Coach Nate's Comments yesterday on 95.5 and our confidence in KP
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 6, 2009 4:03 PM PDT
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I am not sure if yoiu were listening to Wheels at Work in the final hour of his program yesterday, but at 3pm, coach Nate MacMillan was the guest and he said some things that I wanted to discuss here on BlazersEdge.
Comment #1: Nate was asked about finding a playmaking point guard rather than sticking with our existing personnell, his answer was "What we need to do is take full advantage of our players strengths" he went on to say that one of Brandon's strengths is handling the ball and creating so we can expect that "Brandon is going to be handling the ball". Of course, the question was actually about who is next to Roy, not what Roy is going to be doing... but Nate felt it neccessary to reiterate to the public that for Roy to be Roy he needs that ball in his hands. I took from this that a player in the mold of Jerryd Bayless IS the plan at the starting PG, even if Portland adds someone else it is likely that they don't have to be the 8 assist guy that many are clammoring for. My question to all of you here is: WHAT player strengths do you hope we take better advantage of next season?
Comment #2: Wheels brought up the Team USA player invitations, apparently B.Roy is gonna sit out to rest but Aldridge and Bayless are gonna practice. Nate was kinda pimpin Jerryd Bayless stating "what a great opportunity it is for Jerryd to play with those players", but what really caught my attention was when Nate reminded us that after his summer league success last off-season "Jerryd practiced against the Gold Medal Team and did a really good job". It is pretty clear around this blog that many have forgotten just what kind of prospect we have in Jerryd Bayless because he didn't have a 'breakout' rookie season, yet recently both KP and Nate are speaking out about the fact that Bayless is still very much IN the plans for the future. To the many out there who may be thinking this is posturing to improve the value of a trading chip... that thought is becoming less and less believable.
Comment #3: Wheels bridged the subject of Team USA to the summer league roster, specifically asking if Petteri Koponen was going to be back on the Blazers summer league team. He stated something like last year having both Koponen and Bayless on the summer league team forced these two top prospects to split time at the Point Guard role. Nate's comeback? Nate said simply "I really want Jerryd to play the point". Nate said nothing memorable about Petteri, and made it fairly clear in yet another comment that Jerryd is gonna get a shot at PG next season, and that getting max time possible in summer league was part of their plans.
These three comments really stuck with me because it seemed that Nate was illustrating his confidence in Pritchard's personnel decisions, being willing to work with the players he has, and sticking with the Long-term vision that those in the circle of trust had planned out a few years back. How much faith do WE (the United Bloggers of BlazersEdge) have in Kevin Pritchards decisions. I mean, really? We need a back-up PF who is a banger defender and rebounder, 99% agree with that, so what if Kevin Pritchard walked out of the 2009 NBA draft with non-other than Tyler Hansbrough?
Of course this is an example, but would you lose faith in our "leader" if he did something that wasn't popular with media writers like drafting a kid (who even though he is a national champ, measured out way better than expected, and is reasonably/arguably the 2nd best PF on the draft board behind #1 Blake Griffiin, and is likely to slide down draft boards as predicted 3 seasons ago...) like Tyler Hansbrough is a POPULAR choice to hate? Really, if KP drafted Hansbrough would you be willing to say "Okay, I think KP knows what he is doing and Hansbrough does have some good skills and experience, and his body fits the role we need very well."
There are so many people who have forgotten that Bayless was apparently #2 or #3 on the draft board last season, and now believe his lack of opportunity and success this season makes him a player to discard... yet when Bayless was drafted it was a VERY popular pick. If KP makes a move that he and the Brass think is the best one, yet our fans believe more in the negative media hype rather than our Genius BrainTrust... real bad mojo scenario's could be the result. I am as guilty as anyone who LOVES to play GM and try to figure out what our next or best options are... but I will tell you this... WHOMEVER KP and Co. bring into the Blazers Roster for next season and beyond I am going to embrace them and be excited. Are you?
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I still think w/ a healthy Martel,
we will see a lot of Martel and BRoy in the backcourt together, wtih Batum on the wing.
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." Jimi Hendrix
by philly420pdxhilo on Jun 6, 2009 4:08 PM PDT reply actions
2nd unit...
OUTLAW, WEBSTER, BAYLESS, RUDY AND PRYZ.
"Awesome! Totally awesome! All right, Hamilton!"
with those guys bayless should have no problem padding assist #'s via the alley oop
by HurricaneDayne on Jun 6, 2009 4:27 PM PDT up reply actions
That is a very good second unit
Lots of speed and two excellent spot up shooters to compliment Bayless’ penetration. I thought Rudy and Bayless showed some flashes of very good chemistry during the time Blake was hurt.
This unit gives you two guys who can create their own shot: Outlaw and Bayless, and two guys who can fill it up.
I still think it would be nice to have a banger who can score for certain match-ups.
by upper left corner on Jun 7, 2009 6:57 AM PDT up reply actions
Seriously?
How do you think that 2nd unit would do against a team like Houston? Pryz would have to grab every rebound or they would get throttled. I like Hansbrough in that lineup more than Outlaw.
I still completely trust KP. Every move he has made has been at the very least solid.
The Bayless problem was the logjam at PG. He just did not get and opportunity I think. I will #$%^ing scream if we have Bayless, Blake, and Sergio again next season.
It looks like you are part of the HUGE majority...
After 114 votes on this poll, which essentially imagines KP drafting an “unpopular” pick, only 5 people would be livid with the BrainTrust and only 20% (1 in 5) would feel sketchy about the player… the rest would be backing KP and the Brass’ plans…
That is what I like to see!!!
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 6, 2009 8:37 PM PDT up reply actions
yeah i caught that too both nate and pritchard are really laying it on thick for bayless
and when he talked about not wanting to split jerryds time with petteri in summer league that really showed that they are going to make a concerted effort to make him be a point guard unlike last year when he was winning summer mvp as a shooting guard. Also whenever there was a lowout game jerryd was in there at the end as a SHOOTING guard next to sergio. So all that tells me is that sergio is gone bayless moves up to number two and any incoming pg will sit behind jerryd or start with blake being moved.
totally...
bottom line is that King Pritchslap and Sarge truly want to know what they have in Jerryd Bayless. During the season I had my doubts that Nate liked Jerryd or wanted Jerryd to be a part of the Blazers magic… but now I have no doubts. When Nate was talking about Team USA and Jerryd Bayless I really thought, “Man, Nate is on board with Jerryd getting a clear role in the rotation this season.”
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 6, 2009 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Probably Nate has seen the stats about BRoy at point guard
http://www.82games.com/0809/08POR5.HTM
PER: 50. Opposing point guard: 0. Let it sink in. Okay, of course this is a joke since Roy played – by the definition used by the site, a rounded 0% of the available team minutes on point guard.
That being said, Roy IS a dominant ball handling guard, but more useful as a shooting guard and occasionally small forward against some teams. Maybe the team could reduce that a bit with a stronger point guard, but they would not and should not strive to take the ball away from Roy since he is one of the most successful players in the NBA in isolations and a good and willing passer to open teammates for a “non-PG”.
As for Bayless, yes the feeling last year before the draft by a number of experts was that he would be one of the top guards in the draft. Jay Bilas talked about him being one of the hardest workers in the draft and being able to put 20 points on the score (which JBay did against NJ). A number of scouts compared him extensively to Westbrook and even to Rose since high school.
I continue to believe that he has the same innate talent as Westbrook, and I would assume the team shares that view and wants to give him the time to develop. I don’t really understand why a number of people continue to bag on him for having a bad rookie season and basically declaring that his ceiling when in reality it’s his floor. If Sergio got three years to show in Portland what he can and can’t do, why shouldn’t they be willing invest that time in Jerryd before making a decision about his future? Granted, if the point guard of Nate’s and KP’s dreams (whoever that may be) comes along in a deal that requires Bayless he will be gone faster than you can say “three point shot”. But failing to find that deal, Bayless will be here for a while if only as a backup. He is definitely more than a “throw in”, which could rather be the future for Petteri Koponen’s draft rights.
Go B-Rex, come back to training camp with improved shooting, passing, and relationship to key players on the team.
by Norsktroll on Jun 6, 2009 4:34 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
"would not and should not strive to take the ball away from Roy"
+1
I agree that talent wise Bayless and Westbrook are in the same breath, and maybe even with D.Rose, though Rose’s PG skills are more natural…. the one true advantage that Bayless has is his work ethic. I have ZERO doubts that Bayless is going to be able to improve year after year for a long time because he is that dedicated of a player.
As far as that “Dream PG” coming along, after all these off-season drills we have been running on this site… I just don’t see Portland acquiring CP3 or Dwill, therefore JBay is gonna stick around.
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 6, 2009 5:10 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree.
I was a little more into Westbrook just because he seemed a longer and more athletic, but after having watched both of them this season I think they compare very well.
It’s funny because Westbrok and Conley are both supposed to be bad shooters, but you can see that their shooting improved as they got more looks and consistent playing time. On the other hand, Bayless is supposed to be a terrific shooter, but his shooting percentage went way down with his inconsistent paying time. I expect we will see a different Bayless once he gets real minutes.
Roy is the best player in the world with the exception of Incarcerated Mike from Queensbridge .
by Nick Van Excellent on Jun 6, 2009 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions
The opposing PG also had a PER of 50...
And the Blazers where outscored by 115 points per 100 possessions. Maybe not such a good idea after all?
Actually, Roy has played the point a lot more than 82games.com indicates. Most of the time when there was a Roy/Rudy backcourt Roy was actually playing the point, but the people at 82games assume Rudy was the PG because he is smaller than Roy.
by trk on Jun 7, 2009 2:06 AM PDT up reply actions
You are right, wrong line. And yes, Roy is pretty good as a point guard, though I guess their definition depends on who defends who
Roy about never gets defended by the opposing point because he is too big and strong for that.
I agree
I also like Hansbrough, and in my defense, I almost skipped over that part. What I really liked to say, is that I have a request and a point of contention.
Request: Can you make your links open in a new window? If you don’t do that, it messes up with the comments that are already marked as read.
Point of contention: This is another post that is written from the standpoint that every Blazers Fan, except the author, has the same point of view. It kind of has a soap boxy, street preacher, “everyone’s a sinner,” feel to it. Maybe not to that extreme in this post, but it’s coming from the same locker room.
I like *you Portland Dynasty, I think you’re smart, and you have your poop together. I also think your posts would get more recs if you didn’t write every post as if you were the lone voice of reason.
*Sorry for using “you.”
by tominhawaii on Jun 6, 2009 5:38 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Rec for this hilarity.
and you have your poop together
by teenagemutantninjabayless on Jun 6, 2009 7:10 PM PDT up reply actions
I hear what you are saying...
I totally admit that I am one who gets uber-frusterated with all the “haters” as i call them who seem to be the VOCAL majority…. When I write a post like this, it is clear that I AM A BELIEVER in the movement that has been going on in Portland and that I am not going to lose faith or PATIENCE during the process…
I know it is all about the Journey and not the destination… but TIH, your point is well recieved here and I can try to change the TONE of my posts, but as Popeye the Sailor Man said " i yam whos I yam"…. A Blazer Believer. Do I pose my opinions as “me against the world” maybe, but I definitely don’t think or write like I think anyone shares my beliefs…
I was writting this from my own point of view with a tone that others may or may not be backing KP fully… that is why I posed the poll question. Specifically what do you think is soap boxy or “everyone is a sinner?”.
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 6, 2009 9:20 PM PDT up reply actions
word....
Haters + Homers = Balance
word up!
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 6, 2009 11:09 PM PDT up reply actions
I was on board for some of your post...
but I didn’t really get the Pyscho-T part. It changed the argument from “do you trust KP with personel decisions?” to “Is this specific player a deal breaker for whether you still trust him?”
Am I supposed to hate that pick at #24 so much that if KP picked him I can no longer trust him to make good decisions? Maybe that is what Tom was getting at. I guess I don’t hate that pick at the #24 spot.
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
The point is HOW MUCH will you trust KP aside from your own views...
I picked Hansbrough because he is 1.) a highly decorated college player with great experience and character and 2.) is highly questioned as to how well his game will translate to the NBA. So I take a player who is being “hated” on a lot, whose draft stock isn’t skyrocketing, whom lots think is a guaranteed flop and make that guy the one who KP drafts…. forcing US to ask the question… IF KP did this, how would I react?
I tied it in with Bayless because last year at draft time people were singing the “Pritchslap” tune… less than a year later, lots of BEdgers are already labeling Bayless a bust. Which to me illustrates a huge lack of trust in KP and the BrainTrust. It is about believing in your team or not. I believe in Bayless as a prospect still and I am excited to find out WHO is brought on board, inevitably there are going to be those who dislike or hate these upcoming transactions because they already have such well-defined opinions or feelings about players.
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 7, 2009 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions
I guess that is my point...
If you went with “a player you don’t want or haven’t heard of or don’t think fits” instead of picking a specific player, the post would apply to everyone instead of those who don’t want Hansbrough.
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
Good career move by Rex chaining himself to Oden by the ankles...
"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
KP on Oden: "Our theory is that he attracts so much attention...
“Our analytics say that whenever he’s on the floor, everybody else plays better. And that’s usually the sign of a very, very good player, even though his numbers weren’t terrific….”
"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
Pheromones....
The Funky Cold Oden
new nicknames brought to you by Portland Dynasty
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 6, 2009 9:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Thanks for writing this up
I heard that interview and was expecting someone here to comment on it, I’m sure it’s going to ruffle some feathers
After Ben, I’ve probably been one of Jerryd’s most consistent supporters. I liked what I saw in summer league last year, and I’m hoping that this year’s squad has more/better finishers so Bayless can concentrate on improving his PG skills and not have to carry the scoring load, again.
Sure, I saw the same “Rex” during the season that his detractors saw. Too much “thinking” that led to unforced turnovers. Too much hand-checking on defense. Not enough playing time because of the Spanish Air-mada. But we’ve seen the flashes of greatness (NJ game, 8 assist game) and we’ve all read the quotes about Bayless’ work ethic and maturity.
I’ve made the comparison between JB and young Terry Porter and I hope to be proven right (not for my sake, but for the good of the franchise’s future) The Blazers “need” a PG to succeed. It’s been too long since they’ve had a great one. Blake is nice, but he really should be a backup. If Jerryd can’t beat Steve out, eventually, then KP and his scouts have failed. But I think the kid will be alright. I think JB has the talent and the will to succeed. Only injury will prevent him from reaching his full potential, and that’s a pretty gnarly package of mad skillz and killer instinct.
I don’t watch NCAA basketball (outside of an occasional Duck’s game) so the only thing I know about Tyler H is his sports-talk reputation. If KP drafts the “psycho” then I’ll worry about who he is and what he’s about. If TH can “bring the beast” at the backup PF position then fine, that’s what the team needs (not more softies like Frye and Outlaw…) But I’d rather have a veteran PF backing up LMA, when push comes to shove.
why wouldn't we want hansbrough? we need our duke bench warmer.
mcbob, shav, hans
"There are a few teams you have to watch out for in the fourth quarter."
"Yeah, but Portland definitely is not one of them."
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Here are the recent comments about Psycho-T via Chad Ford's Draft update...
This is from Chad Ford’s article post-Draft Combine:
“For all of you who wrote me all season furious that I didn’t have Tyler Hansbrough in my mock draft lottery … now’s the time to yell, “I told you so!”
I think it’s time to declare Hansbrough the big winner of the 2009 NBA draft combine. Although he was what you would expect him to be in the skills portion of the combine, he came out better than expected in the measurements and strength and agility testing.
Hansbrough measured a legit 6-foot-8¼ in socks and 6-9½ in shoes. He also had a surprising 6-11½ wingspan and a standing reach of 8-10 — one inch better than Blake Griffin.
He basically measured the same size as Kevin Love, Drew Gooden, Paul Millsap and David Lee.
But that’s just half the tale.
His vertical-jump numbers weren’t terrible, either. At 34 inches, he matches up with the combine scores of Emeka Okafor, LaMarcus Aldridge and Nene. And better than Chris Bosh.
His no-step vertical was a little more troubling at just 27½ inches, but that equaled or bettered Carlos Boozer, Aldridge and Charlie Villanueva.
Lateral quickness? His 11.12-second score was stellar for a big man. He bested Tyreke Evans, DeMar DeRozan, James Johnson and Earl Clark from this draft class. And he also was better than Amare Stoudemire, Bosh and Tyrus Thomas.
And his 3.23 three-quarter-court sprint? Another strong score for a big man. His numbers were better than Griffin, Jordan Hill and Michael Beasley.
In fact, if you want a good physical and athletic comparison to Hansbrough, try Beasley, the No. 2 pick in the draft last year. They are within an inch and a few half seconds of each other in virtually every category.
What does all this mean? We already know Hansbrough is a terrific basketball player. There was never a question about what he does on the court. The concern was always about his lack of size and athleticism.
Now that he has physically proved he’s a solid NBA-caliber athlete, will the objections to drafting him in the lottery start to fade?
Some early signs point to yes. I think a number of teams, including the Bucks, Nets and Pacers, will all give Hansbrough a closer look.
“I think we have to re-evaluate him,” one lottery-team GM told me. “You get used to seeing a guy through a certain set of glasses. This forces you to rethink and ask yourself whether you misjudged him. I think if you need a big, you have to consider him.”
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 6, 2009 11:10 PM PDT up reply actions
Is it because his head is so big
that it makes his body seem smaller? Is that why everyone thought he was smaller than he is?
I thought he was 6’8’’ – 6’9’’ as listed which he about is. He has some other pretty tall guys around him at UNC incl. Ed Davis who is also 6’9’’ if you ask me but listed at 6’10’’. He also doesn’t run completely upright, often slouching a bit flat footed.
I read all over the draft websites that Hansbrough was "likely" to measure 6'7"....
Instead, Tyler surprised lots of people as he comes out a very Legit 6’9" 240lb power forward. His reach was better than Griffin, so nobody can really knock him now because of those things.
It is so funny how negative draft buzz like this from draft websites (nbadraft.net, mynbadraft.com, draftexpress.com and ESPN, etc) can ruin a guys draft stock even though it is based on a GUESS. They guessed wrong, how much will Tylers stock rebound? Who knows….
But, we also see it on the otherside…. Remember Joe Alexander last season? Can you say Fast Rising stock? This years candidate for Zero to Hero on draft day…. Johnny Flynn. He wasn’t even in Top 100 pre-tourney… now he is Top-10. I call a BUST.
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 7, 2009 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions
TH will be gone at #24
If the Blazer brass endorsed TH by picking him, I’d be pretty excited to get him. However, it doesn’t look like he’s going to be around at the #24 spot.
I also like the confidence shown in Bayless and agree that there’s a high probability that Sergio won’t be a Blazer next year. Even if Bayless develops quickly and has a super year, the Blazers should have another PG in case of injury if nothing else. That’s why I think picking Darren Collison with #24 isn’t a bad idea and backing that up with Beaubois early in the second. They ranked #2 and #3 in lateral quickness at the combine. Spending their last pick of the second round on Pendergraph might give us a rebounding PF of the future. At #24 you might be able to find your backup PG of the future in this draft, especially if Bayless is the starting PG of the future.
Of course as the post suggests, I’m going to trust what the Blazers do (which is why I’m still high on Bayless even though his jump shot had been hurting my eyes in Blazer game warmups). I certainly trust KP and company way more than myself to make these picks.
Those warm-up dunks are pretty sweet.
(I know there are a ton of average guys that do this)
I’m confident that B-Rex’s outside shot will come around.
Darren Collison with #24 isn’t a bad idea
6’1" and skinny. What’s DC weigh, 170lbs dripping wet?
Pass
Add Hinrich to Blake and Bayless, there’s your 3 PGs
Every indication is that Bayless is staying
1) Sergio is asking to leave. Some think this is primarily about Nate and Sergio not being a good fit. I think there is a real possibility that a major part of Sergio’s motivation for wanting out is that he knows Bayless is going to get the back-up minutes next season and he does not want to be buried on the bench in his contract year.
2) KP singled out Bayless and Webster as the two guys most likely to make a big leap over the summer. KP has consistently made positive statements about JB.
3) Arranging for JB to practice with GO. Quick (or somebody) mentioned that these two were hanging out together some last season and becoming friends. Why would the team encourage them to practice together and get closer if they were seriously considering trading Bayless? It would be stupid, and likely to bum Greg out. The last thing the team should be doing is messing with Greg’s head.
4) Nate’s comments here; and the fact, mentioned in a Quick profile, that Nate had given JB his personal cell number and that Bayless and Nate were talking frequently about various aspects of PG play.
I realize that opinions vary about Bayless. Some like Blake’s game. Some like Sergio’s game. Some are excited about Hinrich, or Rubio, or whomever, but the Ocham’s razor, simplest solution to Portland’s PG problem is right in front of our eyes. Bayless has tremendous physical tools, is bright and coachable, and has a world class work ethic. Giving up on him after 600 minutes of PT, at age twenty, seems very ill advised. We need to see what we have before we just give him away and end up spending a decade wallowing in regret.
The first rule of economics is “buy low, sell high”. The team used its last lottery pick (for the next decade), and Jack, to land Bayless, and felt ecstatic to get him where they did. Selling now before giving him enough minutes to demonstrate what he can do is just plain bad management. PG is a difficult position which requires a lot of decision making. Conley and Brooks are just the latest examples of young PGs who struggle in their first year and then blossom in their second.
Give Bayless a chance.
by upper left corner on Jun 7, 2009 7:28 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
+1 "Giving up on (Bayless) after 600 minutes of PT, at age twenty, seems very ill advised"
I like what you said about Jerryd here… Definitely worth the +1 Recap!!!
“Bayless has tremendous physical tools, is bright and coachable, and has a world class work ethic.”
by Portland Dynasty on Jun 7, 2009 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions
with all the Summer League talk..
is anybody planning on going to vegas those days?? im goin for 2-3 days.
"Awesome! Totally awesome! All right, Hamilton!"
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