Devil's advocate

[Fez Hammersticks]

Lets say Brandon Roy misses a huge chunk of the season with knee surgery how could Cho keep this teams Playoff hopes afloat?

Wesley Matthews showed last year that he's a capable starter. As sporadic as his role has been this year it's not surprising he's looked less than impressive. With a more defined role and minutes will only do him good.

What I think Cho should do is actually do something with our exp. contracts and target a PG who can shoot. I was thinking someone like Devin Harris and then I looked at his career 3pt% and it's ugly: 30%! - Monta Ellis is also a career 30% shooter from deep.

PG:
SG: Matthews
SF: Batum
PF: Aldridge
C: Camby

We can still be a very good team!

 

[Minstrel]

Lets say Brandon Roy misses a huge chunk of the season with knee surgery how could Cho keep this teams Playoff hopes afloat?

Wesley Matthews showed last year that he's a capable starter. As sporadic as his role has been this year it's not surprising he's looked less than impressive. With a more defined role and minutes will only do him good.

What I think Cho should do is actually do something with our exp. contracts and target a PG who can shoot. I was thinking someone like Devin Harris and then I looked at his career 3pt% and it's ugly: 30%! - Monta Ellis is also a career 30% shooter from deep.

PG:
SG: Matthews
SF: Batum
PF: Aldridge
C: Camby

We can still be a very good team!

Yeah, that hole at point guard is a problem. If we could get a good, smart point guard, we'd still be in very solid shape. Something like this:

PG: Andre Miller
SG: Wes Matthews
SF: Nic Batum
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Marcus Camby (or Greg Oden in the future)

Now, don't ask me how we get an Andre Miller-caliber point guard without giving up any starters, but that's what Cho is paid for.

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

We need shooters

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

IMO, if we can not advance in the playoffs this season, we should deal Miller, JPEC and Camby to fill some positions, namely the positions we've needed for years...backup PF and a starting PG of the Future. Get younger (BUT WITH TALENT) and push the timetable back a bit.

Merely "making" the playoffs is useless.

Feed Aldridge as the primary focus offensively.

 

[Minstrel]

We need shooters

Not really. Shooting is supposed to be one of Matthew's strengths, and it's definitely one of Batum's. Two shooters in the starting lineup is plenty. Andre Miller would be the only slasher in the group, unless/until Batum becomes more regularly aggressive.

 

[illmatic99]

This is hardly "devil's advocate." Nearly half the board is saying the same thing.

 

[hasoos]

Yeah, that hole at point guard is a problem. If we could get a good, smart point guard, we'd still be in very solid shape. Something like this:

PG: Andre Miller
SG: Wes Matthews
SF: Nic Batum
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Marcus Camby (or Greg Oden in the future)

Now, don't ask me how we get an Andre Miller-caliber point guard without giving up any starters, but that's what Cho is paid for.

My concern isn't that we will have some guys who can start and compete. I think my biggest concerns for the team right now is depth. Right now Roy plays minutes at the 2 and 3. Batum's only backup for the most part is Mathews. So if Mathews gets switched to SG, who backs up Batum? We start heading towards that line where we really have no true backup at the 4, no true backup at the 3, and the front line starts getting smaller.

As for the playoffs, I still believe the teams battling for that 7th and 8th spot aren't really scary, the playoffs are still most likely a reality for the team. Houston has been struggling. Denver just got their ass totally kicked in a way that might send them into a death spiral. Hell, at least we didn't have our best player on the floor and get 54 points dropped on us in 1 quarter by Indianapolis of all teams.

 

[Minstrel]

My concern isn't that we will have some guys who can start and compete. I think my biggest concerns for the team right now is depth. Right now Roy plays minutes at the 2 and 3. Batum's only backup for the most part is Mathews. So if Mathews gets switched to SG, who backs up Batum? We start heading towards that line where we really have no true backup at the 4, no true backup at the 3, and the front line starts getting smaller.

Cunningham is a perfectly serviceable backup, who could swing between the 3/4 (yes, the dreaded 'tweener, but a 'tweener is not a big deal for a reserve, since you're mixing and matching so much anyway).

Sure, losing the team's two best players (Roy and Oden) and a good player (Przybilla) weakens the depth, but it's not a disaster situation on the bench, IMO.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Yeah, that hole at point guard is a problem. If we could get a good, smart point guard, we'd still be in very solid shape. Something like this:

PG: Andre Miller
SG: Wes Matthews
SF: Nic Batum
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Marcus Camby (or Greg Oden in the future)

Now, don't ask me how we get an Andre Miller-caliber point guard without giving up any starters, but that's what Cho is paid for.

That would never happen, Portland would never trade him for our expiring contracts, he's too valuable to them with Roy looking hobbled. I suppose they might think about it if we offered to do a one-for-one swap of Dre' for Andre, but that seems like kind of a lateral move at best.

 

[BGrantFan]

Yeah, that hole at point guard is a problem. If we could get a good, smart point guard, we'd still be in very solid shape. Something like this:

PG: Andre Miller
SG: Wes Matthews
SF: Nic Batum
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Marcus Camby (or Greg Oden in the future)

Now, don't ask me how we get an Andre Miller-caliber point guard without giving up any starters, but that's what Cho is paid for.

HAHAHA! Repped. I was looking under my desk for the PG!

 

[bemac]

PG:
SG: Matthews
SF: Batum
PF: Aldridge
C: Camby

We can still be a very good team!

Talk about the perfect team for Miller to be PG on. What is it with the shooter thing with fans....

Rudy off the bench, or starting, we are fine with one of the smartest playmakers in the game running the show.

Aldridge, Batum, Matthews and Rudy are all shooters. That's plenty.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I think we're fine at guard. (Well, could be better, but still better than a lot of teams.) Where we're thin is up front. I want Przybilla back ASAP. And maybe target a scorer like Antawn Jamison, who is not happy coming off the bench in Cleveland.

In fact, damn Cleveland and their stubborn refusal to tank! They should be giving us Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao AND Antawn Jamison, for pennies on the dollar.

(Waiting for the first person to point out that Jerryd Bayless would be really useful if Roy's out...)

 

[BGrantFan]

Talk about the perfect team for Miller to be PG on. What is it with the shooter thing with fans....

Rudy off the bench, or starting, we are fine with one of the smartest playmakers in the game running the show.

Aldridge, Batum, Matthews and Rudy are all shooters. That's plenty.

Matthews is a 16% 3 pt shooter this year. I'm just happy that he remembered that he is supposed to play defense last night.

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

Not really. Shooting is supposed to be one of Matthew's strengths, and it's definitely one of Batum's. Two shooters in the starting lineup is plenty. Andre Miller would be the only slasher in the group, unless/until Batum becomes more regularly aggressive.

Matthews is a shooter?

guess i didnt get the memo

 

[Minstrel]

Matthews is a shooter?

guess i didnt get the memo

As I said, it's supposed to be one of his strengths. That was part of his profile. It's one of the reasons why some people wanted him to push Miller out of the starting lineup. He's been shooting poorly this season, but he's generally been sucking. The premise of the OP was that Matthews starts to play better, so it seems reasonable to assume (in that eventuality) that his shooting would bounce back too. If Matthews continues to suck, Portland's in trouble.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Matthews is a 16% 3 pt shooter this year. I'm just happy that he remembered that he is supposed to play defense last night.

Actually, he's 0.179 3FG% this season on 5 - 28 shooting. Last season he was at 0.382 (better than Martell Webster - 0.373) on 63 - 165. You tell me which is the more significant sample size.

BNM

 

[BGrantFan]

Oh, my bad. 18% So sorry.

Also ... Martell Webster?

 

[Boob-No-More]

Oh, my bad. 18% So sorry.

On a very small sample size.

Also ... Martell Webster?

He's the guy Matthews replaced in the rotation and the 3-point shot was Martell's best offenseive weapon. If Matthews can shoot the 3 better than Webster (like he did last season) and also bring better defense, passing and ballhandling, that sounds like an upgrade to me.

BNM

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If we want a solid shooting guard to replace Brandon Roy (if he's injured, that is, not to trade Roy for, of course), Rip Hamilton's very available.

 

[MickZagger]

On a very small sample size.



He's the guy Matthews replaced in the rotation and the 3-point shot was Martell's best offenseive weapon. If Matthews can shoot the 3 better than Webster (like he did last season) and also bring better defense, passing and ballhandling, that sounds like an upgrade to me.

BNM

Me and you think alike. Repped.

 

[BGrantFan]

On a very small sample size.



He's the guy Matthews replaced in the rotation and the 3-point shot was Martell's best offenseive weapon. If Matthews can shoot the 3 better than Webster (like he did last season) and also bring better defense, passing and ballhandling, that sounds like an upgrade to me.

BNM

I agree. I just took issue with Matthews being labeled a "shooter". I disagree with what I've seen so far. I couldn't stand Webster, so that was an odd reference, IMO.

 

[Minstrel]

I agree. I just took issue with Matthews being labeled a "shooter". I disagree with what I've seen so far.

Based on what I've seen so far, I have to disagree with anyone saying Golden State isn't one of the best teams in the NBA, since they have the fourth best record (tied) in the NBA.

Small sample sizes are fun, I agree!

 

[hasoos]

Cunningham is a perfectly serviceable backup, who could swing between the 3/4 (yes, the dreaded 'tweener, but a 'tweener is not a big deal for a reserve, since you're mixing and matching so much anyway).

Sure, losing the team's two best players (Roy and Oden) and a good player (Przybilla) weakens the depth, but it's not a disaster situation on the bench, IMO.

Sure Cunningham can man a spot. But he can't man 2 spots on the floor at once.

 

[Minstrel]

Sure Cunningham can man a spot. But he can't man 2 spots on the floor at once.

He shouldn't have to. You don't have to rest both Batum and Aldridge at the same time. If both players play 30+ minutes per game, one of the two can always be on the court.

 

[hasoos]

He shouldn't have to. You don't have to rest both Batum and Aldridge at the same time. If both players play 30+ minutes per game, one of the two can always be on the court.

I don't agree. Aldridge will be having to cover minutes at center when Camby goes out. When that happens, the only guy to play PF, is Cunningham. So first sub happens. Aldridge is covering for Camby. Cunningham is at PF, because the fact is nobody else can even approach playing it right now. Rudy or Mathews started at SG. One of them needs a needs a blow, and whoever didn't start is the sub. Is Batum just going to play a quarter and half straight? Are you going to bring in Sean "please never play me" Marks? Good luck with that one.

 

[BGrantFan]

Based on what I've seen so far, I have to disagree with anyone saying Golden State isn't one of the best teams in the NBA, since they have the fourth best record (tied) in the NBA.

Small sample sizes are fun, I agree!

Batum shot a higher 3pt % last year, and is doing the same this year, then the "shooter" Wesley Matthews. In 91 career games, Matthews has a 3pt percentage of 35%. Are 91 games also a small sample size? That's the same % as Brandon Roy, and I don't really think that Roy is a "shooter", at least in the pure sense.

Batum needs to be getting those shots. He has a 39% 3pt rate in 125 career games, and Matthews should stick to defense and attacking the rim, which are things he is pretty good at doing.

 

[Minstrel]

Batum shot a higher 3pt % last year, and is doing the same this year, then the "shooter" Wesley Matthews. In 91 career games, Matthews has a 3pt percentage of 35%. Are 91 games also a small sample size? That's the same % as Brandon Roy, and I don't really think that Roy is a "shooter", at least in the pure sense.

It certainly depends on what you mean by a "shooter." If you mean a great pure shooter, than no, Matthews hasn't demonstrated that. If you mean someone who's a legitimate threat from distance to stretch the defense, then I think Matthews has fit that bill over his short NBA career so far. 35% three point shooting is solid for a perimeter shooter. It's not great, but it's good.

Roy would fit that bill too (which is why an off-the-ball game would not have been a bad thing for him) but he has elite isolation skills, so uses those more (and should use them more).