The last time we had a motley crew of rejects...

[Wizard Mentor]

I would go as far as to say, that besides Dame, there isn't an actual NBA starter on this roster let alone an all star.

Well, the HUNDREDS of media polled by ESPN disagrees with you. In fact, they say that we have SIX starting quality players.

edit: crap, I seem to be way behind the threads today.

 

[THE HCP]

Not really. You're living in a fantasy world if you think that's how things work. Assholes win all the time because they do what it takes.

You rang FAMS!!!???

 

[THE HCP]

Man, you've become cynical.

People were bitching about Batum because A) he was making bank, and B) every 4th or 5th game he would show us something amazing and then he'd disappear. That's what pissed people off.

I don't want to get back into it, but Nic was a god damn 28th pick or whatever. He played far and above what ANYBODY thought he would. His contract is a bargain if you ask me. Go look at my thread that shows NBA salaries.

 

[THE HCP]

Well, the HUNDREDS of media polled by ESPN disagrees with you. In fact, they say that we have SIX starting quality players.

edit: crap, I seem to be way behind the threads today.

It's that Eastern Oregon dial-up internet!

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

You rang FAMS!!!???

I knew if someone was looking for an asshole, you'd be the first one to volunteer yours! :MARIS61:

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I don't want to get back into it, but Nic was a god damn 28th pick or whatever. He played far and above what ANYBODY thought he would. His contract is a bargain if you ask me. Go look at my thread that shows NBA salaries.

Aminu used to always really do well against Portland when he was on the clippers.

 

[riverman]

Just give me a team with 7-8 guys in double digit figures for a change, rebounds points or assists...and I'm happy this season. Spread around the love

 

[Natebishop3]

I don't want to get back into it, but Nic was a god damn 28th pick or whatever. He played far and above what ANYBODY thought he would. His contract is a bargain if you ask me. Go look at my thread that shows NBA salaries.

Oh HCP, there's a reason why you're locked in the truck and not out in front of the camera

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

Man, you've become cynical.

People were bitching about Batum because A) he was making bank, and B) every 4th or 5th game he would show us something amazing and then he'd disappear. That's what pissed people off.

Not to mention he was a turnover waiting to happen, especially at critical moments. Or that he couldn't inbound to save his life, the 0.9 be damned. And then, Dame was doing everything but taking a shit on the floor to get Batum's attention. Batum was a good guy, but I think Aminu is a wash at the absolute worst.

 

[0-Our!]

Davis is Obi-Wan; Kaman is Yoda.

Then... who is Jar Jar?

PLEASE, PLLLLLEEEEEAAASE tell me we DON'T have a Jar Jar!

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Then... who is Jar Jar?

PLEASE, PLLLLLEEEEEAAASE tell me we DON'T have a Jar Jar!

You're familiar with HCP, right? "Me-sa making the replays!"

 

[Natebishop3]

Then... who is Jar Jar?

PLEASE, PLLLLLEEEEEAAASE tell me we DON'T have a Jar Jar!

Pretty sure Biebs is Jar Jar.

 

[THE HCP]

Not to mention he was a turnover waiting to happen, especially at critical moments. Or that he couldn't inbound to save his life, the 0.9 be damned. And then, Dame was doing everything but taking a shit on the floor to get Batum's attention. Batum was a good guy, but I think Aminu is a wash at the absolute worst.

I would bet you that 30 GMS would rather have Nic Batum as their starting SF than Aminu!

 

[Natebishop3]

I would bet you that 30 GMS would rather have Nic Batum as their starting SF than Aminu!

29..... one GM just traded him

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

I would bet you that 30 GMS would rather have Nic Batum as their starting SF than Aminu!

More like 29 GMs........

 

[riverman]

I would bet you that 30 GMS would rather have Nic Batum as their starting SF than Aminu!

wrong dude...Olshey traded him, 29 is as high as you can go

 

[Natebishop3]

More like 29 GMs........

wrong dude...Olshey traded him, 29 is as high as you can go

Too slow gentlemen, too slow...

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

Too slow gentlemen, too slow...

Hey, we're a pair of old guys. Give us a break. We may not be able to mow lawns but at least we can count.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Not really. You're living in a fantasy world if you think that's how things work. Assholes win all the time because they do what it takes.

Then they're assholes with character.

 

[riverman]

Then they're assholes with character.

Assholes are usually just full of shit

 

[jlprk]

It's not about morality. It's about character. It's about behavior. It's about leadership. If he was a better leader, he would have squashed behaviors both on and off the court that cost his team wins.

Jason! This repetitive message is why I skip your articles.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

Dammit BGD!!! I told my wife I was going down to the coast for a couple of days to let the dog run.....!!!!!

 

[Sinobas]

I would bet you that 30 GMS would rather have Nic Batum as their starting SF than Aminu!

I think you're wrong. Batum seemed like a really nice guy, but as a basketball player, he was just way to lax. He basically slept walked through the playoffs. On the other hand, look at what Aminu did for Dallas in their series.

 

[Sinobas]

I wonder if Mike and Mike are secretly as doom and gloom about the season as HCP.

 

[ripcityboy]

An All-Star on this team outside of Lillard? I think McCollum and Leonard have the potential to be quality players and Henderson, Davis and Aminu will have set roles with the team, but I'll bet 80 per cent of this team is turned over before we make the playoffs again.

 

[Draco]

Now I disagree with HCP about plenty but this time he has a good point. Batum is a superior basketball player to Aminu. I believe all 30 NBA GM's would rather have him on the floor. The problem is Nic will be an unrestricted free agent next summer and likely earn $20 million a season. We received a lottery pick in return for him. Aminu was signed for cap room at $7.5 million per season. If we could swap out Aminu for a Batum on a 4 year $7.5 mil year contract we do it in a heartbeat. But considering the players actual value relative to cap hit and opportunity cost of Vonleh in a trade the changes were a great move.

 

[ripcityboy]

Maybe we'll pull a Darrell Revis and Batum will find his way to Rip City again? You never know....

 

[mook]

I think you're wrong. Batum seemed like a really nice guy, but as a basketball player, he was just way to lax. He basically slept walked through the playoffs. On the other hand, look at what Aminu did for Dallas in their series.

I generally defend Batum, as advanced metrics show he is one of the hardest runners in the NBA. He runs 4.3 miles per game--the most in the league is 4.5. He looks lax because that's just his demeanor.

However, you bring up a good point about the playoffs. Compare Aminu's 5 games of experience to Batum's 35, and it's hard to say Batum is the better player in the playoffs. He pretty much vanishes. Especially the advanced stats--20 PER vs 12.4.

You could say, "Well Aminu had one hot series--you can't extrapolate much from that." But look at Batum's cumulative record over 5 different playoff runs. Not once did he put up better numbers than Aminu did in his first time out. Remember all those Blazers 1st-round-and-outs? How many of those did you say to yourself, "Well, at least Batum showed up." Because I fucking don't.

Maybe Batum's commitment to France leaves his tank drained by the time the playoffs role around. Who knows. If I want to win more regular season games, then yeah, Batum is probably your man. But if I want a small forward who I can be reasonably sure isn't going to disappear in the playoffs, Aminu is the obvious pick to me.

 

[magnifier661]

I think this team is going to surprise a lot of people. We may come out of the gate strong because teams won't know how to play us. We have a lot of new talent, and it's not predicated off of Aldridge's game.