Exclusive 2022-23 Portland Trail Blazers Roster

[1 Eye Jack]

Sure but doesn't winning mean more to these players than starting? Especially if they are already getting paid? Especially if they are getting the same number of minutes?

Winning is what we want but doesn’t mean they don’t want the fame and respect that comes with being a starter. Anyone who’s played sports wants to be a starter and these guys are at the top of the mountain of course they want to start

 

[Fairly-Hard]

interesting that players actually in the league have the opposite view. Day’ron sharpe called him the most physical player he went up against in his rookie season.

So a rookie that played a grand total of 32 games and is 4 inches smaller and 50 lbs lighter said he was physical.
I decided to go and look that game they played against each other up. It was Jan 10th 2022. About a month before the deadline. Portland won the game. Nurk played 32 mins but in typical Nurk fashion was 4-13 from the field but he did get 14 points and 8 rebounds. 6 of his points came from the line.
The rookie went for 14 pts and 7 rebounds in 24 mins on 6-6 shooting. Seems like he torched Nurk for the most part? It's only one game so who really knows?
Funny part was Claxton was wiping the floor with Nurk but foul trouble put the rookie in.

Nurk is quite possibly the softest player in the league at his position. Does this mean Nurk is weak? No. Does this mean Nurk isn't big? No. It just means he plays soft as can be. Maybe this is due to his injury past? Maybe it's just the Euro way he plays? I honestly don't know but you just watched Eubanks (Who has less than half the raw talent) show what physical play looks like. Nurk can do it. He has shown flashes. It's just not in his nature from what i have seen.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Wanna meet up and find out?

Now here goes the tough guy.
Any time you want to have a cup of coffee and discuss it I'm game. Seriously any time. I am more than willing to show.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Yeah that's frustrating but I'd be a little leary about dunking after breaking my leg. He's trying to minimize the amount of impact he puts on his joints. Can't really blame the guy. I know he did that even before the injury but it's more noticeable since the injury.

We praise when our guards or whatever choose to do a layup over a dunk to minimize injury but when Nurk does it he's "soft".

This is quite possibly the reason. He does have a injury history. Doesn't take away from the fact he plays soft.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Maybe they are banking on that so we can tank again next season.

Are we going to call it another built in excuse for the GM and Coach? Owner?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

I think it has more to do with the way he’s officiated than fear of another injury. You can only be so physical in today’s NBA and since he’s bigger than pretty much everyone he goes up against, flopping works against him sadly. Probably a tough thing to balance for a big.

This could be as well? Still doesn't take away from the fact he plays the way he plays.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

This could be as well? Still doesn't take away from the fact he plays the way he plays.

There's a big difference between saying "He plays soft," and "He is soft".

Which is your contention?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

There's a big difference between saying "He plays soft," and "He is soft".

Which is your contention?

Alright. This is a Portland Trailblazers Fan Forum site. I'll let you figure that out.

Do you guys really get this caught up in Semantics? When i say he is the "Softest Center in the league" doesn't it go without saying that i'm talking about his play?

I can meet up with you also if you are going to call people out. I'll buy the coffee.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

When i say he is the "Softest Center in the league" doesn't it go without saying that i'm talking about his play?

No--sounded like you were talking about his character, his ontology, who he is as a person. Something intrinsic rather than something chosen. Which makes a difference as to whether or not one is to believe he can alter that aspect of his play.

Words matter. In a written medium, they're going to get parsed.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

No--sounded like you were talking about his character, his ontology, who he is as a person. Something intrinsic rather than something chosen. Which makes a difference as to whether or not one is to believe he can alter that aspect of his play.

Words matter. In a written medium, they're going to get parsed.

Sure. Okay.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

There's a big difference between saying "He plays soft," and "He is soft".

Which is your contention?

 

[Pinwheel1]

Winning is what we want but doesn’t mean they don’t want the fame and respect that comes with being a starter. Anyone who’s played sports wants to be a starter and these guys are at the top of the mountain of course they want to start

OK fine he would prefer to start. But that does not take away from the original point, and that is if Chauncey thinks it is best for the team if Hart starts then I doubt that Simons (or management or the fans) are going to have a problem with it. Is there anything in
Ant's past that indicates he is not a team-first type of guy? Is he the type of guy who will sulk about it? No

Maybe starting him is the best option. I guess it depends on who the other starters are with him. But the bottom line is Simons will not be a problem if he does not start this upcoming season. He already got paid and he will still get the same minutes. We need his offense too much not for him to get his minutes. The question is what is best for the team? Chauncey will decide that, not Ant, not Joe, not the fans, and not management.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

No--sounded like you were talking about his character, his ontology, who he is as a person. Something intrinsic rather than something chosen. Which makes a difference as to whether or not one is to believe he can alter that aspect of his play.

Words matter. In a written medium, they're going to get parsed.

I didn't read it as sounding like that at all. If Nurk is being called soft on this forum its in context of his play on the court; unless specifically labeled as off the court.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I didn't read it as sounding like that at all. If Nurk is being called soft on this forum its in context of his play on the court; unless specifically labeled as off the court.

That's cool. I read something like this:

Dude is soft to the core. SOFT soft.

...and it looks to me like someone is talking about more than just "play". YMMV.

 

[illmatic99]

If ducking the tax suprisingly is not the priority, there are still some targets we can pursue to add bigman depth, or even a starting wing if one suddenly becomes available.

We have the RoCo TPE, and we can nearly use the entire amount now and still slide in right below the apron (if Bledsoe is stretched).

Also have the BAE at 4.1 mil if we don't stretch Bled.

TPE targets:
- Cam Johnson (dream will not die for me)
- Cam Reddish (no thanks)
- Rudy Gay (meh)
- Taj Gibson
- Georges Niang
- Matisse Thybulle
- Dewayne Dedmon
- Chimezie Metu
- Naz Reid

BAE targets:
- Serge Ibaka
- Dwight Howard
- Ed Davis
- Gorgui Dieng
- Demarcus Cousins
- Tristan Thompson
- Luka Garza???
- Blake Griffin
- Lamarcus Aldridge
- Paul Millsap
- Melo
- Markieff Morris

 

[PtldPlatypus]

If ducking the tax suprisingly is not the priority, there are still some targets we can pursue to add bigman depth, or even a starting wing if one suddenly becomes available.

We have the RoCo TPE, and we can nearly use the entire amount now and still slide in right below the apron (if Bledsoe is stretched).

Also have the BAE at 4.1 mil if we don't stretch Bled.

TPE targets:
- Cam Johnson (dream will not die for me)
- Cam Reddish (no thanks)
- Rudy Gay (meh)
- Taj Gibson
- Georges Niang
- Matisse Thybulle
- Dewayne Dedmon
- Chimezie Metu
- Naz Reid

BAE targets:
- Serge Ibaka
- Dwight Howard
- Ed Davis
- Gorgui Dieng
- Demarcus Cousins
- Tristan Thompson
- Luka Garza???
- Blake Griffin
- Lamarcus Aldridge
- Paul Millsap
- Melo
- Markieff Morris

Gorgui Dieng signed with the Spurs.

BTW, the fact that you have them both listed reminds me how badly I want for Georges Niang and Gorgui Dieng to be on the same team someday...

 

[Natebishop3]

If ducking the tax suprisingly is not the priority, there are still some targets we can pursue to add bigman depth, or even a starting wing if one suddenly becomes available.

We have the RoCo TPE, and we can nearly use the entire amount now and still slide in right below the apron (if Bledsoe is stretched).

Also have the BAE at 4.1 mil if we don't stretch Bled.

TPE targets:
- Cam Johnson (dream will not die for me)
- Cam Reddish (no thanks)
- Rudy Gay (meh)
- Taj Gibson
- Georges Niang
- Matisse Thybulle
- Dewayne Dedmon
- Chimezie Metu
- Naz Reid

BAE targets:
- Serge Ibaka
- Dwight Howard
- Ed Davis
- Gorgui Dieng
- Demarcus Cousins
- Tristan Thompson
- Luka Garza???
- Blake Griffin
- Lamarcus Aldridge
- Paul Millsap
- Melo
- Markieff Morris

Is Ibaka any good at this point? He'd be perfect if he's not a total scrub.

 

[illmatic99]

Gorgui Dieng signed with the Spurs.

BTW, I want so badly for Georges Niang and Gorgui Dieng to be on the same team someday...

Good to know. Spotrac had not updated. Niang actually played playoff minutes, and PJ Tucker will eat into that next year.

 

[illmatic99]

Is Ibaka any good at this point? He'd be perfect if he's not a total scrub.

Right? keep him on ice until the playoffs and dust him off then. And we could offer him more than just the minimum

 

[Scalma]

Interesting that Walker still hasn’t signed. Probably don’t want to fill that last spot just yet. Still think a two way is more likely.

 

[Scalma]

BAE targets:
- Serge Ibaka
- Dwight Howard
- Ed Davis
- Gorgui Dieng
- Demarcus Cousins
- Tristan Thompson
- Luka Garza???
- Blake Griffin
- Lamarcus Aldridge
- Paul Millsap
- Melo
- Markieff Morris

Literally all these guys will be minimums imo. And Ibaka went back to Milwaukee.

others I’d be interested in to some degree, maybe training camp invites.

Josh Jackson
Robert Woodard
Jay Scrubb

 

[illmatic99]

Literally all these guys will be minimums imo. And Ibaka went back to Milwaukee.

others I’d be interested in to some degree, maybe training camp invites.

Josh Jackson
Robert Woodard
Jay Scrubb

good call on Serge. Spotrac had him still unsigned.

There is actually a guy named, "scrubb?" lol

 

[Natebishop3]

Interesting that Walker still hasn’t signed. Probably don’t want to fill that last spot just yet. Still think a two way is more likely.

Might want to see how he does at SL.

 

[Scalma]

good call on Serge. Spotrac had him still unsigned.

There is actually a guy named, "scrubb?" lol

Yeah I only know him because he was connected to Portland a couple years ago. At one time there were even rumors we’d take him in the first. Don’t know what that was all about.

 

[42N8Bounce]

Interesting that Walker still hasn’t signed. Probably don’t want to fill that last spot just yet. Still think a two way is more likely.

If Jabari Walker is signed to a two-way contract, he will be the Blazers first draft pick to do so since two-way contracts were started in 2017-18.
2022 - (1) S Sharpe, (2) J Walker
2020 - (2) CJ Elleby {signed 2yr, $2.4M}
2019 - (1) N Little
2018 - (1) A Simons, (2) G Trent Jr {Signed 3-yr minimum}



If they're waiting until after Summer League to sign him to see how he performs, I would question our scouting/drafting.

Also, if the Blazers want to maintain his full Bird rights, I believe they will need to use a portion of the MLE (the full amount was not used by GP2).

 

[Pinwheel1]

Literally all these guys will be minimums imo. And Ibaka went back to Milwaukee.

others I’d be interested in to some degree, maybe training camp invites.

Josh Jackson
Robert Woodard
Jay Scrubb

From that list, I would finally be interested in Blake Griffin if he really does become a "minimum".
Sounds like he is LA bound though.

 

[illmatic99]

From that list, I would finally be interested in Blake Griffin if he really does become a "minimum".
Sounds like he is LA bound though.

i listed them as BAE because we would have to probably overpay to get them. They probably already have minimum offers from contenders.

The other selling point besides more $ is that they would only really need to be available for the playoffs or if Nurk gets hurt. I think we can get away with what we have for most of the regular season.

 

[Scalma]

If Jabari Walker is signed to a two-way contract, he will be the Blazers first draft pick to do so since two-way contracts were started in 2017-18.
2022 - (1) S Sharpe, (2) J Walker
2020 - (2) CJ Elleby {signed 2yr, $2.4M}
2019 - (1) N Little
2018 - (1) A Simons, (2) G Trent Jr {Signed 3-yr minimum}

View attachment 48442 View attachment 48440 View attachment 48448

If they're waiting until after Summer League to sign him to see how he performs, I would question our scouting/drafting.

Also, if the Blazers want to maintain his full Bird rights, I believe they will need to use a portion of the MLE (the full amount was not used by GP2).

Trent was a top 40 pick. Elleby was a mid second rounder. Walker was two picks away from being undrafted. Only one guy selected with the last 5 picks of last years draft is on an active roster.

 

[BigGameDamian]

So Donavan Mitchell wants to stay with the Jazz now that Rudy Gobert is out? I wonder which small market team will build back faster and better with there star on the team? Will
Danny show Joe and Jody how it’s done?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

If we're gonna bring in another big, I hope they give Aron Baynes a look.

Aron Baynes to work out for NBA teams in Las Vegas one year after spinal cord injury (espn.com)