Is Webster coming back a good thing?

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Karl Malone's Elbows

Karl Malone's Elbows

Batum: once in a lifetime
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The team has been playing very well together and the G/SF rotation has been working pretty well. When Webster comes back that likely means Rudy is going to lose minutes and become even less utilized. Webster has never lived up to his pre-draft workout. He hasn't been the exceptional shooter he was supposed to be. His role on the team would pretty much be the same as Rudy's and I don't think he's enough of an upgrade to sit Rudy. Many people assume Batum will lose minutes when Webster returns, but it's Rudy that has been playing Websters role in the offense, not Batum. Batum's unique role will likely remain unchanged.

The other thing is I don't think Webster will ever fit in, or reach his potential on the Blazers. I think Webster needs to be a teams #1 option to reach his potential. In Portland he's always been asked to (and always will) defer and I don't think that suits his game at all. I like Webster and think he can be a 24 ppg player in the league, just not here.

Charlotte is rumored to want Webster included in any trade with Portland. Send Webster, Sergio and RLEC to Charlotte for Wallace and Nazr. That makes Portland a stronger team short term and long term. I don't think there's a better fit in the NBA for Portland than Wallace.

Is Webster coming back a good thing? I'm not so sure it is.
 
In a word, Yes.

I like Webster more than most on here. If he and Travis had switched roles two years ago, you'd have seen a few 30point games by Webster also. I can point to one time in 2 years of watching every game (and most of them in the 2 before that) that Webster had a legit series of plays run for him. He scored 24 in a quarter. I know it's a tiny sample size: just like Oden and Przy in the game at the same time. He's been adequate in the role he's had the last couple of years. Much like Blake this year in the offense: sit in the corner and shoot open threes. The more plays run for him (and I think the low-post handoff baseline was implemented thinking he'd be starting most of the year) the better he's done.

Plus, he took Batum's role last year of "stopper" and was doing well with it. Just as a random stat, Batum's PERAgainst this year at SF is 16.8 against players like K*be, McGrady, Pierce, etc. Last year, Webs's PERAgainst at SF was 16.6. Basically, they're keeping the players they're playing against to "average NBA starter" level. Not the "All-Star" 22 or so.
 
I'm very excited to see him and what he's capable of doing. I have always thought that he was a reach and that Nash made a colossal blunder by passing on Paul, but, oddly enough, I am more optimistic about his future than just about everyone on this board.

If he never pans out? That's too bad. I think, though, that as he matures physically and learns some tricks he's going to be a Dennis Scott-like player (a comparison which I was ripped for by many of the people who are now so down on him, because it wasn't optimistic enough), which is a good thing to have with a big guy like Oden.

Ed O.
 
He takes more of Travis' minutes than anyone's, and I'm cool with that.
 
I've always liked Webb's potential. I think he has the intangibles to be one of the best shooters in the league, he just needed confidence. I'm really disappointed that this year has become a wash for him, but I'm still looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table with this new collection of talent we have. We've seen some flashes of what Martell is capable of, but I'd like to see him become a consistent scorer for us. I think Webster could average 20+ points in this league, he just needs the confidence.

Oh, and I don't think he would affect Rudy's minutes. I think the small forward spot will be Web and Batum, with Outlaw moving over to the 4 spot primarily.
 
I don't think Webster will take Rudy's minutes. He'll take Batum's minutes and some of Outlaw's minutes. To answer your question, yes. He's a good player and Nate will make room for him.
 
KingSpeed said:
I don't think Webster will take Rudy's minutes. He'll take Batum's minutes and some of Outlaw's minutes. To answer your question, yes. He's a good player and Nate will make room for him.
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Yeah, but I don't think he'll take all of Batum's minutes.
 
Karl Malone's Elbows said:
You think Webster is going to play PF? No, Webster will take Rudy's minutes since Rudy is playing Webster's position.
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Both Rudy and Outlaw are potentially affected. Outlaw is playing the backup four, but he's also playing minutes at the backup small forward spot. Rudy will potentially sit more, as well, given how often the Blazers "go small" with Rudy and Roy paired with a PG.

Ed O.
 
I'm skeptical that Webster will be an impact player (now or ever), but I am still excited to see him when he returns on the off-chance that all the hype about his improved game is real. At his age, it isn't impossible that he could have taken a big developmental leap forward. I just don't consider it the likeliest thing, so I'm not banking on his return changing the team's fortunes much.

Hope he defies my expectations!
 
Ed O said:
Both Rudy and Outlaw are potentially affected. Outlaw is playing the backup four, but he's also playing minutes at the backup small forward spot. Rudy will potentially sit more, as well, given how often the Blazers "go small" with Rudy and Roy paired with a PG.

Ed O.
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Agreed, but Outlaw's most important role is at the end of games and Nate is certainly not going to replace Outlaw with Webster then. That leaves Rudy on the bench at the end of games in favor of Webster? I'm a fan of Webster, but I don't like that idea for Portland.

If it weren't for the emergence of Batum I think Webster would have a role on this team, but I don't see Webster overtaking Batum. This team only needs one SF of the future. And honestly Webster has never been a true SF.

Who's the odd man out? Rudy, Batum or Webster? I think both Rudy and Batum have higher ceilings than Webster.
 
Karl Malone's Elbows said:
You think Webster is going to play PF? No, Webster will take Rudy's minutes since Rudy is playing Webster's position.
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Outlaw plays the minutes at SF that Batum doesn't. Webster takes those minutes. Outlaw also plays some time at PF, but not that much at this point.
 
Karl Malone's Elbows said:
Agreed, but Outlaw's most important role is at the end of games and Nate is certainly not going to replace Outlaw with Webster then. That leaves Rudy on the bench at the end of games in favor of Webster? I'm a fan of Webster, but I don't like that idea for Portland.
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We'll see. I agree that Outlaw will spend more time on the floor at the end of games, but that has always been true, and Webster keeps earning more minutes than Travis in spite of that.

If it weren't for the emergence of Batum I think Webster would have a role on this team, but I don't see Webster overtaking Batum. This team only needs one SF of the future. And honestly Webster has never been a true SF.

Who's the odd man out? Rudy, Batum or Webster? I think both Rudy and Batum have higher ceilings than Webster.
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Rudy is a year and a half older than Webster, and I think that Martell is at least his equal as both a player and a prospect. I agree that Batum has a higher ceiling, but I'm not sure he's a better player right now than Martell.

We'll see... if Martell can't earn minutes, then I hope he doesn't get them. If he deserves them then the team will be better for it.

Ed O.
 
Color me crazy, but maybe less minutes for Rudy = more effective minutes for him. I say this in the middle of his 0-fer night against OKC, but Webster's versatility at the 2 and 3 allows him to be placed in a lot of different lineup combinations.
 
I think Webster will have a huge positive impact on Oden's game, and vice versa. I think the half court offense will be much better when Martell is back in the game.
 
I want Webster back. Webster and Batum both tend to disappear from game to game. If we have both, there's less chance they both disappear.
 
Did the Blazers give a timeline on Webs returning? He looked great in pre-season. I think he's going to be a huge piece for us.
 
Karl Malone's Elbows said:
Why? What does Webster bring that Rudy doesn't?
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I think webster will have a greater tendency to wait on the perimeter versus Rudy, who is more active moving around. By him setting up to spread the defence out, it will open up more touches for Oden (in theory) when the ball is moved. Webster just seems like a better half court threat versus Rudy, who should play more in transition (although he seems to have fallen in love with the 3).
 
maxiep said:
Did the Blazers give a timeline on Webs returning? He looked great in pre-season. I think he's going to be a huge piece for us.
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Yesterday's TrailBlazers.com podcast said that they expect him back on the court in March.
 
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Webster was also our best entry passer last year, getting the ball to LMA on his postups and then cutting straight through the D. It lead to fewer double teams, some driving opportunities for Webster and the occasional wide open J when his man would try and cheat around the LMA screen instead of sticking with Webs. Him being able to play a 2 man game with Oden like he did last year with Aldridge could be absolutely deadly given how efficient both players are on offense.
 
AgentDrazenPetrovic said:
besides, i'd like to see Rudy play more in a SG backup role to Roy.
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That's the thing. Isn't that what Webster did last year, split the 3 and backup Roy? Rudy needs far more minutes than the 10 that Roy's backup would get. So is Rudy or Roy playing PG or is Roy or Rudy playing SF? And if Roy or Rudy is playing PG what is happening with the minutes of the other three PG's or the SF for that matter?

A roster consolidation is must. The impending return of Blake and Webster only makes this more of a problem.
 
Karl Malone's Elbows said:
That's the thing. Isn't that what Webster did last year, split the 3 and backup Roy? Rudy needs far more minutes than the 10 that Roy's backup would get. So is Rudy or Roy playing PG or is Roy or Rudy playing SF? And if Roy or Rudy is playing PG what is happening with the minutes of the other three PG's or the SF for that matter?

A roster consolidation is must. The impending return of Blake and Webster only makes this more of a problem.
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We have time to figure it out. No need to rush really, just let them compete.....Rudy will get Outlaw's minutes who will play more backup PF.
 
rudy needs his minutes cut down anyways. he is playing to much, he needs his legs back
 
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