Millsap = Brian Grant 2.0??

by Rip City Reign on Jul 14, 2009 8:21 AM PDT

The signing of Millsap to an offer sheet is eerily similar to 1997 when the Blazers signed another young power forward from a division rival: Brian Grant from the Sacramento Kings. At that time the Blazers were fresh off a first round playoff loss to the Lakers and with a starting five of Sabonis/Wallace/Augmon/Rider/Kenny Anderson, they were lacking some toughness inside. There was talk of Grant even being able to play some small forward when he was signed.

As it turned out, Grant was a very good power forward and was one of the leaders of the Blazers deep playoff runs. On the other hand, his presence inside pushed incumbent PF Wallace to SF in an attempt to get the Blazers' best 5 players on the court at the same time. This left the team with an inability to defend quicker lineups and led to stagnation on offense without a creator at the SF.

The current Blazers need someone to attack the basket, which Millsap can do. The question is whether the addition of Millsap will create the same kind of problems the addition of Brian Grant did 12 years ago.

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Maybe...

I’m still skeptical on whether we’ll get him. One thing I don’t like is giving a young person $10 million dollars all up front – if we do land him, I just hope it doesn’t affect his character.

I also don’t like the report coming out of Utah that they’ll have to take out a loan to keep Millsap. I think this will be a poor organizational move if they take this route…

by hotstuffdb22 on Jul 14, 2009 8:39 AM PDT reply actions

Utah that they’ll have to take out a loan to keep Millsap

Larry Miller is probably rolling over in his grave, he would never agree to take out a loan in these circumstances

When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!

by two4larue on Jul 14, 2009 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions

I like that comparison, but it's a moot point

There’s no way Utah lets their premier forward- the guy they drafted and watched develop into the player he is today- slip away to their division rival.

To put it in perspective… it would be like 3 years from now letting Bayless, Batum , or Rudy sign an offer sheet with the Jazz, knowing we could match and deal with other parts of the team accordingly.

Blazer fans would react poorly. In this sichi, Jazz fans would react worse.

"Tough times don't last. Tough people do."
-Chauncey Billups

by Kelsoballa on Jul 14, 2009 8:49 AM PDT reply actions

Agreed, but to perfect the point: it would be like Jeff Pendergraph being signed 3 weeks from now, with LMA in his last year of a deal and ready to bolt...

…………………… assuming that Pendergraph had shown the ability to be a 16-and-10 guy — with the only reason being the fact that the Blazers had put themselves into a luxury tax situation through a max deal to Martell Webster and a $12M extension to Joel Pryzbilla.

"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

by timbo on Jul 14, 2009 9:45 AM PDT up reply actions

.... 3 YEARS from now....

Someday these boards will be editable and I will be happy at last.

"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

by timbo on Jul 14, 2009 9:45 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't think so

Non-editability helps to keep a person humble, which helps keep a person happy.

When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.

by jscot on Jul 14, 2009 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions

But it's so much more fun to not have the editing capability

because then readers get far more opportunities to read, then ask “What the ______?”

…..especially when I write.

"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green

by antediluvian on Jul 14, 2009 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

"Jazz fans would react worse"

Unless they extended Boozer instead. A lot of Jazz fans wouldn’t like that, but they would accept it.

But they almost certainly won’t do that.

When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.

by jscot on Jul 14, 2009 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions

I hope not

I hope Millsap is > Grant. I never liked how Grant always seems to grab a rebound then scrunch down and do a couple of dribbles instead of going right back up hard towards the basket.

"B Roy, ain't no basketball player really ever make me cry, makes me wanna meet you, touch your hand." tominhawaii

by tominhawaii on Jul 14, 2009 8:51 AM PDT reply actions

That was totally because he was wearing his headband wrong. When he wore it in the back it was like a scrunchie, and that is what made him scrunch. When he wore it up front, it allowed for scalp recoil and also pre-tensioned his cheek muscles which added 3" to his vertical.

The cowards never started
The weak died along the way
Only the strong survived
They were the Trailblazers

by lukeyhere on Jul 14, 2009 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions

Interesting historical parallel. I have somehow banished that memory of Wallace on SF from my memory.

LaMarcus on SF would work in some situations, but would make him even more of an outside shooter when this is precisely what we don’t want him to become.

If you want to trade our spare parts for Devin Harris, I have three quarters I would like to trade for your dollar

by Norsktroll on Jul 14, 2009 10:05 AM PDT reply actions