What does Stotts have against Claver?

[Rastapopoulos]

I mean, even Dallas Fucking Lauderdale got more minutes than Claver. Is it just because Stott's been told he has to settle the Babbit-Ammo-Karl issue in the first week of preseason games? Claver's just so quiet, he forgets he exists? Stott's been told it's a tradition: we sign Spanish players then we break their spirits, just 'coz we hate furriners?

 

[BrianFromWA]

Um, he said his back hurt and he couldn't play.

Chris Haynes ‏@ChrisBHaynes
#Blazers F Victor Claver is experiencing lower back pains. Said he woke yesterday morning in pain. Doesn't know how it happened. DNP tonight

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Huh, cover up. Dig deeper!

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I dug deeper. I found out Claver isn't a very good player.

 

[illmatic99]

Besides, he already has a guaranteed roster spot. They need to figure out what to do with Ammo/Karl/Babs.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I dug deeper. I found out Claver isn't a very good player.

Agreed, but he could still be one of OUR best players.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I think you keep Babbit since he is a guaranteed contract and has some potential.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

On the three American white boys:

AMMO:
Pros: best offensive game. Looks like he knows what's happening - good BBIQ. Confident.
Cons: on defense he really is worse than some 50 year olds I've played pickup against. No hyperbole.

BABBITT:
Pros: when he gets into his groove (last season) he's automatic from three. Surprisingly good rebounder. Only one of the three who could conceivably play a "stretch four"
Cons: God I hate watching him play. He looks scared, clumsy and on the verge of tears ALL THE TIME.

KARL:
Pros: has easily the most well-rounded game. Really hustles, can handle the ball and plays pretty good D.
Cons: not excellent at anything.

We really do need only one of them at most. I say Babbitt is most easily replaced by Claver who is taller, can probably hit the three just as well, and can do a lot more. Fuck the fact his contract is guaranteed. HOWEVER, I would be scared if he ended up with the Lakers, because his one skill would be of real use to them.

Players like Karl are pretty easy to come by, although I do think the team isn't as "unbalanced" with him on the court than with Ammo.

I have to say I'm sort of siding with Ammo, even if he runs like a 60 year old. But my first choice would be "waive 'em all and find a PG".

 

[HailBlazers]

he already has a guaranteed roster spot. They need to figure out what to do with Ammo/Karl/Babs.

This.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Agreed, but he could still be one of OUR best players.

Ouch!

 

[santeesioux]

Stotts obviously hates white people!

 

[3RA1N1AC]

clavers gonna turn some heads once he gets acclimated

 

[mook]

Claver didn't play much on the Spanish Olympic team either.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Claver didn't play much on the Spanish Olympic team either.

You think half our roster would've even MADE the Spanish Olympic team?

 

[Blazinaway]

clavers gonna turn some heads once he gets acclimated

women's heads or Nba fans?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Okay, so not only did Stotts say he didn't play Claver in the Phoenix game because he wanted to look at Coby Karl (i.e., no mention of any back problems) he then went on to say that Claver would definitely see time this game. And I guess he did - under 5 minutes of time. What gives? Is he really stinking it up in practice?
Stotts also pulled Freeland really quickly after starting him - why? I'm prepared to believe both these guys suck and shouldn't be in the NBA, but I'd like to see them prove it on the court - y'know, like Nolan and Babbitt ALREADY HAVE.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

As a fan of the Trailblazers, i get depressed when I see Claver. He represents a drafting mistake made by a previous GM and a bad decision by the present GM to bring him over here.
He seems like a guy who is OK at a lot of things but not really good at anything. If he just had a history of shooting 40% plus on threes, maybe he could contribute, but he doesn't.

 

[Boob-No-More]

He seems like a guy who is OK at a lot of things but not really good at anything.

Victor == Viktor???

BNM

 

[Rastapopoulos]

As a fan of the Trailblazers, i get depressed when I see Claver.

You've seen Claver? I must have blinked when that happened.

He represents a drafting mistake made by a previous GM

What player should we have taken instead?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Victor == Viktor???

Hey, I'd be happy with that. Viktor + Tyrus Thomas = Aldridge.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Victor == Viktor???

BNM

Oh, my comrade Khryapa, yeh, except this guy isn't really compact enough to be even as effective as him.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Oh, my comrade Khryapa, yeh, except this guy isn't really compact enough to be even as effective as him.

Shouldn't you see Viktor as a turncoat? Wasn't he born in the Ukraine but opted to play for Russia?

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Shouldn't you see Viktor as a turncoat? Wasn't he born in the Ukraine but opted to play for Russia?

Well, yes, as person raised in USA, I have my cold war bias, and so yes I do think of him as somewhat of a traitor, but realistically there are not really good professional teams here. Now as to why he would play for the Russian National team; that's another question. But i also accept the reality that there are now many people living in Ukraine who wish they were part of Russia.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

You've seen Claver? I must have blinked when that happened.



What player should we have taken instead?

That's a good point, really only one guy in the first round has done much, Rodrigue Beaubois. I've always thought that Pritchard wanted Ty Lawson and thought he would drop to the Blazers. If he'd known he wasn't going to drop, I think he would have traded up to get him. So he made a miscalculation.

I admit I haven't seen Claver much, but has there ever been a tall, skinny white guy, who couldn't shoot threes (or even free throws) who made even a minimal impact in the league? As far as that goes has there ever been a tall skinny player of any color?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

That's a good point, really only one guy in the first round has done much, Rodrigue Beaubois. I've always thought that Pritchard wanted Ty Lawson and thought he would drop to the Blazers. If he'd known he wasn't going to drop, I think he would have traded up to get him. So he made a miscalculation.

We needed a PG that draft. Here are the picks leading up to ours:

17.	76ers		Jrue Holiday		PG
18.	Timberwolves	Ty Lawson		PG
19.	Hawks		Jeff Teague		PG
20.	Jazz		Eric Maynor		PG
21.	Hornets		Darren Collison		PG
22.	Trail Blazers	Victor Claver		SF

I can see Pritchard seeing the Bulls taking James Johnson (who, incidentally, kicked our asses last night) at 16 and thinking "phew, there are five PGs left that we'd want - we're BOUND to get one... And then the panic fall-back stash pick. Here's the rest of the first round:

23.	Kings		Omri Casspi		SF
24.	Mavericks	B.J. Mullens		C
25.	Thunder		Rodrigue Beaubois	PG
26.	Bulls		Taj Gibson		PF
27.	Grizzlies	DeMarre Carroll		PF
28.	Timberwolves	Wayne Ellington		SG
29.	Lakers		Toney Douglas		SG
30.	Cavaliers	Christian Eyenga	SF

Of course, the best pick here is Taj Gibson. But remember those days when we thought our roster was already stacked? When our only weak link was PG, and we were all set to compete for championships for the next decade? We thought we didn't need a 23-year-old senior.

I admit I haven't seen Claver much, but has there ever been a tall, skinny white guy, who couldn't shoot threes (or even free throws) who made even a minimal impact in the league? As far as that goes has there ever been a tall skinny player of any color?

? Claver is actually a very solid three-poiint shooter, and I'm pretty sure his free-throw shooting is decent, too. Does that make you happy?

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Stoots is destroying our rookies

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I just want to see what Claver and Freeland can do. I want to know if their solid play in Europe translates at all. If not, fine, move on. BUT I WANT TO KNOW. Now it's possible that Stotts thinks they're pretty sound fundamentally and used to the pro game, so let's give these college kids/fringe scrubs some burn to see what they've got. But then why play Aldridge, Batum and Matthews the most minutes? It's looking like he actually doesn't think they're WORTH playing.

I guess I can wait for the regular season. I'd even be content if they were sent to Idaho (although swapping sunny, cosmopolitan Spain for Idaho and the podunk cities of the D-League would be enough to send anyone into a tailspin of depression) just so long as we get to see what they can do.

 

[jlprk]

For his height, Claver has great mobility and is a fine dribbler. I liked Khryapa, but Claver is better. He zips from point to point and dribbles around angles like a guard. Stotts isn't playing him because he has made the team, and guys who haven't need to be evaluated.

 

[MickZagger]

I just want to see what Claver and Freeland can do. I want to know if their solid play in Europe translates at all. If not, fine, move on. BUT I WANT TO KNOW. Now it's possible that Stotts thinks they're pretty sound fundamentally and used to the pro game, so let's give these college kids/fringe scrubs some burn to see what they've got. But then why play Aldridge, Batum and Matthews the most minutes? It's looking like he actually doesn't think they're WORTH playing.

I guess I can wait for the regular season. I'd even be content if they were sent to Idaho (although swapping sunny, cosmopolitan Spain for Idaho and the podunk cities of the D-League would be enough to send anyone into a tailspin of depression) just so long as we get to see what they can do.

If not, fine?

Yeah right!!!

You constantly link Sergio and Rudy's euro stats when both were garbage as Blazers.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

...and now Freeland as well. I know it's churlish (no, really) to complain about a nice win, but we were up by a bunch near the end there, so, y'know, would it really have hurt so much? Freeland's got to be feeling like a total dork given the British coverage of his "debut."

Meanwhile Batum gets the 40 mins that he was getting in France and responds. But can our main guys last if this is the rotation?