Shoot, Let's Just Leave Well Enough Alone

[ABM]

The more I've been thinking about it, the more I realize that a healthy Blazers team - plus Camby - is in the WCF THIS season. Why not just trot out the same bunch next season and see where the chips fall?

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I agree; we're not in the market to significantly upgrade any single piece. We're also not in a poisition of great need anywhere, certainly no need great enough to warrant trading a large quantity existing talent at a discount to get an upgrade. I'm with you: let it bake (heh) one more season and see. We've got experience in key positions (PG, PF/C) and more experienced young guys who are about to enter their proto-prime years. Let's let it ride.

 

[Nikolokolus]

There's no such thing as 'trotting out the same bunch' -- You're either getting better or you're getting worse. FWIW, I don't hate the lineup we currently have but I sure as hell don't love our bench and I'm pretty sure we're short a long term answer at the point guard spot (despite Bayless playing very well as a backup shooting guard).

 

[BGrantFan]

There's no such thing as 'trotting out the same bunch' -- You're either getting better or you're getting worse. FWIW, I don't hate the lineup we currently have but I sure as hell don't love our bench and I'm pretty sure we're short a long term answer at the point guard spot (despite Bayless playing very well as a backup shooting guard).

What does a long-term answer at PG have to do with competing next season?

 

[Ed O]

There's no such thing as 'trotting out the same bunch' -- You're either getting better or you're getting worse. FWIW, I don't hate the lineup we currently have but I sure as hell don't love our bench and I'm pretty sure we're short a long term answer at the point guard spot (despite Bayless playing very well as a backup shooting guard).

Absolutely. Standing still is moving backwards. The team should ALWAYS look to improve itself. It should just be a question of what level of risk aversion and what their competitive window looks like.

Even healthy, this team has holes unless our second round big guys develop into NBA-level players.

Ed O.

 

[Nikolokolus]

What does a long-term answer at PG have to do with competing next season?

We're an Andre Miller severely sprained ankle away from having nobody aside from Brandon to initiate the offense. That's a bit of a problem in my opinion (unless you happen to think that Mills or Diener would be adequate fill-ins).

 

[ABM]

I can't help but also think that a healthy Greg Oden - replete with the attention he'll most certainly draw - enhances the potential of a successful outside shooting game.

 

[Ed O]

What does a long-term answer at PG have to do with competing next season?

It's not just about competing for next year. Unless you know something we don't.

Ed O.

 

[BGrantFan]

We're an Andre Miller severely sprained ankle away from having nobody aside from Brandon to initiate the offense. That's a bit of a problem in my opinion (unless you happen to think that Mills or Diener would be adequate fill-ins).

I don't know what that means in terms of a long-term answer at PG. That was your original point, not having a back-up at the level of Andre Miller, wasn't it?

 

[ABM]

We're an Andre Miller severely sprained ankle away from having nobody aside from Brandon to initiate the offense. That's a bit of a problem in my opinion (unless you happen to think that Mills or Diener would be adequate fill-ins).

Don't forget, Koponen came that close to being chosen over Batum to fill out our roster a couple of seasons ago.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I can't help but also think that a healthy Greg Oden - replete with the attention he'll most certainly draw - enhances the potential of a successful outside shooting game.

You're right ... and with Brandon, Bayless, Webster and Rudy all being somewhat (or very) streaky outside shooters, with Miller a total non-factor, doesn't it seem like we need more than just Nic Batum to space the floor?

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't know what that means in terms of a long-term answer at PG. That was your original point, not having a back-up at the level of Andre Miller, wasn't it?

My point is that this team has holes and it should look to fill those holes with players who fit.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Don't forget, Koponen came that close to being chosen over Batum to fill out our roster a couple of seasons ago.

Yeah? and what is he going to do for us with a stress fracture in his foot?

 

[ABM]

You're right ... and with Brandon, Bayless, Webster and Rudy all being somewhat (or very) streaky outside shooters.....

To be honest, I see all of those guys being more wide open with Greg on the floor. Hence, I see wide open equating to a much higher fg%.

 

[ABM]

Yeah? and what is he going to do for us with a stress fracture in his foot?

Will that be healed by this summer? I missed that one.

 

[BGrantFan]

My point is that this team has holes and it should look to fill those holes with players who fit.

I agree. I just don't understand how filling the answer for a long-term PG helps a healthy team compete for a title next season. Perhaps I misinterpreted your post, but that is the one need you pointed out in your post.

 

[Nikolokolus]

To be honest, I see all of those guys being more wide open with Greg on the floor. Hence, I see wide open equating to a much higher fg%.

Maybe, but even when open a lot of these guys haven't exactly showed they can hit with consistency. But if you had a chance to cashier some of these young guys with "potential" for a single guy with some more proven production why wouldn't you take that opportunity? As a fan base I think we just have to get over the whole "Jermaine O'Neal Syndrome" -- fearing that the instant we part with one of these young guys it's going to come back and haunt us when they "blow up."

 

[Nikolokolus]

I agree. I just don't understand how filling the answer for a long-term PG helps a healthy team compete for a title next season. Perhaps I misinterpreted your post, but that is the one need you pointed out in your post.

As an example only, I think we also need a legitimate second option (I think LMA is a great third option btw), a true back-to-the-basket scorer and/or better shooters (Martell and Rudy are too hot and cold in my opinion).

 

[ABM]

Maybe, but even when open a lot of these guys haven't exactly showed they can hit with consistency. But if you had a chance to cashier some of these young guys with "potential" for a single guy with some more proven production why wouldn't you take that opportunity?

Sure, I could be on-board with that. To be honest, though, I think it would have to be directed by someone other than KP. He's probably never been in a more "calm waters" state than he is right now. At least by the sound of his post-season comments, that is.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Sure, I could be on-board with that. To be honest, though, I think it would have to be directed by someone other than KP. He's probably never been in a more "calm waters" state than he is right now. At least by the sound of his post-season comments, that is.

LOL. I've learned to completely disregard anything that comes out of KP's mouth ... and you may be right that he isn't the one to do it (enter Mark Warkentien from stage left).

 

[SheedSoNasty]

So we're still baking, eh?

 

[Sug]

While I like the majority of players, I think there are some holes to plug. The current backup PG situation is no good, but if we could get Blake back I would be fine with that. We need to take a look at moving Rudy & Bayless perhaps for a more consistent offensive threat off the bench.

 

[BGrantFan]

So we're still baking, eh?

The oven broke this year, and we still got a Bundt cake out of it.

 

[MARIS61]

We still have no PG.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

While I like the majority of players, I think there are some holes to plug. The current backup PG situation is no good, but if we could get Blake back I would be fine with that. We need to take a look at moving Rudy & Bayless perhaps for a more consistent offensive threat off the bench.

Would it be a good idea to find a version of Bayless (scoring PG) that's a little more PG and a little more Jump Shooter to replace both Bayless and Rudy if we move them? Or would be over-consolidating?

 

[Nikolokolus]

Would it be a good idea to find a version of Bayless (scoring PG) that's a little more PG and a little more Jump Shooter to replace both Bayless and Rudy if we move them? Or would be over-consolidating?

There's no such thing as 'over consolidating" as long as you get a bonafide 30+ minutes/game guy. It's hard to think of anybody specifically that fits that profile, but the best I can come up with is Ben Gordon off the top of my head; he's definitely not a point guard, but he's a big time shooter who can defend point gaurds reasonably well and after his down year in Detroit you have to wonder if the Pistons might have a little buyer's remorse, on the flip side, he'd be an awfully expensive sixth man; you'd have to find some way to get him at least 32 minutes a night, and use him as a sort of Manu Ginobli sixth man in name only.

 

[ABM]

There's no such thing as 'over consolidating" as long as you get a bonafide 30+ minutes/game guy. It's hard to think of anybody specifically that fits that profile, but the best I can come up with is Ben Gordon off the top of my head; he's definitely not a point guard, but he's a big time shooter who can defend point gaurds reasonably well and after his down year in Detroit you have to wonder if the Pistons might have a little buyer's remorse, on the flip side, he'd be an awfully expensive sixth man; you'd have to find some way to get him at least 32 minutes a night, and use him as a sort of Manu Ginobli sixth man in name only.

Andre, Rudy, Webster, Joel(?) for Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby?

 

[Nikolokolus]

Joe Johnson and Brandon on the same team? I'm trying to visualize what the offense would actually look like in that scenario (gut level feeling is "icky")

 

[ABM]

Joe Johnson and Brandon on the same team? I'm trying to visualize what the offense would actually look like in that scenario (gut level feeling is "icky")

Yeah, remember, that's what they first said about B-Roy and Dre.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Yeah, remember, that's what they first said about B-Roy and Dre.

Oh, it would probably work, but I think both players see themselves as "closers" wheras Miller seems to have a little bit of chameleon in him when he plays and he understands the hierarchy that exists on the team and his place in it.