CLIFF ALEXANDER: What's up with him?

[Blazinaway]

I am assuming Cliff is healthy? I remember hearing in preseason he was a beast but he gets no playin time at all. Vonleh is doing "meh" IMO and Meyers sucks, why does Cliffy not get a chance? Anyone heard anything in him?

 

[BigGameDamian]

He's probably not NBA material.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Like many of the Blazers, his ceiling translates to "snake's belly in a wagon rut." At least with Leonard, Vonleh, et al he has plenty of company.

 

[Chris Craig]

For answer see my post in the Montero thread

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

He's way the fuck down the depth chart, that's all.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

He's a 20 year old rookie who barely played college basketball, he's probably just not ready.

 

[WillG]

I've been intrigued to see if the pre-season buzz about his play is true (Kaman comments).
And would be nice to see a PF with some toughness out on the court, but alas, Terry seems to have buried Cliff on the bench.

Would hate to see a guy that could possibly develop, go to waste a-la Will Barton.

 

[PDXFonz]

He's a 20 year old rookie who barely played college basketball, he's probably just not ready.

This, which translates to

He's way the fuck down the depth chart, that's all.

This

 

[SlyPokerDog]

His Many Rivers to Cross will always be one of my favorite songs.

 

[BBert]

He's way the fuck down the depth chart, that's all.

This

 

[BBert]

He's a 20 year old rookie who barely played college basketball, he's probably just not ready.

And this.

 

[BBert]

This, which translates to

This

Hey, wait a minute...that looks kind of familiar.

 

[MarAzul]

He's a 20 year old rookie who barely played college basketball, he's probably just not ready.

This seems a little strange to me. It isn't like the guys Stotts is playing in his position are tearing the league up. Stotts in not going to loose playoff position.
If this coach is teaching anyone, I don't see it happening nor do I see anyone improving from anything. Hell, you could hire Sly to do this good.

 

[BBert]

SlyPokerStotts?

Hell, I'm down with that!

 

[riverman]

He might not be a quick study, sort of like TRob...TRob isn't getting minutes on a really crappy Nets team..if Clif is sitting it's because he isn't there yet...think Allen Crabbe as a rookie

 

[THE HCP]

The kid is only 2 years out of high school. He is VERY raw, but he works his ass off everyday. And on a side note, don't know if it makes you want to root for him more or not, but he is a VERY COOL DUDE!

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Stotts said not to worry about him, he's raw and coming along.

That being said, I know it's good to keep hm with the team, but why not get him so D League action?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Stotts said not to worry about him, he's raw and coming along.

That being said, I know it's good to keep hm with the team, but why not get him so D League action?

I have this theory that while they claim that the players benefit more from practicing with the main team, Blazers management doesn't want players to go to the D-league because if guys tear it up down there, it will lead to fans clamoring for those guys being part of the Blazer rotation--especially in this "development season"--when they're not actually ready for that yet.

 

[Sinobas]

Come on guys, haven't you learned by now not to take Mike Barrett's offseason drivel seriously?

 

[Blazinaway]

He might not be a quick study, sort of like TRob...TRob isn't getting minutes on a really crappy Nets team..if Clif is sitting it's because he isn't there yet...think Allen Crabbe as a rookie

do we consider Vonleh a "quick study"?

 

[riverman]

do we consider Vonleh a "quick study"?

obviously he's ahead of Alexander in the rotation so that should answer the question..

 

[Blazinaway]

obviously he's ahead of Alexander in the rotation so that should answer the question..

it perhaps answers the question but my "opinion" it that its not a good answer. Vonleh is getting regular minutes and frankly not doing much with them, he not horrible but he has a LONG way to go. I hope at some point this season Cliff gets a reasonable chance, if Vonleh was showing some real improvement I would not have brought this up, nor would I have if Meyers was playing better. I mean at some point you need to "earn" the minutes given - has Vonleh really done that enough not to give Cliff a chance? and we are now at the season's half way point

 

[riverman]

it perhaps answers the question but my "opinion" it that its not a good answer. Vonleh is getting regular minutes and frankly not doing much with them, he not horrible but he has a LONG way to go. I hope at some point this season Cliff gets a reasonable chance, if Vonleh was showing some real improvement I would not have brought this up, nor would I have if Meyers was playing better. I mean at some point you need to "earn" the minutes given - has Vonleh really done that enough not to give Cliff a chance? and we are now at the season's half way point

We disagree about Vonleh...I trust the coaches decision. This reminds me of folks clamouring for TRob to play more when he wasn't ready either. Vonleh is defending better than Leonard right now and we need defense at the 4 with the starting unit. I think Cliff is a future piece but he's not cracking the rotation this season...in my opinion, it's a good answer but a predictable question about a bottom of the bench project guy. We do this every season. Victor Claver was more NBA ready than Cliff is.

 

[Schilly]

This is one of the few places where I think "realism" masquerades as "optimism" . Usually it imitates "Pessimism".

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

This is one of the few places where I think "realism" masquerades as "optimism" . Usually it imitates "Pessimism".

If you mean Alexander is already so good in practice that they are hiding him to help us tank is realism then call me optimistic. I just know he is the next Hakeem.

 

[jlprk]

He is injury-prone. As a college freshman, he missed the preseason, then the last 8 games. Then on May 31 before any NBA teams could see him, he suffered a right knee injury in a Laker workout. After Summer League, he missed the entire Blazer preseason due to his knee. He then missed the first 6 regular season games due to minor torn cartilage issues.

EVERY DETAIL you've ever wanted to know about his high school career is here. NOTHING has been left out. Prepare to read a BOOK about what he did in high school.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Alexander

DID YOU KNOW...When little Cliff was 5, his father declared for the 2001 NBA draft? He went undrafted, like his son 14 years later. Then the father played in the D-League...maybe Cliff has seen some D-League games. STRANGE BUT TRUE.

 

[Schilly]

If you mean Alexander is already so good in practice that they are hiding him to help us tank is realism then call me optimistic. I just know he is the next Hakeem.

What I mean is "realists" typically are there to bring people down to earth from their delusional optimism.... Example saying a team or a player is better than he actually is. In the case of this forum as I have watched it evolved essentially over 15 years The pessimism is so overbearing that "realists" come in and try to bring up the Optimism level so people can pull their heads out of the sand. Example being that Cliff isn't playing because he is buried on the depth chart. Ok that's saying we have better players therefore an optimistic approach as compared to saying "he must be a terrible wast of a roster spot", which is a negative angle. The reality is we honestly don't know beyond a few glipses if he is good or bad and for most 20 year old's in their 1st appearances you can't tell be cause adrenaline takes over and they get the yips.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

What I mean is "realists" typically are there to bring people down to earth from their delusional optimism.... Example saying a team or a player is better than he actually is. In the case of this forum as I have watched it evolved essentially over 15 years The pessimism is so overbearing that "realists" come in and try to bring up the Optimism level so people can pull their heads out of the sand. Example being that Cliff isn't playing because he is buried on the depth chart. Ok that's saying we have better players therefore an optimistic approach as compared to saying "he must be a terrible wast of a roster spot", which is a negative angle. The reality is we honestly don't know beyond a few glipses if he is good or bad and for most 20 year old's in their 1st appearances you can't tell be cause adrenaline takes over and they get the yips.

So he's awesome? That's what I said.

As to your actual point. Kingspeed isn't even real. He's a computer simulation.

 

[Schilly]

So he's awesome? That's what I said.

As to your actual point. Kingspeed isn't even real. He's a computer simulation.

So was Mixum

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Whether he has shown much or not I will say that this is one guy who I don't mind waiting on and giving lots of time to. He was rated as equal or better than Okafor as High School Senior.