Portland desperately needs a backup point guard, pronto!
by AK1984 on Mar 30, 2011 4:04 AM PDT
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PrintI'm not talking about later down the line -- even though that's a matter of concern for another time and place -- but rather the here and now.
Yet, since the month of April is nearly upon us, there aren't many ways to plug this proverbial leak in preperation for the upcoming postseason. Heck, there's only one seemingly viable solution. Alas, it's certainly not diminutive waterbug Patty Mills or turnover prone rookie Armon Johnson. Nor is it playing Brandon Roy or Rudy Fernandez out of position, either.
Nope, the answer is a man who's the 4th pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, an owner of a championship ring from his time San Antonio, an ex-Blazer, a former Sonic during Nate McMillan's time as coach, and currently mentoring youngsters in the D-League as starting point guard for the Texas Legends.
Who's that y'all may ask? It's simple, really: Antonio Daniels.
At 36, Daniels still produces at a solid clip -- even if it's in the D-League -- and, more than any readily available point guard, should receive a 10-day contract to fill this team's open roster spot. Behind Andre Miller, the steady, controlled hand of Daniels -- whose best qualities include his superb assist-to-turnover ratio, ability to draw fouls, and surefire accuracy from the free-throw line -- is the right man for the job.
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hmmmmm
im diggin patty mills and rudy at point way more than daniels. But, what do you think of mills and draft picks to wolves for rights to rubio? get that spanish connection goin in portland again and have rubio learn from a true vetrtan starting point like miller?
In Rex Ryan we trust.
I would kill for that to happen
Ok, maybe I would just maim, but make it happen.
Romance me with that Roy rainbow shot which took flight from way beyond the arc and sailed so high that before it came back down to earth sealing the victory, it kissed the rafters and said "You're mine baby."
I don't think that Kahn would be interesting..
Cahn did a huge investment drafted Rubio so high..
In my opinion it could be more possible, to make a proposal such:
Rudy-E.Williams-Mills-Rights of Claver-2011 first round pick , for Wolves’s 2011 lottery pick- Jonny Flynn-W.Ellington…
With this way, Wolves could be clear the PG area for Rubio’s arrival, making a spanish union, and get one more first round pick(they have another one via Jazz via Grizlies)…
I am a huge stat guy
But they seriously do not tell the entire story. Especially concerning PG’s
Portland is the last place Ricky Rubio and his handlers would want him located.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Other than Minnesota, apparently.
Who's that tromping across my bedge!
by Troll Blazer on Mar 30, 2011 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions
For sure, Minnesota is also a less than desirable location for him.
One trade I could see is Minnesota dealing Ricky Rubio’s draft rights to the Los Angeles Clippers to get back ownership of its own 2012 first-round draft pick — which was dealt away in 2005 for Marko Jaric during the Kevin McHale era — especially if the T’wolves manage to win this year’s draft lottery and can nab Kyrie Irving.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Portland is the last place PDX fans should want Rubio located
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Mar 30, 2011 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions
From a Portland's fan perspective, the best thing would be for Ricky Rubio to go to New York.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
That, too.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
At this moment...
I would like to signed Antoine Walker..
I think that we need an extra solution on our front line..
Jesus, Brutal.
First Bargnani, now Toine? You really love jump shooting “bigs” who play no defense and don’t rebound, don’t you?
by howlingfantods on Mar 30, 2011 9:10 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
It, too, makes me cringe. And yeah, that's using the term "big" in by far the loosest way imaginable.
Even at the D-League level, Antoine Walker is a disgrace to the game of basketball. The fact that Walker has got a championship ring makes me shake my head in total dismay. Oh well, I guess that I’d rather it be Walker who piggybacked his way to a title than say, oh, Eddy Curry.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
by AK1984 on Mar 30, 2011 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
jump shooting bigs do spread the floor...seems to me the Bulls had a few of them
Luc Longley, Will Perdue.. I think were pretty good at jump shooting. They may have also been good at defense…My point is..it would be REALLY nice to have a Center with offense who can help to spread the floor…if necessary. Otherwise play the post…am tired of Centers who seem unable to make shots MOST of the time….Joel…Camby…
I don't think Perdue, Longley, or Cartwright were jumpshooters
more just big bodies to set screens, rebound, and man the middle. Kukoc and Bill Wennington on the other hand were both adept jumpshooters if my memory serves me correctly.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Cartwright had a good baseline fallaway.
He had a big butt and nobody much blocked his shot. Longley could hit a wide open jumper out to 15 feet. Wennington was about the same. Perdue couldn’t score much at all.
Toni Kukoc wasn’t a center. He was more like Andrea Bargnani — he could put the ball on the floor, was a slick passer, etc. Finesse.
ignacio
Toni Kukoc was a point forward, yeah. If I were to compare Kukoc to any NBA player ...
in today’s game, it’d be Hedo Turkoglu. Anyway, y’all are right that all of the Chicago Bulls centers throughout their two three-peats — which included dudes like Bill Cartwright, Will Perdue, Scott Williams, Stacey King, Luc Longley, Bill Wennington, Bison Dele, et al. — each played mostly within 15 feet of the hoop.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
i thought he got hurt when we were about to sign him
might have been last year
I'm not a fan of Mike Barrett
blazers record with wallace starting: 5-1
i don't hate the heat
i think last year
he got hurt so we signed diener
I'm not a fan of Mike Barrett
blazers record with wallace starting: 5-1
i don't hate the heat
by thomasikehara on Mar 30, 2011 7:15 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm not a fan of Mike Barrett
blazers record with wallace starting: 5-1
i don't hate the heat
by thomasikehara on Mar 30, 2011 7:15 AM PDT reply actions 7 recs
WHY HAVE I NEVER SEEN THIS!!??
thankyou!
by Montavilla Steve on Mar 30, 2011 8:54 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Thats not a bad idea AK
I doubt it would really make much difference in the playoffs though. I don’t think he or Patty will see the court unless in a blowout. Nate will fly with Rudy & Roy just to have another shooter on the court. If memory serves AD is not a great 3 pt. shooter, correct me if i’m wrong.
Somebody step up! - Mike Rice
Antonio Daniels is a so-so 3PT shooter, as noted by him having some good years and some bad years ...
from beyond the arc. At least he’s not an out-‘n’-out liability there, though.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
I may be completely wrong about this
but I was under the impression that it is too late to sing 10 Day contracts and have the player available for the post season.
Am I completely off-base, or is it too late to get any help at this point?
by BlazerFanFromDenver on Mar 30, 2011 8:10 AM PDT reply actions
he can play in the playoffs
guys waived after the 31st are the guys that can’t play in the playoffs
I'm not a fan of Mike Barrett
blazers record with wallace starting: 5-1
i don't hate the heat
by thomasikehara on Mar 30, 2011 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, an example of someone who's ineligible for this year's playoffs is Sean Marks.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
much to the chagrin
of every contender out there
Ha-ha, well played.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Cho? You listening?
Not a bad idea at all, depending on Daniels condition and the condition of his game.
What we can’t do it RELY on Brandon or Rudy at the point. We can try it in spurts, but having a potential hole you know about is a problem.
I wonder if Cho will fill the front line or the backcourt?
Whatever happens this season, we need this gap filled. Wallace should play most of his minutes at the 3. Meaning we have too many wings. I don’t know if Rudy is trade-able. I know that Nic is, but I never want to trade Nic. Brandon can’t be traded, and I think We$ is here to stay. and there’s Elliot coming off knee surgery for next season. Cho has a tough job sorting all this out.
And how we come up with a big man, I don’t know. Hopefully, we can sign a wide body non-starter as a free agent. Although there’s a glut in Utah at the 4, I don’t think trading with us is their first option.
Now all we need is the rest of the roster to get into "how can everybody help Nicco and Oden" mode. -- Oden Mad, Oden Smash! Sep 29, 2010 7:47 PM
would absolutely love
to snatch up Millsap, but I think there’s very little chance.
Would go Oden packaged with Williams/Rudy or our next couple of picks, whatever we could. I just think that a starting lineup of:
Miller/Matthews/Wallace/Millsap/Aldridge
with: Mills, Rudy, Batum, Camby
Is straight up nasty. Of course that assumes we waive Roy (w/some sort of luxury tax exception).
Then you got spot minutes for Armon, Williams, and perhaps a re-signed Pryzbilla.
by darkhelmit54 on Mar 30, 2011 9:34 AM PDT up reply actions
Come hell or high water, smallball is how it'll all play out this postseason. Whether or not that's a ...
workable setup over the long haul is indeed up for debate — with myself being someone who’d love for Greg Oden to re-sign and come back healthy, as well as see Marcus Camby traded in June for a strong, able-bodied center (e.g., Emeka Okafor) — yet, there are more pressing matters at the moment. At this time, getting a competent backup point guard — who can play 8 to 12 minutes per game as the 9th and final man in a playoff rotation — is pertinent to this team’s immediate needs.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Not a bad thought,
but I’d be surprised if our front office didn’t already consider and reject the idea. I wonder if Nate actually doesn’t like him.
Up in Seattle, Nate McMillan often played Antonio Daniels in crunch-time situations over Luke Ridnour.
So, even though you could be correct in your assumption here, that’d baffle me greatly. If anything, Daniels’ controlled ball handling and careful manner of distributing the basketball fits McMillan’s preferred brand of methodical point guard play to a T.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
There are very few people I wouldn’t prefer to Patty as the backup PG.
I’m on board.
long live the jd.
Plus, Antonio Daniels is smart, capable, and would have no learning curve having had once played for ...
Nate McMillan. Even if Daniels bombs out after a couple of ten-day contracts to finish up the regular season, it’d’ve still been worth a shot. This, without a doubt, is a no-lose situation, so I say they may as well go for it.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
It's sounds like a good choice for first aid
but there must be some baggage we don’t know about for him to be banished to the D-League at 36. I too have a lot of great job skills and irreplaceable experience, but you wouldn’t want to hire me just to fill in a gap. It would tke the right situation to make it work. But I gather he’s no Allen Iverson having shown his dedication in the D-league..
There's no off-court baggage with Antonio Daniels, who's no Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, or ...
Steve Francis. Daniels is just old and has lost a few steps along the way, which is to be expected at age 36. Even so, I’d still take him over the outmatched Patty Mills and green Armon Johnson.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
at this point in the season, it's a tragedy that Johnson is still so green
whatever his warts, he would have been a much better experiment than Mills (who by virtue of not being in the rotation is clearly a failed experiment…)
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Mar 30, 2011 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions 5 recs
Antonio Daniels seems to be a valid choice for a 10 day contract. I also would look at Antoine Walker as a potential fill-in. His antics have left him so as much that I have watched during D-League games. His numbers are still comparible to what he did in the NBA. I do not think that Rich Cho is going to make any more moves until the off-season. It would be interesting to pick up a solid back-up PG or PF. Chris Johnson was a good move IMO. Rich has definately played it smart as a GM. It is not impossible to believe that a small roster change would make us that much deeper in the playoffs. Can Daniels be that guy? He has veteran smarts with a good playoff performance record. His efficiency is high, which to me is a decent indicator of activity.
BTW, Nate is terrible at the integration of rookies. Babbitt should have been given more opportunity to screw up early in the season. Sure could use his size and shooting right about now! Just had another 30+ game. Go Blazers or Stampede!
Its not like games early in the season count any less in the standings,
so why lose them by giving a bunch of minutes to rookies who aren’t ready? That’s a luxury for lottery-bound teams, to me. Babbitt has been a total train wreck every time he stepped on the floor.
On the other hand, there was the matter of Brandon getting rookie of the year. He seemed to do pretty well. Dante, Rudy, Batum…. they all did pretty well for themselves as Blazer rookies during Nate’s tenure, too.
The truth is that Nate never buried a rookie who didn’t deserve it.
Holding out for Hedo
It's not like we won a bunch of games early in the season anyway...
Draft Nikola Vucevic!
Brandon was a lottery pick!
Dante is a mature player, but it took him a while and added luck due to injury to get time!
Rudy was a two time MVP and promised a shot at rotation when he arrived!
Batum was a catch and no brainer to get minutes. He was a question mark being foreign, as this allowed him to drop in the draft.
Babbitt is none of these players, nor there situation. He has not been given opportunity to grow in a manner that benefits his persona. You must understand that not always is a player matched with an appropriate coach. If he went to Pop’s team, he would have been a contributing member by now, more than likely! Babbitt can play in this league. He definately has the skill and IQ. He just needs to get in where he fits. This team sure could have used his size and extra body, potential shooting through the season. Nate does not rotate well and thus the reason you have LA flatlined at the moment. He needs to trust in his team from 15-1 or else you risk not having the full benefit of what you have been given. A minute or two playing time is not going to dramatically effect your standing at the end of the season, atleast on this team. We are a playoff caliber team. It is in my opinion that a seed does not matter in the process toward a championship. You either win at the end of the day or not! There is a better chance to win, if all players have been introduced to various situations that happen during game time. If we are up ten in the late 2nd quarter, why not throw him in for a minute! The rest of our caliber players should be able to make up for his lack of experience. That means a lot at the end of the day to a guy like Babbitt. The truth is that we can only speculate on the situations that happen with the PTB, unless we are amongst them to witness the truth! That my friend is the truth..
Batum was a no brainer to get minutes? At 19?
If anyone benefitted from injuries during their rookie campaign it was him.
This is pure speculation and I’m not so sure:
If he went to Pop’s team, he would have been a contributing member by now, more than likely!
40 games into the season we were 20-20…playoff outlook was bleak, talent level was not necessarily playoff caliber. Babbitt got chances and looked completely overwhelmed. Armon was getting minutes until he became allergic to the basketball. Those were not games to mess around. If Babbitt was on the Spurs with their beautiful record, he definitely would have had more opportunities and would probably be more comfortable by now, but if he had come into the NBA ready to contribute he would be part of our rotation, that just wasn’t the case. I agree that Babbitt can play in this league, but we have not had the luxury for him to wade through the shallow end of the pool inch by inch to get comfortable with the deep end. Our players get tossed right into the deep end, if they can’t handle it, then they need to get acclimated in other situations.
A minute or two playing time is not going to dramatically effect your standing at the end of the season, atleast on this team. We are a playoff caliber team.
Armon will be given a huge opportunity to be our backup PG next season. Nate and the franchise will want him to embrace and thrive in that role. They will do everything they can to make that a reality. Babbitt will again be given an opportunity to show the ability to contribute as a backup 3-4, but it’s on him to show he’s up to the task. I can’t put his “deer in the headlights” problem on Nate, that’s on Luke, I hope he gets over it.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Babbit was a lottery pick too (16), who got traded from the Timberwolves
You’re right that Rudy wasn’t really a rookie, but none of those other guys had any more professional experience than Babbitt. If you’re saying Nate sucks at integrating rookies… who are unprepared and have crippling stage fright, then maybe you have a point. To which I say “fine”: he’s a basketball coach not a babysitter.
I’ve never seen Babbitt play other than in his limited minutes as a Blazer, so maybe I’ve missed his electric “Babbittism”…. wake me when it shows up.
Holding out for Hedo
Nice D-league stats, but ...
in his last year in the Association he averaged 3.8 pts, 2.1 ast, .8 to, and a 12.6 PER in 12 minutes per game. Patty’s stats: 5.4 pts, 1.8 ast, 1.1 to, and 12.2 PER in 12.5 minutes.
So, basically the same. Which begs the question of why add something that is basically the same, and possibly mess up the little bit of good mojo you have going right now? The time for experiments like this is November, December, maybe even January. Not 2 weeks before the playoffs. Nice thought, but case of risk outweighs reward in my opinion.
"These are dreams that we have." --Rudolfo Fernandez
by bfan on Mar 30, 2011 10:43 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
#1 on my wish list is a backup PF
Its a hot topic today because there’s an article in the Oregonian about it, but LMA has been playing huge minutes all season. We need him fresh, not just for the playoffs, but for the next several years. Right now he looks worn out.
On the other hand, we have a glut of guys that can play the 1.
Holding out for Hedo
I like it AK
seems like a great fit (also cheap and easy) that addresses one of our current deficiencies…next year I think it will be Armon’s job to lose, but for the rest of this season Daniels would be a welcome addition imo
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
I support it, for reasons already mentioned above.
The ideas of Roy and Rudy fumbling through the PG duties or Mills playing backup PG in the playoffs are rather scary. AD would be as good as choice as any at this point as he knows the system (Nate will play AD…maybe too much, IMHO) and he should still be decent on D.
The cake was a lie.
scarry
I cant even think about Rudy and Roy handling the ball in the play offs. Roy will adapt and get better but Rudy is Rudy we should of traded him last yr
by Danvegas on Mar 30, 2011 10:41 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Im not sure we need a backup pg
We don’t even play our starting PG when the game is on the line and he’s like our best player. Starting Blake over Miller. What the heck was that crap? Something tells me Nate isn’t as worried about the PG as the rest of PDX is
Bear in mind...
For most of his career, AD was considered a COMBO guard. He developed the handles to play the PG, but he could also play well off the ball. As a solid defender, that really means that AD would provide some OPTIONS that Nate doesn’t currently have.
Sign him and start him out with Patty’s minutes. If Rudy and Roy aren’t contributing enough, play AD at the backup 2 when We$ley sits. AD could get 20+ mpg, with 10 or so being alongside Dre, spacing the floor a bit. Doesn’t mean he would get ALL of Rudy and Roy’s minutes, but IMO those two need to prove they earn those minutes by making shots.
AD would be another savvy vet filling a role for the Blazers. He’d be a valuable addition IMO. And if they keep him longer term, he would be another mentor for AJ and a bit of insurance as Miller ages. Yes, someone else would be needed soon, I know.
by Rodney Gustafson on Mar 31, 2011 10:28 AM PDT reply actions
Isaiah Thomas Jr entering NBA draft
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Isaiah Thomas is making a risky, risky move by leaving UW a year early, but it's his life.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
I'd be down with it.
Patty is way too hot and cold.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
Have to say i dont like this suggeston, regardless of who the back up is.
If we were a contending team, then sure. We are not. In reality we were only an outside shot with the prospects of a fit Roy and Oden.
This whole plug a whole with a vet philosophy is redundant when you are trying to build a championship team. Vet starter/Young Backup or Young Starter/Vet Backup. Thats what you call developing a team, thats the case in every position.
Can say im surprised by the thread starter though, If I was an owner and I wanted to build a first round playoff team who gets bundled out year after year, then I’m going to hire AK as my GM
Yep that sounds harsh, but you have to keep in mind your mid to long term goals, stop thinking about what we need right now. Patty and Armon are just fine to play 6 minutes a game. We are not going to knock of the Celts or the Lakers in the last round of the playoffs this year. In the mean time, play the kids, we might find something in one of them. I am sick of seeing us ship off guys we start to put the work into only to have them a year or 2 later turn out to be what we need on another team. Your going to tell me we would not be a better team right now with Channing Frye or Zach Randolph in it?
Late to the party but....
This is a move I’d be a big fan of. We reportedly considered it in December and I’d say more likely than not Daniels would be our backup point now had he not torn that ligament in his hand. At this point, I’d say we are more likely to stand pat and ride with Roy as the ‘backup point’ but really running PGless lineups when Dre sits. AD would fit with any of the guys we play at SG and as has been stated a few times, there would be no learning curve. Plug and play.
Since I normally just give you grief;
I have to admit you are on the ball on this one.
Daniels could provide 10 minutes a game in the playoffs, and actually get the half court offense into appropriate sets better than the other options the Blazers currently have.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
I'll take it.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Alas, Philadelphia beat Portland to the punch.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Was just going to post this.
Philly just signed him to a 10 day. We probably won’t sign him after anyways…
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
hate to be boring
but im still an eliot williams fan, would love to see what he can on the floor next season
Not sure I see Williams as a PG.
His play was never really geared towards being a PG. He was always an off-guard in college.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
How does you feel about
Marcus Williams? From the 2006 draft? He was supposed to be a break out star. With all the intangibles.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
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