, 10 against Atlanta, and has played a total of 5 minutes against Orlando.
The fact that Sergio didn’t play much against Houston doesn’t necessarily mean that Nate had no confidence in him. Had the Blazers beaten Houston, he might have played more against the L*kers.
Adios
I wish him the best, and I agree with him completely. He should not be a Blazer any longer. I grew very tired of his play and his Fanatic Supporters whining about Nate and playing time.
This is Jack burton from the PorkChop Express and I'm talkin to whoever's out there.....
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