Grade the Blazers' roster changes

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in

Grade for changes in draft and free agency?

  • Total voters
    93

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
I prefer to think positively about the team; this new roster and the coaching. I would like to improve the coaching by adding an assistant that specializes in defensive. All said, I don’t hope for anyone getting fired or the team playing shaky, etc.

Go Blazers!

covid aside, this is going to be a lot of fun - 2020-21 season!
 
PCmor7 said:
I don't think we're finished yet, so I can't really give it a grade.

First impression ... we've given the coaching staff A LOT of options. I don't know how much more you can do as a front office that to give your coaches versatility like this, and depth.

The depth this season might be more important than ever, too. If they don't play in a bubble, teams are almost certain to be missing a couple of players for a couple of weeks at a time because of exposure for Covid. Having players who can step in is going to be big.

I just know I'd rather be in a position where I have a scorer I can turn to down the stretch in games in I need one, or a defensive stopper. I'd rather have that than be complaining after a loss that we needed another guy who could put the ball in the hoop.

Right now, it's on Stotts to figure out how to make this all work. I'd be more concerned if we had a lot of bad attitudes. I see a roster that checks all the boxes with the possible exception of a back-up facilitator and maybe one more big, and I don't see players who have reps of being lockerroom lawyers.
Click to expand...
I'm kinda hoping that people will hold Stotts to a high standard now that he has this roster. Hopefully DJJ doesn't just get put in the corner as a spot-up shooter. Nurk's playmaking with his athletic ability work well together. And hopefully Covington doesn't get stuck playing drop scheme when his man sets an on-ball screen. I feel like if Stotts doesn't change things up they might be glaringly bad, and if he does then everything will work. That's the last ingredient IMO.
 
Tince said:
1) I don't believe it's acceptable to everyone - your post actually proves that not to be true.

2) Why would anyone be triggered by other fans having lower expectations that more likely match the talent level on the roster?

3) Do fans thinking we should win the championship every year have any impact on the Blazers on-the-court success?
Click to expand...
Fans think that, with possibly the best player in franchise history, after what many claim is a great off-season, that we shouldn't be happy with simply competing in the 2nd round. At some point we need to contend and I don't think fans holding the franchise to that standard is a bad thing.
 
blazerkor said:
I disagree that Kanter is a subpar defender he was great for us during our playoff run two seasons ago, not a great shot blocker but still a strong, aggressive rim protector, who can get out and defend the pick and roll. Gary is almost certainly coming off the bench and is a fantastic defender. Hoodie, Jones or both are coming off the bench and they're both great defenders (I know Hood is coming off his injury but the way he played using his length, strength, footwork and angles, his D shouldn't really be effected). Zach will probably be back within a month and he may foul a lot but outside of that he's a really good defender.

Simons probably won't crack the rotation, I actually think that Nas and Wenyen will get more chances than him and they're both good defenders that have potential to be great. Our worst defender is probably Simons, the guy is just lost out there but our second worst defender is CJ and he starts and our third worst defender is Melo and I have no idea what his role is going to be it could be as a starter, a key backup or a guy who just gets spot minutes when we need some scoring.
Click to expand...
He's a subpar defender but he's better when he's being dropped off pick n roll. Doesn't mean we should always do that, sometimes we may need him to come up to help with the screen more, but that's why he looked better in Stotts' defense.
 
TBpup said:
Covington: (B+) Upside: Tremendous team defender and can shoot it a little. Downside: Not a playmaker.
Kanter: (A-) As good of a back-up Center as there is in the league and likely a better fit than HW.
DJJ: (C+) Great defender in a zone but Blazers don't play that. Can't shoot and got a lot of points in transition....which POR doesn't run.
Hood: (B) Good re-sign and provides wing depth. But recovery from that type of injury is iffy at best.
Melo: (B-) Veteran presence and can hit shots but terrible defensively and horribly inefficient. Maybe should be a (C+)
Giles: (B+) For what it is, VERY low risk for chance at high reward if healthy. Tremendous talent held back by balky knee.
Click to expand...
Covington - B+
Kanter - B-
DJJ:
A (if Stotts uses him right, and he shoots 34%+ from 3)
B- (if Stotts uses him right and he doesn't improve his shot)
B- (if Stotts doesn't use him right and he shoots 34%+ from 3)
D (if Stotts doesn't use him right and he doesn't improve his shot)
Hood: A+
Melo: Meh, doesn't really matter
Giles: A+ (couldn't think of a better bargain signing)
 
Last edited:
At this point in time the team is average, C, as compared to the rest of the league. Subjectively, as fans we are all caught up in the excitement of the recent activity but lets wait and see how they objectively perform against criteria that addresses weakness's and how they track against other teams, as the season evolves.
 
Natebishop3 said:
Starters
Dame = Dame
CJ = CJ
Nurk = Nurk
Mel0 <DJJ (I'm guessing that DJJ will start at the beginning of the year with Hood still being rusty and not 100% from his injury. This could also be RoCo or GTJ. Either way, this spot should be an upgrade on defense).
Collins < RoCo (again I'm guessing that Stotts will want to play Covington at the power forward spot. I think he's an upgrade over Collins on offense and is a better defender at this stage of his career).
Click to expand...

I'm guessing Covington starts at the 3 because he's what we have needed there and that's where he'll likely end up imo. Until Zach or Hoodie get back, the 4 will start Melo or DJJ.
 
Ramona Shelbourne was an embarrassment talking about Portland in Windhorst's pod today. She said we now have a team that is deadly offensively and will just attempt to outscore every team and did not at all improve defensively from all of moves. Windhorst and Bontemps just let her spew her nonsense without correcting her. She justified her bullshit by referencing some anecdonte with Neil from the past about zagging while the league is zigging.

I lost all respect for her after she said that she thinks Lebron should win MVP solely because of Kobe's death, and that she is a "narrative" voter.

How does she still have a job?

Simmons also commented on his pod about our moves saying they'll result in a slight improvement but not enough to do much damage in the playoffs.
 
BonesJones said:
Fans think that, with possibly the best player in franchise history, after what many claim is a great off-season, that we shouldn't be happy with simply competing in the 2nd round. At some point we need to contend and I don't think fans holding the franchise to that standard is a bad thing.
Click to expand...

I have no problem with fans wanting their team to win a championship. I guess I haven't seen the direct impact between what fans want (and how bad the want it) and on court success. I'm not calling out fans for wanting to win titles, I'm defending that it's ok for a fan to think their team is not going to win a title heading into a specific year.

I also don't see how a a fan coming to the conclusion their team isn't the best in the NBA and them being mentally ok when the season ends with them falling short of that title, has any negative impact on the franchise.
 
illmatic99 said:
Ramona Shelbourne was an embarrassment talking about Portland in Windhorst's pod today. She said we now have a team that is deadly offensively and will just attempt to outscore every team and did not at all improve defensively from all of moves. Windhorst and Bontemps just let her spew her nonsense without correcting her. She justified her bullshit by referencing some anecdonte with Neil from the past about zagging while the league is zigging.

I lost all respect for her after she said that she thinks Lebron should win MVP solely because of Kobe's death, and that she is a "narrative" voter.

How does she still have a job?

Simmons also commented on his pod about our moves saying they'll result in a slight improvement but not enough to do much damage in the playoffs.
Click to expand...

Well her 'narrative' is worthless in this case.
 
TBpup said:
Well her 'narrative' is worthless in this case.
Click to expand...
It's just.... baffling. She used to be so good. Literally the only thing we did this summer was address our defense, how do you spout the exact opposite?
 
illmatic99 said:
It's just.... baffling. She used to be so good. Literally the only thing we did this summer was address our defense, how do you spout the exact opposite?
Click to expand...

Eh, I mean Kanter isn't really known for his defense lol

I'd say we addressed our defense and bolstered our bench unit substantially. We shouldn't have to worry about long droughts of scoring when the second unit plays.
 
Natebishop3 said:
Eh, I mean Kanter isn't really known for his defense lol

I'd say we addressed our defense and bolstered our bench unit substantially. We shouldn't have to worry about long droughts of scoring when the second unit plays.
Click to expand...
And hopefully when the bench plays the other team goes on long droughts.:ghoti:
 
I think they have the potential to be a top 3 team (well, not the #1 spot) but it depends on health and how quickly they can gell.
 
julius said:
I think they have the potential to be a top 3 team (well, not the #1 spot) but it depends on health and how quickly they can gell.
Click to expand...

Health is likely the biggest thing. If the Blazers get a full season out of Dame/Nurkic, that likely is as big of a difference over last year as any of the new pieces they have brought in.

  • Covington > Ariza. Ariza may actually be the better 1-on-1 defender but Cov is better as a rotation defender and 5 years younger.
  • Kanter => Whiteside. Whiteside's stats will dwarf Kanter's, but Enes should fit better as a 'team' guy. Neither defends much away from the basket and neither is very good more than 5' from the hoop on offense. Neither passes much and it's a about a wash as to whom is quicker up the court. Still....
  • Jones Jr > Hezonja. Does it really matter that DJJ can't shoot or dribble? Almost anything he does on defense will put him ahead of what Mario did. Dunks will be icing on the cake.
  • Giles > ?? Portland really didn't have a 3rd string center last year unless you count parts of seasons from 4/5s Skal and Swanigan. His passing is something this team doesn't have in large supply.
  • Hood > Hood. Of course, that comes down to if Rodney can play and return close to the form he had before going down with the achillies.
  • Mel0 < Melo. If nothing else, just due to age. Players at 36 don't tend to get better. However, if he can accept a bench role and make use of that in 15-18 minutes versus the 30+ minutes he had to play last year out of necessity (which was far too many), hopefully he can at least be more efficient.
Depth - Better
Defense - Better
Athleticism - Better....just by adding Jones and oddly enough, the oft injured Giles.
Playmaking ability when Dame gets trapped - Uh....well....hmm...
 
Stevenson said:
I'm guessing Covington starts at the 3 because he's what we have needed there and that's where he'll likely end up imo. Until Zach or Hoodie get back, the 4 will start Melo or DJJ.
Click to expand...
I have to disagree here. He strikes me as Aminu II at PF. But then I imagine the plan is to have Jones and Covington as the starting forwards and they be pretty switchable. I don't see Jones as strong enough to handle most PFs, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top