Roster Consolidation, Young Talent, Championship Window, Bayless etc...

by Jiggamant on Jul 25, 2009 7:39 PM PDT Comment 13 comments

Commence Rambling:

I love Bayless but I think he is the odd man out after the Miller signing. Many people believed that in order to obtain an upgrade at PG, Blake would be included in some sort of Sign and Trade deal, but now that we see that Miller was signed straight up it appears that Blake and Miller will be our primary PG options. This doesn't mean that Blake won't be the PG inevitably traded, or that Bayless will either, but it is likely that the Blazer brass are concentrating on entering the championship window now rather than later. As we saw with Boston, when a team is gearing up for a championship they tend to sacrifice sustained "goodness" for immediate greatness. While Blake is still on this roster,I think it is safe to say that the Front Office believes that in order to reach championship status we have to rely heavily on Veteran stability rather than the unfullfilled promise of Bayless' raw talent. We can't play out this season with talented (read: valuable) players like Outlaw and Bayless rotting away on the bench, while we could parlay those assets in a consolidating move that could elevate our status to elite. Quality over Quantity. I suspect Bayless, Trout and possibly some other assets will be moved for an upgrade at SF and possibly a backup PF (although I think that role will be filled by lower priced veteran).

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Outlaw will get minutes

Pretty much all the of the minutes Aldridge isn’t on the floor, and occasionally when he is and Nate wants to move to a quicker, more offense less defense team (or if our centers are in foul trouble) and moves LaMarcus to center. Add to the minutes he’ll get at the small forward when Martell’s not feeling it and Nate wants an extra scorer, and we’re looking at 20-22 minutes a game.

Bayless, on the other hand, will average very few minutes off the bench this season. I’d really like to see him spend most of the season in Idaho running a team. He needs the minutes, and he won’t be getting them here.

by baduk on Jul 25, 2009 7:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not a chance

There isn’t a single player in the D-league with his level of athleticism and potential. It would be a slap in the face.

Furthermore, he will get far more out of practicing against Miller and Blake and being groomed by them and Nate than he ever could by competing against the same level of scrubs he saw in a frustrating SL.

"Life is a meaningless sequence of events in between Blazer championships"

by broggerboy19 on Jul 25, 2009 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't sessions get his start in the D-league?

I know that in 3 games with them he averaged 29.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 12.3 assists(wikipedia). Thats just 3 games but if the level of talent in the D-league and the SL are the same then why is Sessions assist rate so much greater? I’m just saying that I think the D league is better than SL and that until Bayless can do well as a pg in the D league he is not going to do well as a pg with the Blazers. I hope he does. I don’t think every player is the D-league is a scrub.

by twggyy on Jul 25, 2009 8:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sessions

Was a late second round pick. No one saw his level of success coming and he is definitely the exception, not the rule.

I disagree that the D league is significantly better than SL. The D league All-stars competed favorably but if you took a cross section of the average players and put them in summer league I don’t think they would have fared nearly as well.

You are right though in your assessment that not every player in the D-league is a scrub. The average player, though, is in comparison to the level of competition Bayless will face in every practice with the Blazers.

"Life is a meaningless sequence of events in between Blazer championships"

by broggerboy19 on Jul 25, 2009 9:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nailed it w/ regards to the cross section

I hope Bayless develops well. I think he is the long term plan for PG. Trading future players for immediate players worked for Boston, for what will amount to about a 3 year window. The spurs drafted players and groomed them, and established a dynasty. 4 championships in 10 years, or 1 championship in 4? I think our blue print will not be taking all of our young talent and trading them for a barking lunatic cancer that LMA has to slap in the head for throwing cheap elbows.

by lurtsman on Jul 26, 2009 9:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Does Steve Blake only have one year left on his contract?

by Kosta0027 on Jul 25, 2009 8:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

correct

by Rudiculous on Jul 25, 2009 8:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lets make it through preseason to see if everybody stays healthy

Last year Roy, Blake, and Webster all had last minute injuries before the season began. One thing that allowed the Blazers to win 54 games was the depth. If every one stays healthy by the trade deadline the that might be a good time to make a trade to improve. Baron Davis didn’t do a whole lot on the injured reserve for the Clippers. Same situation with Brand.
Those were free agents but LA lost Maggette and Brand because of the Davis signing and Philly still made the playoffs. but At least if Miller has his first injury ever we still have the same team – Sergio. If Outlaw ever wants to get paid outside of Portland he’s going to half to suck it up and play good enough to stay in the games. Bayless is still only 20 and another season on the bench behind two solid veterans isn’t going to hurt the kid one bit. A Miller, Bayless, +others combo could be very good trade bait for a superstar PG upgrade if Miller doesn’t fit and one becomes available. He’s proven and his contract is very reasonable.

by BlazerKuttn on Jul 25, 2009 9:00 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Bayless may benefit but not in number of minutes played

Jerryd showed that he was learning while watching Blake last year. I think MIller will open Bayless’ eyes even further to what might his game look like. Blake has been steady but he’s not the model for Bayless, whereas Andre’s game would be better to emulate as a style of play. Bayless will still get some minutes this year but his minutes won’t multiply unitl Bayless cbegins to surpass Blake and/or MIller. That is a good goal for Jerryd.

by NWfan on Jul 27, 2009 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lets make it through preseason to see if everybody stays healthy

THAT hit home and rung like a bell….

I’m sorry I rec’d you right after reading your one liner ;)

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out, burns out farms, and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

"New Man Law: If you don't show up for the draft you don't get to come later if you're picked. If you believe in yourself, show up and sit there. If nobody else believes in you, take it and cry like a man...in front of the cameras."

-Dave

by faith on Jul 27, 2009 7:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If a great deal comes along I think Bayless will be dealt, but I don't think we should trade him just to accomplish the mission of roster consolidation.

by dario argento on Jul 25, 2009 9:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree that we could trade some guys

But only for something useful in return. I’d like to trade Bayless and Outlaw, but can we get value for them?

by goblazer1 on Jul 26, 2009 10:18 AM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Outlaw is not going anywhere

and, with a two year deal for Miller, I doubt bayless is this year. I doubt that small forward is a priority for the front office. Turkuglu looked appealing at the time, but the further I get from it the more I am glad it did not happen. We do need a muscle guy as a back up power forward, but the brass may end up happy with the yougsters they drafted in that role anyway…Unless it is a big power forward to back Aldridge up, i am happy if no more moves are made until we see how things shake out with martell’s recovery and Batum’s development.

Goodbye Deke. The NBA will miss Mt. Mutombo

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by PDXBuckeye on Jul 26, 2009 1:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs