Notice Jusuf Nurkic 30 games into the season

[Nikolokolus]

For the record, because sarcasm doesn't translate very well on the internet, my sarcasm was 100% directed at the Blazers for not having picked up on this most obvious of moves. They seem to not even be aware of the concept.

No I got it, I was just extending the joke. Cheers.

 

[Labinot41]

Happy new year Blazers faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaans

 

[tester551]

I am completely with you on this. I know there are “big man coaches” (Pete Newell) but it feels like people think this solves the problems with our big men. Not sure it does.

Im not sure it does either, but I am damn sure what big man coaching they are receiving isn't working

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Well, logically if we aren't going to hire someone to work with the big guys then we need to draft the most polished at the time. If anyone in the organization says "upside" or "potential" then that person needs fired.

I could buy parts online to build a 1500 hp turbocharged engine but without someone who knows how to tune it you're in for disappointment.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Well, logically if we aren't going to hire someone to work with the big guys then we need to draft the most polished at the time. If anyone in the organization says "upside" or "potential" then that person needs fired.

I could buy parts online to build a 1500 hp turbocharged engine but without someone who knows how to tune it you're in for disappointment.

You can hire any big man you want but what they can't teach Nurk is to have another gear like Boogie Cousins has.

 

[Kaydow]

You can hire any big man you want but what they can't teach Nurk is to have another gear like Boogie Cousins has.

I feel like Nurk’s top gear grades out pretty well. It seems like the issue is, for whatever reason (frustration with calls/refs, lack of confidence in himself and/or the way he’s being used, fatigue, lapses in concentration, etc.), he’s not putting together enough stretches where he’s humming along in 5th gear. When everything is clicking like the 4th quarters in b2b games with Brooklyn & Wash back in Nov . . . when he’s playing in that “gear” he can be dominant.

 

[H.C.]

Hurd may be right that his teammates may have told him everything but I won't for one second buy into "no coach" being a difference. That's pure bullshit.

I could tell him what to do, I could have told Michael Jordan what to do. I sure as shit couldn't have shown them and they certainly wouldn't have respected me for having done it.

Laimbeer, Olajuwon....get Kareem. He always wanted to coach. Get someone.

It isn't that they can't afford it.

So when someone on the coaching staff says to Nurk. 'Dunk the ball'. You think it's a lack of respect because x coach isn't a HoFer?
That's a pretty tough sell.

 

[calvin natt]

Why are HOF centers, the majority who are financially set, going to come coach the Portland Trailblazers bigs? Also, whether they are HOF or not doesn’t matter. Pretty sure Pete Newell wasn’t a hall of fame big man. Isn’t Jim Moran a big man whose been around basketball his whole life? Maybe he’s trying and the guys are just young/not very good/unreceptive

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Why are HOF centers, the majority who are financially set, going to come coach the Portland Trailblazers bigs? Also, whether they are HOF or not doesn’t matter. Pretty sure Pete Newell wasn’t a hall of fame big man. Isn’t Jim Moran a big man whose been around basketball his whole life? Maybe he’s trying and the guys are just young/not very good/unreceptive

Jim Moran is a 6 foot 7 small forward. Not what I would consider a big man personally. So I don't need a HOF big man. Just an actual big man who wants to teach skills.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

So when someone on the coaching staff says to Nurk. 'Dunk the ball'. You think it's a lack of respect because x coach isn't a HoFer?
That's a pretty tough sell.

Saying dunk the ball isn't even remotely what Nurk needs. I'd tell Damian to dunk it every trip down the floor.

That's the entire problem with what Hurd says and if he is around the team and thinks this way there is an even bigger problem.

It has nothing to do with telling someone to do something. It has everything to do with showing them.

Now, everyone on the forum listen to me and listen good. You all go make a billion dollars. How? I have no idea.

 

[Minstrel]

I think Nurkic is settling into what he is--a good defensive anchor and limited offensive player. That's basically what he showed in Denver. Last year, he had a strong run as a scorer after the trade, but that's looking more like an unusually good stretch rather than his new level of performance after being liberated from Denver.

I think he's still valuable to the team (he's the biggest difference-maker on the defense), but I don't think he's going to be a star player or be worth a max deal. That said (and I said this even during the off-season, when Nurk fever was cresting), the best move if he doesn't put together a 70+ game season of dominance is to let him to find his level in the free agent market and match if that level is reasonable. There's no need for Portland to figure out his value themselves and the market hasn't been putting a very high value on good-defense/mediocre-offense centers who don't shoot threes. Unless he really blows up the rest of the season and looks like an MVP, he's not getting max offers from anyone.

 

[Labinot41]

From RealGM: he's in his 4th NBA season and his career PER is only 16.0, only 1 point above the NBA median. At times, we're talking about his shooting efficiency as if it's some one year dip but his career TS% is .496 when the NBA average is in the .545-.550 range; that's really bad for a big man. Per36 his career turnover average is 3.5 a game. His career winshare/48 is .056 and this season it's at .033; both those marks are atrocious.

 

[calvin natt]

Jim Moran is a 6 foot 7 small forward. Not what I would consider a big man personally. So I don't need a HOF big man. Just an actual big man who wants to teach skills.

Guys who are 6’7 in his era could be anything. Unless people in here are at practice and in the facility nobody knows what’s going on.

 

[Jade Falcon]

I agree with much of what's been said here.

The bottom line is: he needs a big man coach....like, NOW. But I doubt the FO, and especially that incompetent buffoon Stotts, even knows this.

I'm a big fan of Nurk, but I won't make excuses for him. He is not as good as last season. But, I will say this, and the truth could not be more clear:

We could do much worse than him. Much. Worse.

My father presented me with a dilemma: trade away the bench and Nurk for Cousins, or keep Nurk and develop him.

Sigh. I want to keep Nurk, but there's no way I'd pass up Cousin's numbers. But the guy is a total head case, completely immature, and what little I've seen of him playing Defense is not encouraging to me.

I'd say.....keep Nurk and get a decent Wing. A Wing who can shoot the 3 AND play Defense. I think that would be more valuable to us than having Cousins and trading our bench, and possibly some picks, away.

 

[Mr. Robot]

@Jade Falcon youre like #2 Nurk fan... I salute you

 

[Jade Falcon]

@Jade Falcon youre like #2 Nurk fan... I salute you

Oh dude, I love the guy. I like his attitude (when he's producing...not when he's sulking), and I love the Defense he brings. Much needed Defense, I might add. And I love when him and Dame do the PnR....that's a thing of beauty.

I look forward to watching his highlights on YouTube. I haven't seen many games this past month because I've been busy, but it sounds like he's really run in to a time where he's struggling. Doesn't seem to stop him from getting 21 and 10 with 5 fouls though. I would kill to see Meyers give us that kind of performance.

I like Nurk. And fuck anyone who doesn't. This guy is exactly what this team needed; what we all were begging for before he came here. But he's not getting any help from his team, or from the coaching staff. And if you're not grateful for what he's done with getting his body into shape this off-season, and the lack of support in the paint, then you're a fool.

 

[H.C.]

Saying dunk the ball isn't even remotely what Nurk needs. I'd tell Damian to dunk it every trip down the floor.

That's the entire problem with what Hurd says and if he is around the team and thinks this way there is an even bigger problem.

It has nothing to do with telling someone to do something. It has everything to do with showing them.

Now, everyone on the forum listen to me and listen good. You all go make a billion dollars. How? I have no idea.

You don't think anyone has ever shown Nurk to go strong to the rim and try to rip it down? Regardless of who is trying to defend him.

Someone could help Nurk with his footwork, but it's more a mentality.
You're either going to destroy someone and go through them to score. Or you're going to be Batum.
I don't think Nurk is Batum, I think he's young.
Yao did similar things when he first entered the league. When he could've dunked it easy, he tossed a shot up because he didn't want to disrespect the opponent.
I don't think Nurk's exactly like Yao. But people always told Yao to just rip the rim down. It wasn't until he got older he started to do just that.

 

[Jade Falcon]

You don't think anyone has ever shown Nurk to go strong to the rim and try to rip it down? Regardless of who is trying to defend him.

Someone could help Nurk with his footwork, but it's more a mentality.
You're either going to destroy someone and go through them to score. Or you're going to be Batum.
I don't think Nurk is Batum, I think he's young.
Yao did similar things when he first entered the league. When he could've dunked it easy, he tossed a shot up because he didn't want to disrespect the opponent.
I don't think Nurk's exactly like Yao. But people always told Yao to just rip the rim down. It wasn't until he got older he started to do just that.

And now Yao has no knees and walks with a cane. That's what we need....Nurk out of the league by 28.

 

[H.C.]

And now Yao has no knees and walks with a cane. That's what we need....Nurk out of the league by 28.

I think theres some sarcasm here.
At least I hope so.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

You don't think anyone has ever shown Nurk to go strong to the rim and try to rip it down? Regardless of who is trying to defend him.

Someone could help Nurk with his footwork, but it's more a mentality.
You're either going to destroy someone and go through them to score. Or you're going to be Batum.
I don't think Nurk is Batum, I think he's young.
Yao did similar things when he first entered the league. When he could've dunked it easy, he tossed a shot up because he didn't want to disrespect the opponent.
I don't think Nurk's exactly like Yao. But people always told Yao to just rip the rim down. It wasn't until he got older he started to do just that.

He doesn't have to dunk everything, he has to be more composed around the rim. He rushes shots. He doesn't have any go to automatic moves. It is all feel. He has the ability, hasn't had the consistency.


He needs coaching and to stay the fuck away from the 3 point line until he's comfortable in the paint.

He'll hit a few quick tossup shots because he's naturally skilled and he'll be fine. Or he'll miss some gimmes and lose his shit.

 

[BrianFromWA]

McHale and Olajuwon have been called out by big men as being fantastic big men coaches...transferring skills and exercises (I assume?) that they used to a new generation. Kareem and Ewing are more "full-team" coaches, but still have a ton of knowledge on how to score as a big (duh).

Some, though, question like you guys do. But if LBJ paid to get your help, AND says it helped, that's some pretty decent evidence. http://grantland.com/the-triangle/i...st-up-play-training-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/

With such an accomplished career, Olajuwon has earned enormous credibility when it comes to basketball knowledge. It is perhaps why so many players come back as true believers in his methods after spending time working with him. James in particular has been on record praising his time with Olajuwon, which happened to coincide with the unveiling of a new (and since improved) post game. At the very least, Olajuwon is making his students feel like they’ve gotten better or gained insight during their time with him. Such a response certainly has value.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Just watching the game Nurkic is almost entirely the reason our D is so much better this year. If he can figure out the O part (which I believe he will in time, he is young) then we get a steal going forward with him not getting MAX after this year.

 

[Jade Falcon]

I think theres some sarcasm here.
At least I hope so.

It was exaggerated a bit. The point being.....I'd rather have a healthy Nurk long term.

 

[calvin natt]

I don’t think anyone wants Nurk gone. I think some people put more blame on his coaching or lack of coaching, and some place more blame on him because it’s safe to assume that he has 4,5 professional basketball coaches telling him daily what to do and not do and he either absorbs it or doesn’t.

Thinking they can run out and hire McHale or Kareem or whoever to come coach their big men is odd to me.

 

[Optimistic Bob]

When Nurk finally realizes he is a giant and can dominate in the paint instead of putting up soft reverse layups and scoop shots, whatever team he is playing for will zoom ahead. I just hope it's the Blazers..... and SOON !!

 

[tester551]

I don’t think anyone wants Nurk gone. I think some people put more blame on his coaching or lack of coaching, and some place more blame on him because it’s safe to assume that he has 4,5 professional basketball coaches telling him daily what to do and not do and he either absorbs it or doesn’t.

Thinking they can run out and hire McHale or Kareem or whoever to come coach their big men is odd to me.

No doubt he's receiving a lot of coaching daily. The question from a lot of us is the quality of the coaching.

There's a lot of nuances of positioning, foot work, body movement that Nurk needs to be coached up on.

From my vantage point, Stotts generally takes the attitude of 'not messing' with the players movements/form/etc. because they were good enough to make it to the NBA - so why mess with it?

It's why Dame STILL can't make a good entry pass into the post after 6 years...

Details matter & I don't see any progress in the details

 

[dviss1]

No doubt he's receiving a lot of coaching daily. The question from a lot of us is the quality of the coaching.

There's a lot of nuances of positioning, foot work, body movement that Nurk needs to be coached up on.

From my vantage point, Stotts generally takes the attitude of 'not messing' with the players movements/form/etc. because they were good enough to make it to the NBA - so why mess with it?

It's why Dame STILL can't make a good entry pass into the post after 6 years...

Details matter & I don't see any progress in the details

This is a load of crap. Just a fucking load.

 

[dviss1]

Nurk shoots well when he goes up strong. When he doesn't go up strong he doesn't shoot well. It's really as simple as that.

He needs to play like he's big all the time.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Huh. What an interesting idea! A coach that works with bigs to help them develop their skills. That could really pay dividends with all the young bigs we have on our roster. I wonder, is there any precedence for such a thing? Are there any coaches that work strictly with bigs? Is it even feasible for an NBA team to hire such a person?

That is the greenest of fonts ive ever seen. It made my green grass look brown.

 

[Mr. Robot]

MAX CONTRACT IT IS