Woelfel: Blazers Could Trade Up To Draft Alec Burks?
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal-Times writes...
--------------
"Don't be surprised if Portland, which has the 21st pick, tries to move up, perhaps to land Colorado shooting guard Alec Burks. Milwaukee (10), Charlotte (9) and Houston (14) are also big Burks' fans. Burks, by the way, has the ideal shooting guard size, measuring 6-6 in shoes, 6-5 without."
--------------
Here's his Draft Express profile.
ed: bumped to front page
about 1 year ago
dpnim
96 comments
0 recs |
Email
PrintComments
Right, because we need another shooting guard
behind Roy, Matthews, Fernandez and E. Williams.
by Sir.Ludo on May 20, 2011 6:21 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
The one thing I've learned about trades and acquisitions in the NBA is
that you always look to improve. Meaning, if we are looking at Burks, it could mean that we are looking to trade other SG assets.
Wes could be at the highest point of his stock and has a good contract that could be used to acquire another player. Williams could be used in a trade and so can Rudy. I can’t deny the rumors because I see our offseason being reasonably busy.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
The one thing I've learned about sports writers
Is that they are lazy, and this guy wrote Portland into his story because he knew how to spell it without looking it up.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
by mittsabishy on May 20, 2011 9:12 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
whoah
Proltand is a hard word to spell
As if the blind rage had washed me clean, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world... For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate.
by thankyouforblaze on May 20, 2011 9:32 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
You mean Potland
And I hear the BRoy guy’s still on the team. And I hear that French kid guards guards, anyway, so he can start at the 2.
What were we talking about?
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
But what about all of the other stories the
Racine Journal-Times broke?
I agree that it doesn't address an immediate need
but Roy, Fernandez, and E Will are not bankable in terms of what you hope for from that position going forward.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
for the record I don't buy it
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on May 20, 2011 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
FACEPALM
PLEASE DO NOT TRADE UP FOR A SG…
Is that Cho's nick
Like a reverse Pritchslap?
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
Excuse me?
Umm…umm…you know what, I don’t even care anymore.
Does someone need a hug?
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
by RedUniInLA on May 20, 2011 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
"Someone's got a case of the Mondays"
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
This doesn't really line up with Nate's comments from the other day.
I’m not opposed to picking up another SG (especially if Rudy leaves), but if we’re going to be trading up for a top 10 pick, we need to be going after a PG or PF/C.
"Nicolas! You're the strongest boy in the world!"
by ericking on May 20, 2011 10:06 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
this
I think that while we are probably being active trying to move up Id be willing to bet it would be for Brandon Knight and not Alec Burks. Maybe Kemba Walker but he doesnt really fit with our style play. Minnesota is actively shopping their pick and Im sure theyd take Batum and Fernandez but after the whole Martel Webster debacle I doubt they trade with us anytime soon.
by Jason Hobbs on May 20, 2011 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Interestingly enough
The NBA’s GMs tend to think in terms of the opposing GM, not the team.
I think there are plenty of teams who got jobbed by KP who will be looking to get some back from Cho.
And we are talking about Khan here. Expecting logic from him isn’t exactly the money bet. Batum and Rudy would get it done, but then you’re in trouble at the 3, with an injury-prone Wallace, under-sized Matthews, and Matador-defense Babbit filling the depth charts.
So that means you’re looking at a SF or a PG at the #2, whoever isn’t picked by the Cavs, and that seems a step backward.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on May 20, 2011 10:05 PM PDT up reply actions
BUY IT!
“Burks is a shot creator, a skill that is highly coveted at the professional level. Over two-thirds of his offense is generated by himself, be it in isolation situations, in transition or in pick-and-roll opportunities.” From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Alec-Burks-5819/#ixzz1Muic3cH3
http://www.draftexpress.com
Yes, yes, and more yes. We don’t have a player outside of Dre right now that can create his own shot (except for Roy occasionally). Even coming off the bench in a rookie role, this would greatly aid our bench’s production.This could be a crucial move. Just trade Rudy, Wesley?, and a little more filler? to snag Burks. Then look to address center/pg needs.
Look where?
Where are we gonna go to get a good C or PG? Should we wait another year to try to get one in FA? Hell no, trade Rudy and Nic to get a good PG, from there we might be able to attract NeNe or some other big body.
by Jason Hobbs on May 20, 2011 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions
hey, while we are at it
lets trade Dre and LMA for a good PG and C! Funny how everybody seems to want to break up what is, admittedly, the new (and good) core of our team in Wallace/Batum (why dump one when the non-starter can be a great second off the bench?) and Matthews (not counting LMA cause I havent heard anybody blow the trade whistle on him……yet).
I understand that Batum has decently high trade stock now and a lot of teams want him...
but the SF spot is the ONLY one we have on lock down right now with 2 productive starting quality players in Nic and GW
LET'S PLAY SOME DAMN DEFENSE!!!!!!!!!!
by Batum Shakalaka on May 20, 2011 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions
you dont want 2 starters
you want one starter, and one roll player.
yeah
the guy is a full-sized wing who can dribble and get his own shot. Those are nice skills. Unfortunately he can’t shoot… will he be Tyreke Evans or Evan Turner?
i keep dancing on my own.
Yeah, 29.2% from 3-point range isn't too impressive.
"Nicolas! You're the strongest boy in the world!"
by ericking on May 20, 2011 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Apparently, I've been seeing a few articles about him having a possibly high potential.
If his shot ain’t broke, it could be fixed.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
yes, he has a highly desirable skill set
but also high boom-bust potential, because there are many players who can get their shot at the college level but can’t do so in the pros. If you can’t shoot, it becomes hard to be a complementary player. However, he’s really young and grew a bunch in school, so the potential to improve is certainly there as well.
i keep dancing on my own.
re: Babbitt
LET'S PLAY SOME DAMN DEFENSE!!!!!!!!!!
by Batum Shakalaka on May 20, 2011 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Wasn't that the same knock on Brandon coming out?
He was not a good 3 point shooter his first year in the league. But, he had all the other skills, and, eventually he was able to get stronger and push his range out to the 3 point line. That’s when he REALLY took off.
If they see Burks as a guy who has a nice mid-range shot, but just doesn’t seem to have the range, maybe they see that as something that they can fix.
If that’s the case, he may come at a “discount” as one of his primariy weaknesses may be completely fixable.
Brandon Roy was the finished article at Washington—he was the clear-cut best prospect in the draft. His mid-range game was quite a bit more polished than Burks’. I do like Burks’ upside and skillset.
i keep dancing on my own.
It's amazing watching the "Before they were Blazers" series
Guys like Roy and Dre were sooooo similar in college to what they became in the NBA. Not saying guys don’t improve or change their games, but some players just translate right over and some don’t.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on May 20, 2011 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions
4 year college players there
Burks is a young soph who’s barely done growing.
i keep dancing on my own.
That's a good point
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Alec Burks isn't quite the same passer or distributor as those guys, though.
I’d say Burks has the game of Corey Maggette, but in the body of Marquis Daniels.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
you most still believe in roy
trade wesley. get out of here, trade roy and batum and move up to the two spot
by Daddygr33nJeans on May 20, 2011 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions
roy is done son
game 4 was like winning the lottery it happen almost never
by Daddygr33nJeans on May 20, 2011 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah. righhhhht
then we can have another rookie to sit on the bench and we won’t have to watch WES and Batum play good basketball
by blazerblaze on May 20, 2011 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
no i was saying move roy and batum
minn would give up the #2 pick for batum alone. keep wesley he’s our best 2 guard
by Daddygr33nJeans on May 20, 2011 7:04 PM PDT up reply actions
But, they are absolutely needed in the NBA.
If you don’t have a “give me the ball and get out of my way” guy in the NBA (especially in the Playoffs), you ain’t goin’ nowhere.
Whether that be a post guy, a PG, or a wing, you need someone to get you a good shot when you need one. This is why we were SOOO much better when Brandon played well last year. He made things easy on the rest of the team, even if it were only for a few possessions here and there.
Working hard to create a shot is great, but, when you come accross good/great defenses, they will take a lot of those opportunities away. But, when you have a guy that can get his whenever he wants, that’s virtually unstoppable. (See: Dirk, Rose, Durant, LeBron, Wade, etc.).
by thevolv on May 20, 2011 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Dirk gets his on the PnR
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
The guy is described as a
“…skilled and surprisingly willing passer.” I don’t have any problem with a guy who goes at his man and kicks it when he gets doubled- which is this guy’s specialty.
I’m concerned with one more wing who can’t shoot consistently. It’s great to have a Team Identity of long, rabid defensive guys, but you need someone out there who can shoot.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on May 20, 2011 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions
While we are stocked on wings, if he does have the skills to create his own shots, that is a skillset this team sorely needs.
Part of the reason that we go through long droughts on offense is because outside of Dre we lack this skillset in offense. We need someone that can get into the paint off the bounce as well as create his offense off P&R. As you see from the teams that are currently left in the playoffs, they have multiple wings that can run P&R with a big to create offense. There is a reason why P&R stays as one of the simple yet most effective play in basketball.
Well, I haven’t really seen him play so I’m not sure I would buy or not. Still, if he does have the ability to score via penetration and P&R, he’s a needed asset.
The cake was a lie.
Not buying it
I think Cho will draft a big body to strengthen our position of bargaining with Oden and as insurance.
Here's the thing. That's the consensus around here but where has Cho mentioned that that's what he's looking for.
I mean I can dissect Canzano’s comments about Cho wanting to suspend Roy and turn that around and make that seem as if we need another SG because he might not like Roy. But I won’t.
I don’t know his plans and even if the consensus says one thing, it’s hard to believe it will happen.
Not that it was Cho, but I was hard pressed to believe we were taking Dejaun Blair a couple years ago but we didn’t.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
We need a PGOTF and backup PF/C
However that gets gotten, go get it. Draft, trade, FA. Have at it, Mr. Cho.
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
I would argue the only 2 positions that have really good long term solutions are power forward and small forward. Wesley can play shooting guard alongside Nic at the 3 so long as you have an amazing pure point like Dre, although it is still not ideal. So if Cho sees Burks as a better long-term prospect than someone like Faried, Noguiera or a potential point guard prospect like Williams, I have no problem with the pick. Remember, the log-jam at 2 is not Cho’s doing and he will want to reshape the roster through his philosophy.
i keep dancing on my own.
Yeah
I mean, if he really really likes this cat then I can see Cho going and getting him. That applies to anyone
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on May 20, 2011 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions
Good point about Cho wanting his guys
I hadn’t considered that. Unfortunately, I think we know now that Paul Allen isn’t going to give up on Roy, especially with Nate in his corner as well. Maybe another year of 5 good performances, 40 meh ones, and 30+ games on the DL will convince them?
by TheThinWhiteDuke on May 20, 2011 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions
The way I see it is this.
Even with an amnesty clause, Roy may not be waived. Say he isn’t. He is virtually untradeable. So the SG spot is still crammed, Rudy is trade filler at this point but Wesley has his stock at a current high. Depending on how the FO sees things, he may be better off as a tradeable asset than a starting 2 or 6th man. His contract could give us options in the offseason.
Some will say, “no, don’t trade him” but their were some who wished to have traded Rudy when his stock was at it’s highest after his rookie season, we never did and we’ve paid for it. Start thinking like a business and things may start to make sense.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
BTW, I'm not suggesting it's at all a good pick.
I’ve good things but I’ve also have heard bad. Such as, his work ethic is very poor and proof is in his very slender body. Apparently, he puts little effort in the weight room which is terrible for a 2 guard who relies on finishing at the hoop with no shot.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
I don’t know if he’s a hard worker, but his slender frame could be explained by the fact that he’s grown 3 inches since he got to college—I think he could easily put some weight on there.
i keep dancing on my own.
Also, weight-training is much less of an emphasis in college than pros.
And diet tend to be much, much poorer…we all remember type of junk we used to eat in college, right?
If body type is an indicator of laziness, where does that put pudgy guys like Kevin Love, who dropped lot of weight between college and the draft?
The cake was a lie.
Rudy can go, Roy can go
but Wes and Batum should stick around.
I don’t think Wes has reached his ceiling by any means – not even close. The guy gets progressively more powerful. Batum is somewhat the same – I think he’s still rising.
by blazerblaze on May 20, 2011 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions
I tend to agree with this.
If we could have Wes, Gerald, Nic and Alec Burks (in this scenario) as our wing rotation, that’d be pretty solid.
Of course, it may be hard to get into the Top 10 without giving up one of Wes and Nic. Hmmm…
Except for the fact
That virtually all of Batum’s meaningful numbers dropped this year. Face it, we should have sold him last year when he was all the rage as the unknown prize behind door #2. Now, he likely has a bit less value, but we should still shop him, see what we might be able to get with him as an asset.
nobody wants
rudy or roy. everybody wants wes and batum. so your ideas are flawed
"Tommy: Did you hear I finally graduated?
Richard Hayden: Yeah, and just a shade under a decade too. All right. "
a guy who can get his own shot is a glaring need.
i keep dancing on my own.
by atomiccafe on May 20, 2011 12:13 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Filling needs only works if the coach is on board
And ours isn’t. We’re going to need to go the FA or trade route to fill any Of-the-future roles on this team.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on May 20, 2011 10:20 PM PDT up reply actions
Portland is not good enough to draft for position unless it is the PF position
If Burks is the BPA then go for it.
by JasonT on May 20, 2011 12:12 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
You know what the Blazers don’t need in a prospect? ..these weaknesses which have been attributed to Burks:
Needs to add strength/weight
Streaky perimeter shooter (..just what the team needs!)
Lacks range on the three ball (ugh)
Gets caught standing around when he doesn’t have the ball (sound familiar?)
"You know, when you are in the game, you hear 20,000 people behind you, you don't feel anything."
- Nicolas Batum on playing through his shoulder injury during the 2010 playoffs.
This is Cho's first draft as a Blazer
It will be interesting to see if he can begin putting his stamp on the team. Let’s let him work.
Weirdly, I have faith
Just a totally different kind of faith than with KP.
I trusted KP to wheel and deal. I trust Cho to make the percentage move.
They both have/ had the best scouts around, so it’s all about style now.
I’m fairly excited for this draft.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on May 20, 2011 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions
I completely agree.
I trust Cho more than KP, which is weird because we haven’t seen Cho make any draft day decisions yet.
But his move for Wallace was brilliant and trading an expiring contract for an all-star quality player at the deadline is something KP was never able to do.
I think KP relied too much on his heart and gut and ended up holding onto “his guys” for too long, whereas Cho will rely on his mind and in most cases will probably make the smarter decision.
Of course I’m just guessing here, but my point is I have a lot of trust in Cho to make this team better.
They both have/ had the best scouts around
I sincerely hope this is true, for the good of the franchise
but the young players who have been acquired in the last 2-3 years makes me wonder how good Buchanan and Born really are, and we know nothing re: Branch and Rosey except that they were selected by Rich
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Our scouts find talent late
And who knows how much of our scouts’ analysis got through KP’s “Roll the dice on a star” mentality or Allen’s drooling over athleticism, or even the mandate for “character guys”.
Around the NBA our guys are considered elite, especially with Euros and 2nd round picks.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on May 22, 2011 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions
I heard the scouts wanted to draft Matthews back in 2009
if Paul had agreed to leave Patty on the board and select Wesley at #55 instead, that would have saved the team a lot of $$$ and Matthews would be just as hungry (just not as well off, financially)
but I wasn’t a fan of the Babbitt or Claver selections
and the drafting Elliott Williams (knowing that his knees were suspect) was puzzling, even though that wasn’t their call I’m sure they advocated for Email based on his upside
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I'm sure they advocated that there wasn't anyone available
at Williams’ spot that was even close to his talent level. And KP went upside.
Claver was a value pick- and he still might work out at SF when Wallace leaves.
Babbit filled the need for a shooter, and wasn’t expected to help this year anyway. We’ll see if Nate can get him some minutes, and confidence, this year.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on May 22, 2011 6:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Claver has no intention of ever coming to the US
He’s been too injured, is adored in Spain, makes more money, and has already said he’ll stay in Europe.
by Eric Loftin on May 22, 2011 10:29 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm sure Claver would love to come over here.
Saying he has “no intention” is ignorant.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
Claver will come eventually
Of our three stashed Euros, Freeland is the one who may never make it over- he’s successful and in-demand.
Claver is starting to produce, and has amazing upside, but his type of player is not in demand in Europe, or rather his type of player is not at all rare in Europe.
Peteri would have been here years ago if we had asked, and will probably be invited this year or be let go or traded.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on May 23, 2011 8:01 AM PDT up reply actions
And so begins the speculation and name-dropping from around the country about what Portland will do
Wake me up on draft day
Come on.
You have to admit that this time of year is fun. If I wasn’t excited about the buildup to the draft, I’d be 100% bored out of my mind this time of year.
I sure do, hope springs eternal during the draft.
Then I remember I am a Blazer fan, and recall us passing on or trading the rights to…
Tiny Archibald, Calvin Murphy, Dan Issel, Spencer Haywood, Bob McAdoo, Kevin Porter, George Gervin, Gus Williams, Adrian Dantley, Robert Parish, Alex English, Dennis Johnson, Norm Nixon, Larry Bird, Reggie Theus, Mo Cheeks, Moses Malone, Bill Laimbeer, Mark Eaton, Andrew Toney, Kiki Vandeweghe, Larry Nance, Danny Ainge, MJ, Sam Perkins, Charles Barkley, Alvin Robertson, Otis Thorpe, Kevin Willis, John Stockton, Dell Curry, Mark Price, Dennis Rodman, Jeff Hornacek, Mark Jackson, Reggie Lewis, Sauranus Marciulonis, Steve Kerr, Vlade Divac. All of these players picked behind Blazers of far less note just through 1989. Don’t get me started on Durant vs Oden…So yep, hope springs eternal.
I assume you didn't want them to pick Stockton over MJ in 1984
Portland had targeted John later in the first round but Frank Layden caught wind of it and selected the pasty gangster first, even though he had a decent starting PG
Layden said that when Stu Inman called to discuss a trade for Stockton’s draft rights that he knew he had a keeper
Bernard Thompson was Portland’s booby prize
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
All in the Family song "Those were the days"
“Mister, we could use a talent scout like Bucky Buckwalter, againnn”
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I get excited plenty this time of year
I just find it incredibly annoying when “sources” say that our team is interested in somebody that clearly doesn’t make any sense. If this was Kemba Walker or Nolan Smith, I’d be excited. These “sources” are often times the agent of a player and have zero credibility when it comes to the truth about the Blazers. They embellish the amount of so-called “interest” the team has and all of the sudden it snowballs and becomes headline news…when in reality, they did a five minute interview with a kid just doing their due diligence and exploring EVERY possiblity at nausium. Portland will do numerous interviews, with a bunch of prospects at every position. That doesn’t mean they’re “interested” or are going to “trade up” to get said agent’s player.
Obviously we need one of two positions out of this draft. It’s no secret, but our guys have to be as thurough as possible so they don’t pass on a sleeper. This should have been a non-story.
Andy is 'Dre's agent, too
and I think Rudy hired someone else
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
SELL
I think the blazers will trade up in this draft, but I highly doubt it will be to pick a skinny SG with a mediocre tre ball. Nate would be so pissed. I bet the blazers have already picked 2-3 PG’s and 2 or 3 bigs that they want/believe they can acquire in the draft. SG is a position of NO NEED FOR US. getting another SG or SF would be pretty stupid considering the very solid players we have filling those roles minus moody rudy. IMO drafting any PG or PF/C will be a win for the blazers in this draft. please dont draft for the best talent possible.
" Yeah, this is pretty much me, every day. Staring at butt holes and getting my buzz on. "
I'd rather they trade down (and out of the first round) then select a wing or another skinny forward
like RFS1970 said the other day, maybe Cho can take the 21st pick + Rudy and trade for the 1st pick in the 2nd round?
addition by subtraction = Allen wouldn’t be stuck paying 3 years of guaranteed money to some kid who would have been 2nd round talent in any other draft year
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
basically right now we have 4 backup shooting guards (Matthews, E-Will, Rudy and Roy). I don’t think that makes it a position of “no need for us.” I think that makes it a position where Cho has some significant timber clearing to do. This team could definitely use a guy who can get his own shot, defend the 2 reasonably well, and actually dribble the basketball.
i keep dancing on my own.
Wesley is a starting 2
he shot .407 from downtown on a bad ankle
sure he could handle the ball better, he’s making that a point of emphasis this offseason
he also said he put on weight at Marquette and he’s going to come back leaner and more explosive
don’t bet against him, he’s a workout maven
the starting PG-SG is covered, the reserve “herd” at the 1-2 needs to be thinned
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
the issue is less about quality than fit
Wesley could man the 2 or 3 alongside a guy who can take care of most of the dribbling and passing, but that’s not Batum, who appears to be the SF going forward. Andre’s pure point skills help hide some of those deficiencies throughout the wing corps, but he won’t be around forever and it’s time to start looking for a wing who can handle the ball, create his own shot, get to the line, and get shots for others. Even with Andre here, the lack of another perimeter guy who could get his own shot was pretty glaring at times, as Andre was forced into contested mid-range shots when he couldn’t get straight to the tin.
As to Wesley improving his handles, that doesn’t tend to happen. Lots of NBA players work really hard, and almost none of them get better at dribbling. I’d like to know why you think Wesley would be different.
i keep dancing on my own.
because Matthews is different than lots of NBA players
I agree that Portland would be wise to add another ballhandler to their backcourt rotation
I just doubt that they’ll be dealing Matthews or Batum to acquire that player
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
That’s fine—Batum is way, way, way too much to pay for a late lotto pick, and trading Wesley would be part of a total rebuild IMO. So looking at a guy like Burks you’re probably talking about a package of Rudy + cash or something to move up, then you can have a blood Burks alongside the guys you already have (Wesley, Nic, GW).
i keep dancing on my own.
if I'm going to add another SG to this team
it’s not going to be a rookie from this draft class. Maybe a veteran like Jamal Crawford
Portland just drafted Elliott Williams last year. That’s enough youth at that position
they need to steer away from the 2-3-4 positions in this draft and think 1 or 5. If the roulette wheel doesn’t come up for the Blazers at 21, then trade down and out of the first round. Maybe pick up a 2nd raft choice in 2012. That will likely be worth as much or more than #21 in 2011
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
*2nd round draft choice
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
A wing rotation of Nic Batum, Wesley Matthews, and Jamal Crawford would get ...
manhandled defensively. They’d be ripped to shreds due to Batum’s inconsistent effort, Matthews being overmatched in length and lateral quckness, and Crawford’s all-around putrid play on defense.
This team desperately needs a two-way star at the wing. On offense, that player needs to “handle the ball, create his own shot, get to the line, and get shots for others” just like atomic wrote. Defensively, that player must lockdown anybody who’s put in front of him from LeBron James to Kevin Durant.
The answer to that is neither Batum nor Matthews, while Crawford, 31, is an inefficient chucker who plays little defense and should be avoided at all costs.
And yeah, Crawford is 31. That’s old for a shooting guard, which is the NBA equivalent to NFL running backs. Crawford began to slip this past season, too, and is bound to fall off the cliff on whichever team signs him and his one-dimensional game this off-season.
"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 take that back
We do have needs at the SG position. I am not willing to part with Wes as he gives us defense and shooting at the position. If Roy comes back 100% we obviously would be fine at the position so thats not going to happen. Rudy is chopped liver as far as I am concerned. So at the SG position our needs (all hinging on Roy’s health) are better ballhandling and playmaking, the two things Matthews struggles at.
" Yeah, this is pretty much me, every day. Staring at butt holes and getting my buzz on. "
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Behind the Box Score, where the Boston Celtics are moving on to the conference finals
- NBA Playoffs Fan Fiction: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- The Indiana Pacers? Gone till November
- Shaquille O’Neal is in a Chinese beer commercial, too (VIDEO)
- ‘Deep Thoughts’ and Cheap Thoughts: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
