Scoot & Toumani Besties

[e_blazer]

There's an article in today's The Athletic by Jason Quick talking about the burgeoning friendship and shared ambitions of Toumani and Scoot:

Since their rookie year last season, the two have become more than just the foundation of the Blazers’ future. They have become the best of friends. And in the moments when they just hang and dream, they keep coming back to the same vision.

“Me and Tou, we have told each other: ‘We are going to do this. We are going to be great together … and we are going to do it here, in Portland,’” Henderson said. “We haven’t told anyone, but we have those conversations.

“The fact that they want to do it here and do it together, it’s kind of rare nowadays,” coach Chauncey Billups said. “It seems like everybody is looking for their own deal, their own path, their own city, whatever, whatever. So the fact that those guys have taken great pride in saying, ‘I love it here, I want to do it here, we are going to do it here … that’s a big deal. And you can see it with the passion both of them play with.”

It's too bad that they didn't get to play together as originally planned at the All-Star, but Scoot's going to be there with him. I don't know whether to read anything between the lines in Quick's article about Sharpe not being mentioned in their plans.

 

[blazerfan11]

There's an article in today's The Athletic by Jason Quick talking about the burgeoning friendship and shared ambitions of Toumani and Scoot:



It's too bad that they didn't get to play together as originally planned at the All-Star, but Scoot's going to be there with him. I don't know whether to read anything between the lines in Quick's article about Sharpe not being mentioned in their plans.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

There's an article in today's The Athletic by Jason Quick talking about the burgeoning friendship and shared ambitions of Toumani and Scoot:



It's too bad that they didn't get to play together as originally planned at the All-Star, but Scoot's going to be there with him. I don't know whether to read anything between the lines in Quick's article about Sharpe not being mentioned in their plans.

Their friendship is already paying dividends. It feels like Scoot is playing much more aggressive and higher quality defense than he did last year.

 

[HailBlazers]

The opposite of Dame/CJ: Defense!

 

[Rastapopoulos]

This would be genuinely heartwarming if I had a heart. Now they need to kidnap Shae and brainwash him.

 

[blazerfan11]

The article also appears in the NY Times

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/61...mara-scoot-henderson-trail-blazers-dream-nba/

 

[KingSpeed]

They’re gonna do what Dame couldn’t! So glad they want to do it here!

 

[cheesehoff]

I would really liked to have heard Shady's name mentioned along with these two. But, they are all still growing up. Hearing that Shady buys in on what these two have started would be music to my ears. It's this kind of beginning to a story about young, core players that sets the stage for a good, long ending.
Learning about their growth as players is great to hear. Reading about the growth of their relationship is even better, imo.

 

[handiman]

Now that Scoot is playing defense somewhat like Camara, I'm really liking the two of them as a foundation going forward, and extra happy to see this news. I've thought for ~6 weeks now, Scoot is so good in the passing lanes, and Camara is so good at full-court pressure and causing off-target passes, we could have a relentless pressure squad with one more guy playing Camara's role to force long passes that Scoot can sniff out. Murray and Rupert have the potential to fill that role, but neither is quite good enough yet to wall off the other side of the court while Camara hounds the ball.

 

[Strenuus]

Get something for shae and simons. Move on from them.

 

[HailBlazers]

Get something for shae and simons. Move on from them.

Watch games. Then post.

 

[Strenuus]

Watch games. Then post.

Sorry, I'm already knowledge enough. We all are. Don't need to watch games and give money to a team who doesn't care.

 

[blazerkor]

Sorry, I'm already knowledge enough. We all are. Don't need to watch games and give money to a team who doesn't care.

So you'll blindly recommend trading Shaedon. I get it that before you stopped watching that Ant was a known commodity but you have to watch the games in order to understand just how good Shaedon is getting. It's not consistent yet but when he's on he's easily the best offensive player on the team and when he's on he isn't a bad defender.

 

[noknobs]

Sorry, I'm already knowledge enough.

No, you're very ignorant on most things.

 

[AldoTrapani]

There's an article in today's The Athletic by Jason Quick talking about the burgeoning friendship and shared ambitions of Toumani and Scoot:



It's too bad that they didn't get to play together as originally planned at the All-Star, but Scoot's going to be there with him. I don't know whether to read anything between the lines in Quick's article about Sharpe not being mentioned in their plans.

Sharpe is aloof. He doesn’t care about basketball like that. You can tell he just wants to be left alone and chill

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

There's an article in today's The Athletic by Jason Quick talking about the burgeoning friendship and shared ambitions of Toumani and Scoot:



It's too bad that they didn't get to play together as originally planned at the All-Star, but Scoot's going to be there with him. I don't know whether to read anything between the lines in Quick's article about Sharpe not being mentioned in their plans.

Beautiful. If the sum can be better than its’ parts, this team could have something truly special in s couple years.

 

[Blazinaway]

I would really liked to have heard Shady's name mentioned along with these two. But, they are all still growing up. Hearing that Shady buys in on what these two have started would be music to my ears. It's this kind of beginning to a story about young, core players that sets the stage for a good, long ending.
Learning about their growth as players is great to hear. Reading about the growth of their relationship is even better, imo.

Since Deni and Tou are the same age I'd like to hear that Deni shares that vision as well, no need to worry about Deni's heart/desire/passion for the game and playing 2-way Bball, good to hear about these two

 

[blazerfan11]

Since Deni and Tou are the same age I'd like to hear that Deni shares that vision as well, no need to worry about Deni's heart/desire/passion for the game and playing 2-way Bball, good to hear about these two

You are right. Toumani Camara is actually nearly 8 months OLDER than Deni Avdija.

 

[MickZagger]

Now that Scoot is playing defense somewhat like Camara, I'm really liking the two of them as a foundation going forward, and extra happy to see this news. I've thought for ~6 weeks now, Scoot is so good in the passing lanes, and Camara is so good at full-court pressure and causing off-target passes, we could have a relentless pressure squad with one more guy playing Camara's role to force long passes that Scoot can sniff out. Murray and Rupert have the potential to fill that role, but neither is quite good enough yet to wall off the other side of the court while Camara hounds the ball.

They’d be great at a Bobby Huggins style full court press

 

[KingSpeed]

Get something for shae and simons. Move on from them.

Oh my god. You don’t want to trade Shae. He’s gonna be a star. He’s why we tanked 3 years ago. He’s going to the best guy out of that draft.

 

[KingSpeed]

Sorry, I'm already knowledge enough. We all are. Don't need to watch games and give money to a team who doesn't care.

The team I’ve watched the last month cares A LOT.

 

[KingSpeed]

Sorry, I'm already knowledge enough. We all are. Don't need to watch games and give money to a team who doesn't care.

By the way, by moderating this forum, you are facilitating free publicity for the team. Jody thanks you. A free employee!

 

[handiman]

They’d be great at a Bobby Huggins style full court press

1-3-1? I was thinking more like 2-1-2, or maybe 2-2-1. We have such a unique talent in Camara, conventional presses haven't been designed with someone like him in mind. We don't need 3 at mid-court to take advantage... Just need someone else to cover up the secondary ball handler.

Once Clingan improves his bounce and agility (so he doesn't foul whenever someone goes around him instead of trying to shoot over him), he'll be the perfect deterrent as the man anchoring the press.

 

[inconceivable]

Oh my god. You don’t want to trade Shae. He’s gonna be a star. He’s why we tanked 3 years ago. He’s going to the best guy out of that draft.

I 1000% agree. Kawhi and TD are also not very charismatic personalities. Shae has shown flashed and he will breakthrough when Ant and JG are traded

 

[blazerfan11]

I 1000% agree. Kawhi and TD are also not very charismatic personalities. Shae has shown flashed and he will breakthrough when Ant and JG are traded

And/or Billups is fired. One way coaches are different from each other is how they interact with their players.
The interaction I see with Billups and Sharpe is Billups continually playing Sharpe on the bench.

Sharpe is clearly not a priority for Billups, winning meaningless games is.

To begin the 2023-24 season, Billups went with a starting lineup of Ayton, rookie Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, and Matisse Thybulle.
He should have been fired right at that point.


If Billups cannot find a way to get Sharpe playing with the starters, the Blazers need to look for someone else.

 

[Phatguysrule]

And/or Billups is fired. One way coaches are different from each other is how they interact with their players.
The interaction I see with Billups and Sharpe is Billups continually playing Sharpe on the bench.

Sharpe is clearly not a priority for Billups, winning meaningless games is.

To begin the 2023-24 season, Billups went with a starting lineup of Ayton, rookie Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, and Matisse Thybulle.
He should have been fired right at that point.


If Billups cannot find a way to get Sharpe playing with the starters, the Blazers need to look for someone else.

100%

 

[handiman]

If Billups cannot find a way to get Sharpe playing with the starters, the Blazers need to look for someone else.

Billups has done better in that regard than Calipari did...

 

[Bingo Bango]

Oh my god. You don’t want to trade Shae. He’s gonna be a star. He’s why we tanked 3 years ago. He’s going to the best guy out of that draft.

I have some swampland in Florida I want to sell you.