Do you think Joel is coming back? I don't' think we have any minutes for him with Freeland, Hickson, and Leonard.
As much as I like Joel Prz, I don't see any minutes for him. We have four young big guys in Aldridge, Hickson, Freeland, and Leonard. There simply aren't any minutes for Prz.
The center position is shaping up to be the most controversial. With Leonard, I love how his size, energy and athleticism translated on the court in the one summer league game. But he's very raw, and he has a major rep for inconsistency. And he clearly is going to be a foul magnet. Freeland is 5 years older and has a ton more experience playing basketball in a professional environment against grown men. If I had to put money on which of those two win out on opening night, I'd probably go with Freeland. But it's close because of Leonard's size and hops. And then you've got 6'9 JJ Hickson. The smallest of the three, but also the most proven in the NBA, and he put up 20 PER in closing out last season with the Blazers. He's the guy I'm least excited to have protecting the rim (we lost 8 of the 10 games he started, although it's certainly not all on him). That starting job seems wide open to me.
I don't know? Assuming Leonard continues his assent away from other big white stiffs, he is probably the guy for years to come. Freeland said himself he considers himself more of a stretch 4 than a 5 Hickson is the perfect stop gap, and has the potential to be a huge trade chip at the deadline
I don't think Hickson starts, cause they need his offense in the second unit. Same reason why I think Leonard does start, because they will need very little from him offensively. It very well could be Freeland though.
I was thinking about that and I don't think Hickson is as big of a trade chip as you think. He has no bird rights, he's on a one-year deal, and he's really not even making much money so he wouldn't qualify as a decent expiring deal.
Hickson at "center because LMA is afraid of the word" LMA at "power forward who is always in the low post like a center but don't call me center because I cherish my knees" Batum at "I wish I was in Minnesota, but small forward will have to do" Matthews at "stand and shoot, guard some guys... guess I'm a shooting guard" Lillard at "Roy"
We retained his Bird rights by signing him, I thought. I know I read that somewhere... not that that matters, but...
I think the starting center is LaMarcus. After all, Chris Bosh was the starting center for the Heat, and LaMarcus is bigger than him.
I think that is incorrect? Olshey mentioned that by signing Hickson to the one year deal they they got his Bird rights. Unless they can't be traded for some reason?
I don't think so, because we didn't extend him a qualifying offer. His cap hold came off our books and we lost our "rights" to him. We signed him to a one year deal just because.... well..... I'm not really sure. I guess just because we could and he accepted?
Hopefully we will get a real coach in here that doesn't play units, and instead always has a scorer on the floor IMO, which isn't much I realize, is that Lillard, Batum, Aldridge, Williams, Hickson are all "scorers" Simply by rotating them out at different times from the 4 minute mark in the first and third to the 6 minute mark in the second and forth, we would always have a scorer on the floor
Mine would be (assuming currently signed players, rather than dreams): Lillard - Matthews - Batum - Aldridge - Leonard Smith - Williams - Babbitt - Hickson - Freeland as primary b/u's Barton - Claver - Jeffries trying to earn PT
