The Small Forward position

[Chris Craig]

I really see this spot as the main target going into this offseason. I like Aminu and Harkless, but I think Aminu is better suited as a backup and Harkless seems to be a project, which is fine. He's only 22 so he could still put it together.

I look at our team and I see Crabbe as our starting shooting guard. He's everything you want in a starting two. He has the size, he can shoot, he's athletic, and he plays decent defense.

Obviously point guard is solid, and I love our center rotation with Plumlee and Davis. Unless someone like DMC comes along, I'm not really concerned with the five spot.

Power forward is an enigma, but I like Vonleh and I think he'll continue to develop. I don't want to do anything to slow that progression unless it's for a star player. If we somehow end up with a killer draft pick and get someone like Simmons, so be it, but I like the potential of our power forwards.

Small forward just really seems like the weakness. I'd like to see more production out of that spot. More scoring. Consistent scoring. Whether that's going out and getting someone like DeRozan to play small forward, or trying to make a trade, I think that's where we need to focus. I was looking at the top scoring forwards (not just small forwards) and here is the list (in order of average):

Kevin Durant
Paul George
LeBron James
DMC
Glake Griffin
Anthony Davis
Carmelo Anthony
Kawhi Leonard
Andrew Wiggins
Jimmy Butler
Gordon Hayward
Rudy Gay
Paul Milsap
Ryan Anderson
Kevin Love
Danilo Gallinari
Dirk Nowitzki
Chris Bosh
Derrick Favors
Nic Batum
Thad Young
Kobe Bryant
Greg Monroe
Giannis Antetokounmpo
LMA
Tyreke Evans
CJ Miles
Pau Gasol
Al Horford
Evan Fournier
Marcus Morris
Will Barton
Khris Middleton
Tobias Harris
Zach Randolph
Draymond Green
Robert Covington
Kristpas Porzingis
Harrison Barnes

The list keeps going but Barnes is averaging 13.4 and the averages just keep going down from there. Obviously some of these guys are power forwards, but I'm curious who you guys would try to target.

Aminu will be our starting 3 next year...Crabbe will not start over CJ at the 2...I do agree we are solid at the point...the 4 and 5 are an interesting topic....as to who would I go after...Of course you go after Durant, we probably won't get him, but anything is possible...without wasting to much time Id go after Horford and Whiteside....A lot of people are saying go after Monroe, but he turned us down, he doesn't want to be here and I don't think he is even a free agent till after next season...other names that pop out on that list are Antetokounmpo, Middleton, fournier, Barnes, but we'd have to trade for these guys and we would have to give up to much...and Barnes will resign with the Warriors next year, why leave?

 

[Orion Bailey]

I think we are going to be a much better attraction to FA's like Whiteside than most people are giving us credit for...
Especially when national television shows how truly beautiful it can be in P-town.

Im out. Gonna go enjoy the pool.

 

[BigGameDamian]

What would it take to get Gordon Hayward?

 

[Chris Craig]

What would it take to get Gordon Hayward?

The Blazers becoming born again mormons

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

It actually feels good to eat crow in that respect. 2nd round is nothing to be ashamed of.

Elite 8 bitches

 

[Natebishop3]

Why the hell are people quoting a post from December like I posted it yesterday?

 

[BigGameDamian]

Why the hell are people quoting a post from December like I posted it yesterday?

Because it's a thread concerning one of positions the Blazers can still improve on. Or are we sold that Harkless can carry the load at starting SF next year?

 

[Natebishop3]

Because it's a thread concerning one of positions the Blazers can still improve on. Or are we sold that Harkless can carry the load at starting SF next year?

If we could sign or trade for a better power forward... yes. I could see Harkless as the starting small forward next season.

 

[Elton]

The Blazers becoming born again mormons

There's no such thing.

 

[Sarni]

A suggestion I've already made in the other thread but since this one is dedicated for the issue, well then maybe we could get DeRozan for a close to max deal and try him at small forward. He seems to have the tools to play this position, it'd allow us to keep Aminu at 4 and develop him there and we'd get an All-Star. For small ball basketball it could actually work quite well if he can learn to play the position with consistency. If it doesn't work out then we can either move him to SG and trade CJ for a big man, moving Aminu back to 3, or we could use DeRozan as a trade piece as he'd easily fetch a very good big man in the market. Obviously I'd rather go for someone like Horford or maybe even Howard but provided we don't get any of them, it's surely better to get someone like DeRozan and spend that money we have than keep the cap space unused.

Crabbe would become dispensible if that happened as DeRozan would be cover SG with Harkless coming on to cover him at SF, so we could potentially put a package together including Plumlee and Crabbe to get Noel or Okafor from Philly (I'd imagine it'd require a third team involvement as Sixers don't really need Plumlee, but a lot of teams in the league could use him - trade Plumlee for a backcourt player or a forward and move that player to Sixers). All sides would benefit - Sixers would get a good SG and another player for a center they don't need because they have too many, we'd get a center we need. Then we'd try the line up of Dame/CJ/DeRozan/Aminu/Okafor or Noel. Question is if it could work with Okafor as it'd leave deficiences in defence, even if offensively that looks like a hell of a line up.

 

[dviss1]

No to Derozan. Can't shoot.

 

[BBert]

Rule of thumb...if you're old...lose the mullet and the spandex pants. Realize you look like a squeezed tube of toothpaste with a Q tip stuck in the end.

Leave me out of this.

 

[BBert]

What would it take to get Gordon Hayward?

An Olshey lobotomy?

 

[Sarni]

No to Derozan. Can't shoot.

Yep but he can get away with this when he has McCollum, Aminu and Lillard next to him. You don't need all of them to shoot. Antetokounmpo does not have a range either and he's awesome. Also, I would consider value here - if you have cap space it's better to use this on someone like DeRozan and give it a try than just sit there.

 

[dviss1]

Yep but he can get away with this when he has McCollum, Aminu and Lillard next to him. You don't need all of them to shoot. Antetokounmpo does not have a range either and he's awesome. Also, I would consider value here - if you have cap space it's better to use this on someone like DeRozan and give it a try than just sit there.

And where does this assertion come from? Who advocated to "just sit there"?

I'd rather use the money that we have on someone that can actually help our team. We don't need to waste the good money that we have. We only get one chance. Spending it on DeMar DeRozan would be a waste.

 

[Sarni]

And where does this assertion come from? Who advocated to "just sit there"?

I'd rather use the money that we have on someone that can actually help our team. We don't need to waste the good money that we have. We only get one chance. Spending it on DeMar DeRozan would be a waste.

That's why I said only do this if other targets turn us down. If we can get Durant, Horford, even Howard or Biyombo (that's a stretch though), go for them instead as they'd likely help us more.

We don't have trade pieces to acquire proper stars and if we cannot attract any of the top 2/3 who play in positions where we need reinforcements then it makes sense to move for DDR.

 

[dviss1]

That's why I said only do this if other targets turn us down. If we can get Durant, Horford, even Howard or Biyombo (that's a stretch though), go for them instead as they'd likely help us more.

We don't have trade pieces to acquire proper stars and if we cannot attract any of the top 2/3 who play in positions where we need reinforcements then it makes sense to move for DDR.

I just personally don't see where he helps us. He does not stretch the floor.

 

[Sarni]

I just personally don't see where he helps us. He does not stretch the floor.

Well as I said, under Stotts coaching he may develop his shot like Aminu undeniably has. If it doesn't work out, it will be possible to use him as a trade bait next year or trade McCollum for a big man and move DeRozan to SG. It opens up a possibility of trading Crabbe too, and if we package Crabbe and Plumlee together we might get a Philly big.

 

[Boise Blazer]

That's why I said only do this if other targets turn us down. If we can get Durant, Horford, even Howard or Biyombo (that's a stretch though), go for them instead as they'd likely help us more.

We don't have trade pieces to acquire proper stars and if we cannot attract any of the top 2/3 who play in positions where we need reinforcements then it makes sense to move for DDR.

Although I dont totally disagree with the logic that something is better than nothing because after the RLEC I really hate wasted cap space but unfortunately Im not sure the timelines will work out like that. You kind of have to pick your guys and go after them because of all the teams with cap space. You cant expect DeRozan to be sitting there after we have explored all of our other options.

 

[Sarni]

Although I dont totally disagree with the logic that something is better than nothing because after the RLEC I really hate wasted cap space but unfortunately Im not sure the timelines will work out like that. You kind of have to pick your guys and go after them because of all the teams with cap space. You cant expect DeRozan to be sitting there after we have explored all of our other options.

That's true. You'd have to get a quick rejection from Whiteside, Howard and Horford to even debate on that and by the time that happens DeRozan might have already been signed by someone. I suspect he will end up in LA.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I keep going back and forth to what the team needs, IMO. I mean how good or bad was Aminu? Is he, or Harkless for that matter, the guy that can be that 3rd "star", or are they the "defensive" glue type guy that can guard multiple positions? Maybe that's ok with Dame, CJ and a big like Monroe or Horford who can be that 3rd guy

 

[Mediocre Man]

I just personally don't see where he helps us. He does not stretch the floor.

Do we have enough of those guys though? Can he be our Iguodala?

 

[dviss1]

Do we have enough of those guys though? Can he be our Iguodala?

Iguodala can hit an open 3. You can never have enough people that can hit open jumpers. All of us want Aminu, Harkless, Plumlee, ect to have that ability.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Iguodala can hit an open 3. You can never have enough people that can hit open jumpers. All of us want Aminu, Harkless, Plumlee, ect to have that ability.

Their % aren't that different

 

[WillG]

I keep going back and forth to what the team needs, IMO. I mean how good or bad was Aminu? Is he, or Harkless for that matter, the guy that can be that 3rd "star", or are they the "defensive" glue type guy that can guard multiple positions? Maybe that's ok with Dame, CJ and a big like Monroe or Horford who can be that 3rd guy

Plumlee, Davis and Leonard are all middle of the road at their skills - master of neither offense or defense.

I think the difference maker would be a big that Dame and CJ could dump it off to, on a drive to the hoop. It would make our offense that much more dangerous.
But we don't want a one dimensional player playing matador defense either - so these are postulations I'll gladly leave to Olshey to figure out.
I will say I don't think we can afford a slip in defensive talent as it is though.

 

[BBert]

Man I wish we could get Horford.

Earlier in the year I thought we'd have as good a chance as anyone to get Durant. I no longer feel that is even remotely possible.

I think our biggest/most difficult to satisfy need is a big to pair with Meyers, and move Plumlee to the bench or out in trade. Since I'm expecting Davis to make good on his goal of adding 15 pounds of solid steel, getting a starting quality big, and keeping Davis, would make Plumlee expendable.

And don't forget Vonleh. I wish I knew what Olshey/Stotts think about his future/potential.

 

[Denny Crane]

The key to our success this year was the defense we got from the SF position, and from Aminu at PF with Harkless at SF.

In spite of advanced stats, Crabbe was used a lot by Stotts for his defense.

With Dame and CJ, the back court is basically a sieve. Got to have defense somewhere

 

[Pinwheel1]

I was a proponent of going after DeRosan last summer. But things have changed, as they often do in the NBA. If we were to go after a wing who can't spread the floor but is solid from mid range....I would rather go after Evan Turner. He would come cheaper and I think may be better helping run the offense when needed next to Dame or cJ.

I will point out that although Turner is a very good NBA player, and can help the Blazers off the bench......he is a good example of a top two pick who never lived up to expectations because he has yet to excel at 3 point shooting. This comment probably belongs in another thread, but unless Ben Simmons ends up playing PF, he will need to be a very good outside shooter or he will end up like Turner......good, just not a difference maker.

 

[Denny Crane]

I was a proponent of going after DeRosan last summer. But things have changed, as they often do in the NBA. If we were to go after a wing who can't spread the floor but is solid from mid range....I would rather go after Evan Turner. He would come cheaper and I think may be better helping run the offense when needed next to Dame or cJ.

I will point out that although Turner is a very good NBA player, and can help the Blazers off the bench......he is a good example of a top two pick who never lived up to expectations because he has yet to excel at 3 point shooting. This comment probably belongs in another thread, but unless Ben Simmons ends up playing PF, he will need to be a very good outside shooter or he will end up like Turner......good, just not a difference maker.

He's a good defender, too.

 

[Strenuus]

I keep going back and forth to what the team needs, IMO. I mean how good or bad was Aminu? Is he, or Harkless for that matter, the guy that can be that 3rd "star", or are they the "defensive" glue type guy that can guard multiple positions? Maybe that's ok with Dame, CJ and a big like Monroe or Horford who can be that 3rd guy

I think Harkless can become that defensive glue guy who can get you dirty buckets. Kind of like an Ed Davis but can finish at the rim better.

If Aminu can become more consistent, he can be the third scorer, but that's like the Batum situation. (And no, this is not denouncing Aminu's 2-3 good playoff games... I'm strictly talking about regular season).

We need a big who can defend and give us interior scoring above ALL else. Plumlee (though he made 2 CRUCIAL free throws in game 6) missed so many damn bunnies (same with Davis... Harkless didn't seem to miss as many).