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What will Luke Babbitt's role be this season?


If the Blazers are to be successful and contend in the playoffs this year, what part in that, if any, do you expect Luke Babbitt to have? BARRING INJURIES to key rotation players (arguably the only reason we know anything about Dante Cunningham or Jeff Pendergraph's skills going into this season), do you expect Babbitt to get any meaningful minutes?

Reasons he might be a factor this year: 1. Since playoff-caliber teams generally pick later in the draft and have fairly established rosters already, it's common for their rookies to see little to no action except in garbage time. However, Babbitt was a highly touted prospect coming into this year's draft and several scouts thought he could have been a lottery pick. 2. His varied but controlled offensive game has the potential to give the blazers something they've sorely lacked the past couple of seasons, and something maybe no one else on the roster is quite as suited for: reliable and CONSISTENT instant offense off the bench.

Reasons he might not: 1. Even with the departure of Martell Webster, we're crowded at the small forward position. Babbitt will have to fight for time against Batum, Matthews, and Cunningham, and Rudy. 2. As the roster has been solidified over the last few seasons, Nate McMillan has had issues with putting rookies in the rotation in general (last season being an exception of course, due to injuries). 3. Babbitt's defense is expected to be somewhat of a liability. He may yet develop it, but perhaps not enough to keep him on the floor this season.

Thoughts?