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Rastapopoulos

Rastapopoulos

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So, what do we think of Whiteside, Bazemore, Hezonja and co. so far?
 
awkward so far.....all 3 seem offensively challenged early on...Baze and Hezonja have bricked a lot of shots and especially bunnies at the rim....Hassan doesn't get his arms in the air on defense...keeps them at his sides and guys shoot right over him. Tolliver at least keeps his hands up on d....Hassan doesn't seem to like to do that or get offensive rebounds much...Hassan is shooting free throws better than I thought he would
 
Rastapopoulos said:
So, what do we think of Whiteside, Bazemore, Hezonja and co. so far?
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A work in progress. Sometimes players gel immediately and sometimes it takes longer and then there are times where one or more just don't fit. Still plenty of time to work things out though.
 
I think Whiteside is still learning the system and his teammates but the potential is there to be good. He just needs more time.

I think Bazemore is pretty much giving what I was expecting. Solid defense but lackluster offense, again with more time he should be better.

I think Hezonja is a solid role player who needs to slow down just a tad and let the game come to him a bit more. But his flashes of good have been impressive.

The real issue is what are they going to do at the 4, Tolliver isn’t the answer at all.
 
We all bitched and moaned about Aminu in particular, but clearly he was doing something that helped the team succeed. Now, maybe with time Stotts can get our new additions to do that too. Maybe.

Of the three of them, Whiteside gives us the most tangible benefits, but he's also slow as molasses and our offense stinks when he's in there. Hezonja just seems a bit out of control and doesn't have the ball handling skills for all the ball handling he's being asked to do. And Bazemore just seems overcaffeinated and jacks up bricks like there's no tomorrow. I can understand why Stotts keeps putting Tolliver out there, because of all of the newcomers he looks like he understands what the team needs and what he should be doing to contribute, he just isn't able to DO it.

If Dame gets injured I seriously think we'll be the worst team in the league.
 
riverman said:
Actually I think we are missing Chief as much as anybody..
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We will miss Chief and Harkless at times, but that team still doesn't win a title. This team needs more time, but I'm also not very far from adjusting the experiment to change things up, because they aren't working.
 
Mediocre Man said:
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I think this is basically true. All three still have the problems they have had for a long time. Lillard (according to Quick) is trying to teach the old dog Whiteside new tricks. (he acknowledges it is much more difficult than with Nurkic). I still have not heard a word from Whiteside where he acknowledges he needed to do better in Miami and needs to do more here. I would love to just hear him say "I need to show intensity on a more consistent basis". Lillard still believes Whiteside can do more; and maybe Lillard has a strong enough and patient enough and not too critical personality that he can succeed where others have failed.
Bazemore. I think he usually started in Atlanta and now coming off the bench with limited minutes he is trying to do too much. Needs to find a better balance between aggression and focus on defense and needs to be more selective on offense. Hopefully our coaches are working with him to accomplish this.
Hezonja. Seems to have been inconsistent his entire career. I thought he played with more certainty and confidence in exhibition season. I'm not sure what is happening with him now; he seems to be not sure what he is supposed to be doing. Obviously coaches need to find out what is going on and help him succeed.
So, yes, too early to tell. It's gonna take work and patience.
 
What I hoped would happen: Baze and Hood would get and make the open shots that Chief, Turner, et al couldn't convert. This would make life easier for Dame.

What has happened: a big, fat nothing.

Someday I'm going to learn - where the Blazers are concerned there is NEVER reason for optimism!
 
oldmangrouch said:
What I hoped would happen: Baze and Hood would get and make the open shots that Chief, Turner, et al couldn't convert. This would make life easier for Dame.

What has happened: a big, fat nothing.

Someday I'm going to learn - where the Blazers are concerned there is NEVER reason for optimism!
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Personally I think Hood was really good this year before Simmons started handing out cheap shots.
 
I always hope for a Championship. 9 games in and our 2 best defensive guys are out maybe not for the season but they might as well be. I thought Zach was just starting to get it but who knows I hope it does not set him back. The good news is the 3 guys in question are all expiring contracts. I was hoping we could at least get good mileage off of 1 and maybe we will. We are only 9 games in so I am not going to get too frustrated.....yet. I am still not missing our trades and maybe never will.
 
Whiteside seems not in shape right now. When he gets tired he has no reaction to anything but again this might been the reason he got bench last year in Miami in keys part of the game. Now some you guys thinks Bazemore is good not so he reaches to much for steals he either gets the steal or fouls and that's why picks up 4 to 5 fouls game. Now Mario he acts like he doesn't defend someone on offense very tentive instead just go out play the way he did the last 3 games with New York.
 
oldmangrouch said:
What I hoped would happen: Baze and Hood would get and make the open shots that Chief, Turner, et al couldn't convert. This would make life easier for Dame.

What has happened: a big, fat nothing.

Someday I'm going to learn - where the Blazers are concerned there is NEVER reason for optimism!
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This is unfair to Hood. He's shooting 47.9% on FG and 48% on 3 pointers.
 
As far as Kanter is concerned do people not remember a couple of threads about how he sucks and we shouldn't have signed him?

The thing about Whiteside and Bazemore is that if they stay this way we can still trade them for better fitting pieces. It's almost a certainty now.
 
hoopsjock said:
As far as Kanter is concerned do people not remember a couple of threads about how he sucks and we shouldn't have signed him?

The thing about Whiteside and Bazemore is that if they stay this way we can still trade them for better fitting pieces. It's almost a certainty now.
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yeah I think there is a bigger plan.
 
hoopsjock said:
As far as Kanter is concerned do people not remember a couple of threads about how he sucks and we shouldn't have signed him?

The thing about Whiteside and Bazemore is that if they stay this way we can still trade them for better fitting pieces. It's almost a certainty now.
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That would make all kinds of sense. With tons of expiring contracts available this season, it won't be easy.
 
oldmangrouch said:
That would make all kinds of sense. With tons of expiring contracts available this season, it won't be easy.
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A lot of the other teams that have expiring contracts are in a situation where the contracts are more valuable to keep and improve their cap situation moving forward. Those teams might not be willing to trade them for players that have multiple years left on their contracts.

These are just examples but I doubt there would be too many teams willing to give up future flexibility for cap killing guys like Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, and Otto Porter. I'm not advocating for or against those specific guys but I'm talking about in general.
 
hoopsjock said:
A lot of the other teams that have expiring contracts are in a situation where the contracts are more valuable to keep and improve their cap situation moving forward. Those teams might not be willing to trade them for players that have multiple years left on their contracts.

These are just examples but I doubt there would be too many teams willing to give up future flexibility for cap killing guys like Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, and Otto Porter. I'm not advocating for or against those specific guys but I'm talking about in general.
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Fair point.
 
Whiteside- being scapegoated. Remember who he was traded for. I think he’s be fine and he’s not 100%. He’s a band aid and not the problem. He’s one of only three Blazers with a positive BPM.

Bazemore- Has been Portland’s best defender, but only Tolliver and Mario have graded out lower on the other end. But once again, remember who he was traded for.

Mario- Hasn’t done anything offensively, but grades out well on defense. What happened to point forward? Did Stotts quit on him just like he quits on everyone else not named Dame and CJ the minute they run into adversity, because lately he’s been reduced to just standing around. Either way, he should probably head back to the second unit and have his minutes reduced.

Tolliver- Objectively and subjectively the worst player in the rotation. His defense only grades out as average and has been a liability offensively. He looks washed up. His numbers say he was washed up last year as well. I get what he brings to the locker room, but he shouldn’t be playing, even with all the injuries. I’d rather give those 20 minutes to someone with a future in Portland, like Nas. Shit I’d even play Hoard over him.
 
Scalma said:
Tolliver- Objectively and subjectively the worst player in the rotation. His defense only grades out as average and has been a liability offensively. He looks washed up. His numbers say he was washed up last year as well. I get what he brings to the locker room, but he shouldn’t be playing, even with all the injuries. I’d rather give those 20 minutes to someone with a future in Portland, like Nas. Shit I’d even play Hoard over him.
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I never understood the "locker room" narrative about Tolliver and Gasol. I didn't see the need

the locker room already had Dame, and CJ, and Nurkic, and Zach. That should have been enough considering Portland's real need for more talent, especially considering the talent and experience that was leaving. As you said, Tolliver sure looks washed up and looked like that last season. And Gasol was 39 and less than 2 months removed from foot surgery when he was signed. I'd think Ezeli should have been the don't-do-it template for that signing

by the way, Tolliver was 'signed' 2 days before the moratorium even ended...why the rush?
 
Scalma said:
Whiteside- being scapegoated. Remember who he was traded for. I think he’s be fine and he’s not 100%. He’s a band aid and not the problem. He’s one of only three Blazers with a positive BPM.

Bazemore- Has been Portland’s best defender, but only Tolliver and Mario have graded out lower on the other end. But once again, remember who he was traded for.

Mario- Hasn’t done anything offensively, but grades out well on defense. What happened to point forward? Did Stotts quit on him just like he quits on everyone else not named Dame and CJ the minute they run into adversity, because lately he’s been reduced to just standing around. Either way, he should probably head back to the second unit and have his minutes reduced.

Tolliver- Objectively and subjectively the worst player in the rotation. His defense only grades out as average and has been a liability offensively. He looks washed up. His numbers say he was washed up last year as well. I get what he brings to the locker room, but he shouldn’t be playing, even with all the injuries. I’d rather give those 20 minutes to someone with a future in Portland, like Nas. Shit I’d even play Hoard over him.
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Why do I agree with almost everything you say this year? What the fuck happened...
 
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