48 hours: Johnson v. Mills, the countdown is on?

[Nikolokolus]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/07/armon_johnson_awaits_blazers_v.html

LAS VEGAS -- Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan tapped Armon Johnson on the shoulder Sunday evening and issued a timeline.

"Forty-eight hours," McMillan said, before waltzing to the exits and away from a bustling Cox Pavilion.

Translation? Johnson is supposed to call McMillan on Tuesday night, when he could potentially discover his fate with the Blazers.

"What time is it?" Johnson said, chuckling. "I'm gonna put this in my calendar."

But, as has been the case since training camp started last week, summer league's most intriguing story line has involved Johnson and fellow point guard Patty Mills and their battle for a roster spot with the Blazers next season. The consensus is neither player hurt their chances.

"I like them," McMillan said. "Both guys had a good summer. I thought they did a great job of establishing the tempo on both ends of the floor. I felt both guys played their game and established their style of play. Patty's more of an uptempo guy who shoots the ball well and changes that tempo. Armon seems to set the tone more off the defensive end of the floor. And, offensively, his court vision is pretty good."

Mills shared the team lead in scoring (14.2 points per game) and registered a team-high 23 assists. With lightning-quick speed and a solid long-range shoot, he displayed a nice open-court game and pushed the pace on offense.

Johnson, who averaged 11.6 points and finished with 21 assists, was impressive on defense and aggressive in the half-court offense, particularly in pick-and-roll sets.

Blazers scouts have called Johnson a "Nate McMillan point guard."

Is it really that big of a contest, or does Nate have to talk Paul Allen into giving up on Damon 2.0 so Nate can get Anthony 2.0?

(Or Maybe the big trade for Tony Parker, that's supposed to fire once Matthews is officially a Blazer, clears the deck.)

Any thoughts?

 

[maxiep]

I think they both get invited and Nate delays the decision until the very last minute. I'm sure he has his opinion (*cough* Johnson *cough*), but he's not the one writing the checks.

 

[Mediocre Man]

If it's Mills over Johnson I will be pissed

 

[maxiep]

If it's Mills over Johnson I will be pissed

If it's Mills over Johnson, you know Allen will have overruled Nate.

I think there will be a consoldiation trade and both will make the roster.

 

[Mediocre Man]

If it's Mills over Johnson, you know Allen will have overruled Nate.

I think there will be a consoldiation trade and both will make the roster.

I think with the way he played, and the fact that he cost a couple of million dollars to get, Johnson will make the team in some capacity

 

[MARIS61]

Neither is anything to get excited about.

What a lame off season.

 

[THE HCP]

Hope Johnson can win as many games for us as Torrean Green did!

 

[B-Roy]

I fully expect both to make it to training camp, but only Johnson to make the roster...

 

[mgb]

I think with the way he played, and the fact that he cost a couple of million dollars to get, Johnson will make the team in some capacity

Good point.

 

[Sug]

In 48 hours a lot more information will be known. We will know the fate of Wes, we will probably have a GM, and there is a good chance that a trade will be made.

 

[THE HCP]

In 48 hours a lot more information will be known. We will know the fate of Wes, we will probably have a GM, and there is a good chance that a trade will be made.

Even better, maybe MIXUM will become a Heat fan!

 

[DUB]

I'd rather have Mills any day of the week, and that's not just my bias showing through; rather an indication of the style of basketball (actually all sport) I'd rather watch.

But my money would be on Johnson.

I'm really hoping for a trade.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

They are different types of players. Mills is a better passer and scorer. Johnson is a better defender as well as has more of an NBA body. Overall, Mills is a better basketball player, but Johnson will get the nod. And Maris is right- neither player is going to set the NBA ablaze. We're choosing a back-up PG.

 

[crandc]

Considering he would probably be 10 at best on the roster, I don't much care, although of course Mills & Johnson do. If the owner wants someone in particular to be 10-12, I have no problem.

 

[Blazinaway]

If it's Mills over Johnson, you know Allen will have overruled Nate.

I think there will be a consoldiation trade and both will make the roster.

I've been a Mills booster but IMO Johnson is better and deserves the spot.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Neither is anything to get excited about.

What a lame off season.

Yeah, it's definitely not as exciting as when the opponent is getting into the lane at will. In that respect the game was always "exciting" when we had Sergio.

 

[Nikolokolus]

They are different types of players. Mills is a better passer and scorer. Johnson is a better defender as well as has more of an NBA body. Overall, Mills is a better basketball player, but Johnson will get the nod. And Maris is right- neither player is going to set the NBA ablaze. We're choosing a back-up PG.

I think Mills is a more "creative" passer, but at the expense of efficiency, and he is definitely a better shooter, but a really inefficient scorer (doesn't get to the line and plays below the rim when he drives). "Better basketball player" though? I guess it depends on what you're looking for; Mills certainly draws the eye moreso than Johnson.

 

[mgb]

They are different types of players. Mills is a better passer and scorer. Johnson is a better defender as well as has more of an NBA body. Overall, Mills is a better basketball player, but Johnson will get the nod. And Maris is right- neither player is going to set the NBA ablaze. We're choosing a back-up PG.

23 assists to 21? I'd say that was pretty even except I think Johnson doesn't throw it away as often, but I haven't check the stats, just seems that way watching the games.

 

[mgb]

I think Mills is a more "creative" passer, but at the expense of efficiency, and he is definitely a better shooter, but a really inefficient scorer (doesn't get to the line and plays below the rim when he drives). "Better basketball player" though? I guess it depends on what you're looking for; Mills certainly draws the eye moreso than Johnson.

Ya, I agree. I remember one game Mills outscored Johnson 12-10, but took 14 shots to Johnson's 6.

 

[Mediocre Man]

They are different types of players. Mills is a better passer and scorer. Johnson is a better defender as well as has more of an NBA body. Overall, Mills is a better basketball player, but Johnson will get the nod. And Maris is right- neither player is going to set the NBA ablaze. We're choosing a back-up PG.

Depends on the pass?

Mills seems to throw a lot of flashy passes, and ran the point A LOT more than Johnson did, but in the offense itself, Johnosn is a much better passer. he hit guys in a possition to score within the offense

 

[andalusian]

I would love to see them both on the roster - but if we absolutely have to choose - I'd rather have Palace Johnson.

 

[ebott]

It really bothers me that we have to choose between these guys when a guy like Jerryd (short shooting guard that can't shoot) Bayless has a guaranteed contract. I don't know why it bothers me so much. The more I watch Patty Mills the more I realize he's just not an NBA player. The more I watch Armon Johnson the more I think he's going to be limited by the lack of range on his jumpshot. Even so I believe in both of them more than I believe in Jerryd.

 

[LameR]

It really bothers me that we have to choose between these guys when a guy like Jerryd (short shooting guard that can't shoot) Bayless has a guaranteed contract. I don't know why it bothers me so much. The more I watch Patty Mills the more I realize he's just not an NBA player. The more I watch Armon Johnson the more I think he's going to be limited by the lack of range on his jumpshot. Even so I believe in both of them more than I believe in Jerryd.

I feel like you and a few other people on here's dislike of Jerryd is a bit over the top.

 

[Ed O]

I would love to see them both on the roster - but if we absolutely have to choose - I'd rather have Palace Johnson.

I think so, too. Mills has the single best skill (three point shooting) between the two of them, but he's much more hit-or-miss than the bigger, stronger, more well-rounded Johnson.

Hopefully there's a consolidation trade that opens up a roster spot for each of them, but I'm not holding my breath.

Ed O.

 

[hasoos]

Mills has one thing that Johnson will never have. Blazing speed. Blazing speed is in some ways like having Arvydas Sabonis on your team. When Sabonis was on the team, there were just a lot of nights where the other team had nobody big enough to deal with him. Blazing speed is the same way. On a lot of nights, there will just be nobody on the other team that can handle a guy that fast.

IMO both of them showed one thing to me in the summer league: They need a lot of work on their game in the decision making department, and need to get used to playing the game at NBA speed.

I actually wouldn't be heartbroken if neither one made the team. There are always free agents who are good who are available deep into the season, and I would rather hold a roster spot open just in case.

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

Johnson has one thing that Mills will never have, that is the defense to help lower Oden's foul count that we've been running into with our poor defending guards. We're never going to be a championship contender unless Oden can get 30+ mpg out there now that he's healthy. We can't help Oden help himself if we keep having these lineups with Roy at the point or Rudy at the 3. We need to have more guys like Johnson at the point until Oden's learns how to offset the bad perimeter defending and begins getting more respect from the officials to keep his foul tallies down.

 

[Ed O]

Johnson has one thing that Mills will never have, that is the defense to help lower Oden's foul count that we've been running into with our poor defending guards.

I haven't seen much to indicate Johnson will be a good defender of PGs in the regular season. He's big and strong for a PG, but he doesn't strike me as particularly quick laterally for the position.

Mills is not a good defender at this point, and Johnson does show good anticipation defensively, but it strikes me as less accurate to say Johnson is a good defender than that Mills is a very fast player.

Ed O.

 

[gatorpops]

I haven't seen much to indicate Johnson will be a good defender of PGs in the regular season. He's big and strong for a PG, but he doesn't strike me as particularly quick laterally for the position.

Mills is not a good defender at this point, and Johnson does show good anticipation defensively, but it strikes me as less accurate to say Johnson is a good defender than that Mills is a very fast player.


Ed O.

I thought that Mills improved a lot in the five games with his defense. This leads me to believe he is both a quick and good learner. I believe he will be the better prospect going forward in the league. You just can't each his smoothness and speed. If he can learn to defend which i think he can, he will be the much better player IMO. We will see what his coaches and owner think.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I don't quite understand the 48hrs deadline...don't we have (rhetorical, I know that we do) until 24 hours before tipoff Opening Night to cut their rosters to 15. We could wait until then to see how they continue to develop, how they work with the rest of the team in training camp, how they play in preseason, if there's a big consolidation trade, etc.

I would probably prefer that Nate just shut up between the last playoff game and the first preseason game. I don't want to hear "48 hours to make a roster decision", or who's starting game one of the preseason, or who has looked good in rehab/etc.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I don't quite understand the 48hrs deadline...don't we have (rhetorical, I know that we do) until 24 hours before tipoff Opening Night to cut their rosters to 15. We could wait until then to see how they continue to develop, how they work with the rest of the team in training camp, how they play in preseason, if there's a big consolidation trade, etc.

I would probably prefer that Nate just shut up between the last playoff game and the first preseason game. I don't want to hear "48 hours to make a roster decision", or who's starting game one of the preseason, or who has looked good in rehab/etc.

I think there's an issue in Mills contract that makes the deadline relevant.