Are you worried about chemistry/playing time issues?

Isn't it possible that Nate didn't think Sergio was talented enough for this team? C'mon, he's currently the 3rd string point guard for Sacramento! Making this out to be a chemistry issue is a very weak argument.

The clippers and the 76ers couldn't afford him. The Cavs and the Nuggets traded him (the Nuggets got Iverson for him, by the way). I don't see how they didn't try to keep him, nor want him back (which is obviously complete speculation). The obvious style conflicts comment is more speculation. Lets give them some time to meld before we we say they have conflicting syles.

The guys on Courtside tonight said they asked him about not signing an autograph at the Lloyd Center. He said he had never been. Either you believe some random fan, or you give Miller the benefit of the doubt on this one.

A ball hog? The guy averages more assists for his career than anyone else on our team. If he's a ball hog, the rest of the team are black holes.

I don't know when he called the coaches dishonest. There appears to be some sort of misunderstanding about the summer meeting which addressed his role, but I don't see where he called Nate dishonest. As for the conditioning tests, Andre merely pointed out that he wasn't the only one who failed, which is true.

More speculation. Congratulations on maybe my least favorite post of the young season.

 

Don't underestimate this as Miller's main motivation in wanting so desperately to be a starter right from the 1st game.

In his career (10 years), he has missed 3 games, plus 2 due to scheduling (the Dec. 2006 trade from Denver to Philadelphia).

In the 9 years after his rookie year, he has started every single game except 1, his first Philly game.

That tremendous 2nd streak, McMillan is taking lightly. Miller is amazed that he will sub behind someone half as good as he is.

 

I wonder how many 9 consectutive year starters in NBA history have never won a playoff series? That's an impressive streak as well, in another direction.

 

This team needs a consolidating move this season.

Sergio said it best when he said there are players on this team who NEED to play but wont be able to because the team is about 3-deep at every position.

I have a sense KP is biting the bullet on this on hoping nobody will lash out. He's just too damn close to the players.

 

I know NJ will be in the LeBron race and wont move any major pieces but here's a consolidating idea

Rudy Fernandez to NJ
Jerryd Bayless to NJ
Travis Outlaw to NJ
Steve Blake to NJ
1st round pick/Euros to NJ

Devin Harris to POR
Trenton Hassell to POR

 

Oden doesn't even have to be the main focus on offense to be a huge factor on our team. As long as he can put up some 20-30 point games every once in a while, it will force teams to design defenses to stop that from happening. That would open things up for the other offensive players.

I would be extremely satisfied if Oden can have a season average of 12 points 12 boards and 2 blocks a game (With 10 or more games with 20+ scoring).

 

Well I have to say I woudn't be too surprised if some players want more playing time, but in all honesty, I think the ones we should worry about are Oden, Roy, Aldridge and Fernandez. That core is explosive and should be the main focus for management to keep together.

I couldn't agree with you more on this. In fact, I believe we may see Fernandez starting even as early as this season. I am advocating this line-up: Miller, Roy, Fernandez, Aldridge, and Oden. Main back ups: Batum, Outlaw, Blake, Webster and Pryzbilla

I think having a 12/12 season would be a successful improvement IMO.

 

They wouldn't go for it (I guess), but I'd do it.

 

A lot people don't want to hear this but Rudy is as pure a 2 guard as you are ever going to see and despite what some people advocate in moving Roy to the 3, he's not ideally suited at that position. Rudy is going to be a complimentary player on this team, not a core piece ... that doesn't mean that some day he wouldn't be talented enough to be a core piece for some team, but he's suffering from Drazen Petrovich syndrome with this squad -- he's going to need to be traded sooner or later.

This is exactly the problem Roy and Aldridge were complaining about the other day in that a lot of talent is on the team but not a lot of touches. This starting 5 of Miler, Roy, Rudy, Aldridge and Oden has 5 guys who all need to score ... perhaps to a lesser degree Oden and Miller don't "need" to, but that is a purely offensive minded unit with very little balance in terms of players who can fill a role or focus mostly on defense.

 

I think everything will work itself out. The best team will be on the floor most of the game and any personal feelings that certain players have about others, it just won't matter when we're winning. Some players won't be happy with their PT, but who really cares? If they're not good enough to get on the floor, then they're not good enough....period. The fact is Roy & Aldridge are our only 2 stars that deserve heavy minutes, and you could add an emerging Oden to that if he makes the leap this year. Anybody beyond that is gonna have to compete for playing time. A lot of people around here seem to think that competition is a new thing and the winner won't get the minutes.

 

That lineup of Roy, Rudy, Miller, Aldridge, & Oden could work for stretches. My belief is that Nate is gonna go with Batum more at SF because he is a complimentary glue guy, and won't demand the ball much. He can concentrate on defense. He'll be our James Posey or Bruce Bowen.

Rudy is better suited for coming off the bench and should assume the role of Travis as the primary shot taker on the 2nd unit if he can prove that he can score in bunches.

 

I think there are enough players on our roster who are about equal that there will be some PT issues.

Roy and Aldridge should be at 35 minutes each.

Miller and Oden really should be at 32 minutes each.

Batum and Rudy have proven themselves enough to get between 28-32 minutes each

Travis should be at around 25 minutes

Webster should be at around 25 minutes

Blake should be at around 22-25 minutes

Joel should be at around 25-30 minutes

Howard should be at around 10-12 minutes

Leaving Bayless, Cunningham, Pendergragh and Ime out it still adds up to around 300 minutes, or 60 minutes more than an NBA game. I think players will bitch because they will probably play less than they really deserve to play.....It won't be anyone's fault other than managements refusal to make a consolidation trade. Now if a couple of players get injured it will have been a great thing not to trade anyone.

 

You got a good point there. Now I can see the point with Batum starting instead of Webster.

 

how should joel average 25-30 MPG when he has never averaged 25 MPG in his entire career? Dude's career average is about 20 MPG, he only plays one position... barring injury the writing has been on the wall for his minutes/role since the Oden selection. If he's unhappy with whats on his plate in PDX, he's got an out in his deal after this season.

Juwan is 36 years old. He signed knowing the club was deep/stacked. I'm sure he knows that his role is outside the rotation staying ready in case of injury... nightly DNPs will not come as a surprise.

Blake came on board signing a modest rotation level deal with Portland. He's been the consummate professional squeezing the most out of his ability and helping the team as best he can, but dude is still a role player. If he'd like a larger role then whats obviously coming this season, he'll be a UFA next summer.

Martell has been subplanted by better talents. When he came into the league Portland had sparse talent overall and few players his size, so dude got minutes... but those MPG were his largely by default. They've added Roy Rudy and Nic since who've all produced at higher rates including duplicating his outside threat (his one real skill). His overall PER is actually below his rookie year PER (which wasn't very good)... dude needs to step it up before he's due a regular rotation role.

These guys are not stars who deserve X amount of minutes. There is nothing wrong with them playing less because the club has better options. I foresee Joel being down to 15-18 MPG, Blake to 12-15, Juwan to nothing, and Martell 8-10... and I'm happy about that because it reflects the quality of Portland's overall talent. Thats roughly 45 MPG off your 60. It should be easy enough to shave 2-3 MPG here and there off of the rest of the numbers you listed to make up the remaining 15 MPG. I'm fine with a little bitching over minutes... thats expected every year.

STOMP

 

Joel has averaged 26.2/24.4/24.9/16.3/23.6/23.8 since the 03/04 season.

I am not saying they should average that on this team, but on most other teams, that's what they would average.

 

the 26.2 was in 12 games with Atlanta. For that entire 2003-4 season he averaged 20.4 minutes.

My point stands

STOMP

 

Which point?

 

that over 8 seasons he has never actually averaged the 25 MPG (let alone 30) you're projecting... he's played on some pretty bad teams too

what did you think you were responding to?

STOMP

 

Hah! Definitely a creative solution, but undoubtedly if that was ever going to happen the groundwork would have needed to be laid about 2 years ago; inking Roy to a max deal and then having him come in as some kind of super-sub would pretty much ensure him asking for a trade by year's end -- I don't care how nice of a guy Brandon is, that's insulting.

For better or worse, this is Brandon's team and they've taken steps to build it around him (mostly) He just needs to learn to get a little bit better at catching and shooting doing other things at leat part of the time he's on the court.