Blazers Beat Reporter Mike Richman did an AMA

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
My takeaways

- Glad I’m not the only one thinking about using Turner at the 4.

- Every time I read Meyers and will play in the same sentence I died.

- Aminu at C is an interesting idea as well. It’s happened before and with more teams going away from having a traditional backup center, could be something to play with if Zach gets in foul trouble.

- I like the idea of a ten man rotation early in the season. I feel we only have about 7 rotation spots locked up, and that’s assuming Harkless is ready to go opening night.

- gut feeling says Aminu gets extended instead of traded. He’s valuable, even if Zach takes a starting spot from him.
 
Scalma said:
It would presumably be Turner and Collins
Click to expand...
Yeah I guess they'd be mutually exclusive. I don't know why we wouldn't play Moe at the 4 instead of Turner..
 
Scalma said:
If Layman is for real he could be another option as a stretch 4.
Click to expand...
I like this idea better, especially given his added strength. I think he could regularly attack and beat opposing PFs off the dribble.
 
Someday NBCSportsNW might widen their scope beyond BlazersEdge and y'all might be talking about HCP and a certain someone (technically) being co-workers. :devilwink:
 
This upcoming season feels like its gonna be very mediocre and very weird. I don't like the lineups at all. It all feels so uncertain and just destined to fail. Neil should stop trying to convince us in Olshey and also, I know Dame and others have talked up Meyers again but man I just can't start to believe it after how many chances he has got. ET is meh. Nobody knows what is going on with Moe. Aminu is meh. Nurk is also kind of a toss up because he can be inconsistent. Collins is a toss up. He has his good games but also games where he doesn't exist. I honestly don't know where this team is even going, is there even a plan? I liked the pick up of seth curry and that's about it.
 
Lineup offered without comment:

Starters: Dame/CJ/Trent/Collins/Nurk
Bench: Baldwin/Curry/Harkless/Aminu
 
Cippy91 said:
This upcoming season feels like its gonna be very mediocre and very weird. I don't like the lineups at all. It all feels so uncertain and just destined to fail. Neil should stop trying to convince us in Olshey and also, I know Dame and others have talked up Meyers again but man I just can't start to believe it after how many chances he has got. ET is meh. Nobody knows what is going on with Moe. Aminu is meh. Nurk is also kind of a toss up because he can be inconsistent. Collins is a toss up. He has his good games but also games where he doesn't exist. I honestly don't know where this team is even going, is there even a plan? I liked the pick up of seth curry and that's about it.
Click to expand...

Cippy, my man, why so down? You look at that glass of Red Bull and rum and to you, it looks half empty. From where I'm sitting, it looks half full. Here's why:

Nurk just turned 24 a month ago. Last season was his first as a full time starter. Sure, he struggled initially on the offensive end, but he eventually settled down and, took (and made) better shots, cut down on the TOVs, etc. From the opening game, he was rock solid all season long on the defensive end. He transformed us from a bottom 5 to a top 8 defense. That's quite an accomplishment for such a young, inexperienced player. He still has room for improvement. We have not yet seen Nurk at his best.

Statistically, Zach Collins had an absolutely abysmal rookie year. But, he was only 19 when the season started and had one year of college ball - as a back up. He can only get better (he can't possibly get worse statistically than he was last year).

We return all of our starters from a team that won 49 games. Do you realize how few teams can say the same. If they were able to win 49 games and claim the 3rd seed last year, why cant they do it again (or better) this year? The ONLY key player we lost was Ed Davis. I loved Ed, but he was a back up who played less than 19 MPG and had an average made FG distance of 2.4 feet - not exactly spacing the floor. Great guy, great teammate, solid back up, but his production can be replaced. Zach Collins will get minutes backing up both the 4 and 5 spots and should be able to replace, or exceed Ed's contributions. Zach is bigger, quicker and more talented offensively. He will block more shots and score more points than Ed ever did. If not this year, then next. He's still young, but he will get there. He's a fearless, competivem hard working player with a take no prisoners attitude, on the defensive end. Its rare to see such a young player take so much pride in his defense.

The rest of our bench got better. We have much better shooters, scorers and defenders to trot out with the second unit this year than last year, or anytime in many, many years. These guys are going to be battling for minutes (and some of them playing for their next contracts). That internal competition is healthy. It will make them better, make the team better and give the coach more options to choose from.

I really look forward to watching Simons and Trent Jr. develop. Even if neither cracks the regular rotation this season (I believe Trent Jr. will, during the second half of the season), it will be fun watching these two teenagers get their first taste of NBA action. I think they both have a lot of upside.

Or not...

You never know. That's why the play the games. I can't wait! I'm totally amped for this season to get started!

BNM
 
Wizard Mentor said:
Lineup offered without comment:

Starters: Dame/CJ/Trent/Collins/Nurk
Click to expand...

Starting line up of the future? Is Reddick projected to start again this year in PHI, if so, and Ariza starts in PHO, that would possibly be the youngest starring line up outside of SAC (and they'll suck, so who cares?). I don't expect to actually see those five starting this season, but I'd love to see them be the five on the floor at the end of games post all star break. Nurk and Collins for their defense, Trent for his long range shooting, ability to draw fouls, and willingness to take big shots. And, of course, Dame and C.J. because they are our two best players and best scorers.

I'd also like to see some side pick and roll action between C.J. and Collins, like we used to see with Batum and Rolo. The pick and roll is a damn effective two-man play, but when all you do is run high pick and rolls with Dame and Nurk, it becomes too damn predictable. Let some of the other guys get in on that action. With C.J. and Collins, you can even mix up the pick and roll with an occasional pick and pop to keep the defense off balance and guessing.

BNM
 
Boob-No-More said:
I meant over the course of a season, not just for one game. Or, do you think he's already peaked and it's all down hill from here?

BNM
Click to expand...
I understand. That one game is at his best though. I'd love to see more than that. If he does, he could become a Top 10 center all time (Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, Mikan, Walton, Robinson, Ewing, Ben Wallace.)
 
Cippy91 said:
This upcoming season feels like its gonna be very mediocre and very weird. I don't like the lineups at all. It all feels so uncertain and just destined to fail. Neil should stop trying to convince us in Olshey and also, I know Dame and others have talked up Meyers again but man I just can't start to believe it after how many chances he has got. ET is meh. Nobody knows what is going on with Moe. Aminu is meh. Nurk is also kind of a toss up because he can be inconsistent. Collins is a toss up. He has his good games but also games where he doesn't exist. I honestly don't know where this team is even going, is there even a plan? I liked the pick up of seth curry and that's about it.
Click to expand...
Didn't we have all these question marks last year though? And none really solved themselves foe the better.

Moe was MIA half the season.
Aminu and ET had typical seasons.
Nurk was inconsistent.
Collins was meh, and only a rookie.
The team played a horrible brand of basketball.
CJ had a down year.

And through all that, we got the 3rd seed.
 
Boob-No-More said:
Cippy, my man, why so down? You look at that glass of Red Bull and rum and to you, it looks half empty. From where I'm sitting, it looks half full. Here's why:

Nurk just turned 24 a month ago. Last season was his first as a full time starter. Sure, he struggled initially on the offensive end, but he eventually settled down and, took (and made) better shots, cut down on the TOVs, etc. From the opening game, he was rock solid all season long on the defensive end. He transformed us from a bottom 5 to a top 8 defense. That's quite an accomplishment for such a young, inexperienced player. He still has room for improvement. We have not yet seen Nurk at his best.

Statistically, Zach Collins had an absolutely abysmal rookie year. But, he was only 19 when the season started and had one year of college ball - as a back up. He can only get better (he can't possibly get worse statistically than he was last year).

We return all of our starters from a team that won 49 games. Do you realize how few teams can say the same. If they were able to win 49 games and claim the 3rd seed last year, why cant they do it again (or better) this year? The ONLY key player we lost was Ed Davis. I loved Ed, but he was a back up who played less than 19 MPG and had an average made FG distance of 2.4 feet - not exactly spacing the floor. Great guy, great teammate, solid back up, but his production can be replaced. Zach Collins will get minutes backing up both the 4 and 5 spots and should be able to replace, or exceed Ed's contributions. Zach is bigger, quicker and more talented offensively. He will block more shots and score more points than Ed ever did. If not this year, then next. He's still young, but he will get there. He's a fearless, competivem hard working player with a take no prisoners attitude, on the defensive end. Its rare to see such a young player take so much pride in his defense.

The rest of our bench got better. We have much better shooters, scorers and defenders to trot out with the second unit this year than last year, or anytime in many, many years. These guys are going to be battling for minutes (and some of them playing for their next contracts). That internal competition is healthy. It will make them better, make the team better and give the coach more options to choose from.

I really look forward to watching Simons and Trent Jr. develop. Even if neither cracks the regular rotation this season (I believe Trent Jr. will, during the second half of the season), it will be fun watching these two teenagers get their first taste of NBA action. I think they both have a lot of upside.

Or not...

You never know. That's why the play the games. I can't wait! I'm totally amped for this season to get started!

BNM
Click to expand...
I get it and I like Zach Collins a lot. I too also am interested to see how Simons and Trent develop. Interested in how Nurk plays. I guess I am more so looking at the future beyond this year thinking damn what assets do we have besides an expiring Aminu and Harkless contract? I just want this team to get better, I feel like we have been in the same place for a few years now. I thought we got back great on our feet after LA left but ever since then it's just been meh
 
BonesJones said:
Didn't we have all these question marks last year though? And none really solved themselves foe the better.

Moe was MIA half the season.
Aminu and ET had typical seasons.
Nurk was inconsistent.
Collins was meh, and only a rookie.
The team played a horrible brand of basketball.
CJ had a down year.

And through all that, we got the 3rd seed.
Click to expand...
I guess I just have the same questions because I don't know which player has really proved themselves. They all have had their flashes of great games and then very underwhelming games. The consistency outside of Dame and relying on CJ just kinda falls apart. I hope the season is good, I really do but it just looks off right now from the feeling I get. I hope it's wrong though
 
Cippy91 said:
I guess I just have the same questions because I don't know which player has really proved themselves. They all have had their flashes of great games and then very underwhelming games. The consistency outside of Dame and relying on CJ just kinda falls apart. I hope the season is good, I really do but it just looks off right now from the feeling I get. I hope it's wrong though
Click to expand...
I'm just saying, imagine if we find that consistency. Something to be excited about.
 
Which Blazers beat the reporter, and why? :dunno:

Were they arrested? :dunno:

Is the reporter expected to live? :dunno:

So many unanswered questions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

SlyPokerDog
OT Draymond Green AMA
Replies
3
Views
279
SlyPokerDog
SlyPokerDog
OSUBlazerfan
Local Reporter Matt Smith questions Blazers Management
Replies
12
Views
1K
jlprk
jlprk
Chris Craig
Forum Game Blazers Trivia
Replies
29
Views
2K
Lanny
Lanny
SlyPokerDog
New Blazers head coach: Rasheed Wallace
Replies
17
Views
3K
Natebishop3
Natebishop3
SlyPokerDog
Brian Grant and Terry Porter have joined Blazer staff
Replies
21
Views
880
barfo
barfo

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top