Blazers Sign Elliot Williams

[OSUBlazerfan]

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Trail Blazers have signed rookie guard Elliot Williams. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re very excited to have a player with the character and potential that Elliot has,” said Director of College Scouting Chad Buchanan. “He’s made some pretty big strides in college and now we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do at the next level.”

Portland selected Williams with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft.

Williams, 21, posted averages of 17.9 points (45.9% FG, 36.6% 3-PT, 75.8% FT), 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.32 steals in 34 games (all starts) as a sophomore at Memphis in 2009-10, earning All-Conference USA First Team and Conference USA Newcomer of the Year honors.

The 6-5, 180-pound guard played his freshman year at Duke in 2008-09, where he averaged 4.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 34 games before transferring to Memphis.

Williams will practice with the team’s NBA Summer League squad but will be held out of game action as a precautionary measure due to injury.

http://www.iamatrailblazersfan.com/ArticleDisplayPlaceholder/tabid/192/ItemID/1570/Default.aspx

 

[RR7]

hmm, so much for his rights being included in a trade.

 

[THE HCP]

=Practice Dummy!

 

[barfo]

hmm, so much for his rights being included in a trade.

You can trade his salary instead.

barfo

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

You can trade his salary instead.

barfo

Why would we do that? Seems counter-productive

 

[barfo]

Why would we do that? Seems counter-productive

For somebody better, obviously.

barfo

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

For somebody better, obviously.

barfo

Ah, i see, so Elliot + Filler = CP3?

 

[barfo]

Ah, i see, so Elliot + Filler = CP3?

No, I'm not willing to give up Filler, Filler has too much potential.

barfo

 

[ABM]

E-Dub.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Besides, to make that trade work Filler must make somewhere around 12-17M and be able to be traded almost straight-across for CP3. I say keep that guy. Good thing we can't trade Filler without a GM

 

[Nikolokolus]

Free Williams!!!

Just wanted to put that out there preemptively for those that are bound to ask why his butt is glued to the bench in February with 50 DNPs

 

[Blazinaway]

Free Williams!!!

Just wanted to put that out there preemptively when for those that are bound to ask why his butt is glued to the bench in February with 50 DNPs

+1, LMAO

 

[Rastapopoulos]

One reason to sign him would be to make up salary in a trade. His rights alone don't count, but once signed he could make up the difference in a trade (say with Prz for Deng - which, of course, will not be happening now that LeBron has committed to the Clippers (sources tell me).)

 

[BlazerBeav]

Interestingly, coverage of this event was buried by ESPN.

 

[andalusian]

Interestingly, coverage of this event was buried by ESPN.

Too important for ESPN. This will be aired on ABC.

 

[Idog1976]

http://www.iamatrailblazersfan.com/ArticleDisplayPlaceholder/tabid/192/ItemID/1570/Default.aspx

Thank god! Now we can compete with the "Triumverate" in Miami!

 

[Idog1976]

Free Williams!!!

Just wanted to put that out there preemptively for those that are bound to ask why his butt is glued to the bench in February with 50 DNPs

Channeling your inner Maris are you? Oh never mind Melanin count way too high on this kid to draw Maris' attention.

 

[Idog1976]

Too important for ESPN. This will be aired on ABC.

I heard there is an ESPN 1 hour program called "The Decision: Take the money and run, or re-enter the draft".

It's gonna bump LeBron because it's too fucked to have an hour long show saying FUCK YOU to Cleveland fans.

 

[maxiep]

I'm still unclear on Williams' role with this club. Will he replace Rudy as the backup two? Will he be a defensive specialist? Will we ask him to play some point?

For those who know his game, please give me some input.

 

[andalusian]

I'm still unclear on Williams' role with this club. Will he replace Rudy as the backup two? Will he be a defensive specialist? Will we ask him to play some point?

For those who know his game, please give me some input.

From what I read - he is a longer, lighter Jerryd Bayless.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm still unclear on Williams' role with this club. Will he replace Rudy as the backup two? Will he be a defensive specialist? Will we ask him to play some point?

For those who know his game, please give me some input.

A few comparisons to Russell Westbrook: long, athletic, specialized in D his freshmen year at Duke before he had to transfer back home to Memphis to be closer to his ailing mom, where he became their defacto point guard/playmaker, he also doesn't really have much of a right hand. Do I think he'll be as good as Westbtrook as a pro? probably not, but it never hurts to bet on guys who can jump out the gym, shoot it a little bit and see the floor OK.

Like all late first round picks he's probably a longshot to become anything more than a role player.

 

[THE HCP]

I'm still unclear on Williams' role with this club. Will he replace Rudy as the backup two? Will he be a defensive specialist? Will we ask him to play some point?

For those who know his game, please give me some input.

I honestly think he won't play before Bayless or Rudy. He is a Bayless clone.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I honestly think he won't play before Bayless or Rudy. He is a Bayless clone.

Man, you keep holding out hope for Rudy don't you? Let it go buddy, he's gonzo.

 

[Idog1976]

Man, you keep holding out hope for Rudy don't you? Let it go buddy, he's gonzo.

HCP gets all his best pussy as Rudy's wingman/clean-up batter. Don't kill the dream Nik you selfish bastard! What about HCP's needs?

 

[maxiep]

So, we're going to play Williams at the one? He has the footspeed to guard points? From what I understand he needs to develop an outside game.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I honestly think he won't play before Bayless or Rudy. He is a Bayless clone.

The reason you draft a Bayless clone? So you can trade Bayless. I think Bayless will get traded.

 

[crandc]

The Sporting News thought well of him FWIW.

 

[hasoos]

No hour long special to explain why they signed him?

 

[Nikolokolus]

Draft express' in depth review of his synergy tape and situational statistics:

Situational Statistics: This Year’s Shooting Guard Crop
June 10, 2010
Elliot Williams does a number of things exceptionally well, and has the potential to be an efficient scorer if he improves some of his scoring tools.

Ranking right around average in terms of usage at 17.4 possessions per-game and slightly above average at 0.961 PPP overall, Williams’ best asset in comparison to his peers is his ability to use his quickness to get to the line. He was fouled on an impressive 14.2% of his overall shots, leading our sample of prospects by more than 3%.

Despite ranking right around average in terms of half court field goal percentage (42.2%), Williams scores on a higher percentage (45.4%) of his non-fast break possessions than any other player. Clearly, his first step plays a major role in his ability to create contact at the rim. His role for Memphis certainly helped as well.

Although he spent nearly twice as many of his possessions playing off the ball in spot up situations than Evan Turner (17.2% vs. 9.5%), Williams got some 43% of his offense operating one-on-one or working off a pick. A capable jump shooter when left open (42.9%), but limited when defended (27.3%), the Duke transfer has the resume of a guard capable of sliding over to handle the ball next to a shooting point guard or remaining off the ball and slashing to the rim.

Williams only shot 1.9 pull up jumpers per-game last season, preferring to drive all the way to the rim where he shot an average 51.3%. Given his lack of physical strength, Williams will need to continue to hone his shooting ability in the mid-range area to become a more complete offensive threat at the shooting guard position.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Elliot-Williams-5153/#ixzz0t8ALmfOU
http://www.draftexpress.com

The biggest things that jump out at me are that he was better in the half court than he was the full court and that he played off the ball and shot pretty well in catch and shoot situations -- almost certainly a 2 and not a 1.

Really he sounds like a guy who is going to need a couple of years at minimum to add sufficient bulk, to work on his off-hand and to refine his in-between game, but somebody that might be capable of being a decent wing defender and off-the ball shooter in Nate's grind it out half-court oriented offense.

I wish him luck.

 

[LittleAlex]

Draft express' in depth review of his synergy tape and situational statistics:



The biggest things that jump out at me are that he was better in the half court than he was the full court and that he played off the ball and shot pretty well in catch and shoot situations -- almost certainly a 2 and not a 1.

Really he sounds like a guy who is going to need a couple of years at minimum to add sufficient bulk, to work on his off-hand and to refine his in-between game, but somebody that might be capable of being a decent wing defender and off-the ball shooter in Nate's grind it out half-court oriented offense.

I wish him luck.

I wish he was going to play in summer league, if only so I could watch him play a whole game once.

I didn't see any of his games in college.