Meyers Leonard dropped out of the rotation

[Draco]

It was interesting tonight to see Meyers get a DNP until garbage time in the 4th.

Harkless at PF has been a game changer the last 4 games; he gives speed, athleticism, defense, with enough shooting to space the floor. Hendo and Crabbe played strong off our bench as they've done for weeks. Plumlee and Davis have been a powerful duo all season.

I thought maybe Vonleh had lost his spot this season with us being in the playoff hunt; but his defensive footwork was excellent tonight. He provides hustle plays on offense with a respectable jumper. Now I wonder if Meyers is the odd man out?

 

[Natebishop3]

Vonleh is legit, and the kid is still young as hell. He's only going to get better.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

No.

Stotts sets his lineups based on matchups, seems to have worked well so far.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Harkless and Vonleh have to play. I can't see Leonard with many minutes unless someone gets hurt (nock on wood).

 

[Scalma]

No.

Stotts sets his lineups based on matchups, seems to have worked well so far.

Yeah but who do you sit to give meyers minutes?

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Yeah but who do you sit to give meyers minutes?

Um, he played 23 minutes the game prior to this one. Stotts wanted a more uptempo lineup for this game and Meyers is more of a halfcourt player. Its based on the opposing teams.

 

[Scalma]

Yeah my bad forgot he can just take center minutes

 

[SlyPokerDog]

No.

Stotts sets his lineups based on matchups, seems to have worked well so far.

This.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Yeah but who do you sit to give meyers minutes?

You sit Vonleh or Harkless when the opponent goes big, and play Meyers against them. Meyers is situationally awesome, but only when he's not exposed by faster opponents.

 

[Draco]

Um, he played 23 minutes the game prior to this one. Stotts wanted a more uptempo lineup for this game and Meyers is more of a halfcourt player. Its based on the opposing teams.

Vonleh didn't play then. Before that Harkless didn't play.

Yeah my bad forgot he can just take center minutes

Plumlee and Davis have been excellent all season, I'd be very reluctant to sit either of them for Meyers.

 

[HolyBackboard]

It was interesting tonight to see Meyers get a DNP until garbage time in the 4th.

Harkless at PF has been a game changer the last 4 games; he gives speed, athleticism, defense, with enough shooting to space the floor. Hendo and Crabbe played strong off our bench as they've done for weeks. Plumlee and Davis have been a powerful duo all season.

I thought maybe Vonleh had lost his spot this season with us being in the playoff hunt; but his defensive footwork was excellent tonight. He provides hustle plays on offense with a respectable jumper. Now I wonder if Meyers is the odd man out?

He's a niche player. He's good against the Boogie's and Gasol's of the world, but I think you use him only in specific situations. Also, another thought I've had recently, is maybe Portland decreases his minutes so his perceived value will be down around the league, causing his value to drop on the open market? Who knows.

 

[Natebishop3]

I really wish we would have traded him, especially if Neil really was getting calls.

 

[ripcityboy]

It will be interesting to see what Beibs brings in the free agent market. He's restricted so we can match but there are no shortage of teams that we have done that too. Maybe an ex-Blazer GM or two wanting a little payback?

 

[Scalma]

Vonleh didn't play then. Before that Harkless didn't play.



Plumlee and Davis have been excellent all season, I'd be very reluctant to sit either of them for Meyers.

I'd sit plumlee against someone like gobert. Leonard would draw gobert away from the basket and can body him on defense as well.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Plumlee and Davis have been excellent all season, I'd be very reluctant to sit either of them for Meyers.

Plums can pick up fouls and Davis is a bit undersized. Against beefy centers, Meyers is really useful. There just aren't many of those anymore.

 

[Scalma]

Plums can pick up fouls and Davis is a bit undersized. Against beefy centers, Meyers is really useful. There just aren't many of those anymore.

Yup. Which is why Olshey needs to set a limit as to how much they would spend on him. I would match any offer though, and just trade him. Wouldn't want to lose him for nothing

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

He could walk for nothing.

If Neil has a weakness it's his unwillingness to take risks.

He played poker with LMA and lost - losing a franchise guy in his prime for nothing.

Leonard is nowhere near that level but you could've got an asset or two for him at this deadline.

 

[Draco]

I really wish we would have traded him, especially if Neil really was getting calls.

I question how much value he had to other teams. Veteran teams wouldn't want him to win now. What would a rebuilding team give up for a soon to be free agent? He has major issues defensively, is primarily an offensive player, and is shooting 34% from three. The NBA league average is 35% from three.

He has too small of a usage rate to be a key offensive option. He certainly belongs on an NBA roster. My opinion is he's more of an 11th man; not a key core piece. Do people really think another team is thinking he's an answer as a starter? Teams want starters in free agency or bargain contract like Ed Davis.

Some fans talk about how young he is; he's been in the NBA just as long as Harkless. He's older than both Harkless and Crabbe. I'd rather pay those two big dollars and give them significant minutes.

 

[Scalma]

He could walk for nothing.

If Neil has a weakness it's his unwillingness to take risks.

He played poker with LMA and lost - losing a franchise guy in his prime for nothing.

Leonard is nowhere near that level but you could've got an asset or two for him at this deadline.

Those deals will be there next year, especially if he's under a long term contract.

 

[Draco]

I'd sit plumlee against someone like gobert. Leonard would draw gobert away from the basket and can body him on defense as well.

Yeah maybe we can try that for a few minutes if our offense is stagnating. Harkless was very effective when we beat Utah earlier this season so first I'd see how the team plays and then put in Meyers if we really need to spread the court with 5 shooters.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Meyers may flash ability from time to time, but he brain-farts way, way too often for me to ever trust him. People can talk about "potential" as much as they want, but Meyers is exactly the kind of guy who is going commit some collosal fuck up in a critical playoff game down the line; it's in his DNA. We've seen these guys before. You know what I'm talking about.
Sure Meyers will have moments of brilliance from time to time; if he didn't he wouldnt be the fools' gold tease that he is. Good luck to the team that maxes him out this summer.

I'll take Vonlehs' defensive chops, athleticism and hustle (Harkless' too) in the long run over Beibs.

 

[BBert]

Vonleh is legit, and the kid is still young as hell. He's only going to get better.

I was reading a discussion today in another thread about how power forward is our weakest position and what starting power forward we could/should get. All I could think was, why? We have Vonleh. His progression and timeline is exactly the same as the Blazers. When the Blazers are true contenders in two years, Vonleh will be right there.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Four years and and he's looking like Bargnani without the dribble.

I will say one thing though - Meyers can guard the post.

 

[Draco]

Plums can pick up fouls and Davis is a bit undersized. Against beefy centers, Meyers is really useful. There just aren't many of those anymore.

Good post; I agree. If we are going against Hibbert or Gasol then Meyers has a role. Maybe Dwight Howard or Capela. But opposing teams are playing less and less of those guys. Its something we worry about 1 of every 5 games. Five years ago it was the opposite there were small ball lineups 1 of every 5 games.

 

[riverman]

Stotts coached a perfect game rotation wise . Meyers didn't play because of Green...Aminu had Green's number

 

[Draco]

Meyers may flash ability from time to time, but he brain-farts way, way too often for me to ever trust him. People can talk about "potential" as much as they want, but Meyers is exactly the kind of guy who is going commit some collosal fuck up in a critical plaoff game down the line; it's in his DNA. We've seen these guys before. You know what I'm talking about.

I'll take Vonlehs' defensive chops, athleticism and hustle (Harkless' too) in the long run over Beibs.

Sure Meyers will have moments of brilliance from time to time; if he didn't he wouldnt be the fools' gold tease that he is.

Good luck to the team that maxes him out this summer.

I think fans mistake his slow reactions for "brain-farts" or lack of effort. He's a 7-1 player that takes time to change direction and get up to speed. He just doesn't have the athletic ability, that rapid momentary quickness to stay in front of defensive assignments. Noah Vonleh far surpassed him the first day he was on the court; while Meyers has been trying and working on it for 4 years. Its a natural physical ability Vonleh was blessed with.

Fans shouldn't wish ill will toward Meyers for lacking a physical ability. I'm sure he'd love to be able to instinctively shut guys down on defense. That's just very rare for such a tall player to possess. We're watching him battle against the best 200 basketball players on the planet.

 

[riverman]

Meyers truly thought he was the 3rd option, core piece of the team going into the season...then something happened...my guess is that Mason, Ed, Noah and Cliff made him their bitch in practice and since then, he's trying to hold his head high and takes a lot of deep breaths..Meyers has a really high ceiling talent wise..but when they say a big takes 4-5 years to get it...Meyers would be a 5 year guy

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't "wish him ill" I wish he didn't play on the basketball team I like.

 

[illmatic99]

Can't put a massive defensive liability out there against Draymond. Green would have destroyed Leonard. I'm okay with Stotts benching him tonight. It's not as if Stotts is valuing winning over development as Quick suggested earlier when you consider that the guys who took Meyers' minutes are younger than him!

 

[Trackjack]

Due to the fact that the Blazers are in the playoff hunts Stotts going with his best 9 players every night. Yes Leonard will get minutes if the match up makes Stotts to play him. Right now he not only playing his best 9 players but these 9 guys is his best defense players too.