Taking Stock: Our Current Roster
by PDXBuckeye on Jun 28, 2010 9:20 PM PDT
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PrintWell, the free agency bonanza is about to open. I think the Blazers stand to benefit a great deal from this free agency market opening. They can either make a splashy move by leveraging trades to help teams open some cap space so they can go after a big name player, who knows maybe we end up with a big name ourselves out of all the fallout.
With all of the excitement about ready to get rolling I thought it important to take a gander of our entire roster. Below is a 3 deep roster by position with extras listed at the bottom. I am only listing a player in one position at this point even if they can work multiple spots (I actually like 8 man rotations, with a couple of key role players filling particular needs during particular needs). I just figure this is a good way to look at what we could see as a 15 man roster given what we currently have. It may prove useful in understanding what moves we should really look to make this summer if any.
Centers - Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla, Jeff Pendergraph
Power Forwards - LaMarcus Aldridge, Marcus Camby, Juwan Howard
Small Forwards - Nicolas Batum, Dante Cunningham, Luke Babbit
Shooting Guard - Brandon Roy, Rudy Fernandez, Elliot Williams
Point Guard - Andre Miller, Jerryd Bayless, Patty Mills
Others - PG (rookie) Arman Johnson, PF (international) Victor Claver, SF (likely to be waived) Ryan Gomes
Just doing it this way has made me rethink a few things. Przbilla becomes less expendable when you look at it this way, although Camby is more than able to cover primary backup roles for both Oden and Aldridge for example. So below is a brief list of questions to consider as the free agent market opens up:
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So what do you think of this line up?
- What do we need?
- What would we like?
- Should we make any moves?
- What is our weakest position?
- What is our strength?
- Who is expendable?
- Who should we keep at all costs?
So what do you think?
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What do we need? Depends. Long term, maybe a PG. Maybe Bayless fills the spot okay. Though if an upgrade can be acquired, I don’t think we should turn it down. Maybe a center. If Oden stay injury-free, then no worries. But I saw how many centers went down with injury last year, not just for the Blazers. Joel may heal up okay. Camby will be here for a little bit. But another good Center prospect might not be a bad idea.
If moves are available that fit what we need and make us better, then make the move. If the moves available do not make us better, then stand pat. Maybe I should apply for the position of Captain Obvious.
"[S]ince men enjoyed very great leisure, they used it to pursue many kinds of commodities unknown to their fathers, and that was that first yoke they placed upon themselves without thinking about it, and the first source of evils the prepared for their descendants. For, besides continuing thus to soften body and mind, as these commodities had lost almost all their pleasantness through habit, and as they had at the same time degenerated into true needs, being deprived of them became much more cruel than possessing them was sweet; and people were unhappy to lose them without being happy to have them." -Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Captain Obvious
Man I wish I needed a Bedge screen name. Were I in need I would indeed use that!
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
Personally, I was feeling an urge for major moves
but putting the line up down like this I am more comfortable moving forward if nothing happens than I was.
I say go after a major upgrade at point guard if a deal can be swung. The question becomes who do we give up to get that point guard?
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
no way is that worth it
we do not know what opportunities may pop up in the free agent frenzy though, the front office should be poised to pounce if something shakes out unexpectedly.
I love Miller, but long term that is where we need a pick up. That being the case if a top PG pops open we should be able to take advantage.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
I get what your saying
But true game changing PGs are the most coveted position in the NBA right now. The only “big name” that keeps coming up is Arenas, and I dont know many people wanting to pounce on him. I think the real direction will be SF. I know Batum is there, but if the Blazers can get a big time scorer ala Gay, Granger, Iggy, or even Butler, I think they need to do it. Though I dont think I would give Batum for Butler, the other 3 is a no brainer.
true game changing PGs are the most coveted position in the NBA right now.
I can see why you’d say that, but I disagree. Any game changing player is coveted. There happen to be a lot of game changing PGs in the league right now, and I think why there’s so much discussion about them. Because there are so many around, there are always a few who are at least somewhat available.
I think that game changing big men are still more important that PGs. There really aren’t that many of them. That’s why Greg is so important to this team. It’s why we can’t trade him. He’s our shot at a championship.
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 28, 2010 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Dominant big men have been, are now, and will always remain, the rarest commodity in the game.
Supply and demand: how many 6’0"-6’4" guys are out there? How many 7’0"s?
Based on history and physiology, the ratio is probably somewhere around 5:1. Dominant big guys seem to come along about one to three times per decade. One or two quality PGs seem to come along every year.
This is the basic math that lead to the selection of Oden and the logic remains just as flawless now as it was on the day GO was picked ahead of Durant.
by upper left corner on Jun 29, 2010 6:11 AM PDT up reply actions
I would love Iggy
but would rather keep batum in the process. If we could bring in Iggy here is what I see as far as line up (I am putting single position specialists as starters and tweeners as backups, I like that approach, even though I could be swayed to start Iggy over Batum, the idea is still the same):
C – Oden
PF – Aldridge
SF – Batum
SG – Roy
PG – Miller
backups
6th man SF/SG – Iggy
C/PF – Camby
PG/SG – Bayless
Specialists
Hustle player Cunningham
3 Point Specialist – Fernandez
I like this 8 man rotation a lot with Cunninnham and fernandez filling in these speicalist roles.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
On the same page with you
I just think the sixers would want Batum to do the deal. Would you trade LA over Batum?
hmmm
nah, I would really really hate to give up batum’s D. With Batum and Aldridge we now know how to take Dirck out of his game. Losing that would suck.
Somebody postulated that a Pryzbilla, Fernandez and bayless package may shake Iggy free. But then do we have that backup 1/2 in that case. I think the cost benefit to us would work out, even if we had to add another guy to replace Bayless.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
You'd hat to give up Batum's defense in a trade to get Iggy?
Iggy is a better defender. He’s also better on offense. If we have an opportunity to get him, and Batum is the worst thing we lose, we need to jump on that.
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 28, 2010 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Um... "hate to give up..."
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 28, 2010 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't know that a 12 mil player comes off the bench
Especially one who’s used to being option #1 on his team.
"OK Kids! Who wants a basketball? That's why I love my Chevy Silverado."
I pointed out I would be fine with him starting
I just slot the postion specialists as the starters.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
I just saw that, sorry
Although, if we have Batum playing a backup role for 20ish minutes, I think we’d be underusing him too. I’d love that lineup if the first sub would be Batum in, Miller out, and we run Iggy/Roy as temporary 1s. Bayless would probably sub back in with Miller for Roy/Iggy. That might work?
"OK Kids! Who wants a basketball? That's why I love my Chevy Silverado."
realistically, I was thinking something like this
Camby should probably be in for Oden first and then Batum for Iggy then bayless for Miller then Oden for Aldridge then Iggy for Roy then Miller for bayless and finally Roy for Batum
slot in Cunnigham and fernandez based on live game situations and game plans for particular teams
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
Rudy Fernandez is worth... something? Anything?
Bayless?
Yeah, we’d have to part with someone we liked to get someone better, which would create hole somewhere else. It’s always easier living with the evils you know than the evils you don’t.
"[S]ince men enjoyed very great leisure, they used it to pursue many kinds of commodities unknown to their fathers, and that was that first yoke they placed upon themselves without thinking about it, and the first source of evils the prepared for their descendants. For, besides continuing thus to soften body and mind, as these commodities had lost almost all their pleasantness through habit, and as they had at the same time degenerated into true needs, being deprived of them became much more cruel than possessing them was sweet; and people were unhappy to lose them without being happy to have them." -Jean-Jacques Rousseau
right
the more expendable the player the less likely we get anything of real value back to us in trade. that is the position we are in.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
I think the only viable option for value is the MLE.
Especially this season. That said, I have no idea who to get. Steve Blake?
"[S]ince men enjoyed very great leisure, they used it to pursue many kinds of commodities unknown to their fathers, and that was that first yoke they placed upon themselves without thinking about it, and the first source of evils the prepared for their descendants. For, besides continuing thus to soften body and mind, as these commodities had lost almost all their pleasantness through habit, and as they had at the same time degenerated into true needs, being deprived of them became much more cruel than possessing them was sweet; and people were unhappy to lose them without being happy to have them." -Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Congratulations Lieutenant Obvious
You have now been promoted to Captain.
Dismissed.
Portland could coast along with their superior talent and stay right with us. Now that Portland woke up, the hammer cometh down.
Bayless > Daffy Duck after 3 cans of rockstar
by Batumshakalaka on Jun 29, 2010 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions
Baring any injuries, of course, that looks like a pretty good roster
I would like to see it trimmed just a bit. I think the easiest way to do that would be to ditch Rudy and pick up a wing who could back up the 2/3. If we can shed a little more salary and offer a full MLE, there are a few guys who could work out. Mike Miller, John Salmons. In a fantasy world, Ray Allen, but he’s going to make more than that.
I should say that I don’t know our rookies very well. It’s possible that they could produce at their positions, which would also make Rudy superfluous. I don’t know what we’d do with Rudy, though. Sell him on ebay?
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
Yeah
If Rudy is not happy, we might want to move him. If he can be happy here then he is a perfect 3 point sharp shooter. He just needs to keep his head on straight.
Like I said I like 8 man rotations with two specialists (a 3 point shooter and a hustle guy/energy), so with this roster I see it as being
Oden, Aldridge, Batum, Roy, Miller as starters Camby, Bayless, Cunningham hmmm… see this is where my lineup preference breaks down. I like Cunningham a lot, but more as the hustle.energy guy. the guy that will come off the bench and get you some hard fought minutes and then Rudy as our 3 point shooter. That leaves me short on a back up forward though who can either swing between the 2/3 or 3/4 positions. That said, with the line up above I would go with Cunningham in my 8 man and use Pryz as my hustle/energy, although that is strange coming from the center position.
Need to think about this.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
I agree about the 8 man rotation
9 works for me, too. Cunningham is definitely where that breaks down, especially for 8. He does a lot of little things well, and it makes me like him a lot. But it doesn’t make him a solid rotation player. If he shows improvement (handle, range), I’d be delighted, but I don’t expect much.
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 28, 2010 10:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Bingo
Watching Rudy on the side of the court where we don’t have the ball (I can’t call what he does defense, sorry) makes me want to hurl.
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 28, 2010 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions
He can't defend the 3
But Roy can, for short stretches. So to rest Batum you can bring Rudy in as your shooting guard and move Roy to small forward. It seemed to work fine in 08-09 as far as I could tell.
I wouldn’t want Brandon to have to guard 3s all game, but for 10-20 minutes he might be better there than he is against 2s.
Keep JP
it just makes so much sense.
Actually, I’m not sure I’d do anything right now. I like where they are, and who the are.
Greg needs to grow. The team could use more seasoning.
I’m only 46 yrs old though, and I don’t have cancer.
The PG thing will work out in time. We’re good right now, though.
Could
Hamilton (from Det) fit in as a sixth man on this team? Just seems like he would be available, and his shooting would be a big help. I dont know about his D, but I would love to see him get 20 – 25 min for us. Also, what would it take (in theory) to get him?
Rip Hamilton is obscenely overpaid
About 12.5 million for the next three years. The 3rd is partially guaranteed for 9 million. He isn’t going to produce at anywhere near that value.
As far as what it would take to get him, I’m sure Detroit would love to unload his contract on us. Probably anything we offered to get the salaries to match would be dandy with them.
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 28, 2010 10:04 PM PDT up reply actions
If you can get over what he is paid
would he be a good fit. This team will never be under the cap until the post Roy LA era. So knowing that, Rips contract is a 3 year deal, which in basketball means its a two year deal, then it becomes a trade piece. Your point about Rip coming off the bench may be correct, but I never remember Rip saying anything publicly about it. A. I. did enough talking for the both of them. Anyway, that was not a good team he was on. I think a shooter like that could fit in with this team, but thats just my opinion.
I can't get over what he's paid
Our being over the cap for the foreseeable future does not mean salaries don’t matter. Remember, Martell was just traded away, and I think it’s fair to say that move was all about shedding salary.
Aside from that, he might be a decent fit, although his game is really dropping off.
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 28, 2010 10:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe now
But definitely not before this year. Rip has never taken well to coming off the bench, as evidenced by the last couple of years when DET tried it a couple of times. If he was willing, he would be just as valuable to us as getting Ray Allen, and more so than Mike Miller or John Salmons, IMO.
My personal opinion is that it would be too much to get him.
Rip Hamilton is a lot like Rudy, but from mid-range
He needs someone to create for him. when we had bayless, rudy, webster, cunningham, howard, the only person who could create was bayless, but only for himself. Our offense suffered without miller or roy in. Thats why I like Babbitt as a 6th man stretch 4, thrives in half court offense, creates and passes well. against other second units and playing next to Camby, any defensive short-comings shouldn’t be a problem.
Portland could coast along with their superior talent and stay right with us. Now that Portland woke up, the hammer cometh down.
Bayless > Daffy Duck after 3 cans of rockstar
by Batumshakalaka on Jun 29, 2010 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions
Hamilton
is a lot better than Rudy at every part of the game. Rip is great at getting open using off ball screens. He is money at mid range and doesnt fade in crunch time. Rudy can still be a good player for us or any other team he is on, but I dont expect hime to have the consistant career Rip has had. As to Babbitt, I hope your right. If Babbitt is as good as you think, I like the Webster Trade more. I may disagree about the stretch 4 but whatever, as long as he is good enough to get on the court I will be happy. Time will tell.
I like the roster as is.
Was there a stretch of games last season where the team had its full roster? Defined roles? Second most games missed by players and still managing to get 50 wins. How many wins do they get if they are healthy? 55? 60? Who knows. The team never had a chance to get chemistry because someone new was in the lineup every game. Unless there is an offer just to sweet to let go, then why not stand pat and assess the needs come trade deadline?
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
Miller, Roy, Nic, LA, and Oden have never played in a real NBA game together
Wouldn’t it be just super if it actually happened? I’d be we’d be a pretty good team.
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 28, 2010 10:08 PM PDT up reply actions
I couldn't be happier than to see this team at full strength and playing together fr an extended period of time
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
true, true
but it is the 3 off the bench that leaves me wanting right now. Do you think we are adequately covered there behind batum?
Is Babbit that good?
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
just go big! tripple towers sounds good to me ha!
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
starting ineup
Oden, Camby, Aldrige, Roy, Miller with Batum as 6th man, Bayless swinging between PG and the 2 and Pryzbilla spelling Camby/Oden leaving Rudy as our 3 point specialist and Cunningham as our hustle guy?
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
thats a big lineup! unrealistic but big.
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
if lma could step out and hit the three..
Even though i would like to see his range moving the other, that would be an interesting lineup.
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
just put him at the point and batum sg.
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
The place I see us thinnest at
is the 3.
The more I chat this topic up, the more convinced I am our sights should be on a SF going into this season. I am the hugest batum fan in the universe, but can he carry the load with no adequate backup. Cunningham is good, but he needs to get a handle on the ball before I make him a primary rotation guy. Although I suppose I could be persuaded otherwise.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
we just drafted a 3 that most people thought would be a lottery pick. he will be the backup 3 barring a trade, and he could well be just fine there. we’ll see.
I still like Babbitt as a stretch 4, though he could get some minutes at the 3 as well
I like Dante at the back-up 3 if his 3 point shot comes along. He said it was his #1 focus this off-season. And if Batum says they are alike enough that he can switch with him easily, then I think he can defend the 3 fine.
Portland could coast along with their superior talent and stay right with us. Now that Portland woke up, the hammer cometh down.
Bayless > Daffy Duck after 3 cans of rockstar
by Batumshakalaka on Jun 29, 2010 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions
I look at it this way.
If we do nothing else this summer we need to add a veteran SF/SG as a 6th man that can bring reliable scoring off the bench behind Roy and Batum. We could possibly get that guy with the MLE. That would give us an excellent 8-man primary rotation.
PF/C rotation – LMA, Oden, Camby
SG/SF rotation – Roy, Batum, Veteran 6th man (currently Rudy)
PG – Miller, Bayless
Cunningham (SF/PF), Babbitt (SF), Williams (PG/SG) get spot minutes as situations dictate and fill-in for injuries.
If Joel comes back around January he gets spot minutes and fills in for injuries.
That would be the roles for the 12-man active roster if we just add one veteran with the MLE. An additional reasonable trade would most likely shake up the PG spot, but could also lose Joel.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Jun 28, 2010 10:57 PM PDT reply actions
you're kidding right?
It’s interesting to me how delusion Portland fans are. Just like no one understood how good we were during the Sheed years when we made the western conf finals, no one seems to understand that we have little chance of making the playoffs next year. Our bench gets younger and less skilled. We trade away solid role players (do i need to make a list? Jack, Frye, Outlaw, Blake…now Martell…tears) for garbage. We completely got rid of one of our few assets (3 point shooting), and everyone else in the west that finished in the top 10 will be as good if not better next year….except us. I know it’s fun to mentally pleasure ourselves with various trade and free agent scenarios, but the elephant in the room is that NO ONE wants to play for Paul Allen. He is widely known as one of the worst owners in two professional sports. Barring an amazing draft class combined with a top 3 pick, combined with a GM/any influential geek P. Allen trusts to make decisions/P. Allen choosing the right player that year, we will not have an adequate supporting squad for B. Roy/L.A. Let’s look at the very well equipped Celtics that just lost.
Old Garnet > L.A. ever will be
Old P. Pierce= B. Roy….maybe in the future we will be able to say Roy was better. Maybe.
Perkins> Oden…unless he makes a truly miraculous MEDICAL turn around. Don’t kid yourselves..it will take a miracle
Rondo>> Miller
Old Ray Ray>>Batum. Maybe in two years when Ray Ray’s cataracts are so large he can’t see, then Nic will be as good a defender and half as good a shooter.
The bench? what bench? When Rudy leaves Bayless will be our best guy off the bench. Let’s not talk about next year and analyze. Let’s mourn for what could’ve been with the role players we’ve given away that could’ve grown together with Roy and Aldridge. Then let’s get a serious effort to get Mr. Allen to sell the team.
slimkim
i wasn't..
dissing on your post. My post was in regard to the original questions and everyone in this thread who is delusional. Not just you. Sorry.
slimkim
offer something to do to improve then
all of this whining about things that are done and gone is getting real real old real real fast. You obviously do not like the owner or the players or the org that much. That being the case you would be better served finding a team you like because Allen is not going anywhere. KP is not coming back, Outlaw, Blake and Webster are gone.
I get the mourning process, I get the sense of loss, but this woe is me stuff is draining. I want to look ahead and not back.
Would you trade ODen, then? Would anybody else be willing take that risk? If they would be willing to take that risk, would they be willing to give something of value in trade? Who should we bring in to fill holes made by prior moves? Heck, is there a GM you would prefer to see come in place of Pritchard?
Complaining about things that are in the past will get you nowhere. You may feel better spreading your negative thoughts everywhere you can, but trust me it does not show that you in any way support the team. I am not telling you to be happy about what has happened if you do not want to be, just don’t keep dragging the rest of us back with you.
a final tip, If you want sympathy for your position do not come on a page and call everyone else there delusional.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
what's draining
is this idea that we can fix a car that being driven recklessly by a crappy driver (Mr. Allen). Even if you’re driving a Hummer, all the major wrecks add up…wow, i sound like a redneck Confuscious
slimkim
I offer this Blazer fans...
Learn from your folly….don’t boo Frye because he’s soft, or Sergio/J.Jack cause he made a turnover. THere seems to be a mob mentality in the RG when someone isn’t popular for whatever ignorantly decided reason. Then he’s off to another team to do the things that would’ve been good for us to have later in the season.
I’m looking ahead by rooting for my favorite players next year (CP3, Rondo, Noah) bc the blazers will not be in playoff contention and it will be no one’s fault but the organization, not oden’s bad bones, or LA’s ‘softness’ or the fact that everyone’s figured out Roy’s jab step jumper/left handed layup.
slimkim
Then go root for them
My point in general. Either offer ways to improve the team or move on.
Again, I am not saying blazer fans should necessarily be happy about what is going on/has happened but turning every FAN post on the site into the drudgery of rehashing all of this stuff over and over again while never offering a solution or even any topic for debate.
In your posts it is clear you not believe in this team, so why burn up your time being so unhappy?
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
I have moved on...
rooting for NOLA next year…unless of course CP3 comes here…then I guess I have to put clear packing tape on my car windows to reattach my blaze the trailcat/ NBA logo sticker….actually if that happens i’ll probably root for the celts.
slimkim
You think Camby was garbage?
"OK Kids! Who wants a basketball? That's why I love my Chevy Silverado."
yes
A player who has never played a full season in his entire career is garbage. The way he disappeared during the playoffs is garbage. A player that plays for 6 different teams during his career is garbage.
slimkim
hey dont link us high folks with that kind of delusion.
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
negative much?
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
Little chance of making the playoffs? Come on man, we were hit with a ridiculous rash of injuries and still made the playoffs by a couple games. Those solid role players you listed— here’s the thing… they weren’t very good and guys like that are not that hard to replace.
We’re a long ways from competing for a title, but we’re not in nearly as bad shape as you suggest here.
i hope that's true
but I don’t think it is. Marty/Blake’s 3’s frequently came at critical times when we needed to rally …even outlaw hit a clutch 3 now and then. GONE. There was an undeniable chemistry that existed with roy and these guys and it’s totally gone.
slimkim
chemistry can be built between players. they just have to play together.
Until that happens, we dont know what we have as a team. One thing we do know, is that there is a snowballs chance in hell that the same amount of injuries will happen next season. If there is less injuries next season, its not a question of if we are going to make the playoffs (that is almost guaranteed) the real question is can we advance in the playoffs.
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
Blake is very underrated as a clutch shooter (purely from the 3 though)
But Webster only recently became somewhat decent in 4th quarters. Also the 3 and D Role is filled with Batum. What we need is a 6th man that can create, which was filled by Outlaw, but he couldn’t pass or defend to save his life. That hole was hopefully filled with Babbit. Plus if Cunningham extends to the three like he said, he instantly becomes better, cheaper, and younger then webster. Which is what KP is all about.
Portland could coast along with their superior talent and stay right with us. Now that Portland woke up, the hammer cometh down.
Bayless > Daffy Duck after 3 cans of rockstar
by Batumshakalaka on Jun 29, 2010 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions
Batum doesn't look right
and I don’t mean that as any childish insult. His shooting shoulder looked funny before the injury and was exacerbated by his brace. The arm attached to that shoulder is thinner too. His body isn’t right. I know. This sucks.
slimkim
How exactly is everyone else in the top ten in the west moving up or staying pat?
LA…. I can see you saying they are staying the same and mostly agree with you… but how long does Fisher play at this level? Does Artest stay and stay at least as consistent? Their bench, with the exception of Odom, is still a question-mark.
Dallas… Do they really get better? Really? Kidd was old and is becoming… ancient. Hes more injury prone than Miller… not that that says anything, but eventually they both will be too old and Kidd goes first. Kidd is better than Miller right now, but not by as much as popular opinion would like to say it is. Terry? Howard? Haywood? Meh. They are Kidd and Nowitzki and Nowitzki isn’t getting better.
Phoenix… Old PG whos already a defensive weakness… Amare is gone most likely… Frye and Richardson were what made them jump this year with Amare’s health. Frye might not even be back. The owner doesn’t appear to want to spend. Not sure they make the playoffs next year. Make it 50/50.
Denver… Ok, you have a point with Denver.
Utah… Utah loses Boozer. Not a good contract, but a great player for them. Without that big man advantage, they aren’t as good. Even with Portland I’d say, although D Will is getting better and thats scary. Still, even with Portland healthy at best.
San Antonio… Old. Getting older. This year or next they disappear from the playoffs for a few seasons.
Oklahoma City… Your ENTIRE point. This is the only place where what you are trying to say looks good on paper.
Houston… Yao back. What else do they have actually worth it? 50/50 making playoffs, not as good as Portland, esp. if they lose Scola.
I would assume you put New Orleans here… maybe LA? Memphis actually was here, and thats a laugh… The west is not getting better next year… it stays the same if Portland gets better along with OKC… Competing with the East is our concerns and beating OKC, along with getting to the second round. Better teams win playoff series, though, and we are moving up from 6th, mark it down.
by avalancheman on Jun 29, 2010 5:15 PM PDT up reply actions
You did a great job proving my point
except your analysis of Dallas is simplified. They became quite youthful and deeper with getting Haywood and Caron. Kidd’s game, like Nash’s is nearly timeless. He will be relevent for as long as he wants to be. Stockton.
Utah will not loose Boozer. They will have the money for him. No one else on that team except Dwill is getting paid.
OKC is us without the injury prone roster. Young, hungry and now….experienced.
San Antonio is going no where, Houston has Rick Adelman, Brooks and Yao…playoffs.
NOLA has salary cap to sign someone decent since they have nothing but deadbeats and the best point guard since Magic.
Everyone else the same or slightly better or worse. Where does that leave us? I’ll be surprised if we get 50 wins with Clippers, Kings getting closer to 40 wins next year as well. While the Easts beasts are getting better while their dregs are getting worse, the disparity between west teams is diminishing every year
slimkim
I'm saying we're no worse than a 5th seed next year
Dallas may have gotten younger, but Butler and Haywood are not LMA and Batum. Kidd > Miller, but for how long? San Antonio exposed them in the playoffs and we won the regular season series last year and we look trending up…
Utah… we will see…. I see NYK grabbing Boozer when they need a splash.
Houston… not better than two years ago.
NOLA… who are they gonna sign? Owner doesn’t seem dedicated to winning.
We got 50 games with the second most injuries in the league. If we had a center for that middle stretch? JP, even if we just keep him, means more wins if news from his camp is true, not to mention Oden and his impact. We may not contend yet, and I don’t think we do, but this year is not the time to blow up the project. Little additions, or grab a top-level player… not panic.
by avalancheman on Jun 30, 2010 2:13 AM PDT up reply actions
McMillan wants a guy who will scrap.
Sasha Vujacic is a scrappy player. Ergo, trade Bayless and Gomes for Vujacic.
"I've hacked into your brain. You're throwing a party and no one's showing up."
the machine keeps his hair in immaculate condition.
it’s never greasy.
"I've hacked into your brain. You're throwing a party and no one's showing up."
Threes
With Martell gone and speculation that Rudy is as good as out the door, we’re left with no perimeter shooters. As a slow paced half court team things will get ugly if we can’t find able repalcements to fill in the specialist role of spreading the floor and hitting the open shot when defences double on our big 3. For all his up side, Batum will not be able to fill in this role on his own.
If JB can develop his shooting range and become Steve Blake 2.0 (faclitator, spot up shooter) PLUS continue to attack the rim and draw fouls at a good rate, then all our prayers are answered. But that’s a big if.
I really hope Babbitt can fill the role of our back up 2 & 3, or we land Mike Miller with a renewed shooting mojo… don’t know why he’s been reluctant to shoot of late.
Legitimate concern......
…….but, I think we will be OK. Batum is 40%+. Bayless was at 40% for the last two months (small sample size, but consistent with his college numbers) I really hope that Roy is spending considerable time working on his 3 pt shot. I am hoping that we get to see Bayless and Roy together for significant minutes this season. Bayless can break down the defense and get open threes for Roy and Bayless.
I would also be interested in seeing LMA work on the corner 3. If he could hit that the way Trout used to, that would be a great way to spread the floor for Roy, Miller and Bayless. Still, I don’t think we should be counting on Babbitt too much. It usually takes guys a season or two to adjust to the NBA 3. Besides, his ability to play defense is a big question mark.
I think our top trade target should be a veteran 2-3 who is a solid defender and can hit the three.
by upper left corner on Jun 29, 2010 8:24 AM PDT up reply actions
Roy doesn't need to work on his tre
He needs to work on becoming a killer like Kobe so he’ll want to take the tre. He has the goods.
slimkim
Not sure the slow pace is going to be the norm
I would not imagine Nate would bother with flirting with Bickerstaff as an assistant unless he intended to rev up the offense at least a bit if not significantly.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
That's what i'm talking about.
For better or worse, our major strength was our perimeter shooting. Heck even our ‘power forward’, LA’s strongest suit is the 10-18 footer j. A huge chunk of that is gone without blake/TO/Marty. Babbitt’s video looks very good. But it’s against the WAC!! Jeremy Lin looks great against the Ivy League. Know what I mean? We drafted 2. TWO guys from the WAC this year everyone. Who is the best player EVER out of the WAC? Keith Van Horn?
slimkim
I like our roster as is
and I wouldn’t mind keeping it adding a player like Mike Miller or something and calling it good, but if we could do a Joel+Rudy+Bayless for Collison+Okafor deal then sign a Mike Miller or Salmons that is a deep balanced roster for now and the future. Idk who says no in that deal though depends how bad NO wants to get rid of Okafor’s contract.
by Nicolas Pippen on Jun 29, 2010 12:50 AM PDT reply actions
This team only needs one thing
At least in my opinion, and that’s to maintain a better FG% throughout the game. When this roster is healthy we rebound as well as anyone (Greg, Marcus, Joel, LMA……Okay maybe not LMA), we take care of ball, and Roy/GO do a great job at getting to the line when they’re healthy. Andre Miller gets to the line as well, and JB is starting to emerge there. Win the battles win the war. (Rebounds, Made F/T, T/O, and FG%) If you win those four categories there’s really no way you can lose except if the opponent makes an insane amount of threes. Like I said we do three out of the four extremely well already. I think a better offensive system would yield better shots and thus higher shot percentages (looking at you Nate), but it wouldn’t hurt to add another consistent veteran shooter, or a guy that can get some high% shots at the rim. Another way would be to get LMA, Roy, Batum, and GO more shots. Those are the guys that give us our highest percentages they should be getting most of the shots. There’s no reason why someone should come of the bench to go 2 for 13 when Roy and LMA are only getting 14 looks apiece.
Just for your info, Bayless gets to the line better than Roy or Miller.
Bayless, with a rate of 6.7/36, is one of only nine second year guards in the last two decades to get to the line more than 6.0 times per 36. That list of nine includes: Kobe, Wade, V Carter, D Harris, and A Iverson.
In addition, despite Bayless’ reputation as a shaky shooter, his 3 pt % was third out of those nine players. It is the possibility that Bayless can combine his ability to get to the line with better 3pt shooting that makes him a potential big time scorer.
by upper left corner on Jun 29, 2010 8:35 AM PDT up reply actions
Just for your information
I just said Bayless, does a good job of getting to rim. Do you not how to read?
Also,
Is that all you can bring to the table? Adjusted stats? Bayless is better than Kobe, if you pretend he plays 36 mins and give him credit for stats he hasn’t achieved.
Calm down. I thought it was a friendly comment.
This is what you said:
JB is starting to emerge there.
My point is that you are significantly understating the case:
Per minute stats are the best stats for comparing players, far better than per game stats with players who play significantly different minutes. This is particularly true when over half of all of Bayless’ total minutes came in games where he played more than 24 minutes so he definitely was not piling up numbers in garbage time.
Finally, I would appreciate it if you didn’t make strawman arguments. I said nothing about Bayless being better than Kobe. I merely pointed out that Bayless is in exceptional company when it came to the skill of getting to the line and that most of the guys who shared that skill went on to be very good scorers. It is by no means certain that Bayless will end up measuring up to the guys on that list, but it is a big part of why he was projected to be drafted between 4-8 even though there was legitimate concern about his status as a “combo” or “tweener.”
Why such a chip on your shoulder?
by upper left corner on Jun 29, 2010 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Really. That's interesting
Let me see if I understand this. If I call a guy who averages 3.3 F/T attempts per game an emerging threat at the line it’s a huge understatement. Yet, when you use JB’s name in the same sentence as Kobe, D Wade, Allen freakin Iverson, etc. etc. it’s somehow factual or realistic because of numbers that you’re PROJECTING. That’s interesting. Only, the guys that you’re comparing him to get to line that many times playing within the game. Jerryd Bayless, on the other hand, his only mission in life is to put his head down and get to free throw line. That’s all he looks to do. I don’t think it’s an understatement at all to call JB an emerging threat. I still stick by my original premise that the only thing this team needs to do is improve it’s field goal percentage, and they’ll be fine.
P.S. the PER stats you go gaga over, you do realize that a lot of players you’re talking about are only getting those efficiency ratings because the head coach is holding there hand. You do see that, don’t you?
To be fair
saying he performs at a level those guys did at a similar point in their career at one particular metric is not actually saying JB is or can be those guys or that level of player.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
It almost seems like you are going out of your way to miss my point.
First off, I am not “PROJECTING” anything. Per minute stats are not projections. There are real stats of real production. For every 36 minutes Bayless was on the court, he actually got to the line 6.7 times. His numbers are no more of a projection than the other players cited. Bayless produced those numbers over more games because he got less time on the court. per game.
It is certainly legitimate to question whether the quality of the opponents was as good or if the level of defensive attention was as high. This is the reason I pointed out that a pretty high % of Bayless minutes came as a starter when Roy and Blake were hurt. I would also point out that because of injuries, and Nate’s style as a coach, there were not a lot of garbage minutes in Bayless’ totals.
Second, you are certainly welcome to your opinion of how Bayless achieved that level of production. You state,
the guys that you’re comparing him to get to line that many times playing within the game. Jerryd Bayless, on the other hand, his only mission in life is to put his head down and get to free throw line. That’s all he looks to do.
This comment makes it clear that you think Bayless is a selfish player who does not have the well being of his team in mind. I would respond that we have not heard any such complaints publicly expressed by his teammates or by any members of the coaching staff. In fact, for much of the season, the Blazers were desperate for more scoring and we were constantly hearing that the coaches were urging Bayless to be more aggressive not less. Roy was quoted as saying something like “Bayless needs to think less and just react to what the defense gives him.”
I would also point out that Bayless’ utilization rate is not out of line with the other players I cited or with other young scoring PGs like Rose, Evans, Dragic, Hill, Brooks etc. In fact, Bayless’ utilization rate wasn’t much different than Millers. During the regular season he was at 24.9 to Miller’s 23.8. During the playoffs he was lower at 24.1 compared to Miller’s 25.2. Given that Bayless’ usage rate was undoubtedly bumped up by all the minutes he played SG in Rudy and Roy’s absence, I think your accusation of selfishness seems pretty baseless.
Finally, pointing out that a young player is in some very fine and very rare company in one particular metric is not saying that he will become the same or better than those players. It is a way of highlighting a young player’s potential. To what extent Bayless fulfills that potential is still very much up in the air. He is very good at getting to the line, and very good at making his shots when he gets there. It is an important skill that puts a lot of pressure on the opposing defense and opens up opportunities for other Blazers. It makes Bayless a pretty efficient scoring option in spite of his very mediocre shooting . As I have pointed out, Bayless TS was better than Miller’s and better than Roy in his second year. If he can continue to improve his shooting, and all indications are that he will, he is going to become a very efficient scoring option for the team. He is already the team’s second best scorer per minute behind only Roy.
by upper left corner on Jun 30, 2010 7:08 AM PDT up reply actions
Question
When you say that Bayless got to the line 6.7 times per 36 minutes, do you mean that he shot 6.7 free throws? It’s confusing to state it that way, since the majority of trips to the line are two free throws. Also, how do you arrive at that number? I’m not really very familiar with how a lot of the stats you come up with are calculated.
I like Bayless a lot, and I think he has the potential to become an important player for the Blazers. It will be interesting to see what happens with his development after all the coaching changes.
Bayless
gets to the rim well. GREAT. So does Richard Jefferson. He’s barely 6 feet and is no better than Jarret Jack, and can’t shoot. What’s the PER’s significance..someone remind me? Oh, it’s what made the blazers the 7th best team almost all year according to Hollinger 3 years ago when we were a non play off team. LOVE the PER. So useful. Sike.
slimkim
I didn't mean...
the PER itself made the zers over ranked, I meant the concept of formulas derived from patently artificial scenarios, like offensive efficiency calculation. As someone who plays basketball I tune out when I hear PER mentioned. Per minute consideration is artificial and inaccurate in my opinion.
slimkim
Which still doesn't really make him anywhere as good as those players.
"OK Kids! Who wants a basketball? That's why I love my Chevy Silverado."
LMA can board
If he can develop better post footwork (he showed some effort/improvement early in the season on this front, when the injuries mounted he fell back to tried and true) he will average double digits on boards by picking up 2 put backs of his own misses a game.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
I like our roster, but think we are missing a legit second star.
I think our #1 priority is adding a true second all-star, at whatever position ( preferably not wing, as I like Roy / Batum on the wing ), and do whatever it takes to get one. If LMA was the third best player on our team we could be scary. Then just maybe Greg gets healthy and we can have some real fun in the post-season.
But I’m firm that we need another all-star at all costs.
"What people need to know is that those pictures were taken a year and a half ago, and I've grown since then." - Greg Oden
Completely disagree.
The “two star” theory seems pretty solid when you look at the history of the last three decades: almost every Championship team has had 2-3 All-Stars. However, ask yourself a basic question: which comes first the chicken or the egg?
To put it in other words, do teams win Championships because the have 2-3 All-Stars or do the players on winning teams get chosen as stars because their teams start winning?
IMO, there is very little doubt that Oden will be an All-Star within two years, if he stays healthy. His PER of 23 is already at the All-Star level. If Batum can produce with the volume and efficiency he did last year with greater minutes, he will be in the discussion. LMA is certainly fairly close, he would benefit significantly from playing in his proper position all season and with players that will make it much tougher for teams to double him. If Bayless can improve his shooting to match his outstanding ability to get to the line, even he is a possibility. The bottom line is that we already have the talent. We just need to have the patience to develop it.
Obviously, if we can land a younger PG who is likely to be a better fit than Miller, we should do that, but we should only do so if we can get someone at a reasonable price. I think we need to concentrate on one solid 2-3 back-up who can play good defense and help spread the floor.
by upper left corner on Jun 29, 2010 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions
Oden’s the guy that has a chance to be a true 2nd star, but that’s assuming a lot regarding health and foul trouble. If it can’t be him, than I agree with the folks who say we don’t have enough talent. Depends on how optimistic you are about his health. I’m pretty pessimistic.
The Blazers have six returning players with a PER above 17....
…….there isn’t another team in the league with more than four.
It is true that most teams have relied on two big stars. But Detroit was an example of a team with a balanced roster with several players just below All-Star level. I would argue that Boston actually fit that mold this year as Pierce was their only real All-Star. KG and Allen are both on the down hill side.
I believe that even moderate improvement of LMA, Batum, and Bayless could put the Blazers in the discussion even if Oden is struggling with fouls or other problems. People seem to forget that six of our top eight rotation players are 25 and under. Impatience has overtaken much of the fan base and the owner. It will be interesting to see if OKC suffers from a similar expectation problem if they have a few injuries this coming year.
by upper left corner on Jun 29, 2010 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions
And Detroit would be the only example for last thirty years...
1 out of 30 is not a good odds and probably not the model we should be pursuing. There is a tried-and-true strategy out there and ignoring it seems foolish, to me.
Also, I can’t agree with your postulation that Pierce was their only all-star. Rondo was legitimately their best player all year and top 3 PG in the league. Allen was no slouch either even though he is clearly on the downside now.
As the team is built currently, too much is dependent on Greg’s health. Personally, I would not take that bet as for him to stay healthy. That’s just way too much risk and I’d prefer some sort of risk diversification strategy in a form of talent infusion at the top.
Of course, this might be all for moot if the super team does get built in Miami around LeBron, Wade, and Bosh.
"I think he’s been doing some good things. I think he’s been doing some good things. He’s had to play a lot of minutes lately with Blake being out. I think he’s been doing some good things." -Nate McMillan
Boston had three guys with a PER above 15.2
Garnett: 19.4
Rondo: 19.1
Pierce: 18.4
Allen: 15.2
Perkins: 15.1
Blazers
Oden 23.1
Roy 21.3
Aldridge 18.3
Miller 18.1
Batum 17.3
Camby 17.0
by upper left corner on Jun 29, 2010 12:24 PM PDT up reply actions
you rely on PER far too much. I like it as much as the next guy— its a good stat— but it misses so much. For starters, Boston defense>>>Portland’s defense.
I agree with you about PER, but...
I think what ULC brings up is that our composition of players put’s us up there with the best teams when healthy. Yes, Boston’s defense is nearly impenetrable, but you know what beats amazing defense? Efficient offense (and being solid on the defensive end as well). We may not be the best team in the league when healthy, despite what the statistics say, but we are good enough that stats put us in the same range as the elite teams.
Detroit played amazing individual and team defense at positions 1-5.
I think that was the most important factor. Something the Blazers don’t have as much, especially without Oden.
"OK Kids! Who wants a basketball? That's why I love my Chevy Silverado."
Camby, Oden, Batum
We are certainly moving in the right direction.
If LMA and Roy step it up defensively and if Bayless develops as a decent PG defender who can harass opponents without stupid fouls, we have the potential to become very good.
by upper left corner on Jun 29, 2010 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Coaching?
I didnt think Defense in general was a big problem. Once Oden and Joel were out and we had Howard and LA as our bigs, I agree Defense was not a strength. With Oden and Joel I think it becomes a big strength again. They add that length we need to play tough D. I hardly see that to be a coaching fault, but thats just the way I view it.
in Nate’s coaching career, his team has finished with a defensive efficiency better than the league average exactly once: in 2008-2009, when the Blazers were 13th best. We will never be close to an elite defense under Nate.
We were something like second in the league this season
prior to the Oden/Pryz injuries. And once Batum came back and we got Camby, it started to improve again.
But yes, Nate should be able to do better with these guys. That’s why I was hoping we’d hire a defensive-minded lead assistant (I have no idea whom that would be), but many of our defensive woes, despite Nate, are solved with Camby and Oden in the game.
my knowledge of bball x’s and o’s isn’t the greatest, but despite what Nate always says (ie "we only switch in emergencies), the Blazers switch just about every pick and roll. Also, it seems to me that Nate does a poor job holding people— particularly Roy and Aldridge— accountable for bad defense. Finally, he will often sacrifice defense for offense, as we say with the numerous lineups that put Roy at the 3 so Nate could have another ball handler or shooter. I think those are the main issues.
the problem in my mind is that Nate is obtuse
He rarely strays from his game plan. I’ve never admired coaching as much as I did this year watching Doc Rivers make adjustments. How we played phoenix this year was gosh awful coaching adjustments, that were patently obvious. His strategy of slowing the pace when you have a stable of young athletics freaks like marty, roy, bayless…EVERYONE on the blazers last year whilst letting the opposing team shoot almost 60% for the first two games was ridiculous. Sometimes it is the best option to “fall into the trap” of playing with the pace of any opposing team that is run and gun. Especially when that team’s starting five smells of aspercream and Just for Men after a game while soaking there crotchety joints in the whirlpool.
slimkim
Detroit was the exception rather than the rule.
Rondo was a clear allstar this year in addition to Pierce. KG was at allstar level for a good part of the playoff run. Allen hasn’t been an allstar level player for quite a while, however.
I just don’t see LMA, Batum or Bayless being good enough co-stars around Roy— maybe they would be if we had a LeBron, but Roy isn’t good enough to be the sole allstar on an elite team, especially if injuries continue to dog him, which seems pretty likely.
and two of the 3 guys
were draftees that became allstars. They were not “automatic” allstars.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
The chicken or egg argument is reasonably solid
does Pippen become Pippen without being Jordan’s understudy/compatriot (that is 6 years of titles over the 30 year span people seem to quote as the guidepost).
Boston purely bought their title and same with LA.
San Antonio’s mega-stars were draftees that became allstars. So that is what 4 more titles (now they did bring in a lot of new high level talent to replace Robinson but they built there initial titles on physically gifted talent developing into allstar talent).
So there is a full 3 of the last 30 years using a similar model to Portland (not precise, but the point is they did not simply rely on bringing in megastar freeagents, they became megastars through team development).
Sure to win a title you need 2 or 3 allstars, you can either hire already allstar allstars or you can develop the talent you draft into allstars. Both seem to work.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
It all hinges on Oden
If Oden can be the beast for 25+ minutes, all of our soft, finesse players have space to move and shoot. If he cannot, our weakness is exposed against good teams more often than not.
by LicketyBrindleDowntheMiddle on Jun 29, 2010 9:48 AM PDT reply actions
I’m guessing we won’t resign Howard. With the 3 rookies, we’re at 15. However, Rudy will probably be traded. I’d be interested in possibly doing a sign and trade with the warriors for Anthony Morrow.
"Nicolas! You're the strongest boy in the world!"
excellent shooter. brings nothing else to the table. wouldn’t be an awful guy to have on your bench.
I went to about 14 games at the end of the season
and I don’t remember him being booed. Of course he did not get that many minutes at that point.
I do remember thinking that he was likely to not be a Blazer the next season and then after the last home game against Denver, he lit them up in a variety of ways, and I thought it might be a shame he likely won’t be back.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
so...
If Patty Mills does well in Summer League we’d be at
PG: Dre / Bayless / Patty / Armon
SG: Roy / Elliot / Rudy
SF: Nic / Babbitt
PF: LMA / Dante / Pendy
C: Oden / Camby / Pryz
holy crap… that is an unbalanced roster indeed! I imagine we drafted Elliot as BPA since most of the bigs left were project players… I am glad that we got Babbitt as Rudy is gonna rot on the bench and Dante is our best backup PF (since Pryz is out Camby’s minutes shouldn’t go there.)
Koponen has no chance at all of coming over… this is aggravating for all parties I’m sure.
According to BT Smith
Dante is going to become our primary defender against 2’s and 3’s (I’m guessing this is in addition to Nic, since the context dealt with replacing Webster’s defense), which means he’ll probably be our primary back-up 3, not a 4. However, I can see he and Babbitt spending a lot of time on the court together, with Dante taking the tougher defensive assignment, be it at the 3 or the 4, and on offense they would essentially play wing/stretch 4 interchangeably, if that works…Anyone else who knows more about x’s and o’s wanna chip in?
all reports on pryz is he is wya ahead of schedule
not sure if that means pre Christmas return, but it might.
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
Head to head who wins the "buff" pf battle?
Canby or Aldridge?
and if neither one of them is our banger … who is?
The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out, burns out farms, and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.
Head Czar of Amerika <--- Mortimer said so so there!!!
How about this roster
Oden C
Aldridge PF
Batum SF
Fernandez SG
CP3 PG
Camby C/PF
Bayless SG/PG
Cunningham SF/PF
Babbit PF/SF
Johnson PG/SG
Williams SG
Pryz C/PF
Meaning I will trade Roy and Miller for CP3
Offensively, this team may use Pick and Roll, double low post or even triple low post, high low, screen and roll, triangle offense or any other variations and they will run
Defensively, they will play scrappy team plays
But this will not be nate’s style….
and just hoping all will be healthy….
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