Blazers Targeting Wrong Small Forward (FanHouse)

[ABM]

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/07/01/blazers-targeting-wrong-small-forward/

Rumors have run wild that Orlando Magic free agent Hedo Turkoglu is the main target of the Portland Trail Blazers this free-agent season. The Blazers are in need of veteran leadership and help at the small forward position, but I'm not sure that Turkoglu is the answer.

Turkoglu was extremely effective with the Magic this postseason, but that doesn't mean he's the right piece for the Blazers. If I were the Blazers, I would target........................

 

[Tyler_Hansbrough]

Trevor Ariza. Not going to happen. I agree though. I would rather have Ariza. But it's not going to happen.

 

[rocketeer]

i don't understand why so many people seem to feel that ariza is an upgrade over batum/outlaw/webster.

 

[julius]

i don't understand why so many people seem to feel that ariza is an upgrade over batum/outlaw/webster.

I think people just fall in love with certain kinds of players and think they're going to be better than they really are. Ariza is one of those kinds (Sergio is another, as is Outlaw, Sebastian and Martel).

 

[tlongII]

I think people just fall in love with certain kinds of players and think they're going to be better than they really are. Ariza is one of those kinds (Sergio is another, as is Outlaw, Sebastian and Martel).

So is Hedo.

 

[Public Defender]

... Trevor Ariza? Gag.

I'm not sold on Turkoglu either, especially at the price he's reportedly asking. But Ariza? Batum isn't far from Ariza's skill set, he's more upside, and has a far better attitude. No thanks.

And why does everyone keep saying "Turkoglu needs the ball in his hands to be effective"? He didn't have the ball in his hands that much in Sacramento. It was just in the last few years - when his assist average jumped from 3 to 5 per game, and his turnovers increased from 2 to 3 per game, when Orlando was using him as something of a point-forward. The Blazers don't have to do that.

It's funny - the knock on guys who can create their own shot, like Turkoglu, is "they need the ball in their hands." And guys who are spot-up jump shooters who don't handle the ball much? "They can't create their own shot." Can't win.

Turkoglu is a good ball player who would adjust to playing off the ball, but would also be given opportunities to create, I'm sure. I'm not sold on him, but Ariza? No friggin' way.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I see too much overlap between Ariza and Batum for Ariza to be a good pickup. Hedo on the other hand is a true point forward, an entirely different set of skills.

 

[Minstrel]

I like the type of player that Ariza is. If Portland didn't have Batum, I'd be very interested in Ariza, as a poor man's Gerald Wallace. But with Batum in place, I want a different type of player (unless the ability level is a lot higher than current Batum, which Ariza isn't but, say, Gerald Wallace would be if he were a UFA).

 

[whatsmyname]

send it to KP

 

[oldmangrouch]

Ariza and Outlaw would be a nice mix-and-match pair at SF.....if we didn't have a very similar player in Batum.

The question then becomes, how long will it take Batum to develop? Is it worth it to sign Ariza for 5 years, ride him for 2, and then flip him for someone else? Or maybe he is so good, Batum becomes trade bait.

That is the *best* case scenario. It is also possible that you get stuck with 2 players who broadly overlap in skills, and the inferior one winds up with no trade value. It also means you can't afford to deal Outlaw, as he is the only one of the three who can generate his own offense.

IMHO, we have more pressing needs.

 

[B-Roy]

I see too much overlap between Ariza and Batum for Ariza to be a good pickup. Hedo on the other hand is a true point forward, an entirely different set of skills.

Yeah, I can't imagine going after Ariza with Batum. Hedo is on a different level.

 

[LittleAlex]

Ariza and Outlaw would be a nice mix-and-match pair at SF.....if we didn't have a very similar player in Batum.

The question then becomes, how long will it take Batum to develop? Is it worth it to sign Ariza for 5 years, ride him for 2, and then flip him for someone else? Or maybe he is so good, Batum becomes trade bait.

That is the *best* case scenario. It is also possible that you get stuck with 2 players who broadly overlap in skills, and the inferior one winds up with no trade value. It also means you can't afford to deal Outlaw, as he is the only one of the three who can generate his own offense.

IMHO, we have more pressing needs.

Outlaw isn't good for anything.

Besides which, Outlaw is really only effective at the power forward spot, not the small forward position like everyone would want him to be.

Ariza + Outlaw = One of the worst small forward tandems in the NBA.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

i don't understand why so many people seem to feel that ariza is an upgrade over batum/outlaw/webster.

Agreed. Ariza is a similar player to what we already have. Hedo is a step down from what we have. This is hard to figure.

 

[rocketeer]

Agreed. Ariza is a similar player to what we already have. Hedo is a step down from what we have. This is hard to figure.

the idea that hedo is a step down from what the blazers have is another thing i can't understand. he clearly is a better player than anyone but roy on the perimeter for portland.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

the idea that hedo is a step down from what the blazers have is another thing i can't understand. he clearly is a better player than anyone but roy on the perimeter for portland.

Hedo is what I call a "fool's gold" player. He'll just plain suck for a few games and just when people are ready to give up on him he'll have a really great game and everyone blindly jumps back on the Hedo Bandwagon. Then a few more terrible games...

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I think Ariza is a much more physical player than Batum.

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

Houston needs to blow their team up. We need to get Shane Battier.