Exactly my thoughts. We traded away our 4th best SG... I don't see the team being any worse off as a result. I remember last season when Miller would sit and we'd bring Bayless in to run the point. The results of the team were TERRIBLE. Bayless was decent statistically as an individual but the offense would not function well at all.
I wonder if Nate is preparing the team for his envisioned rotation entering last season? Where Oden and Miller play on the second unit? Matthews would basically be swapping for Blake, which might work out. He can maybe prove as reliable hitting the kickout, and may be able to drive/create to complement Roy in a way Blake and Batum can't. It's the necessity of a second playmaker to Roy, that demanded Miller's insertion into the lineup last year, and if Matthews can hack it, Miller doesnt need to start. Bringing Oden off the bench with a guy like Miller could hasten his reintegration too.
I must admit I haven't seen Mathewss play once, at least not for the Blazers, but I think Rudy would be the better solution as the 'other guard' next to Roy, and I think it should be in the starting lineup (...Andre Miller as backup PG with Mathewss, Dante and the bigs in the 2nd lineup).
For those who think Armon Johnson can't be relied upon because he's a rookie, I'd like to remind you that the Utah Jazz started an undrafted rookie at SG last year and reached the second round of the playoffs.
Oh, and Sam Cassell was fantastic for the Rockets as a rookie, hitting the game winning shot in game 3 of the 1994 Finals.
And yet you read every single word I type because you respond to every single post I make. If I were you I'd put me on ignore and be done with it.
True. This team is now more flexible in my mind. We are not worse off just because of the loss of Bayless. He was not that good of a player. We have basically substituted Mathews for Bayless. i too believe that Rudy may be the guy that works best with Roy. But we can sub any of Wes, Dre, Rudy and even Nic in that slot. Edit forgot Johnson also.
Sure. But to not recognize the odds of that being successful would be folly as well. There are many reasons to be skeptical until proven otherwise. The whole fact that Babbit and Johnson were on the same team and couldn't get their team to the NCAA tourney is one reason that will not get out of the back of my mind. Some players games translate much better in the pro's than in college, and you get your rare player like Richard Dumas, Michael Redd, etc. The facts are that not many 2nd rounders make it in this league, and even fewer of them are successful.
