Nate Robinson wants to be a Blazer (merged)

Re: Nate Robinson wants to be a Blazer

Batum is the long-term future of the position for the team and, with defense factored in, was close to an average starter as a 19-20 year old rookie. I wouldn't want to trade Bayless for a short-term small forward, when Batum isn't all that far away from being a very good player.

 

I would love to sign Nate Rob. New York, trying to keep salary low, will prolly not match any decent offer. Maybe we could get a discount since he WANTS us.
I could live with him starting for this season before handing the keys over to Bayless and letting Nate be exactly a Microwave player off of the bench. To play with Brandon, we need an offensive threat who doesn't need the ball in his hands at all times.

A though..
Sign Nate
trade Sergio to NY for their trade exception
Use Martell,Blake and future picks in a sign and trade for Artest or Hedo

Nate/Bayless
Roy/Rudy
(Artest/Hedo)/Batum
LMA/Trav
GO/Thrilla

Nate could be the closest thing to Terry Porter we have had in a while..a stocky guard who can fill it up any any moment.

 

Could work but I have 3 issues...

1. I think Nate would be a better fit if we had someone like Miller or Hinrich rather than just him and Bayless.

2. Getting Artest or Hedo for that would be...amazing, but I think it would take a bit more than that.

3. Travis should not be our backup PF.

 

I think Robinson would create an unwelcomed problem for the Blazers. There are already enough players who are probably thinking they should get more minutes. Robinson isn't a 30 min a game guy, so then what? Back up to Blake? (Or as some want Miller). What about Bayless? Then there is Roy also getting some run at PG in the 4th and it seems Nate is always trying to find more minutes for Rudy.


With Blake, Bayless, Robinson, Roy, Rudy, Webster, Batum, Outlaw (even assuming Sergio is gone) . . . I see a lot of players who will be wanting more minutes (Robinson won't be as patient as rookies are) . . . and one player the Blazers will need to give big big minutes.

I wouls like to see the Blazers target one or two key guys and then pick up a couple players content being the practice and good team guys.

 

He only averaged 30mpg this past year (which was a career high). You'd think he might be willing to drop that down to 20-25 mpg to play on a contender (then again, you never know).

This is the best I could do in breaking down minutes with the previously mentioned roster (although I omitted Outlaw in favor of "backup PF-who theoretically might be able to play a little center). Obviously injuries will occur as well. It's really tough to find minutes for all of the guards.

Nate(24)/Bayless(20)/Roy(8)
Roy(30)/Rudy (14)
Batum(20)/Webster(20)/Rudy(8)
Aldridge(38)/Backup PF(10)
Oden/Joel (48)

 

Nate Robinson is better than I thought he was. I only see him occasionally, and I thought he was just a waterbug guard who didn't do much all that well. But he has a surprisingly good Assist Rate and scoring efficiency, fueling a very nice PER (after two seasons of average PER). Plus, he's only 24.

I wouldn't mind acquiring Robinson and letting Bayless back him up. When/if Bayless pans out into a good regular, Robinson can shift to an energizer off the bench. I could imagine Robinson and Fernandez being a very exciting and potent backcourt off the bench.

I'd still rather have Sessions, but if that isn't possible, I'd be quite intrigued by using the cap space to acquire Robinson. At only 24 years old, he'd be a long-term asset.

 

Overrated one-dimensional ego in tennis shoes.

Maybe he could spell Blaze at halftime?

 

seems like a jerk, but might be a good energy guy....him and Roy are friends I think?

 

He's kind of a hot tempered, and he'll throw down with anyone (Just look at the brawl between the Knicks and Thuggets a couple of years ago) but I'm not sure I would call him a jerk ... definitely tough and intense.

And yes, he and Roy know each other and are friends.

 

You hate him? I can't think of more concrete proof that he's exactly what we need. Thanks for helping me make up my mind, I was kind of undecided and teetering on the fence before.

 

and Jamaal Crawford!

that'd be a fun trio to watch on a fast break.

 

If Nate WANTS to come to Portland for a decent price, I'd be upset at KP if he didn't get him.

Nate Robinson would be a helluva backup guard for us. We so need a little fireplug like him. Perhaps we could do a sign and trade, and deal Sergio to NY for him.

Sure he's an "undersized SG". But the majority of PGs in he NBA are these days. He only averages one less assist per game than Steve Blake, and I"m sure he'd do a better job at staying with quicker guards.

We could sign both Robinson and Andre Miller. Let Robinson backup Miller for a few years, then when Miller retires, Bayless and Nate can battle it out for the starting position. Talk about a dynamic 1-2 punch in the back court. We could play some mean "small ball".

 

Great athlete. Tough mofo. Can just flat out torch people on offense. Roy likes him.

I'm begining to talk myself into this!

 

Nates a competitor I wouldn't mind seeing him in a Blazer uniform, although I would prefer to have some bigger off season signings than Nate.

 

Sounds like maybe Roy isn't too interested?

 

You're right it would definitely have to be more than just Nate Rob.

I'm trying to envision somehow trading for Kirk Hinrich, just so you'd have two completely different looks at the point available (yes I realize Robinson isn't really a point) and then maybe take Darren Collison as your third string backup/project/emergency depth point guard off the bench.

 

so with that nik that would involve trading bayless to chi city? thatd be scary especially if bayless gets as good as hes supposed to be

 

I'm kind of torn on Bayless. I absolutely think he's got great potential and I won't be shocked if he ends up having a very solid career (don't be surprised if we see him put up numbers like: 18pts/5asts/3.5rbds when he's around 25 or so) ... but I'm increasingly uncertain if he fits this team's window; that is to say can they afford to give him fits and flashes of playing time which will more than likely ensure a very slow and stunted growth curve, or can they live with the bumps and bruises it would take to let him play through his mistakes and find his way (likely costing the team victories in the near term)?

A lot of it comes down to what Jerryd would be satisfied with. Can he accept a fifteen minutes a night backup role for a couple more years when he's already shown himself to be hyper competitive and he'd be coming up on his Qualifying Offer/restricted free agency year by that time?

KP has some really tough choices ahead of him this summer.

 

Andre Miller / Nate Robinson
Brandon Roy / Rudy Fernandez
Greg Oden / Joel Przybilla
Gerald Wallace / Nicolas Batum
LaMarcus Aldridge / (Wallace)

Make it happen, KP!