Whiteside doesn’t deserve to play

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1.) He didn't "bail"
2.) We gain no free agent money by waiving Ariza
3.) We lose a 3-and-D wing that's a good fit for our team
4.) We lose our only medium-sized trade chip

So no, waiving him would be a terrible mistake.

So naturally Neil is going to wave him
 
Makes almost no sense to give up Ariza, unless they just want to carry a lower payroll for the sake of it. We won't be in the lux tax anyways.
 
Raw +/-? Really?

I love it how people think that they can just say "+/-" and roll their eyes and think they're making a point. The fact remains that, if Whiteside was bad we were clearly able to overcome it to the tune of outscoring the Celtics by 9 while he played, so he didn't significantly hurt us, and chances are strong he was doing something helpful. The alternative is to say it was mere coincidence, as in "that's when Dame got hot!" or "that's when the Celtics went cold!" Okay, maybe, but chances are pretty strong that one of the FIVE Blazers on the floor at the time had something to do with that.
 
Makes almost no sense to give up Ariza, unless they just want to carry a lower payroll for the sake of it. We won't be in the lux tax anyways.
On the other hand: if you're prepared to fire a bunch of people in the organization just to save a few bucks here and there, does it seem likely you wouldn't be penny pinching with the players?
 
That article on Ariza says that it's a one month visitation window. Suppose we make the playoffs and are still in them when the month ends - is there any chance Ariza could join us? Anyone heard anything about this?
 
Looks like 110 mil if we keep ariza and hood stays. But do we pay 12 mil for 36 year old ariza who bailed on us?
In pure basketball terms (ignoring the "bailed on us" comment) absolutely. Even if Ariza couldn't play, he's an expiring contract, and, without him, we're pretty hamstrung on trades, because we just have Dame and CJ's MASSIVE contracts and a bunch of itty bitty ones (and Nurk, who is probably the best value contract in the league).
 
On the other hand: if you're prepared to fire a bunch of people in the organization just to save a few bucks here and there, does it seem likely you wouldn't be penny pinching with the players?

Players are a lot more important than ancillary staff, and portland has always been a player culture type of place. Unless they think Ariza is completely washed I just don’t buy that they don’t pick up his option. They already saved a bunch of money on the transaction to pick him up as well his 2 million salary from opting out of the bubble.
 
Whiteside is showing so far that he’s not down to be a backup. And that’s fine, he’s absolutely good enough to be a starter, just not here.

But if he leaves, we have to find a competent center, we rely too much on that position to not invest in someone good. I’ve mentioned it before, but Cousins would be my number one target among vets if Whiteside leaves. He’s close with Dame, reached out to Nurk when he got hurt, and I doubt he finds a starting role elsewhere.
 
Whiteside is showing so far that he’s not down to be a backup. And that’s fine, he’s absolutely good enough to be a starter, just not here.

But if he leaves, we have to find a competent center, we rely too much on that position to not invest in someone good. I’ve mentioned it before, but Cousins would be my number one target among vets if Whiteside leaves. He’s close with Dame, reached out to Nurk when he got hurt, and I doubt he finds a starting role elsewhere.
Think we have one in Collins. More and more, I like him as a C in a lineup where he's the sole big, rather than his current role. He's free to roam around on both ends with more space.

I'd focus our attention on getting a versatile forward who can swing to multiple positions. Wenyen hits a lot of those but we just don't know how good he really is until they play him
 
Yeah, I think Zach is the backup C. Wenyen can play 3rd stringer.
 
I love it how people think that they can just say "+/-" and roll their eyes and think they're making a point. The fact remains that, if Whiteside was bad we were clearly able to overcome it to the tune of outscoring the Celtics by 9 while he played, so he didn't significantly hurt us, and chances are strong he was doing something helpful. The alternative is to say it was mere coincidence, as in "that's when Dame got hot!" or "that's when the Celtics went cold!" Okay, maybe, but chances are pretty strong that one of the FIVE Blazers on the floor at the time had something to do with that.
+ - is basically meaningless to evaluate one players effectiveness in small sample size because it relies on the direct impact of 9 other players.
 
Think we have one in Collins. More and more, I like him as a C in a lineup where he's the sole big, rather than his current role. He's free to roam around on both ends with more space.

I'd focus our attention on getting a versatile forward who can swing to multiple positions. Wenyen hits a lot of those but we just don't know how good he really is until they play him

Yeah I would targey a big SF/PF... there are also good bargain C available for the minimum.
 
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We''re lucky to have Whiteside backing up Nurk....we used to have Tolliver backing up Whiteside....he did not hurt us at all in the loss and actually helped us make that run at the end...I'm cheering for the whole team to succeed....what we don't need is another Meyers Leonard scapegoat going into the playoffs to root against or complain about...Hassan has been fine...fact is Boston played better than our starters and killed us with Hassan on the bench...Zach Collins made more mistakes than any big on the team but it's just one game. Go Blazers! I hope Hassan comes back next season at a reasonable price...we don't miss Skal, Brown, Biggie or Tolliver that's for sure...Hassan, Nurk and Zach are a strong rotation of 7 ftrs....let em break a sweat...Zach is rusty as it is...Nurk seems game ready. Hassan is coming off a foot problem recently..he missed the scrimmage games pretty much
 
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I don’t get the “whiteside played ok in the second half” talk. He’s SO slow and doesn’t move on defense. Gives up offensive rebounds all the time. Okay yeah he made a floater...great. Nurk is a way better screen setter, not his fault dame wasn’t making them when Nurk was in. Whiteside had little to do with the come back...3s just started going in. That was the difference
 
I don’t get the “whiteside played ok in the second half” talk. He’s SO slow and doesn’t move on defense. Gives up offensive rebounds all the time. Okay yeah he made a floater...great. Nurk is a way better screen setter, not his fault dame wasn’t making them when Nurk was in. Whiteside had little to do with the come back...3s just started going in. That was the difference
Don't buy it.....Zach gave up more offensive rebounds to Kanter than any big on the team...he bobbled passes, bobbled rebounds and was a big part of the hole we dug early...but both he and Hassan still deserve to play....Moses Brown didn't deserve to play...Hassan will help us win some games in my view....you just don't like his game ..and yeah...he's not as quick or good as Nurk but neither is Biggie or Skal or Tolliver or Melo or Gabriel...choices....4 months without playing there is going to be rust....
 
Don't buy it.....Zach gave up more offensive rebounds to Kanter than any big on the team...he bobbled passes, bobbled rebounds and was a big part of the hole we dug early...but both he and Hassan still deserve to play....Moses Brown didn't deserve to play...Hassan will help us win some games in my view....you just don't like his game ..and yeah...he's not as quick or good as Nurk but neither is Biggie or Skal or Tolliver or Melo or Gabriel...choices....4 months without playing there is going to be rust....

I would much rather have skal than whiteside
 
To me what ever Whiteside decided to do his play in the bubble I believe he shitting money out the door on his next contract. His play hasn't been that good his reaction been slow majority of the time. I like how someone wants to bring Zach name up in the conversation that he fumble couple balls out of bounds but if don't remember he made key stop on defense. He gave a effort while he was playing not like Whiteside looks like he lost his dog.
 
To me what ever Whiteside decided to do his play in the bubble I believe he shitting money out the door on his next contract. His play hasn't been that good his reaction been slow majority of the time. I like how someone wants to bring Zach name up in the conversation that he fumble couple balls out of bounds but if don't remember he made key stop on defense. He gave a effort while he was playing not like Whiteside looks like he lost his dog.
His play all season should negate the criticism of a couple games in a new role.
I remember last year some in here wanted CJ traded but his play against Denver got us to the WCF.
 
I would give him some more chance, he actually looked better against the Celtics. I also like our young Center, forgot his name*, he played well for us in the scrimmages

Edit: *Wenyen Gabriel
 
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His play all season should negate the criticism of a couple games in a new role.
I remember last year some in here wanted CJ traded but his play against Denver got us to the WCF.
It's going be up to him at least the next 6 games to show that he inspired to give 100 percent while he out there. Maybe his Achilles acting up don't know. But he is around label while he was in Miami when got a reduced role on the team not given that effort and if that true he needs take his game somewhere else.
 
The Whiteside trade was a good trade no question but he's a goner, which is fine. The league has gone small. Collins doesn't look very good in his role at the 4 so get him out of the lineup and have him come off the bench for Nurk.

Whiteside ain't giving 100% being a backup.
 
Whiteside will get a better offer from other teams. He's gone.

It's not disinterest, it's a difference in talent. He's not an all-round player like Nurkic, he's a specialist. But he's much taller, like 6-11 vs. 7-2, so he shadows the running opponent better than Nurkic, with his arm up, and blocks the shot.
 
I call Nurkic 6-11 after I watched him stand next to Gasol in the Memphis game. Nurkic is 3 inches shorter than Gasol, and is no 7 footer.

Nurkic would make fewer errors if he would stop one-handing the ball in shots, rebounds, and passes.
 
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