Whither Martell?

[Blazer_Hippie]

It's funny that when you watch Martell play, his value drops. Last year his value kept rising off of his preseason performance. By the end of last season, I thought from reading this forum that Martell was going to be another Ray Allen. Oh well, back to reality.

Yup.

 

[alex42083]

Yeah, Webster is really disappointing me again. I had some hopes for him, though I feel he needs to be on the floor with someone who can set him up, which is either Rudy or Andre. Rudy's out and I feel like he never plays when Andre is on the floor, as he's always on the floor with Roy and Blakey.
But like everyone else said, Martell has been given a chance here and has shown nothing to deserve it when we get healthy.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Exactly. Unless Martell can lay claim to "Mr 3rd Quarter", he's not going to get touches in the offense.

BTW, maybe the reason Oden, Roy, and LMA haven't meshed is because Oden hasn't claimed a quarter. Maybe we could make him Mr 2nd Quarter next season, since LMA is Mr 1st Quarter, and Roy is Mr 4th Quarter.

I was seriously thinking about this yesterday after seeing LMA's quotes about the Indy game. I think for this season, Miller needs to be Mr. 2nd Quarter, and Martell/Jerryd could take Q3, but next season, Oden needs to own the middle two quarters.

 

[MrJayremmie]

I'm not enough of a homer to say that he is good and try to twist some statistics to make my case. But I am a big enough homer to still have hope that he will become a good player one day! LOL.

Go Blazers!

 

[yakbladder]

The trouble is role-players never, ever, ever get 10 plays run for them, and I don't think he's ever shown himself to be capable of being a featured scorer (minus a few hot streaks here and there). He has one option and one option only and that is to starting hitting shots when guys kick it out to him and nobody is within five feet, if he can't do that it would be awfully hard to justify expanding his role.

Furthermore, do you really want LMA and Brandon idling for the first 6 or 7 minutes of a game in an effort to try and get Martell going?

That was kind of my point. He has trouble maintaining consistency if he doesn't get touches and he isn't likely to get them on this team. I know people would like to blame the coach for everything but I just don't see Martell being able to fit in.

 

[STOMP]

Hey, just 'cause my view (and probably most others) is that your view is ridiculous doesn't mean you gotta get snippy!

Let's use some hard facts then...

http://www.nba.com/statistics/plusm...omb=1&season=22009&split=9&team=Trail Blazers

Martell is an overall +47 on the season. Not exactly a detriment to the team, like another poster already said in this thread. His defense is good enough to warrant playing him; at least he can hold down the position.

Now, based on this list, if Martell doesn't belong in the NBA, Rudy, Bayless, and Outlaw don't belong either. They have worse point differentials overall than Marty does. And isn't that what it's all about? Having more points than the other team?

Now I win.

is the contest over who can misuse stats to draw a conclusion that they want? If so I agree that you win.

Outlaw and Bayless have played a small fraction of the minutes that Martell has this season, so they've had significantly less opportunity to compile positive numbers in this cumulative stat. Rudy has been playing through an injury he was complaining about in the preseason. None of those three have spent a majority of their minutes playing alongside the better players on the club that have helped Portland win the point differential battle like Martell.

Just for reference, here are the PERs of the same four guys... Bayless 17.9, Outlaw 15.0, Rudy 14.7, Martell 11.2... Martell's career average for PER is 11.2 as well

STOMP

 

[LittleAlex]

Why does our offense suck so bad that people cant get touches; case in point, see Boston......

Pace. Portland doesn't take many shots so their are fewer to go around.

Boston runs when the opportunity presents itself.

Portland passes up those kinds of opportunities at an alarming rate.

 

[KingSpeed]

If there's a silver lining about Webster's less than mediocre play is that we don't have to worry about who will get minutes at the SF position next year. If we're totally healthy next season, Webster shouldn't see playing time at all.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

He's our Jarvis Hayes.

Only not as good.

 

[Kaydow]

Martell starts out 4-6 and ends up 4-13.

 

[WillG]

Martell Webster a shooter??

LMAO!!

Worst shooter on roster. Wasted lotto pick.

 

[Kaydow]

Martell Webster a shooter??

LMAO!!

Worst shooter on roster. Wasted lotto pick.

I've got a new nick-name for Martell . . . "Pregame".

Dude lights it up in practice, and could beat 95% of the league in a game of horse. It all goes out the window once they throw the ball up . . .

 

[Nikolokolus]

This just posted by Ben at Blazersedge on twitter:

blazersedge

Martell Webster will now be referred to as "Arcade"... good times for a quarter after that it's game over

Now THAT is a good nickname!

 

[alex42083]

This just posted by Ben at Blazersedge on twitter:

Now THAT is a good nickname!

hahah.. yeah, that's a pretty good one. Tonight's game was a microcosm of his career. Looked great for one stretch, but looked pretty poor for the rest. It's sad to see.. I want the guy to succeed.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

TRADE HIM!

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

Webster + Picks for Caron Butler

Blake + Picks for Gortat

 

[craigehlo]

The guy is just not good. Never was any good. I'm not buying the "he just needs confidence" either. What aspect of the game is he really any good at? His strength is supposedly his shooting, and he's not even good at that. So what if he plays with confidence? What is he going to do? Shoot more, shoot more aggressively so that he could miss more and miss more aggressively? I thought signing him to that contract was a mistake at the time, and it looks that way now too.

Totally agree.

His problem is a lack of talent, not some nonsense like "over thinking." He's had his chances to prove he's not a complete bust and failed miserably time and time again. Signing him while he was hurt last season was big mistake by KP.

 

[Nate Dogg]

Haha.. "Arcade, game over" Thats a good nickname for him. I'm down for that. He's another that has regressed this season along with Blake.

 

[ABM]

Martell needs a lesson timing. Sometimes, I just think he gets to spots before the ball's ready to be distributed to him at a premium moment. There is such a thing as letting the game come to you.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Haha.. "Arcade, game over" Thats a good nickname for him. I'm down for that. He's another that has regressed this season along with Blake.

Actually I think Martell has "gressed"

 

[STOMP]

His problem is a lack of talent, not some nonsense like "over thinking." He's had his chances to prove he's not a complete bust and failed miserably time and time again. Signing him while he was hurt last season was big mistake by KP.

I'm hardly Martell's biggest fan, but his contract is on the cheap side and at least from my view beyond the cheap seats his struggles don't seem to be weighing the rest of the club down. His contract contains a team option out after next season so I'd say KP covered his bases pretty well resigning Martell. Whatever mistake it was to resign him to the contract they did pales in comparison to the mistake Nash made initially in acquiring him.

STOMP

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm hardly Martell's biggest fan, but his contract is on the cheap side and at least from my view beyond the cheap seats his struggles don't seem to be weighing the rest of the club down. His contract contains a team option out after next season so I'd say KP covered his bases pretty well resigning Martell. Whatever mistake it was to resign him to the contract they did pales in comparison to the mistake Nash made initially in acquiring him.

STOMP

It's "cheapish." He's making about 3/4 of the full MLE and for a player to be pulling down 4.5 million a year set to increase to 4.8 next year, 5.2 the year after and finally 5.7 unguaranteed in his last year (so at least two more years minimum on the books after this one) that's an awful lot of cheddar to throw at a guy who is performing like he is. I somehow get the impression Martell is going to be much harder to move in a trade than we presume -- unless some GM out there thinks he's some diamond in the rough and has a clearly defined role in mind for him that he thinks he'd be better suited to than the one he's playing currently.

Christ, if he could just play "decently" for a little while.

 

[Kaydow]

He just hasn't gotten any better. When people say he has a "lack of talent", I'm not sure I agree. He's got plenty of athleticism. For whatever reason, that isn't translating to his skills improving. I understand why KP signed the guy. He's got athletic ability, he works hard, he shoots the lights out in practice, and he was 22 years old. He actually had better numbers two years ago. 10 PPG, 42% FG, 39% 3 Pt FG Vs. 8 PPG, 37% FG, 36% 3 Pt FG. I understand he sat out all year, but we're 24 games in and he doesn't appear to have improved at all.



Since Oden went down he's 8-33 BTW.

 

[STOMP]

It's "cheapish." He's making about 3/4 of the full MLE and for a player to be pulling down 4.5 million a year set to increase to 4.8 next year, 5.2 the year after and finally 5.7 unguaranteed in his last year (so at least two more years minimum on the books after this one) that's an awful lot of cheddar to throw at a guy who is performing like he is. I somehow get the impression Martell is going to be much harder to move in a trade than we presume -- unless some GM out there thinks he's some diamond in the rough and has a clearly defined role in mind for him that he thinks he'd be better suited to than the one he's playing currently.

Christ, if he could just play "decently" for a little while.

Storyteller's salary link in the top right hand corner of this page under the S2 header shows the team option after next season. My point was that committing the club to two years at the rate you quoted was a reasonable gamble on management's part. If Martell continued his less then mediocre play like early on in his career (as is happening), then yes the club overpaid a bit. But there was the chance that he'd start putting things together and utilizing his obvious gifts and make the contract seem very cheap.

If he keeps up his current level of play it's hard to imagine whatever team that holds his rights not opting out of that contract in 2010-11... or his trade value is probably as an expiring deal. If this crappy economy holds, that could prove to be of value.

STOMP

 

[hasoos]

I loved how after I said he wasn't fit for NBA play he comes out with a 13 point quarter. Then follows it up with 3 quarters backing my play with a nice doughnut and plenty of missed open shots. Hilarious. That is Martell Webster to a T. One hot quarter in 6 games, and the rest is total shit.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Storyteller's salary link in the top right hand corner of this page under the S2 header shows the team option after next season. My point was that committing the club to two years at the rate you quoted was a reasonable gamble on management's part. If Martell continued his less then mediocre play like early on in his career (as is happening), then yes the club overpaid a bit. But there was the chance that he'd start putting things together and utilizing his obvious gifts and make the contract seem very cheap.

If he keeps up his current level of play it's hard to imagine whatever team that holds his rights not opting out of that contract in 2010-11... or his trade value is probably as an expiring deal. If this crappy economy holds, that could prove to be of value.

STOMP

And in the meantime?

 

[STOMP]

And in the meantime?

Hey I was for keeping Ime and then James Jones but they didn't go that way so us fans have to live with it and hope for the best. The roster is depleted of it's other SFs so he's largely the option there. I doubt he'd bring in much from the trade front as guys producing on his level aren't in high demand no matter what they're earning. Unless he picks it up, his trade value will rise as an expiring but that won't probably happen till next season

btw, the shortcomings in his game that you're complaining about are the same things I was regularly pointing to well prior to KP resigning him. I didn't have much company taking that stance and took a lot of heat... I'm sure that several posters here were ready to serve me a steaming plate of crow. I only wish that was my season long meal.

STOMP

 

[Nikolokolus]

Hey I was for keeping Ime and then James Jones but they didn't go that way so us fans have to live with it and hope for the best. The roster is depleted of it's other SFs so he's largely the option there. I doubt he'd bring in much from the trade front as guys producing on his level aren't in high demand no matter what they're earning. Unless he picks it up, his trade value will rise as an expiring but that won't probably happen till next season

btw, the shortcomings in his game that you're complaining about are the same things I was regularly pointing to well prior to KP resigning him. I didn't have much company taking that stance and took a lot of heat... I'm sure that several posters here were ready to serve me a steaming plate of crow. I only wish that was my season long meal.

STOMP

I'm too lazy to go looking for my own posts about him, but I definitely raised an eyebrow when I saw the length of his contract and was one of those who wondered about the wisdom of counting on him to suddenly morph into a good rotation guy.

 

[Nate Dogg]

He needs a can of "Whoop ASs' injected into his system. His selection of shots have been awful unless he gets free and clear to shoot a 3. Where is his defense ability to cause turnovers, blocks, and covering his defender so they don't shoot 3's. Hes anemic along with Blake this year.