Exclusive Pre-season observations/snap-judgements thread

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Boob-No-More said:
I was visiting a sick kid last night and missed most of the game. I saw the first quarter and heard the last three and a half minutes of the game on the radio on my way home.

So, a question for those who saw the entire game. Was Noah matched up with Blake at all last night? We saw last season that Vonleh can play solid position defense as a starter. But last year he struggled mightily to score against other staring power forwards. So far in preseason, he's shown he can score in a variety of ways, but it's been against 19-year olds and other 3rd stringers. If he could score against other starting power forwards, it would be HUGE for this team.

That's the one thing we lack - good two way players. That's why Al Horford would have been such a great fit here (but, that's why he's a great fit anywhere). Since we can't seem to attract those type of players via free agency, developing them internally is our best shot. Based on what I saw defensively last season, and what I've seen so far this preseason, Noah Vonleh has the highest potential of anyone on our roster to develop into a player that is above average on both ends of the court. But, he still needs to prove he can score against other top players - not just teenage rookies and 3rd stringers trying to make a roster.

Personally, I'd love to see him start these last two preseason games - not with the idea he'll be our starting power forward on opening night, but just to see how his offensive game has improved against real, top quality, NBA players.

BNM
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Aminu and Harkless were on Blake most of the game ...I think Vonleh was matched up with Bass at the end
 
Meyers has wimpy arms after not being able to lift for seven months.
 
e_blazer said:
I haven't been able to watch much of pre-season so I don't know the answer to this question: How many of Vonleh's minutes so far have come against starting players vs. bench guys? He really struggled last year against established players.
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That's the point. Unfortunately it's been against the other teams end of bench guys.
 
I am a Mason Plumlee fan. Thought he played well last night. His new mid range "set shot" looked good enough. It is the same improved form he uses on his free throws and it is much better. But most of all I love his activity all over the floor.

Having said all that....my snap judgement of the night is we really need Ezeli and his 7'6" wingspan. We need a big physical presence to protect the rim. For at least 24 minutes a game.

I watched him jog by us in the tunnel last night. I would think he has to be getting close to returning.
 
We still need a big who can score.

Meyers has no business playing PF.

Vonleh looks ready for a bigger role.

It's only pre-season but Crabbe is making me nervous.

Plumlee needs to be re-signed.
 
Vonleh, Hark and Plums seem to have made considerable progress. Layman could be really good.
 
HCP said:
Layman could be really good because of what we saw in 5 minutes of a meaningless game?
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Yes......Okay maybe I overstated that one.

I did like the fact that he looked and played with confidence.
 
HCP said:
Layman could be really good because of what we saw in 5 minutes of a meaningless game?
Click to expand...
He owned Brandon Bass.....a vet....and he's a rookie out of college...he definitely impressed Stotts and whatever the situation...he impressed me..rebounding, playing both ends and scoring. #HCPHATESALLROOKIES
 
Crabbe - Has shown flashes of attacking the rim, would like to see more.

Turner - Looks more like a secondary ball handler instead of someone who can primarily run a team, but haven't seen enough.

Harkless - The jumper looks better, but he looks about the same otherwise.

Aminu - Has done a better job of attacking and finishing under control. He's been awful from the outside however, and that worries me given his history.

Plumlee - Got rid of his hitch, and that midrange jumper is serviceable.

Leonard - Needs a little more time to her reacclimated. He's hit shots, but has been very weak defensively.

Vonleh - Deserves minutes. If he can turn the promising flashes he's shown this season into consistency, then he'd possibly be our best big man.

Shabazz - Can really score. Should get minutes of we're trying to come back from a deficit, or if the offense can't get anything going.

Layman - Needs to be more aggressive. He has an NBA body with decent athleticism and an all around skill set -- time to put it to use.


I also think that we'll have at least one player on the team thats cut by someone else. Connaughton should be gone (even my girlfriend who just started learning basketball can't stand him). Baseball wild be a more successful venture, he just needs to realize that. Montero has barely played, and he might be gone as well.

If Ben Bentil or Demetrius Jackson get cut from Boston, then I would take a look.
 
Not sure if this is a deep good team like the old Pistons or a deep mediocre team like the old Hawks.
 
I'm not too impressed with the team defense. A few individuals are doing ok, but not much effort as a whole. It's just preseason so I'm not too antsy yet.
 
Meyers still looks like a bad rookie and I don't get the hype around him.

Stotts needs to find minutes for Napier

I'm on the Vonleh hype train
 
Greg Stiemsma could pass as Mason Plumlees over inflated identical twin.

Shabazz Napier is our version of Bostons Isiah Thomas.
 
Fez Hammersticks said:
We still need a big who can score.

Meyers has no business playing PF.

Vonleh looks ready for a bigger role.

It's only pre-season but Crabbe is making me nervous.

Plumlee needs to be re-signed.
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Maybe Olshey/mgmt was thinking with a possible NBA expansion coming soon if the new CBA is agreed to then they will just leave Crabbe and/or Meyers unprotected when an expansion draft comes when you can protect something like 8 players and its likely one or both of those guys would be snatched up
 
Blazinaway said:
Maybe Olshey/mgmt was thinking with a possible NBA expansion coming soon if the new CBA is agreed to then they will just leave Crabbe and/or Meyers unprotected when an expansion draft comes when you can protect something like 8 players and its likely one or both of those guys would be snatched up
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If management was thinking about losing them to expansion, they would not have matched BRK's offer sheet for Crabbbe or re-signed Leonard. They would have just let them walk for nothing and signed minimum contract guys to fill out the roster. You don't sign a guy to a huge contract if you plan to let him walk a year later for nothing. You only sign him if you plan to keep him yourself, or trade him for something you need later.

When you lose a player to expansion, you get nothing in return. Technically, you get their salary off the books, but we will be so far over the cap when C.J.'s extension kicks in, it won't matter. And again, it would have been cheaper to just let them walk this summer. They were both retained for a reason, and that reason is not to let them walk for nothing a year from now.

BNM
 
Boob-No-More said:
If management was thinking about losing them to expansion, they would not have matched BRK's offer sheet for Crabbbe or re-signed Leonard. They would have just let them walk for nothing and signed minimum contract guys to fill out the roster. You don't sign a guy to a huge contract if you plan to let him walk a year later for nothing. You only sign him if you plan to keep him yourself, or trade him for something you need later.

When you lose a player to expansion, you get nothing in return. Technically, you get their salary off the books, but we will be so far over the cap when C.J.'s extension kicks in, it won't matter. And again, it would have been cheaper to just let them walk this summer. They were both retained for a reason, and that reason is not to let them walk for nothing a year from now.

BNM
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consolidation trade.
 
I don't think Crabbe looks any worse than last year. He's a solid bench player, but now he's under a magnifying glass because of that ridiculous contract he's on. I can understand Portland over spending on one player that they think is going to help. But 27 mil on Crabbe and Meyers? So absurd.
 
Sinobas said:
I don't think Crabbe looks any worse than last year. He's a solid bench player, but now he's under a magnifying glass because of that ridiculous contract he's on. I can understand Portland over spending on one player that they think is going to help. But 27 mil on Crabbe and Meyers? So absurd.
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I'll never get used to these new deals. Crabbe makes more than Rasheed ever made in Portland. But it's not the worst. I still can't figure out why Soloman Hill is making $10m/per.

To live up to his deal he's going to have to morph into Klay Thompson - whom has a contract $10m less than Crabbe.
 
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