How do Blake and Kaman affect the team

[Wizard Mentor]

Barring injury...

Aldridge: Won't have to play C unless coach decides to go small.

Lillard: Won't have to play as many minutes, perhaps getting extra energy for defense.

Both: Less leads blown after they come out of the game.

Batum: Team will possibly run offense through him less, but they still will sometimes to keep in engaged.

Matthews: New acquisitions won't matter much but young players who will want to Make Money will try to push him.

CJ and Barton: Won't be pressured to play PG consistently, will have to fight each other for minutes.

Crabbe: Wil still be waiting for a consolidation trade. The phrases "move the needle" and "Neil, git ur dun" will be on his mind.

Leonard: Since Kaman is short term, the team is giving Leonard a year before they hand over the reins.

Robinson: Won't have to play C unless coach decides to go small.

Claver, Wright: Nothing, I still think they give backup minutes to Matthews.

Freeland: Death on a stick. He's become the 4th Center and get zero minutes.
____________________________
Team: Much more resilient to injury. Tattoo area per player will decrease. Good chemistry will continue.

Neil: Expiring contracts to dangle at the trade deadline.

Coach: Less noobs in the rotation to deal with.

 

[magnifier661]

Sounds about right

 

[donkiez]

attitude, professionalism, veteran leadership and solid relief back ups is what I expect from them. I dont expect either to be the put us over the top type players, Im counting on our young guys maturation for that and Kaman/Blake will help in that area.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Forgot about Freeland who becomes our 4th string Center (not our 4th best C necessarily). He becomes an expiring contract.

 

[blue9]

Too bad for Freeland. He showed such tremendous improvement last season. I think he'll push Robinson for the back-up PF spot, but ultimately it should go to Robinson. I suspect we'll package Freeland and Crabbe with either Wright, CJ, Leonard, or Barton in a mid-season trade.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Too bad for Freeland. He showed such tremendous improvement last season. I think he'll push Robinson for the back-up PF spot, but ultimately it should go to Robinson. I suspect we'll package Freeland and Crabbe with either Wright, CJ, Leonard, or Barton in a mid-season trade.

I wonder what Freeland, Wright and Crabbe could get? Maybe Tayshaun Prince? Would make sense for both squads.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I wonder what Freeland, Wright and Crabbe could get? Maybe Tayshaun Prince? Would make sense for both squads.

Prince looked like a shell of his former self last year. Not sure he could shoot better then Wright.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Prince looked like a shell of his former self last year. Not sure he could shoot better then Wright.

He could defend better though... We all want a wing defender.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

He could defend better though... We all want a wing defender.

True on that count. Just not sure we need to go 3 for 1. 2 for 1 opens roster spot and should be enough unless salaries don't match.

 

[blue9]

I wonder what Freeland, Wright and Crabbe could get? Maybe Tayshaun Prince? Would make sense for both squads.

Count me with KOR - not interested in Prince. I think we just survey the market and identify a wing on a non-contender and see what we can swing. There has to be someone better than Prince who'll be available.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Count me with KOR - not interested in Prince. I think we just survey the market and identify a wing on a non-contender and see what we can swing. There has to be someone better than Prince who'll be available.

Crash lol jk jk

Thad Young would be a great pick up, maybe bring Terrence Ross home (unlikely but would be really cool).

 

[blue9]

Crash lol jk jk

Nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

 

[HailBlazers]

From the horses mouth:

Chris, you had a week or so to let the signing process. How do you think basketball-wise, skill-wise you fit in with this roster and what you can bring in that regard?

I think first of all, they already had pretty good success with their two bigs they played a lot with: [Lopez] and [Aldridge]. I think everybody knows it's no secret that LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the best power forwards in the game right now. You already got him going.

I just felt like [Lopez] is a great defender, plays hard, gives his whole attention to the game when he plays. I watched him play a lot, and obviously played against him four times last year. For me, I felt like they have some young guys on the roster who still need a little more time to develop, like [Meyers Leonard] and [Joel Freeland]. I think I can help both those guys as well as the other older guys to develop, but more than anything, I feel like I can develop both defensively and offensively.

I would say that I can help [Aldridge] when he goes out. I can help kind of keep up the scoring. When [Lopez] goes out, I can help keep up some of the defense. I think I got a little bit of both sides. I just feel like I would fit in pretty good with the city as well. I enjoy the outdoors. Being born and raised in Michigan, going hunting and fishing. I just enjoy the city and I've heard a lot of good things about it as well, and like I said, I'm just excited to be able to have the opportunity to play again for another year professionally and also to be able to play in Portland with the winning and success they had last year.

Coach, you got these guys to the right of you here. How do you feel about getting them and how do you expect to fit them in?

I'm thrilled to get both of them. At this stage of their careers, they're both very established, they both know their game, they both know what they can contribute. They fit perfectly into not only our roster, how we want to play. They're about winning. They came here because of the year that we had last year. We made it to the second round, we have higher ambitions for next season, and I think they will both be instrumental in getting that success.

They're versatile players. I think the fact that [Kaman] can play with [Robin Lopez] and [LaMarcus Aldridge], the fact that [Blake] can run the show without [Damian Lillard], he can play with [Lillard]. I think both of them will be very good mentors for our young players, the bigs and the guards. I think they'll both fit in very well with the city -- solid play -- and as [Olshey] mentioned, the culture that we're establishing here. Like I said, it's a perfect fit for both of them and for us.

Transcript: Blazers Introduce Chris Kaman and Steve Blake

 

[BlazerCaravan]

That's what I hoped to hear.

 

[MARIS61]

Kaman means Freeland is trade bait, Blake means our 2pt shooting % plummets and none of our young guards develop.

I see some trades before playoff time as it appears PA feels time is running short.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Negatively

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Negatively

 

[Mediocre Man]

What does this have to do with you being a dick?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

What does this have to do with you being a dick?

I hate music.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I hate music.

I knew it. You Prudy Pingleton you

 

[BigGameDamian]

Steve Blake wears Kobe 8 System iD sneakers. He's still got Lakers gear attached to him.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Short answer: it won't.

Blake has hit the "warm body" stage of his career, and Kaman is too injury prone to make a difference.

 

[jlprk]

Hey, better than the cold body stage. Don't hurry me.