Exclusive Welcome Zach Collins!

[Trackjack]

Isn't that what they said about Meyers when he got drafted?

The differnce is one don't mind contact and the other hates it. So with Collins he can be effect either the inside or outside. ML he only effected at 3 point line sometimes. 2 players totally different.

 

[riverman]

He's lookin' sharp but he might want to rethink the length of those trousers....those are waders...cool loafers though

 

[Mediocre Man]

With the way the NBA is played today, you really need guys who can guard and switch on the perimeter. A lot of you guys praise this kids defense, so hopefully his feet are quick enough to do that.

 

[Reep]

I've seen a few comps for Collins to Laimbeer, but one of the earliest ones came last season from a competing coach after a game. The same coach said Collins was "as mean as a rattlesnake." [giddy smile comes across my face]

 

[handiman]

We're complaining that he's too good of a shooter now? I get that some people need to always complain, but that's the best that you can do??

 

[Schilly]

The race discussion is completely out of line regardless of how you try to defend or justify it. To say a player is more limited based on his race and then compounding it with geographic origin of birth... smh seriously if you keep using that as a deciding factor you're probably just an asshole all the way around. Until we can judge an individual for their individual capabilities rather than ethnicity we will continue to have limited our own mental capacity. Most of you should spend some time researching the draft combine testing.

Now on to comparing Collins to Leonard. Meyers in college played in 65 games he took 12 3 pointers and made 1 of them... by no means was he drafted for his ability to stretch the floor. Stotts has wanted a stretch 4 all along and tried to develop Meyers into one, which not only was a mistake IMO it also destroyed Meyers development arc by taking him away from his natural tool set.

 

[stampedehero]

Having a defensive minded rookie is the first step to some success in Portland.

 

[handiman]

Now on to comparing Collins to Leonard. Meyers in college played in 65 games he took 12 3 pointers and made 1 of them... by no means was he drafted for his ability to stretch the floor. Stotts has wanted a stretch 4 all along and tried to develop Meyers into one, which not only was a mistake IMO it also destroyed Meyers development arc by taking him away from his natural tool set.

I disagree with that aspect. It's easy to forget that Meyers and CJ had breakout seasons the same year, and Meyers arguably more so. They were our two best players against Memphis in the playoffs that year. The difference is, CJ stayed on that growth curve while Meyers regressed. His game didn't change, it just got worse.

 

[Schilly]

His decline started when they moved him to the 4.

 

[handiman]

His decline started when they moved him to the 4.

Or was it injuries?

Meyers was already primarily a deep shooter at the 5.

 

[Schilly]

His 1st 2 years he wasn't at all a deep shooter, his 3rd year he started shooting more that was his peak year. 4th year was the 1st year without Lamarcus and Meyers shifted to the 4.

 

[damianlillard]

I think we can all say that caleb has the potential to be the next zbo but what is Collins potential like. I can see pau gasol offensively with better defense

 

[Minstrel]

While BNM is right that Portland hardly has an obsession with bigs who can shoot, I definitely hope Collins shoots threes well and shoots them a fair amount. If he's eventually going to play alongside Nurkic, I really don't want Portland to have crappy spacing with two bigs near the hoop. I want defenses spread to the breaking point and in constant scramble mode. A big who can shoot on the offensive end and play solid or better defense is worth his weight in gold.

 

[Trackjack]

Collins will be able play along side Nurk. On offense Collins can have the same role as Vonleh. Settin picks and he has alot better stroke then Vonleh at the top of the key. His shot is really soft so he does get the shooter bounce plus he is very good foul shooter too. If I was Vonleh I wouldn't be half stepping coming in training camp because both these draft picks just might slide ahead of him.

 

[PDXFonz]

This guy, rofl.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I like the pick and haven't read all 7 pages, but isn't Gonzaga in an easier conference? So his opposition is of lesser quality, thus helping to make him look better?

 

[theprunetang]

I like the pick and haven't read all 7 pages, but isn't Gonzaga in an easier conference? So his opposition is of lesser quality, thus helping to make him look better?

Did well in the tourney too.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Did well in the tourney too.

Thats true

 

[theprunetang]

You know for the next couple of years we are all going to be comparing Collins to Justin Jackson and Harry Giles. I think Olshey made the right decision. I'm really excited about Zach's future.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I like the pick and haven't read all 7 pages, but isn't Gonzaga in an easier conference? So his opposition is of lesser quality, thus helping to make him look better?

He played well against good competition in the tourney as well. It wasn't night in and night out though. What scares me more is 10 and 6 in 17 minutes a game and he's extremely foul prone.

 

[PDXFonz]

I've seen tons of comparisons (not necessarily here, just around the webs) of Collins and Meyers. Many seem to be considering this move a bust because of their feelings regarding Leonard, and their belief that the two players are comparible.

Sometimes the presumed ceiling of a player lends itself to the perception of underperformance, and subsequent criticism of a player. I think this is why many have claimed Meyers is immovable, while others maintain he has value. We want Meyers to be a certain player that he has not become, but we shouldn't place players on a pedastal of who we want them to be because often that leads to disappointment when said player doesn't find themselves meeting or exceeding those expectations.

The truth is Meyers performs certain aspects of the game with competence, but we want him to do more than he has shown the capability to do. For this reason I feel the need to taper my expectations of Collins in his first year . He has a different game than Meyers, despite the 2.0 label many have given him.

I feel like it may take some time for Collins to catch up to Leonard in certain aspects, but there are many things Collins will do out of the gate which are an improvement from what Meyers brings. And on the flip side there will be parts of his game that are not up to par with where Meyers has gotten himself after years of practicing his skills in the league.

Collins could very well end up being the well rounded player we've hoped Meyers could be, but I'm not expecting this to be the case in his rookie year.

 

[SIeepwalker]

Fuck I just realised for the first time there's a guy younger than me on the team....

That's it I'm old

 

[Mediocre Man]

I've seen tons of comparisons (not necessarily here, just around the webs) of Collins and Meyers. Many seem to be considering this move a bust because of their feelings regarding Leonard, and their belief that the two players are comparible.

Sometimes the presumed ceiling of a player lends itself to the perception of underperformance, and subsequent criticism of a player. I think this is why many have claimed Meyers is immovable, while others maintain he has value. We want Meyers to be a certain player that he has not become, but we shouldn't place players on a pedastal of who we want them to be because often that leads to disappointment when said player doesn't find themselves meeting or exceeding those expectations.

The truth is Meyers performs certain aspects of the game with competence, but we want him to do more than he has shown the capability to do. For this reason I feel the need to taper my expectations of Collins in his first year . He has a different game than Meyers, despite the 2.0 label many have given him.

I feel like it may take some time for Collins to catch up to Leonard in certain aspects, but there are many things Collins will do out of the gate which are an improvement from what Meyers brings. And on the flip side there will be parts of his game that are not up to par with where Meyers has gotten himself after years of practicing his skills in the league.

Collins could very well end up being the well rounded player we've hoped Meyers could be, but I'm not expecting this to be the case in his rookie year.

If it takes Collins to catch up with any single part of the great white busts game, it was a shitty pick

 

[SIeepwalker]

If it takes Collins to catch up with any single part of the great white busts game, it was a shitty pick

He will certainly need time to polish his "looking lost" and "slow release/reaction" skills to catch up with the master.
Also, even if he has a decently punchable face, you can't compete with Butters on that aspect of the game.

 

[SIeepwalker]

I have yet to see if he's good with cringy bench celebrations, but maybe this will need improvement too.

 

[Eastoff]

Fuck I just realised for the first time there's a guy younger than me on the team....

That's it I'm old

The next step is when you're older than everyone on the team.

 

[dviss1]

What is it with this team's obsession with shooting 3 point shots? And why do our big men have to be a part of that equation?

Don't get me wrong: our guards are more than up to the task, and that should be a job for THEM, not our bigs.

I'm starting to think that might actually not be a Stotts problem, but rather a Management problem (Olshey?). We need bigs who can box out the paint and give our guards lanes to run into. And I really don't think Collins is that type of guy. Yet.

This whole obsession with drafting bigs who can shoot 3s needs to fucking stop. It hasn't worked with Meyers, and there is little point of having someone with that size outside the paint.

It's not about an obsession with 3 pointers. It's about opening up space to FEED THE NURK.

 

[TBpup]

I like the pick and haven't read all 7 pages, but isn't Gonzaga in an easier conference? So his opposition is of lesser quality, thus helping to make him look better?

1st Team All-Tournament off the bench....as a Freshman. Wonder when the last time that was done?

 

[Reep]

It's not about an obsession with 3 pointers. It's about opening up space to FEED THE NURK.

I hope this isn't just a one way partnership. Nurk shoots well outside. After Collins gets going, I would love to see them trade back and forth on who is in the post. Might create mismatch problems.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Good interview with a guy who covers Gonzaga; explains a little more why he wasn't a starter: "There wasn't an inability to crack the starting five, solely because Przemek Karnowski was a better all-around player than Collins (and you are right--Coach Few loves his starters), and Collins was thriving in his role as first man off the bench."
And also on whether he is NBA-ready: "He already has the range to shoot the long ball. He is fast enough to be able to run with teams that are charging up and down the court. He is versatile enough to remain on the court when the opposition goes small. He can hold his own (with a bit more muscle added as the years go) if he has to pound it down low for the entire game. He has the drive and the desire to be in the NBA for a long time."


https://www.blazersedge.com/2017/6/...nba-draft-portland-trail-blazers-gonzaga-ncaa