Is Banton a keeper or is he this season's Kevin Knox?

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Natebishop3

Natebishop3

Don't tread on me!
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As a Blazer:

13 ppg off 41% from the field and 32% from three, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.

Not super efficient. Would you keep him around?
 
Natebishop3 said:
As a Blazer:

13 ppg off 41% from the field and 32% from three, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.

Not super efficient. Would you keep him around?
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The interesting thing about Banton--un stark contrast to Knox--is he seems to be potentially capable of manning multiple positions. Knox couldn't seem to really find a single one.

I don't think anyone sees a future starter, but I am coming around on the idea of keeping him around as a utility wing that can play the point if needed.
 
PtldPlatypus said:
The interesting thing about Banton--un stark contrast to Knox--is he seems to be potentially capable of manning multiple positions. Knox couldn't seem to really find a single one.

I don't think anyone sees a future starter, but I am coming around on the idea of keeping him around as a utility wing that can play the point if needed.
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Haven’t we had quite a few guys on our team the past 3 seasons that put up very impressive numbers down stretch of the season and now aren’t even in the damn league? I don’t put much stock in these big numbers.
 
Natebishop3 said:
As a Blazer:

13 ppg off 41% from the field and 32% from three, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.

Not super efficient. Would you keep him around?
Click to expand...

Not worried about his efficiency. He's had to shoot more because of all the injuries. He can play multiple positions and handle the ball. He's shooting the three ball pretty well. No brainer to keep him. He's cheap too.
 
Best case scenario he’s like a Barbosa type player
 
In 12 games with Blazers shooting 43 and 37 precent vs career at 41 and 29%.. Keeps this up he may be a keeper as Blazers have a team option for next yr
 
The stat I like is is low turnover rate. I love having a 6'8" player on the team who can handle the ball. That allows us to play two SGs alongside him when needed. He might be 3rd string but recently we have needed a quality 3rd string PG because of injuries. I would like to keep him if we don't keep Brogdon.
 
Pinwheel1 said:
The stat I like is is low turnover rate. I love having a 6'8" player on the team who can handle the ball. That allows us to play two SGs alongside him when needed. He might be 3rd string but recently we have needed a quality 3rd string PG because of injuries. I would like to keep him if we don't keep Brogdon.
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Well said. I expect Brogdon to be gone this summer leaving Ant, Sharpe and Scoot. Banton is the perfect compliment to those three just in terms of size, versatility, and not requiring 25 minutes a night.
 
THE HCP said:
Haven’t we had quite a few guys on our team the past 3 seasons that put up very impressive numbers down stretch of the season and now aren’t even in the damn league? I don’t put much stock in these big numbers.
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Yeah, I'm not talking about the numbers at all. I'm talking about the size, length, and skillset. He seems to have a good combination of those that would be worth having as an option to bring off the bench.
 
PtldPlatypus said:
Yeah, I'm not talking about the numbers at all. I'm talking about the size, length, and skillset. He seems to have a good combination of those that would be worth having as an option to bring off the bench.
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How is his D guys, haven't seen him enough, few games I watched seemed averageish
 
His D is decent, better than I expected. He doesn't have the strength to defend wings very well yet, but his length is bothersome for guards. He has blocked or altered several drives at the rim. The key is he defends without fouling, only 2 fouls in 40 minutes. Compare that to Scoot's 4 fouls in 26 minutes. Foul trouble has been a problem for Scoot all year. I like Banton's size, scoring, and defense. He has shown the ability to score at all 3 levels with the 3, drive to the midrange pull-up jumper, and drive to score at the rim. He is proving himself to have a role in this league.
 
I like his ability to get into the key with pull up jumpers or pass.
 
I like Banton and would love to see him stick around on the backend of the bench as a 3rd string novelty point guard. “Maybe he figures his shot out” is becoming the title of the Joe Cronin 23-24 and 24-25 memoirs.

Roster spots are going to become a difficult thing to come by, though, with the team now in its 3rd year of young player development: (Sharpe/Bari, Rupert/Camara/Murray/Scoot/…Reath, and whomever we select in the draft this summer)
 
generically, Banton has looked capable enough to have a role on an NBA roster. And apparently, a significant role on a weak NBA roster. Chauncey certainly appears to trust him....if you trust Chauncey

right now, the Blazers have a full roster of 15 players under standard contracts and 3 players under 2-way contracts. If next season compelled a choice between Banton and Moses Brown, I'd choose Banton

the big issue is the draft. Right now, the Blazers have the 5th, 13th, 34th, & 41st picks. I doubt they will be adding 4 more rookies to the mix next season, but even if consolidation trades drop that number to two picks, or maybe even one, there may not be a roster spot for Banton

as for Brogdon, my hunch, a month before the trade deadline, was that Cronin had no intention of trading any of the veterans; not Brogdon, or Grant, or Thybulle, or Williams, or Ayton, or Ant. There seems to be a lot of satisfaction in the Blazer F.O. for the current roster construction. I don't understand it; at least not in a vacuum, but knowing the Vulcans are calling the shots probably explains why if it's the actual situation. I really think the Blazers are likely to go into next season with essentially the same roster plus a rookie or two
 
Until someone better comes along, I hope they keep him.

Knox just isn't that guy. That's not necessarily a knock on Knox, as he's not a scrub, but Banton has height, dribbling and PG skills in his favor over Knox.

Of course, as The HCP said, this could be a sample size type thing. There have been other players who looked good and yet, are journeymen at best. Knox is a journeymen, whereas Banton could be a semi-rotational player.

What's funny is their measurements are similar. Similar wing-span, similar standing reach, similar height. But because of their positions (PG vs SF/PF), Bantons measurements are more beneficial to him than those of Knox. Also as a negative (unfairly) point to bring up, Knox was a lotto pick.

Bottom line, Banton is an over-sized PG, who can play PG, SG and occasionally SF.

Knox is an undersized SF/PF, who really can only play SF and PF.
 
THE HCP said:
Haven’t we had quite a few guys on our team the past 3 seasons that put up very impressive numbers down stretch of the season and now aren’t even in the damn league? I don’t put much stock in these big numbers.
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Skylar Mays and Cam Reddish are on your beloved Lakers...Wenyen Gabriel is on either them or the Clippers...Trendon Watford on the Nets...yeah....out of the league? Nah...that's Alan Crabbe or Shabazz Napier
 
I personally don't think Banton is a big part of the Blazers if/when they become a winner again.

That said, he's done enough to make me think it's worth keeping him around a while longer to explore it.

He's a better fit than Knox for what I think the powers that be want this team to become and just in general the way basketball is played now. You can play him at multiple positions and he's not out of his depth bringing the ball up the floor and initiating the offense.
 
wizenheimer said:
I really think the Blazers are likely to go into next season with essentially the same roster plus a rookie or two
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They will be in the tax going into next season so they have to lose some salary for sure. Jodi ain't paying the tax for a lottery team.
 
AmirIcon said:
They will be in the tax going into next season so they have to lose some salary for sure. Jodi ain't paying the tax for a lottery team.
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the tax line went from 150M to 165M from last season to this season. If you assume a similar rise from this season to next the tax line would be around 180M. Now, the latest projection is around 172M. But this year's tax threshold is around 4-5M higher than last year's projection for this year

maybe call it as next year's tax line at 175M. If you set Brown and Banton aside, temporarily, the Blazers will be at 161M in payroll. A 5th pick would be a bit over 8M in the 1st year. The 5th pick + Banton would put Portland somewhere in the 171-172M range with 15 players. So, probably a shade under the tax line going into the season and approaching next year's trade deadline

obviously, a higher pick than 5th or a combination of added rookies might bust over the tax line. So, trading a higher salary like Brogdon or Williams or Thybulle for less salary is a logical move. I'm just not sure how logical the ownership/management group is
 
I don't know for how long but with the versatility on both ends that he's shown we should at the very least take his option next season at just under 2.2M.
 
wizenheimer said:
generically, Banton has looked capable enough to have a role on an NBA roster. And apparently, a significant role on a weak NBA roster. Chauncey certainly appears to trust him....if you trust Chauncey

right now, the Blazers have a full roster of 15 players under standard contracts and 3 players under 2-way contracts. If next season compelled a choice between Banton and Moses Brown, I'd choose Banton

the big issue is the draft. Right now, the Blazers have the 5th, 13th, 34th, & 41st picks. I doubt they will be adding 4 more rookies to the mix next season, but even if consolidation trades drop that number to two picks, or maybe even one, there may not be a roster spot for Banton

as for Brogdon, my hunch, a month before the trade deadline, was that Cronin had no intention of trading any of the veterans; not Brogdon, or Grant, or Thybulle, or Williams, or Ayton, or Ant. There seems to be a lot of satisfaction in the Blazer F.O. for the current roster construction. I don't understand it; at least not in a vacuum, but knowing the Vulcans are calling the shots probably explains why if it's the actual situation. I really think the Blazers are likely to go into next season with essentially the same roster plus a rookie or two
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The #5 pick replaces Moses Brown roster spot.
The second round picks will be on 2-way contracts (replacing Minaya and Badji)

The roster crunch comes with the GSW pick. Who do you move or get rid of there?

The other big issue is assuming Portland keeps the #5 (but trades #13 for a future pick), they'll be in the tax by ~$4M. If they keep both picks, they'll be in the tax by ~$10M.

I don't see the Blazers being willing to enter the season with that much salary... so by default one of Thybulle, Grant, Ant, Brogdon, or Ayton will have to be traded
 
wizenheimer said:
the tax line went from 150M to 165M from last season to this season. If you assume a similar rise from this season to next the tax line would be around 180M. Now, the latest projection is around 172M. But this year's tax threshold is around 4-5M higher than last year's projection for this year

maybe call it as next year's tax line at 175M. If you set Brown and Banton aside, temporarily, the Blazers will be at 161M in payroll. A 5th pick would be a bit over 8M in the 1st year. The 5th pick + Banton would put Portland somewhere in the 171-172M range with 15 players. So, probably a shade under the tax line going into the season and approaching next year's trade deadline

obviously, a higher pick than 5th or a combination of added rookies might bust over the tax line. So, trading a higher salary like Brogdon or Williams or Thybulle for less salary is a logical move. I'm just not sure how logical the ownership/management group is
Click to expand...
Not sure your numbers here are correct.

Adding the #5 pick to the current roster will put the team into the tax by ~$4M
https://www.spotrac.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/cap/2024/
 
The difference between Banton and a lot of 6'8 young Swiss army knife ball handlers is his Hoops IQ....listen to any of his interviews and he really has a grasp on the game...it's like listening to Brogdan break down a game. I like the high IQ guys to stick. Banton has the skills to be a 2 way rotation player. I think he's got some of that Batum or Rodney Hood in his game. He's not afraid of clutch time, that's for sure.
 
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