Yes or No? Right now would you play Batum over Outlaw?

Overall, I'd say to start Travis as he's an NBA player. That said, he doesn't play the best team ball and that creates an argument for Bamtum.

 

No, I would not start Batum over Travis.
Outlaw has deserved his shot to prove he can start in more than just one preseason game. I really like Batum's potential, but he still has so many flaws that would magnify if he were to start and play heavy minutes. He's best suited for 10-15 mins per game if that.
He passed up way too many open shots last night, that eventually forced the team into a worse shot against the shot clock. He's not a threat to shoot yet, and needs to build some confidence outside of 10 feet.
But he's definitely a keeper if he can continue to improve.

 

Wow, THUS FAR??? Incredible considering Outlaw had a 1-12 game. Of course, he did manage to get to the strip 8 times, and he did block 3 shots, so it's not like Outlaw was totally useless. Also, totally disregard the first game, in which Outlaw had 9 points, 7 boards, and 2 assists in 17 minutes while Batum, as one might expect with such a young player, was virtually invisible in 12 minutes of action.

 

I am curious where people are getting their information, because based on the first two games, Outlaw is beating Batum in every category other than FG%.

Turnovers were the primary problem last night, so Sergio, Rudy, and Bayless, with their combined 17 TOs, should be saddled with the loss. The great thing about having Oden is that even missed shots can end up as two points, but if the ball is turned over, what should be a great offensive rebounding team doesn't get that opportunity.

 

That's true. But, he's had the luxury of coming off the bench into those situations. This is different. The spotlight was on him. At least for me, my eyes were fixed on him for most of the game. Starting and going 1 for bazillion while the opposition is torching you is more defeating than going 1 for 6 off the bench.

I say put him back in. Run some easy kindergarten plays that will make him look good and then put him back down as soon as possible.

The experiment was attempted and failed. Let's just be done with it.

 

For me, statistics can only help so much in judging players. Outlaw puts up solid stats not only as a power forward, but mainly in isolation sets. He doesn't hardly ever look to pass (ok he chucked it into the paint once last night, but ...). In order for him to look good, the team must look bad.

Batum moves without the ball. He moves his feet well. He knows how to use his body on D. He has a nose for the ball. I saw a bit of this in summer league, so it's not just these two games.

With Frye's emmergence, and Batum's skill set, Outlaw doesn't have a role.

 

PapaG - my suggestion to you would be to watch the games and not just the box scores.

-Pop

 

If by "right now" you mean the preseason, then heck yes!

We know what Travis does/doesn't bring to the table. There is no harm in exploring the remote possibility that Bah-toom is actually ready to contribute.

Worst case scenario - he proves he is a long-term project...and if he is as smart as some observers claim, he learns what he needs to work on.

 

I have been watching the games. I don't see what Batum has done to have Outlaw benched in favor of him. It seems more like a dislike of Outlaw than an objective look at a body of work. Unless, of course, you would pull every player after he had a bad game.

 

Perhaps in a year, but to bench Outlaw right now if your plan is to trade him doesn't make a lot of sense. So, in other words, that statistics mean nothing, yet personal opinions carry more weight.

Solid.

One bad game and the wolves come out, and I called it 100% in that Outlaw would be the scapegoat.

 

In the pre-season, I'd love to see Batum get a lot of play. See what the team has right now, let him develop a bit.

In the regular season, I would definitely play Outlaw many more minutes. For me, this is the make-or-break year with Outlaw in terms of whether he's a core player or trade bait. Give him a lot of minutes and see if he takes the fabled "big step forward" in his game. Plays decent defense, becomes a more efficient scorer who can function in the flow of the offense, rebounds more in proportion with his size. If he makes big gains, great. If not, we still want him playing, producing and keeping his trade value high to maximize a return for him.

I think Batum has the right type of game and potential to be a good prospect as a future core player. But right now, I'd make evaluating Outlaw (and building his value) priority one. Batum isn't currently a better player than Outlaw anyway, so there's no urgency to play him over Outlaw.

 

Another good point about Outlaw's minutes. If you really do want to trade him (which I don't think the Blazers do), you don't bench the guy. You play him with Martell out to build up his trade value and trade him. If you play Batum more than Outlaw, that isn't going to give other GMs a lot of confidence in Outalw or at the very least know the Blazers aren't looking for much in the trade.

 

If Travis plays well the rest of the preseason, then maybe I'll change my tune. But I'm seeing a pattern developing where he's falling in love with that jumpshot and if that's not going down, he's useless. He doesn't rebound well for his position given his athleticism, he's a nightmare in the open court, he couldn't defend a chair, and when he drives to the basket he gets tunnel vision at the hoop and usually gets an offensive foul or otherwise turns the ball over.

Last night was close to the final straw for me. Guy was handed the starting spot and was probably the most experienced NBA player on the floor for either team outside of Jackson and Maggette and he totally disappeared.

I've been frustrated with Travis for a while, but the overwhelming failure with which he took hold of his opportunity last night was extremely disappointing for a guy who chirped in the offseason about wanting to be an All-Star.

I say bench the guy and reduce his minutes significantly until he proves he can be an asset to this team outside of taking one dribble and shooting a 20 footer or having us run iso's for him.

-Pop

 

Makes perfect sense to me. If he continues to start at the 3 and get major minutes he and the team will suffer. His trade value rocketed when he was coming off the bench. Let him start again tomorrow night to give him a chance to redeem and prove most everyone wrong. If he hits a few shots, great, let him finish off the quarter. Build up his confidence. Either way, while Frye's down, give Outlaw the primary back up role at the 4 and go small at the 1, 2, and 3.

We're not going to tank the flippin season because we want Outlaw's value to increase even more. It's already high.

And by the way, go back and read my post. I didn't say stats mean nothing, only that they can't be used in a vacuum.

 

How has Batum shown you more? He's played in two games. You know nothing about him. Outlaw has played several seasons against big teams and in pressure situations. You know nothing about Batum.

 

My answer to the orginal question is 'No', if it's done because you think Batum is better than Outlaw. It's okay if you're just experimenting and playing around with lineups, like you usually do in the preseason.

Outlaw has struggled for two preseason games, that hardly takes away everything he did for us last year. His conditioning will get better and that will help his game. But if he wants more of a role when players start getting healthy, he really needs to expand his offensive game and be more of a contributor in other ways.

But I'm hardly ready to say Batum is a better player at this point.

 

That was a different team Eric. This is a new Blazers team.

 

Not meaning to make excuses for the guy, but nobody has brought it up. This is pre-season, and he's a 5 year veteran. Guys like Kobe are dogging it right now because the games just don't matter. Maybe Outlaw just doesn't have much of a sense of urgency about him for the same reason.

I mean, he's not like Rudy or even Aldridge, where preseason games still have an element of newness about them. He's been doing these for half a decade now, and maybe he's just come to conclude they don't matter much.

 

Well, the difference is that guys like Kobe Bryant are established. Outlaw isn't. Or, at least, he shouldn't be. If this is his established peak, he's not going to be much more than a bench player for any good team. Either way, it seems like a worrying thing. Either he's going half-speed when he should still be developing his game, or else he's topped out at "mediocre."

 

Well, as hardcore fans we always hope our players (except for the stars during preseason) will always go full-speed. But maybe it's just not realistic. Maybe even the rising talent sometimes decides to coast a little. We're all human.

Maybe he just doesn't have that sense of urgency about him because he's just kind of dumb. Rodriguez went through about a year and a half where he refused to adapt his game, and it seems like him not getting invited to the Spanish olympic team was finally the kick in the pants that told him he had to put in some work.

Or maybe Outlaw's just had a bad couple of games as he gets adjusted to a whole new role. I dunno.