Excited about the roster

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
Ed O

Ed O

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Sep 15, 2008
Messages
10,705
Likes
2,837
Points
113
Before the start of last season, I looked at the roster and I saw a bunch of players who were, for the most part, who they were. Slightly above-average role players (Felton, Matthews, Craig Smith) or near has-beens (Camby, Crawford).

This year? Even though the roster isn't finalized, I feel energized. I feel like the team has a lot of players with significant potential, and while there's a chance that they might not win a lot of games this year, I am very encouraged about the team's future.

I see the roster this way, and it makes me smile:

PG: Lillard, NSmith
SG: Matthews, EWilliams, Barton
SF: Batum, Claver
PF: Aldridge, Hickson, Babbitt, Freeland
C: Leonard

That's 12. Who else? Jeffries? Przybilla? Gadzuric? Am I blanking it on anyone?

Adding a veteran PG and a servicable center would seem like a good idea...

Ed O.
 
I'm very excited too. Lillard looks like the type of player that makes everyone else better and I'm really looking forward to that. I think LaMarcus is going to love having Leonard alongside him on defense too.
 
I think it will go

Lillard/Vet (i.e. Fisher)/Smith
Matthews/Williams/Barton
Batum/Babbitt/Claver/Jeffries
Aldridge/Freeland
Hickson/Leonard/Vet (i.e. Joel)

That is 15
 
I'm definitely excited as well. Lot's of young guys with potential. I'm most excited about Lillard and Leonard. I'd also add Freeland in the mix. I will be nervous to see how Batum handles the contract and if he continues to improve.
 
It's still an incredibly weak roster. It might be good 2 or 3 years down the road.

That said, I really like our draft picks and really hoping Freeland & Claver can play NBA ball.
 
I'd add Joel P. and a veteran combo guard and leave Barton and Freeland inactive until they can prove they are keepers.

This group will sink or swim depending on the quality of our eventual coach.
 
I think we're probably going to suck a little bit next year and maybe the year after that, but I agree that the future could be bright if Lillard and Leonard develop ... they seem like they've got a decent shot.
 
I'm excited to see E. Will with playing time. I still think this kid has huge potential to be a great player. I haven't seen Lillard yet, so I can't have an opinion on that one. I am really excited we were able to obtain Hickson. I think he is the perfect back-up or third wing big on this team. He is probably going to get a good 25+ minutes a game playing PF/C. That's really going to help Aldridge's legs.
 
Count me as being excited too. There's a lot of potential with these guys, and I like that our star player is a little older than all of them (so will command some respect) but not so old that he's outside of their window. There's a lot of youth, but it's 23-year-old "should produce results this year" youth and not 19-year-old "maybe someday" youth.

I like what I see in Lillard and Leonard. Assuming we re-sign Batum I think we're in the playoffs this year. Lillard is going to come in this year and get 16pts/6 assists, which combined with a great Aldridge year, Batum justifying his contract, and a nice rotation of energetic bigs is enough to get us a 7 or 8 seed and in position for bigger strides.

I'd rather steer clear of a role playing vet center if we can. Aldridge is going to need 35-38 mpg. Then you've got Freeland, Hickson and Leonard who all need to see minutes this year, and I just don't see the point in adding a Juwan Howard-type (unless injuries to these guys really require it).

Definitely need to add a Derek Fisher-type veteran (or two) at PG.
 
Last edited:
Mediocre Man said:
I think it will go

Lillard/Vet (i.e. Fisher)/Smith
Matthews/Williams/Barton
Batum/Babbitt/Claver/Jeffries
Aldridge/Freeland
Hickson/Leonard/Vet (i.e. Joel)

That is 15
Click to expand...

I think this is the most accurate, with a lot of blurring/overlapping of position for Freeland and Hickson.
 
Mediocre Man said:
I think it will go

Lillard/Vet (i.e. Fisher)/Smith
Matthews/Williams/Barton
Batum/Babbitt/Claver/Jeffries
Aldridge/Freeland
Hickson/Leonard/Vet (i.e. Joel)

That is 15
Click to expand...

I hope that the team is a bit more aggressive with the PG and C spots this week, but... I think you might be right.

A Hickson/Aldridge 5/4 combination isn't the best, I don't think, and it would be nice to have someone to man the 5 spot with Hickson backing up Aldridge at the 4.

Ed O.
 
I'm hoping we get the chance next summer to land Cody Zeller -- This would be a very quick (total) rebuild with the pieces currently in place.
 
magnifier661 said:
I'm excited to see E. Will with playing time. I still think this kid has huge potential to be a great player. I haven't seen Lillard yet, so I can't have an opinion on that one. I am really excited we were able to obtain Hickson. I think he is the perfect back-up or third wing big on this team. He is probably going to get a good 25+ minutes a game playing PF/C. That's really going to help Aldridge's legs.
Click to expand...

I didn't see the game, but the box score shows a DNP for Williams.

Go Blazers
 
Fez Hammersticks said:
I'm hoping we get the chance next summer to land Cody Zeller -- This would be a very quick (total) rebuild with the pieces currently in place.
Click to expand...

We'll see how things shake out, but I have a feeling they might be in the market for a veteran with whatever pick(s) they go into the lottery with. I suspect shooting guard and center are still going to be on their wish-list.
 
mook said:
I like what I see in Lillard and Leonard. Assuming we re-sign Batum I think we're in the playoffs this year. Lillard is going to come in this year and get 16pts/6 assists, which combined with a great Aldridge year, Batum justifying his contract, and a nice rotation of energetic bigs is enough to get us a 7 or 8 seed and in position for bigger strides.
Click to expand...

I agree - I'm by no means thinking mistaking the Blazers for a contender, but I really do believe they still have the makings of a playoff team.
 
BLAZER PROPHET said:
It's still an incredibly weak roster. It might be good 2 or 3 years down the road.

That said, I really like our draft picks and really hoping Freeland & Claver can play NBA ball.
Click to expand...

A very difficult part of building a roster is adding an All-NBAish player. Portland has one who will be entering his prime.

Even more difficult is finding an MVP-level player, and with Portland, that's going to mean getting lucky in the draft, because no MVP-level FA is going to sign with the Blazers.
 
If the Blazers had lucked into signing Hibbert, I would be walking on air right now.

Go Blazers
 
Ed O said:
I hope that the team is a bit more aggressive with the PG and C spots this week, but... I think you might be right.

A Hickson/Aldridge 5/4 combination isn't the best, I don't think, and it would be nice to have someone to man the 5 spot with Hickson backing up Aldridge at the 4.

Ed O.
Click to expand...

Leonard is probably that guy. I would assume that minus foul trouble and injury, our minutes roation looks something like this on opening night

Lillard - 36
Matthews - 30
Batum - 36
Aldridge - 36
Hickson - 26

Williams -15
Leonard - 26
Freeland - 12
Claver - 12
Babbitt - 0
Smith - 5
Vet PG 8

Vet C
Barton
Jeffries
 
I am excited as well. I think a lot of our season (fair or not) rests on the shoulders of Lillard. How well he runs the offense and creates points/opportunities for LA and Batum, as well as his ability to get his own points, will dictate a lot of how our season goes. I know he'll struggle at times, but if he can speed up his learning curve, I'll expect us to be competitive, even if we are on the outside looking in at the playoffs. If he really struggles, it's going to be a long season. I expect Lillard to "get it", but whether he gets it at the start of the regular reason or it takes half the year, or until next year, remains to be seen.

But you have to like the potential we have at every position. As Ed O., points out, there are several guys with significant potential. It's unrealistic to expect all of the players to reach their potential, but these guys are all talented and high "motor" guys, so it's hard not to think "what if" about each of the players' ceilings.
 
For a team that went from 2005 to 2008 and then back to 2005 very quickly, I gotta say our 2012 edition of the Blazers, while a bit of a mess with regard to position and role definition, is a happy mess rather than a sad one like the 2005 Blazers were.

This team is going to be exciting and fun, and probably won't win too many games to keep us from getting better next summer, either. While LaMarcus's window is at its peak now, he'll be a great asset to trade if any one of Hickson, Claver, or Freeland becomes suddenly better. I'd rather have our #4 player be a PF and try to improve us at other positions using LMA as bait than to waste LMA's prime years at #8.

Anyway, there's seeds waiting to germinate and grow. I'm with Ed. It's going to be exciting.
 
BLAZINGGIANTS said:
I am excited as well. I think a lot of our season (fair or not) rests on the shoulders of Lillard. How well he runs the offense and creates points/opportunities for LA and Batum, as well as his ability to get his own points, will dictate a lot of how our season goes. I know he'll struggle at times, but if he can speed up his learning curve, I'll expect us to be competitive, even if we are on the outside looking in at the playoffs. If he really struggles, it's going to be a long season. I expect Lillard to "get it", but whether he gets it at the start of the regular reason or it takes half the year, or until next year, remains to be seen.

But you have to like the potential we have at every position. As Ed O., points out, there are several guys with significant potential. It's unrealistic to expect all of the players to reach their potential, but these guys are all talented and high "motor" guys, so it's hard not to think "what if" about each of the players' ceilings.
Click to expand...

It's not really "fair" (though he's being compensated well for it) but it's the reality. This season will go as Damian Lillard's development goes -- everything in the offense will be predicated on his ability to get teammates involved and open up the middle for LaMarcus with his shooting.
 
Ed O said:
I hope that the team is a bit more aggressive with the PG and C spots this week, but... I think you might be right.

A Hickson/Aldridge 5/4 combination isn't the best, I don't think, and it would be nice to have someone to man the 5 spot with Hickson backing up Aldridge at the 4.

Ed O.
Click to expand...

While Hickson and Freeland will probably be interchangeable, it should be noted that I've read a few different times that Joel's best NBA position will probably be at the 5. Hard obviously to know without watching him against NBA talent, but if indeed he's more of a center then I'm pretty content rolling with the Leonard/Freeland combo at the center. Not perfect obviously, but both will have plenty of time to develop this season, in what will be a rebuilding/development year.

...Another available big is Carl Landry. I read yesterday that he wants to sign with a playoff contender, but wth the market drying up he may be willing to take a look with a younger roster.

I know a lot of you aren't Aaron Brooks fans, but an addition of Brooks as the back-up 1 and the addition of a player of Landry's toughness, to me really rounds out this roster with a lot of moveable parts. Young, and athletic this roster would be.
 
BlazerCaravan said:
For a team that went from 2005 to 2008 and then back to 2005 very quickly, I gotta say our 2012 edition of the Blazers, while a bit of a mess with regard to position and role definition, is a happy mess rather than a sad one like the 2005 Blazers were.

This team is going to be exciting and fun, and probably won't win too many games to keep us from getting better next summer, either. While LaMarcus's window is at its peak now, he'll be a great asset to trade if any one of Hickson, Claver, or Freeland becomes suddenly better. I'd rather have our #4 player be a PF and try to improve us at other positions using LMA as bait than to waste LMA's prime years at #8.

Anyway, there's seeds waiting to germinate and grow. I'm with Ed. It's going to be exciting.
Click to expand...

yeah, I'm really more a fan of the rough, blue color power forward that rebounds, plays good defense and hustles.
 
jwhoops11 said:
While Hickson and Freeland will probably be interchangeable, it should be noted that I've read a few different times that Joel's best NBA position will probably be at the 5. Hard obviously to know without watching him against NBA talent, but if indeed he's more of a center then I'm pretty content rolling with the Leonard/Freeland combo at the center. Not perfect obviously, but both will have plenty of time to develop this season, in what will be a rebuilding/development year.
Click to expand...

I actually have read some stuff in the last hour or so that backs up your assertion. I'm all for it. If Freeland has the bulk to guard most centers, it could work out great.

...Another available big is Carl Landry. I read yesterday that he wants to sign with a playoff contender, but wth the market drying up he may be willing to take a look with a younger roster.
Click to expand...

I worry with him that we are just adding another power forward when we've already got Aldridge and Hickson. I guess it would come down to cost, but I don't think we need another Craig Smith situation.

I know a lot of you aren't Aaron Brooks fans, but an addition of Brooks as the back-up 1 and the addition of a player of Landry's toughness, to me really rounds out this roster with a lot of moveable parts. Young, and athletic this roster would be.
Click to expand...

I'm not a huge Brooks fan, and it seems like he has a distorted sense of his value in the NBA (maybe my imagination) but I could see him fitting into a roster like this (where we'd otherwise be relying on Nolan Smith to play significant PG minutes behind a rookie).

Ed O.
 
tlongII said:
I'm very excited too. Lillard looks like the type of player that makes everyone else better and I'm really looking forward to that. I think LaMarcus is going to love having Leonard alongside him on defense too.
Click to expand...

Big.

Sky.
 
PG: Lillard
SG:
SF: Batum
PF: Zeller
C: Leonard

My best-case for the future.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top