Harkless resolves after Crabbe decision?

[Driew]

I'm about to write something I don't want to. I'm already missing the days of players like Kobe. I know Harkless doesn't have the most reliable shot but man if he just had that killer instinct he'd be awesome.

I'm writing this from the bathtub, good thing cuz I feel dirty praising Kobe even indirectly.

Meyers with killer instinct...dunking on people.
Vonleh with it....better
Crabbe with it...all star
Dame with it...(worse, he has serial killer instincts)
Batum with it.. (french larry bird)
LaMarsha with it.... (hall of famer)

Is it just the new generation of players being businessmen or just how the game is now? Why aren't there any young 2 guards that are any good?

Clyde could dominate the league today, with Wade being a shell of his former self. Who is even close?

Now that I've rambled on and on, I want to keep Harkless because I think he has plenty of ceiling left to reach.

Players like Kobe and Dame are born with that drive. It's the nature of the game and life in general. People that have that it factor find ways of being successful in life. While the Batum's of the world are happy with taking a seat back.

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

Was there a specific incident? Or just general assumptions?

https://orlandomagicdaily.com/2015/01/06/maurice-harkless-motor-issue/

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...gic-maurice-harkless-0109-20150108-story.html

 

[Driew]

https://orlandomagicdaily.com/2015/01/06/maurice-harkless-motor-issue/

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...gic-maurice-harkless-0109-20150108-story.html

There have been articles this past season of Moe going into his shell on the bench and Dame noticing it and pulling him out. That's the difference between a team with a true leader and a team lacking one.

 

[HailBlazers]

There have been articles this past season of Moe going into his shell on the bench and Dame noticing it and pulling him out. That's the difference between a team with a true leader and a team lacking one.

A a team with a good coach and one lacking one.

 

[Driew]

A a team with a good coach and one lacking one.

That too, but I think it had to come from the leader of the team believing in him for a change.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Players like Kobe and Dame are born with that drive. It's the nature of the game and life in general. People that have that it factor find ways of being successful in life. While the Batum's of the world are happy with taking a seat back.

Fine, why does there seem to be so few players like that today? Kobe copied MJ, where is the next copy?

 

[Driew]

Fine, why does there seem to be so few players like that today? Kobe copied MJ, where is the next copy?

Lebron is currently the elder now. After him it's kind of up in the air. These guys are the definitions of unicorns in real life. They're hard to find.

 

[ebott]

Players like Kobe and Dame are born with that drive. It's the nature of the game and life in general. People that have that it factor find ways of being successful in life. While the Batum's of the world are happy with taking a seat back.

I think it's more likely that most players at the NBA level have what you'd label as "killer instinct" but simply don't have the talent to follow through on that instinct at the NBA level. More specifically they don't have the ball handling skills. Players that try to play like Dame and Kobe that don't have those skills end up being turnover machines. What's this got to do with Mo Harkless?

 

[ripcityboy]

Fine, why does there seem to be so few players like that today? Kobe copied MJ, where is the next copy?

"Luck is where opportunity meets preparation." - Robert Evans

You could easily put talent in there as well. Just having drive isn't enough. The nature of greatness is that it is imperfect. You've got to factor in serendipity. What if Dennis Rodman didn't have his growth spurt or a young Larry Bird didn't play pick up games against adult hotel porters?

Greatness in sports doesn't usually come in Second Acts. They are usually "one offs."

 

[Denny Crane]

Lebron is currently the elder now. After that him it's kind of up in the air. These guys are the definitions of unicorns in real life. They're hard to find.

Like him or not, Westbrook put up 23.5/7.8/10.4 and 2 steals. He averaged 28.1 the year before.

 

[Strenuus]

We had a better win % without Lillard than with him. In no way an I saying that were better without him, I'm just saying that if we could survive without him last year for a stretch that we could survive again next year especially since we added another ball handler.

Well, lets be fair here... it was right around christmas, plenty of days off, a weaker schedule... and still only 4-3.. I say only because we lost a couple winnable games that Dame would have surely made us win.

And only 7 games instead of 75.

 

[THE HCP]

If you can now take somebody to court over lack of playing time, I need to find my HS hoop coach!

 

[Trackjack]

To me Neil and Paul don't want to go in the luxury tax. Mo wants to play here but his agent wants more that put Blazers in the luxury tax.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

If you can now take somebody to court over lack of playing time, I need to find my HS hoop coach!

You could hire a class action attorney, sue your mom and your dog and your brother and sister and every kid in your school and neighborhood.

 

[HailBlazers]

To me Neil and Paul don't want to go in the luxury tax. Mo wants to play here but his agent wants more that put Blazers in the luxury tax.

Man if it wasn't for Neil, Harkless wouldn't be at this crossroads to begin with. That's gotta count for something right?

 

[BonesJones]

Well, lets be fair here... it was right around christmas, plenty of days off, a weaker schedule... and still only 4-3.. I say only because we lost a couple winnable games that Dame would have surely made us win.

And only 7 games instead of 75.

Do you not understand what I mean by survive? Obviously there'd be a drop off, I just don't think we'd be "screwed".

 

[Strenuus]

Do you not understand what I mean by survive? Obviously there'd be a drop off, I just don't think we'd be "screwed".

That's why I brought up the "weaker schedule" with days off, "lesser" teams. Is it surviving or what? I got what you said, just throwing a different view point out there. I think Dame is integral to everything we do. CJ is a GREAT #2 guy, but as a #1...

 

[BonesJones]

That's why I brought up the "weaker schedule" with days off, "lesser" teams. Is it surviving or what? I got what you said, just throwing a different view point out there. I think Dame is integral to everything we do. CJ is a GREAT #2 guy, but as a #1...

We beat the Cavs. Sure the rest of the schedule wasnt that good, but we're also better than last year. If we lost Dame there's no reason to think we couldn't play .500 ball.

 

[Blazers Roy]

I gotta say it's weird that the Meyers situation was resolved before the Harkless situation.
Nard stank up the court last season while Hark gave us starter numbers when he got consistent minutes.

I would let ML go and give that money to Mo' if that what it takes.

 

[WillG]

. . .snip
. . .I would let ML go and give that money to Mo' if that what it takes.

Fully agree. Harkless is the guy I want to see back in a Blazers uniform the most.

 

[Strenuus]

We beat the Cavs. Sure the rest of the schedule wasnt that good, but we're also better than last year. If we lost Dame there's no reason to think we couldn't play .500 ball.

There's plenty of reasons, but I digress.

 

[Strenuus]

I gotta say it's weird that the Meyers situation was resolved before the Harkless situation.
Nard stank up the court last season while Hark gave us starter numbers when he got consistent minutes.

I would let ML go and give that money to Mo' if that what it takes.

It'd of been the smart thing to do. Harkless has potential. Meyers has... something, I guess. I hope he does well.

 

[BonesJones]

It'd of been the smart thing to do. Harkless has potential. Meyers has... something, I guess. I hope he does well.

It would make no sense to sign Leonard over Harkless because we have a logjam at C and need a backup SF.

 

[Cippy91]

I gotta say it's weird that the Meyers situation was resolved before the Harkless situation.
Nard stank up the court last season while Hark gave us starter numbers when he got consistent minutes.

I would let ML go and give that money to Mo' if that what it takes.

I was saying the whole time, Meyers hasn't proven much. Mo has proven he can be so many different things in a season with us. I don't get the organizations obsession with Meyers unless we signed him knowing we are gonna trade him eventually. I amnot one to hate on Meyers, just talking what I have seen. He stretches the floor sure, shoots great from three and plays good defense on bigs SOMETIMES. Decent rebounder. Can run the floor. That's it. Harkless is so much more valuable in this small NBA. Can play SF and PF, goes straight up with the ball. Athletic. Can develop a three. Defense, etc. Dude hustles. Only 23. Come on, easy decision, should of gave Hark the contract and let Meyers figure his shit out. Instead we are kinda treating this dude like garbage. Like oh yeah take the qualifying offer and we might match if it's something not that crazy but you aren't that important so go sit over there.

 

[Strenuus]

It would make no sense to sign Leonard over Harkless because we have a logjam at C and need a backup SF.

Exactly. We're in agreeance.

 

[Blazers Roy]

We need that clip of Henderson jumping and screaming at Leonard during a play ("Come on Leonard!!" #@#$%^) , that sounds like us watching him play.

It's annoying that Hark is given that treatment because it's not like he is some asshole who wants to play elsewhere, he wants to stay at Portland and he seems to care about the team.

 

[illmatic99]

We need that clip of Henderson jumping and screaming at Leonard during a play ("Come on Leonard!!" #@#$%^) , that sounds like us watching him play.

It's annoying that Hark is given that treatment because it's not like he is some asshole who wants to play elsewhere, he wants to stay at Portland and he seems to care about the team.

Dude, this is a business.

This soccer mom mentality doesn't lead to titles. Neil coddles agents plenty as is. With our cap looking like it will in two years, we need some discounts.

 

[Blazers Roy]

Dude, this is a business.

This soccer mom mentality doesn't lead to titles. Neil coddles agents plenty as is. With our cap looking like it will in two years, we need some discounts.

But we can afford to spend millions on Nard because he is tall and has blonde hair?

Telling Harkless he's worth less than Meyers is VERY insulting.

 

[HailBlazers]

But we can afford to spend millions on Nard because he is tall and has blonde hair?

Telling Harkless he's worth less than Meyers is VERY insulting.

Meh. Big's have been and always will be overvalued.

Harkless should take a page out of Nards book and bet on himself. Take what Neil's offering and prove he deserves more.

 

[e_blazer]

Last I checked, it's still July and a long way until camp. There's no rush for either the Blazers or Harkless to get a deal done. Unlike Leonard, who definitely wanted to stay with the Blazers, Harkless doesn't have a big incentive to come back since the team went out and spent a bunch of its cap money on Turner, who will start at the SF spot. I think Olshey wants him back, either on a reasonable contract or for the QO, but Harkless needs to get an offer to establish his value or be willing to accept the QO or whatever the Blazers are offering in the way of a multi-year deal. It's going to take some time to play out.