We must find spacing

[Scalma]

The spacing is a problem and HAS to be fixed as long as Stotts is the coach (save the fire Stotts takes for the other 10 threads dedicated to that subject.)

We miss Crabbe, especially late in games, just for the way his presence spaced the court. When you have Dame and CJ surrounded by Turner, Chief, and Moe, things will get cluttered and difficult.

Solution?

Internal:

Layman: magically finds his stroke. I wouldn't bet on that though.

Connaughton: too small to play next to Dame and CJ.

Swanigan and Collins: probably the best bets internally, but they're rookies. That's the problem.

Outside options:

Mirotic
Ilyasova
Marvin Williams
Wes Matthews
Hezonja
Dudley
Mike Scott

Not a great list and a lot of them are one dimensional, but that one dimension is our biggest hole, at least offensively.

If it were up to me I'd just roll with Collins. Can integrate a pick and pop with him offensively and he's already a better defender than the majority of this list above.

 

[Strenuus]

The spacing is a problem and HAS to be fixed as long as Stotts is the coach (save the fire Stotts takes for the other 10 threads dedicated to that subject.)

We miss Crabbe, especially late in games, just for the way his presence spaced the court. When you have Dame and CJ surrounded by Turner, Chief, and Moe, things will get cluttered and difficult.

Solution?

Internal:

Layman: magically finds his stroke. I wouldn't bet on that though.

Connaughton: too small to play next to Dame and CJ.

Swanigan and Collins: probably the best bets internally, but they're rookies. That's the problem.

Outside options:

Mirotic
Ilyasova
Marvin Williams
Wes Matthews
Hezonja
Dudley
Mike Scott

Not a great list and a lot of them are one dimensional, but that one dimension is our biggest hole, at least offensively.

If it were up to me I'd just roll with Collins. Can integrate a pick and pop with him offensively and he's already a better defender than the majority of this list above.

Collins has literally showed nothing. I don't even see the potential in him. He's looked lost, slow, and lacks awareness. Hopefully in 2-3 years he's decent, but I just dont see it yet.

 

[Labinot41]

I would love to get Ilyasova and Belinelli from the Hawks. Both only 6 Million contract till the end of the season. Come on Olshey do something your franchise player Lillard is coming in his prime now give him some motherfu.... SHOOTERS !!!!!

 

[Scalma]

Collins has literally showed nothing. I don't even see the potential in him. He's looked lost, slow, and lacks awareness. Hopefully in 2-3 years he's decent, but I just dont see it yet.

I don't know what you were watching but in preseason I saw a guy that looked comfortable and fluid in pick and roll/pop situations and showed an ability to stretch the floor. Defensively he's already ahead of where most guys his age are. doesn't matter that it was preseason since these are fundamental and athletic traits.

 

[Labinot41]

I don't know what you were watching but in preseason I saw a guy that looked comfortable and fluid in pick and roll/pop situations and showed an ability to stretch the floor. Defensively he's already ahead of where most guys his age are. doesn't matter that it was preseason since these are fundamental and athletic traits.

Yes and i think he can play the 4 next to Nurkic 10-15 minutes. But Stotts hates Rookies

 

[SportsAndWhine]

I don't know what you were watching but in preseason I saw a guy that looked comfortable and fluid in pick and roll/pop situations and showed an ability to stretch the floor. Defensively he's already ahead of where most guys his age are. doesn't matter that it was preseason since these are fundamental and athletic traits.

In the games that count, he's been a dumpster fire.



To be fair it's because he's yet to hit a shot. But on the other hand, he's yet to hit a shot...

That -13.4 is his PER; the -0.251 is his WS/48

 

[Scalma]

In the games that count, he's been a dumpster fire.

View attachment 16982

To be fair it's because he's yet to hit a shot. But on the other hand, he's yet to hit a shot...

That -13.4 is his PER; the -0.251 is his WS/48

Because 25 sporadic minutes is a proper gauge.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Because 25 sporadic minutes is a proper gauge.

Just as valid as using pre-season stats. Which is to say, "not at all."

 

[Scalma]

Just as valid as using pre-season stats. Which is to say, "not at all."

Tell me which stat I used, thanks.

 

[Five Second Violation]

In the games that count, he's been a dumpster fire.

View attachment 16982

To be fair it's because he's yet to hit a shot. But on the other hand, he's yet to hit a shot...

That -13.4 is his PER; the -0.251 is his WS/48

Eh, 25 minutes over 3 games (in differing circumstances and with different lineups) is no basis to judge a rookie.

 

[Strenuus]

I don't know what you were watching but in preseason I saw a guy that looked comfortable and fluid in pick and roll/pop situations and showed an ability to stretch the floor. Defensively he's already ahead of where most guys his age are. doesn't matter that it was preseason since these are fundamental and athletic traits.

lol. He's shown nothing against any competition. He has a long way to go.

 

[calvin natt]

Their spacing isn’t good. This is true. They also take a ton of shots with 0 or 1 pass. And any shot by Mo, Aminu (when playing), Ed, Pat that is within the first 10 seconds of the shot clock and not a layup shouldnt even happen. Know your role.

 

[handiman]

lol. He's shown nothing against any competition. He has a long way to go.

As does the team. Nothing is being accomplished by not playing Collins.

 

[H.C.]

Well the baseball player got his minutes took last night in the second half by Napier. Simply because Napier kept spacing, and the baseball kept killing the spacing.
The more I see of the baseball player, the more I don't want to see of him.
Sure he can hit some shots. But he also has shown zero ability to play with Lillard & CJ as he wants to occupy the same spots on the floor as those two.
Honestly I'm a little fed up with Napier not getting consistent minutes. I don't know what else he has to show.

 

[TBpup]

With the options available, I give Layman a shot. He's got good basketball IQ, can pass and dribble it a little and give him shots in a lineup with Dame/CJ/Nurk and he's not going to have to create anything. Just hit some of the wide-open looks Aminu/Harkless get. Kid can shoot...just hasn't received regular minutes to get a groove. Tough for anyone to show much with that. It's not like anyone else in that SF spot has done any better.

 

[Scalma]

With the options available, I give Layman a shot. He's got good basketball IQ, can pass and dribble it a little and give him shots in a lineup with Dame/CJ/Nurk and he's not going to have to create anything. Just hit some of the wide-open looks Aminu/Harkless get. Kid can shoot...just hasn't received regular minutes to get a groove. Tough for anyone to show much with that. It's not like anyone else in that SF spot has done any better.

I want to see how Layman plays with the starters. Just once.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Tell me which stat I used, thanks.

Pre-season performance. Whatever.

 

[TBpup]

I want to see how Layman plays with the starters. Just once.

Harkless has had 12 games, give Layman a 10 game run. I have a feeling he will shoot better than 39% from the field and 29% from '3' given the same opportunities.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Jared Dudley
Nemanja Bjelica
Maybe even Mario Hezonja

 

[Scalma]

Harkless has had 12 games, give Layman a 10 game run. I have a feeling he will shoot better than 39% from the field and 29% from '3' given the same opportunities.

If Layman doesn't get a chance now while Harkless is struggling and Aminu is injured, when will he? Theres also a very real possibility he's even worse than Moe.

Neil needs to get to work. I'm sure Hezonja could be had for a second. I know he's a UFA after the season so it could only be a rental, but we'd at least have his bird rights.

 

[Schilly]

Here’s a crazy thought we have an offensive minded coach but how many offensive minded players to compliment the coaches style? Harkless, Aminu, Vonleh, Davis, Collins, Turner are all solid defensive players with limited offensive game. Nurkic is our only true 2 way guy, maybe Pat to an extent too. Dame and CJ seem to be the only 2 players that fit Stotts’ system.

We complain in here a lot about the lack of defense but what I see is a lack of scorers beyond our top 3. The stats don’t lie either they are the only 3 averaging double digits in scoring. A team needs 5 double digit scorers to balance an offense... even a good defensive team needs that.

 

[TBpup]

Here’s a crazy thought we have an offensive minded coach but how many offensive minded players to compliment the coaches style? Harkless, Aminu, Vonleh, Davis, Collins, Turner are all solid defensive players with limited offensive game.

I agree we don't have great offensive players other than those three but there is also very little done to foster growth or offensive confidence. They never run a play for anyone other than the Big 3 so everyone else is just left with scraps, the occasional kick out or offensive put-backs. I don't know how many times I've seen a player get the ball and then just look to hand off to Dame/CJ. That is just the offense.

It's not designed to get run plays for anyone else.

 

[Scalma]

I agree we don't have great offensive players other than those three but there is also very little done to foster growth or offensive confidence. They never run a play for anyone other than the Big 3 so everyone else is just left with scraps, the occasional kick out or offensive put-backs. I don't know how many times I've seen a player get the ball and then just look to hand off to Dame/CJ. That is just the offense.

It's not designed to get run plays for anyone else.

That's bullshit we just don't have anyone that can consistently shoot or score outside of the top three. Look how balanced the scoring was when we had Batum and Wes. Our entire starting lineup was pretty much in double figures scoring wise. The system hasn't changed.

 

[Blazinaway]

Ironically because of our cap situation we had to let our best spacer go (Crabbe) because our GM made some bad decisions in FA the summer before last. Stotts offense needs shooters and frankly we are short in that dept, as I said in another thread a poorly constructed roster

 

[Scalma]

Ironically because of our cap situation we had to let our best spacer go (Crabbe) because our GM made some bad decisions in FA the summer before last. Stotts offense needs shooters and frankly we are short in that dept, as I said in another thread a poorly constructed roster

yeah this still feels like an unfinished roster. We'll see where we're at post deadline. If Olshey doesn't make any moves we should riot.

 

[riverman]

We're definitely not finished building this roster...it would help if Mo could finish a layup or tip in.....he's not a shooter at all...ET either...both make me miss Chief...and Chief isn't a scorer

 

[Scalma]

It's like the roster we have and the way Stotts wants to play contradict each other. That ultimately falls on the GM. He's the one that puts the team together. From what I know Stotts has very little input in that department. That being said I don't blame Neil for bringing in guys like Harkless, shit I even got why he wanted Turner. But I do blame him for not doing a damn thing since outside of the Nurk trade. We've been talking about balancing the roster out for at least two years and all we've done is traded one center for another one.

 

[Nate]

Here’s a crazy thought we have an offensive minded coach but how many offensive minded players to compliment the coaches style? Harkless, Aminu, Vonleh, Davis, Collins, Turner are all solid defensive players with limited offensive game. Nurkic is our only true 2 way guy, maybe Pat to an extent too. Dame and CJ seem to be the only 2 players that fit Stotts’ system.

We complain in here a lot about the lack of defense but what I see is a lack of scorers beyond our top 3. The stats don’t lie either they are the only 3 averaging double digits in scoring. A team needs 5 double digit scorers to balance an offense... even a good defensive team needs that.

 

[BigGameDamian]

We're definitely not finished building this roster...it would help if Mo could finish a layup or tip in.....he's not a shooter at all...ET either...both make me miss Chief...and Chief isn't a scorer

Dude the Blazers are all about developing young talent.

 

[BigGameDamian]

The question is which is the next player the Blazers will trade for on there rookie contact. So we can keep till we really know what we have and develop them only to see them turn out like another inconsistent player?