Minutes Distribution - Poor Nate

i see cunningham the second coming of outlaw..... only better

 

not really, it's 4 less then last year and I don't think that much of Martell

STOMP

 

PG: Miller 30 / Blake 12 / Bayless 6
SG: Roy 28 / Fernandez 20
SF: Batum 30 / Outlaw 8 / Webster 5 / Roy 5
PF: Aldridge 36 / Outlaw 12
C: Oden 30 / Przybilla 18

Aldridge: 36 minutes
Roy: 33 minutes
Miller: 30 minutes
Oden: 30 minutes
Batum: 30 minutes
Fernandez: 20 minutes
Outlaw: 20 minutes
Przybilla: 18 minutes
Blake: 12 minutes
Bayless: 6 minutes
Webster: 5 minutes

It's a tough problem. Fernandez, Outlaw, Przybilla and Blake all deserve more minutes. Bayless and Webster could use more minutes to show what they've got.

I'm purposely holding down Roy's minutes to leverage depth over the regular season into fresher legs for Roy come the playoffs. I'd like to do the same for Aldridge but there are less attractive options behind him at power forward...I like Outlaw more than most, but his defense at power forward is something I'd like to keep to a minimum.

The playoff depth chart would look like this:

PG: Miller 35 / Blake 13
SG: Roy 28 / Fernandez 20
SF: Batum 30 / Roy 10 / Outlaw 8
PF: Aldridge 36 / Outlaw 12
C: Oden 30 / Przybilla 18

Basically, Miller and Roy re-absorb Bayless' and Webster's minutes unless either or both of them play unexpectedly well during the regular season and prove to be necessary players.

 

We aren't going to win many games with him playing less than 30 minutes. You can't just assume that because we were a 54 win team last year, we are going to have no trouble winning games so we can play our star player less minutes. We're not that good yet.

 

I Batum and all, but 30 seems like a lot

 

Well yeah, I guess so.

 

That looks pretty good. The only problem is Rudy. I don't see him staying on our team very long if he's only playing 20 minutes.

 

The team is trying to tighten up its defense (correctly, as their offense is fantastic) and putting their best perimeter defender on the floor a fair amount seems like a good step. It's not like Batum really harms the offense...he's fine in flow and can hit shots, he simply doesn't initiate. I don't believe he gives up anything to Webster offensively. Not to mention, I expect him to be better this season than last.

Yeah, it's a problem. Hopefully, temporary and a trade alleviates the problem...either by trading players that open up some more playing time for Rudy, or trading Rudy (perhaps with Bayless) for a point guard of the future.

 

Any "point guard of the future" that comes in is going to have to supplant Blake as the backup, or he's going to be in the same situation that Bayless is in now.

I would love to see us consolidate by trading for a young point guard and a solid backup power forward.

I think Blake/Bayless/Outlaw and possibly even Joel are going to have to be traded to alleviate some of the lineup pressures that are plaguing Nate.

 

Blake is on his final year of the contract. Now is a good time to acquire a young point guard and ease him in, IF Portland management decides Bayless isn't the answer. I'm definitely not convinced of that; I like Bayless' raw talent and think that his optimistic projection works well with Roy. But if Bayless continues to struggle, Portland doesn't have the luxury of waiting too long on him, unfortunately. Miller's clock is ticking and the team needs to have a replacement ready when Miller is done here, and I don't view Blake as that replacement.

If Portland were able to acquire a young point guard who's already established some amount of NBA performance (Sessions, of course, was my wish but that boat has sailed), then he can come in and battle Blake for minutes, spend next season as the solid backup point guard and be the starter in 2011-12 if he works out. Mike Conley Jr. is the type of point guard I'm talking about...not necessarily him, but that sort of developing young guy who's shown some competence but isn't a big-time prospect (such prospects won't be dealt).

 

I agree on all points, but I'd rather trade Blake in his last year of his contract, rather than let him go for nothing.

 

Could somebody post last seasons average minutes played?

 

too lazy to go to espn?

last season
andre: 36.3
blake: 31.7
bayless 12.4
roy 37.2
rudy 25.6
batum 18.4
outlaw 27.7
webseter (career)22.7
lma 37.1
jawun 11.2
oden 21.5
pryzbilla 23.8

 

Depth is an albatross unless you use it to keep your stars fresh.

Less than 15 mins a game stunts development, as we have seen with several players under Nate.

Blake 30
Roy 30
Rudy 30
Aldridge 30
Joel 30
Travis 30
Greg 15
Batum 15
Webster 15
Miller 15

Bayless, Howard, Ime...garbage minutes.

 

No effing way.

Miller is a 32+ guy, Roy will play at least 35, Greg should hopefully be able to log about 28 (minimum), Rudy played 26 last year and has openly said he wants a bigger role, Nic is a year older and wiser, Martell is back in the mix and supposedly looking good, Outlaw (love him or hate him) has been a reliable 30 minutes a night reserve.

Best case I can envision goes something like this:
Miller 32/Blake 16
Roy 36/Rudy 26
Nic 20/Martell 14
LMA 36/Outlaw 12
Greg 28/Joel 20

Bayless DNP
Cunningham DNP
Howard DNP
Udoka DNP
Pendergraph DNP

 

Looks like you've got the perfect recipe for developing two of this team's most promising young players all lined out.

 

Batum played 18 last year and now has to give something for Martell to play.

Oden barely managed 21 minutes due to foul trouble and Nate will tighten his leash this year to make him work on the foul problem.

Obviously we will be trading a couple of pissed off players by February (Miller and Bayless I expect), and that may free up more minutes for the bench IF they have earned it.

Don't overlook the fact that Batum now has TO, Martell, and Rudy to fight with for PT, and Joel has made noticeable improvement every year he's been here and was far better than Oden last year.

Nobody is rolling over just to let these guys play more.

 

PG: Miller 28 / Blake 16 / Roy 4
SG: Roy 22 / Fernandez 26
SF: Batum 24 / Webster 12 / Roy 10
PF: Aldridge 32 / Outlaw 16
C: Oden 28 / Przybilla 16 / Aldridge 4

Aldridge: 36 minutes
Roy: 36 minutes
Miller: 28 minutes
Oden: 28 minutes
Batum: 24 minutes
Fernandez: 26 minutes
Outlaw: 16 minutes
Przybilla: 16 minutes
Blake: 16 minutes
Webster: 12 minutes
Bayless: DNP
Howard: DNP

Thats as good as I can do. Does everyone realize that we can only have 12 people suited up? Some people have Cunningham playing.. but barring injury I don't see where. In my opinion, having Cunningham and maybe Bayless switch off playing in the D-League? Bayless would hate that though.

 

Batum isn't playing 30 mpg this year. He didn't avg. 20 mpg WITHOUT Martell on the roster...I just watched the training camp video and Martell looks good. I almost feel bad for Nate. Somebody is going to get the shaft.