Craig Smith?

[Blazinaway]

I am liking it too

LOL, are we now in an alternate universe?

 

[blazerboy30]

I cannot remember ever seeing this much agreement on this board. I'm scared.

I disagree.

 

[THE HCP]

I cannot remember ever seeing this much agreement on this board. I'm scared.

Fuck you! You have no idea what your talking about!

 

[tlongII]

He's a beast..... Gary Trent style. Can't wait til somebody like David West or Pau Gasol or some other hack lays out one of our guards in a tight game. Nate will turn to Smith and send him in to be the Enforcer! Lay some wood on somebody! I have a feeling with him and Kurt Thomas, we won't be getting bullied around much.

LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKE!

 

[Draco]

Hollinger ESPN analysis

Blazers sign Craig Smith for one year, veteran's minimum: Thumbs waaaaaaaay up



I had presumed this deal was using the Blazers' biannual exception; the fact this was for the minimum and they still preserve that exception makes it an absolute steal.

This was a strong move for the Blazers, who get an underrated, physical 4 for a laughably cheap price. Smith is heavy, short and doesn't shoot well, plus he doesn't especially look like a basketball player, and this has diminished his perception in the free-agent market. But he's been very productive everywhere he's played, and this move filled a glaring hole in the Blazers' frontcourt behind LaMarcus Aldridge.

As for the Clippers, Smith's former team, they were caught sleeping at the wheel and are left with a giant void now. While everyone celebrates Lob City, keep in mind that their backups at the three frontcourt positions right now are Ryan Gomes, Brian Cook and Trey Thompkins. That's more like Sob City. L.A. has only a $2.5 million "under-cap" exception and whatever Mo Williams can bring it in a trade to fix this problem, as well as trying to land a wing player who can guard somebody.

 

[Kaydow]

He's a beast..... Gary Trent style. Can't wait til somebody like David West or Pau Gasol or some other hack lays out one of our guards in a tight game. Nate will turn to Smith and send him in to be the Enforcer! Lay some wood on somebody! I have a feeling with him and Kurt Thomas, we won't be getting bullied around much.

We haven't had that since . . . Channing Frye.

 

[Sinobas]

I don't think he's quite a athletic as Trent.

 

[jlprk]

Trent was a more all-round player. More rounded. Not just fatter!

Trent was drafted with some good names around him.
Quiz: Who was drafted one spot above him?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1995.html

 

[Boob-No-More]

Hollinger ESPN analysis

One year at the vet minimum is an absolute steal.

The Clippers have Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. That makes them dangerous on any given night, but they had to overpay to keep Deandre Jordan and now have no bench. It will be interesting to see how they hold up under the shortened, compressed schedule. The Clippers overspent to improve their starting unit, but sacrificed depth big time. The Blazers have greatly improved their depth by picking up proven veterans on short, bargain basement contracts. It will be interesting to see who comes out ahead, both this season and long term. If CP3 flees the Clips for the Knicks as a free agent, or gets injured, the Clippers are totally fucked. They've put all their eggs in one basket.

BNM

 

[Denny Crane]

One year at the vet minimum is an absolute steal.

The Clippers have Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. That makes them dangerous on any given night, but they had to overpay to keep Deandre Jordan and now have no bench. It will be interesting to see how they hold up under the shortened, compressed schedule. The Clippers overspent to improve their starting unit, but sacrificed depth big time. The Blazers have greatly improved their depth by picking up proven veterans on short, bargain basement contracts. It will be interesting to see who comes out ahead, both this season and long term. If CP3 flees the Clips for the Knicks as a free agent, or gets injured, the Clippers are totally fucked. They've put all their eggs in one basket.

BNM

If #7 pick Trey Thompkins can give them minutes, they're not all that bad on the bench. They do need to sign Kurt Thomas type guys to round it out, though.

The do have DeAndre Jordan to play C.

 

[MickZagger]

Trey Thompkins shouldn't be bad off the bench.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

If #37 pick Trey Thompkins can give them minutes, they're not all that bad on the bench. They do need to sign Kurt Thomas type guys to round it out, though.

The do have DeAndre Jordan to play C.

FTFY

 

[Draco]

Mo Williams and Eric Bledsoe are great bench players. Ryan Gomes is solid, I'd rather have him then Craig Smith.

 

[Denny Crane]

FTFY

Yahoo! confused me. It says "7th pick" (but 2nd round

 

[Boob-No-More]

Mo Williams and Eric Bledsoe are great bench players. Ryan Gomes is solid, I'd rather have him then Craig Smith.

Gomes sucks. He used to be decent but his production has fallen three seasons in a row and fell off a cliff last year look at the huge dip in PER, PT/36 and REB/36). Besides, he's a 3, not a 4. In giving up Kaman and Smith, they are REALLY thin off the bench at 4 and 5. Jordan will now be their starting center. Like I said, they improved their starting 5, but weakened their bench. I suspect they'll try to move Mo Williams for a back-up big, but I'm not sure how successful that will be. I wouldn't call Bledsoe a great bench player. He had a solid rookie season, but his advanced stats were pretty meh (PER - 10.8, WS/48 = 0.008).

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Trey Thompkins shouldn't be bad off the bench.

He's a rookie second rounder. How good can he be? And, he may be their best back-up big at this point.

BNM

 

[MickZagger]

Millsap and Blair were backup 2nd rounders a couple years ago. He fell big time in the draft, he was projected for a long time as a 1st rounder. I don't think he'll be an absolute scrub.