Stotts "very confident" in Crabbe's NBA career

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Allen Crabbe's NBA career with Portland Trail Blazers off to humbling start

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Allen Crabbe, the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year who left Cal after his junior season to enter the NBA, is sitting on the bench for the first time since ... well, the first time.

Crabbe, a second-round pick acquired by the Portland Trail Blazers last summer in a draft-day deal, has played in only one of the team's past 12 games.

"It can be a humbling experience sometimes," Crabbe said Friday after practice. "It definitely is frustrating as a competitor, I'm not going to lie. It's a new adjustment for me, a process I have to go through and something I have to stay positive about."

"He's handling it well," Stotts said. "He stays engaged, he's working hard."

"I think he's a very good player," Stotts said of Crabbe, who is averaging 2.8 points in the eight games he's played. "I'm very confident he's going to have a good career."
 
I have to admit, for a second rounder, I'm pretty optimistic about Crabbe.
 
I like Crabbe. I'm really excited to see how he progresses during the next summer league.
 
I agree with Stotts, Crabbe is going to be a very good NBA player. It may come with another team though if this future plays out the way most fans hope.

I hope we don't move the guy but unless there are some trades it may be hard for him to see the court (even if he is very good).
 
I really like Crabbe. I'd like to see him playing in Boise for a while so he can at least be working on his game while he waits for his opportunity.
 
Crabbe > Wright.

I was going to start a thread on who people think will be in the rotation next year, but I decided to wait until after the season.

However, for now I'll just say

Crabbe's Fit >> Barton's Fit

and that's it's possible that if we trade Wes that Crabbe is our SGotF.
 
I've seen lots of him in college. I've seen I saw all of his summer league minutes. I've seen every minute of Crabbe's NBA play and so far I have seen nothing, save hitting a few open jumpers in garbage time, that would make anyone think he's going to be anything in this league. His handles are suspect, he has never looked solid at D at any level. The jury is out IMO.
 
This is a good problem to have, arguing about the value of the bottom of the bench. Crabbe is next years opportunity, this year's student. He can shoot, he has good length and he's being groomed for a role here. I think the D league should be used much more than it has been and he'd benefit from a stint there.
 
Of course he is confident everyone knows how hard it is to get rid of crabbes
 
I think both Crabbe and Barton are guys who should have been late first round picks and have since done nothing that would make me think they can't stick in the league. Because of that I think they both have some moderate trade value, and I think at least one of them will be traded within the next year.
 
I would like to see a 3rd and maybe even 4th round in the NBA draft where teams draft players with the sole intent of going to the D-League that arent a part of the 15 man roster but that can be swapped out for ones that are. I would also like to see the D-League used a little more and one way to do that is to have each team have a few more players. Each team would be required to have 2 players of their 17 man roster down in the D-League with injury exceptions.
 
In all honesty, what else was Stotts supposed to say about his rookie player?

At least he didn't say he would win 3-4 games for us.

I like Crabbe and like I said, I'm optimistic for him -- for a second rounder -- and I liked what I saw when he was on the court. He drained his shots and didn't play nervous like Martell or Babbitt. Matthews wasn't even drafted, so there's certainly a chance.
 
I don't think it's shinola. Stotts was asked about CJ right before he came back and basically said he sucked multiple times. He's not afraid to say what he thinks.

I also wouldn't take the 2nd rounder thing too seriously. If he was chosen 1 pick earlier he would have been a first rounder.

In all honesty, what else was Stotts supposed to say about his rookie player?

At least he didn't say he would win 3-4 games for us.

I like Crabbe and like I said, I'm optimistic for him -- for a second rounder -- and I liked what I saw when he was on the court. He drained his shots and didn't play nervous like Martell or Babbitt. Matthews wasn't even drafted, so there's certainly a chance.
 
I would like to see a 3rd and maybe even 4th round in the NBA draft where teams draft players with the sole intent of going to the D-League that arent a part of the 15 man roster but that can be swapped out for ones that are. I would also like to see the D-League used a little more and one way to do that is to have each team have a few more players. Each team would be required to have 2 players of their 17 man roster down in the D-League with injury exceptions.

Yeah it would be neat if teams had more players, but the owners don't want to have to pay 16th-17th men fully guaranteed $500k NBA salaries. It would be an unfair advantage to allow some teams to do it when other teams don't want to afford it.

But if you have those guys in the DLeague locked into one NBA team but not on a regular NBA salary its unfair to them. They wouldn't be able to sign with any NBA team so their salary would be limited to $50k or whatever DLeague pays. This is kind of the boat Pierre Jackson is in but his situation is unique and his fault because he initially signed an oversees contract this year.

It would be interesting if they could agree on a better system though.
 
Wow, the top level DLeague stars only make $25k. The bottom tier guys get $13k.

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/...a-new-york-knicks-carmelo-anthony-better-ever

Yeah, they definitely won't be making any major purchases in the DLeague. It did say they have free housing and medical, so it's pretty much the same as military pay, with a low taxable base pay, and an allowance for housing/food and free health care. Rounds out probably being worth closer to 40-50k per year w/ medical. Plus any minor local endorsement deals some guys can make. Almost doesn't seem worth it if it's not a very short term plan for a player, with the wear and tear and injury risk for such little reward.
 
I like the idea about teams drafting for the D league but it would require every NBA franchise to have a D league affiliate and I don't believe that many do now
 
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A lot of this depends on where Stotts plays CJ. If, as he has said, he wants CJ at the 2, then maybe Crabbe can get some 2/3 minutes--but not many. Maybe mostly the 3. If Crabbe could backup Batum then it's likely his best chance of getting minutes.

IMHO Barton doesn't really compete with Crabbe. Barton has been brought in and played 1/2. He has shown some promise at the PG, and could be better than CJ there. Too early to tell yet how this would break down. I love Barton's instincts and how hard he has worked to improve. I just don't think Barton and Crabbe compete against each other.
 
I like the idea about teams drafting for the D league but it would require every NBA franchise to have a D league affiliate and I don't believe that many do now
14 teams do have sole affiliation.
2 NBDL teams are each affiliated with 5 different NBA teams. Bakersfield Jam (ATL, LAC, PHO, TOR, UTA) and the Iowa Jam (CHI, DEN, NOP, MIN, WAS)
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants has affiliation with 6 NBA Teams, CH, IND, DET, MEM, MIL, ORL

I am surprised Crabbe hasn't been sent down for a couple games here or there.
 
I love what Will Barton brings to the floor... Instant something. He comes in and changes the pace of the game in a good way for the Blazers by making stuff happen, grabbing boards a little playground swagger on offense, getting other guys involved. Obviously he doesn't always fit what is needed on a given night, but I would love to see Stotts plunk him in there more when the team goes a little stagnant and needs a little jolt.

Obviously his minutes have mostly been in garbage time this season, but this is what he has done per 36 for us.
15pts, 6reb and 5.4 asts
 
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