The "Icing On The Cake" Revealed

by TheGreatDane17 on Jul 3, 2009 11:42 AM PDT Comment 21 comments

Pritchard was planning something big, something that will use our free cap space this year. It appears Turkoglu is going to get signed, by the Blazers. But is he going to play for the Blazers? I am wondering to my self, how much of a better fit would The Matrix be ? He looked much better in Toronto then Miami. His per game average has some pretty good company .(Kersey, KG, Nance)

Turkoglu VS Marion

Turkoglu - Better passer, Better shooter.

Marion - Far better defender, Superior(+3rpg) rebounder. A much more effecient player(1.8TOV vs 2.6TOV. Does not need the ball in his hands to be effective, will benefit from having Portland's post presence(Never really played with dominant posts in his career).

They compliment each other very well in my opinion, because they are both so effecient, but play different games. Roy's passing game compliments Marion's rebounding & defense. He doesn't need the ball in his hands nearly as much as Turkoglu does. Since Roy is usually just the shooter on the fast breaks, Marion would provide some versatility in that regard that we simply do not have right now. Would allow for a much more effective team fast break. He is miles ahead defensively(Over Turkoglu) & I think could help Batum develop some veteran defensive tricks early in his career. Yes his rebounds will be down because of our post presence, but I think he will really benefit from them defensively. Especially since he is now 30(Getting increasingly more effecient) & Marion has never really played with "dominant" big men before. I would not mind letting him also backup Aldridge. I don't have any doubts he would be more effective then Frye, Outlaw or Turkoglu !

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Are you trying to say We should get Marion?

Batum is Marion in a year or two

Oden...Aldridge...Roy.....THE REAL BIG THREE

by CroRupt on Jul 3, 2009 11:54 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes

Over Turkoglu, swap with Toronto.

Patience :)

by TheGreatDane17 on Jul 3, 2009 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can not create.

I don’t know why people are having trouble with this? The whole reason for hedo is the idea that he can create for himself and others. Marion is a nice player but does not do that at all. Hedo give us the ability to create so many mismatches….no point sets, ect. That is why kp and company want this guy not Marion, ariza and so on. Think back to blazers games when no one but brandon could score or get to the line. With hedo that is no longer a problem. One thing i love about hedo is he can do that little pump fake and draw the foul on what would have been a bad shot with the best of them! That kind of offensive craftiness is what the blazers need not another good defender who can stand outside and hit the three (batum).

by jcoop85 on Jul 3, 2009 11:57 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

well said

by shiz on Jul 3, 2009 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

http://www.basketball-reference.com/blog/?p=2362

Devise Method

Founder of the "Crash Batumcoot" Movement.

by damir on Jul 3, 2009 12:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks that was driving me nuts.

by pxilpooshr on Jul 3, 2009 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shawn Marion is a selfish player

He has said in the past that he would rather be on a crappy team and the star than be on a winning team and a role player. No way in heck he’s the star of the Blazers. I guess the nicest way I can put it, is that he is not a good fit for the Blazers.

- Carl

by tominhawaii on Jul 3, 2009 1:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

haha! I might have well as just copied and pasted your post. See below.

by dario argento on Jul 3, 2009 1:13 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Selfish

Please give me an example? That slam online article was an abomination of journalism. The original Toronto Sun article extraction:

“It’s definitely an option,” Marion said, trying to sound open to the situation. “I’m going to keep all my doors open. I’ve got to weigh every (option) that I have. It’s a big opportunity I have this summer.”

The opportunity Marion speaks of is deciding where he wants to play. In a little over a year, he has gone from a first-place team in Phoenix to a bad Miami team and then this year left the improving Heat to join a struggling Raptors club.

“I’ve got to worry about my future,” Marion said when asked if the uncertainty of Chris Bosh remaining a Raptor factored into his own decision. “I’ve got to be selfish right now because I can’t worry about nobody, I’ve got to worry about myself.”

Put yourself in his shoes. Either give Coangelo the “buddy” discount, or weigh your options & go to a team that could use you better, perhaps a bigger chance to win as well(Look what Artest got on the open market? Look how old?). Where did all this “selfish” talk erupt from, one little article?

I have never heard an ill word from a team mate, he has always been an efficient scorer, great defender & rebounder.

Patience :)

by TheGreatDane17 on Jul 3, 2009 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here are some more examples of what you'll probably refer to as "abominations of journalism"

CNNSI’s Chris Mannix reports on Phoenix’s chemistry issues:

Which brings us back to Marion. While the Matrix has been one of the most statistically productive players in the league over the last five years, it has become clear that Phoenix is looking to make a change. Word of chemistry issues in the Suns’ locker room has filtered through the league since Phoenix’s second-round ouster. If you discount seldom-used Jalen Rose (one general manager called him "the worst locker room lawyer in the league"), those problems can only be attributed to Marion and Amaré Stoudemire.

Jack McCallum, another CNNSI writer, spent the 2005-2006 season on Phoenix’s bench. He wrote a book, 0:7 Seconds or Less, on his experiences. And McCallum addresses the issues between the Suns and Shawn Marion:

It hurts him that he has never been The Man in Phoenix. Jason Kidd was The Man, then Stephon Marbury was The Man, then Nash became The Man the moment he showed up in the summer of 2004…Worse, Stoudemire before his injury, seemed to have settled into Second Man status behind Nash, leaving Marion as the Third Wheel. After he was selected as an All-Star reserve, Marion said, “Ever since I’ve been in Phoenix, I tried to make myself the face of the Suns on and off the court. That’s what it’s all about.” But he is not the face of the Suns. Nash and D’Antoni are the dual faces, and whenever Marion’s face appears, Stoudemire is likely to, also. That drives him crazy. He appreciates Nash and gets along with him, but doesn’t feel the same about Stoudemire.

“Around here it’s Steve this and Amare’ that,” says Marion. "What people forget is that I had to adjust my game to different people. I had J-Kidd. I had Steph. Now I have Steve. All of them are different. I made the adjustments. You got to give me credit now. Don’t overlook that.

“The other thing is, people judge players on points. And I think that’s wrong.” That is obviously directed towards Stoudemire.

http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba-blog/kevin-garnett-rumors-expose-shawn-marion-s-issues-with-phoenix-suns-ar44363.html

jcoop85 made a great point (above) Even if Marion was a choir boy he’s not the same kind of player the Blazers were looking for when they targeted Hedo. They’re about as “opposite” as two players can be! Shawn is a good defender, Hedo is average, at best. Turk is a distributer, Marion is a finisher. Hedo has a conventional jump shot, Shawn looks like he’s working with a medicine ball when he shoots.

Marion is the wrong fit for Portland, on just about any level I can think of. If KP ever says he’s interested in adding Shawn to the Blazer’s roster, I’d have to seriously question if he had been kidnapped and replaced by an alien clone from Los Angeles

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

by two4larue on Jul 3, 2009 11:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks

"The greatest tyrannies are always perpetrated in the name of the noblest causes."--Thomas Paine

by tominhawaii on Jul 4, 2009 5:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No thank you. Marion is a supreme head case.

I saw an interview with him where he was asked if he would rather ( money aside ) be a role player on a championship team, or be the go-to-guy on a terrible team, and he had trouble answering. He actually couldn’t answer. I want nothing to do with that selfish prima donna.

by dario argento on Jul 3, 2009 1:12 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You say "role player"

Players want to play. Not be “role players” because he knows he is capable of contributing to a winning team at a high level? So what if he doesn’t give a great interview. Never heard any ill things said about Marion from any team mates. So where is this “selfish” coming from? Because he would like to go to a team that has a chance to win & pay him? Marion to me is worth it, over Turkoglu as a player to add. Both minutes & fit wise. I would rather have the big defensive, rebounding & efficiency advantages Marion brings, rather then the passing & shooting Turkoglu brings. From someone who will a part of our front court.

Patience :)

by TheGreatDane17 on Jul 3, 2009 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

if we wanted someone who has an ugly shot, we would've drafted omri casspi

"There are a few teams you have to watch out for in the fourth quarter."
"Yeah, but Portland definitely is not one of them."

-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters at the end of the third quarter with the Hornets leading 74-59. Portland later ends up winning 97-89.

"They don't mind him shooting that shot at all. Rudy Fernandez is not that great of a 3pt shooter."

-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters right after a Rudy Fernandez missed 3pter. Rudy Fernandez finished the game with three 3pters on six attempts.

by Tofu Anonymous on Jul 3, 2009 2:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You think Turkoglu is old?

Marion is undersized and almost completely relies on his insane athleticism. The drop off has already begun and he’s only going to get worse.

by JK47 on Jul 3, 2009 4:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Rodman

Was also undersized. In fact they are very similar in size. But he still brings consistency in rebounding, defense & finishing at the rim. I have no doubt that Marion has gas left in the tank. He said “I need to be selfish” is it not clear he is talking about winning a championship before he retires.

Patience :)

by TheGreatDane17 on Jul 3, 2009 9:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs