Who starts at forward?

[blazerkor]

We lost both of our starting forwards. Hood or Bazemore will get the start at 3. One of Zach or Tolliver should get the start at 4. Who do you think gets it?

I think we'll see Hood and Collins. By the playoffs our bench will be bad ass Ant, Bazemore, Tolliver, Whiteside. That's unless we trade the expirings of Whiteside and Bazemore for a long term upgrade.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Hopefully, Collins and Bazemore.

I like Bazemore's defense in the starting lineup, and Hood's offense off the bench.

Win/win IMHO.

 

[Reep]

Agreed that I would start Baze and bring in Hood with Ant, but I’m guessing we will see all possibilities in preseason.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Zach and Hood or Bazemore, my “guess” is Bazemore.

 

[Natebishop3]

Boogie.

 

[Reep]

Boogie.

Over 240 lbs so he starts at both forward spots.

 

[TBpup]

Hood and Collins.

Baze has great winspan but is still only around 6'5" and I think would defend multiple positions versus what is usually smaller 2nd units.

Ant/Baze/Little/Hezonja/Skal off the bench......

.......and TURN THEM LOOSE!

 

[blazerkor]

Hood and Collins.

Baze has great winspan but is still only around 6'5" and I think would defend multiple positions versus what is usually smaller 2nd units.

Ant/Baze/Little/Hezonja/Skal off the bench......

.......and TURN THEM LOOSE!

I hadn't really given Hezonja a lot of thought. Will he be in competition for either starting spot?

 

[1eyedjack]

Hood and Collins

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I believe it will be Hood and Collins.

I would like it to be Bazemore and Skal.

 

[blazerkor]

I believe it will be Hood and Collins.

I would like it to be Bazemore and Skal.

I'd ideally want Bazemore and Zach. Unless CJ is traded for Blake Griffin, then Bazemore at the 2, Hood at the 3 and Griffin at the 4. But that's just my crazy idea (I don't even know if I want it).

 

[South East]

I'd ideally want Bazemore and Zach. Unless CJ is traded for Blake Griffin, then Bazemore at the 2, Hood at the 3 and Griffin at the 4. But that's just my crazy idea (I don't even know if I want it).

No, Blake yes but expiring and firsts. To much injury history to give up CJ. Could get really screwed.

 

[blazerkor]

No, Blake yes but expiring and firsts. To much injury history to give up CJ. Could get really screwed.

Yeah I could see Whiteside and change plus a first and future second for Blake.

 

[Hobbesarable]

I think we'll see Hood and Collins starting.

Bazemore will come off the bench as 2/3 most of the time. I can see him being a point forward bench type of player. I also think he will have a steadying influence on the young and inexperienced Simons.

 

[Propagandist]

I believe it will be Hood and Collins.

I would like it to be Bazemore and Skal.

I believe it will be Bazemore and Collins.

I would like it to be Bazemore and Collins.

 

[Mediocre Man]

As of today, starters have to be

Lillard
CJ
Bazemore
Collins
Whiteside

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I'd ideally want Bazemore and Zach. Unless CJ is traded for Blake Griffin, then Bazemore at the 2, Hood at the 3 and Griffin at the 4. But that's just my crazy idea (I don't even know if I want it).

Griffin is damaged goods, thijk Roy in his final two seasons here. I wouldn't touch him on that contract.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I'd start Collins and Baze.

Baze defense and floor spacing is more valuable with high usage starters. Hood shot creation is more valuable with the bench.

Collins is clearly the option at PF. The argument I can see is he is foul prone as well as our best option at backup center. If we get unexpectedly great PF production from someone else we could have Collins backup both big spots. But until I see that I'd lean towards Collins. We've seen him perform in the playoffs and he still has room to improve.

 

[SIeepwalker]

Collins is clearly the option at PG

Oh god

 

[Pinwheel1]

I'd start Collins and Baze.

Baze defense and floor spacing is more valuable with high usage starters. Hood shot creation is more valuable with the bench.

Collins is clearly the option at PF. The argument I can see is he is foul prone as well as our best option at backup center. If we get unexpectedly great PF production from someone else we could have Collins backup both big spots. But until I see that I'd lean towards Collins. We've seen him perform in the playoffs and he still has room to improve.

This is my take as well. If we start Whiteside and Collins and half way through the 1st quarter Collins is on the bench with a couple of fouls and Whiteside needs a breather.....what do we do? I think one of them as to be on the floor until Nurk gets back so you have to stagger them until at least the end of the game.

Right now Skal is a big part of that equation. Can Skal be our back up center? Or can he be our starting PF? I am very anxious to see him play this weekend.

On the other side I still think Bazemore makes most sense with Dame and CJ. Hood needs to be the leader of the bench.

 

[Scalma]

I like baze with the first unit because he’s a better complimentary scorer than Hood. What I mean by that is he does more off the ball. He’s also a better defender and rebounder despite being shorter (he makes up for it with his wingspan)

As for PF, obvious choice is Collins but I wouldn’t be surprised if both Skal and Hezonja put themselves in the mix. As the roster stands now, Collins has at least 18 minutes to play at center every night, but probably more like 20-25. That’s why I think it’s important we add another center. I don’t wanna be throwing Zach at guys like Jokic when Whiteside gets in foul trouble

 

[mook]

Hood and Collins.

I've bought into the Simons hype train, and I think the plan will be to bring him off the bench in a Crabbe/Connaughton/Hood (from last year) role. He'll be told to look for his own offense first and pass second, and CJ will run backup PG. (I know it's not a popular idea for CJ to run backup PG, but it's probably what will happen. As Simons gets more comfortable, the hope is the roles reverse and Simons takes over more PG duties, but that isn't going to happen on day 1.)

Defenses tend to put bigger, rangier guys on our guards, and often hide their point guards on our SF. Hood notoriously feasts when he gets a matchup on a shorter player, though, so that plays right into his wheelhouse. So you start him at SF.

Whiteside can give you 28mpg at center. The other 20 minutes will be Zach.

I think you have to start Collins in a Noah Vonleh kind of role, where you give him minutes and see how he produces (and if he fouls). If it looks like it's going to be one of those game where he's going to foul a lot, you sub him out early and bring in Tolliver. And you save Collins for the rest of the game as just a backup center. 22-24minutes.

If Zach looks good, well, then he's going to get 32-38mpg, because he's young and agile and you ride that horse as long as you can just for his defense.

Tolliver's role expands or shrinks depending on how good Zach looks.

Portland will play around a lot with all the new wing toys coming off the bench, but I bet Bazemore gets the majority of minutes when the dust settles.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

All this talk about Zach spelling Whiteside is why I want Skal to show out and be named the starter. Would rather Zach come off the bench to replace Skal 6-8 minutes in, and then move over to center whenever Hassan needs to sit.

 

[Natebishop3]

All this talk about Zach spelling Whiteside is why I want Skal to show out and be named the starter. Would rather Zach come off the bench to replace Skal 6-8 minutes in, and then move over to center whenever Hassan needs to sit.

There are so many unknowns going into this summer league and next season. Is Ant ready? Is Skal ready? Will Mario be a big part of the rotation? We have a lot of young guys that need to step up.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

All this talk about Zach spelling Whiteside is why I want Skal to show out and be named the starter. Would rather Zach come off the bench to replace Skal 6-8 minutes in, and then move over to center whenever Hassan needs to sit.

I love how much you love Skal. Did @Scalma pay you off?

In seriousness, I want whoever the best player is to play. I loved watching Skal in the Sac game, I wish I could see what he does in practices, maybe he just needs time. I'll say this having Skal there to put pressure on Zach I think is good for both of them. They can push each other.

 

[Scalma]

I love how much you love Skal. Did @Scalma pay you off?

In seriousness, I want whoever the best player is to play. I loved watching Skal in the Sac game, I wish I could see what he does in practices, maybe he just needs time. I'll say this having Skal there to put pressure on Zach I think is good for both of them. They can push each other.

In all seriousness, I play up the whole Skal thing for fun. I like him but I’m not dying on his hill just yet. Actually I don’t think I’m ready to die on any of our unproven players hills yet. Gary is the one guy that gets a lot of shit that I like to defend the most, but even with him I haven’t seen enough to draw a line in the sand. I do think Skal is way better than the guy he was traded for though. That I know.

 

[Natebishop3]

In all seriousness, I play up the whole Skal thing for fun. I like him but I’m not dying on his hill just yet. Actually I don’t think I’m ready to die on any of our unproven players hills yet. Gary is the one guy that gets a lot of shit that I like to defend the most, but even with him I haven’t seen enough to draw a line in the sand. I do think Skal is way better than the guy he was traded for though. That I know.

Out of all our young guys, Trent is the least exciting. But he might be the easiest to fit into the rotation if he could hit threes at a high percentage.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

There are so many unknowns going into this summer league and next season. Is Ant ready? Is Skal ready? Will Mario be a big part of the rotation? We have a lot of young guys that need to step up.

Maybe I’m just trying to temper expectations for myself, but I think

Dame
CJ
Hood
Collins
Whiteside

Are the only cats we should really EXPECT to be dependable at this point.

Baze probably. Simons maybe.

Nas I like as a lotto ticket, but he could very well be in the g league all year.

All the other dudes could be a giant pile of garbage for all we know. Hezonja? I mean, he could be out of the league by January. Skal? Same.

Idk.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

In all seriousness, I play up the whole Skal thing for fun. I like him but I’m not dying on his hill just yet. Actually I don’t think I’m ready to die on any of our unproven players hills yet. Gary is the one guy that gets a lot of shit that I like to defend the most, but even with him I haven’t seen enough to draw a line in the sand. I do think Skal is way better than the guy he was traded for though. That I know.

This is going to sound extremely anti-Blazer fan boy, but I want to see a lot more of all their young guys before I really "draw my line in the sand", Zach, Simons, Skal, Trent. I have some "preliminary" opinions on them, but I'm still hesitant to say they're the future, or that they're all future all-stars, or even that they're all bad. I just don't know. Zach's shown some signs of being great and some signs of not so great, but they're all young, and they can all be good (I think).