I think Plumlee is okay, but I do think that with the Blazers being committed to a small-ish backcourt that isn't known for playing great defense, having a true rim protector would be a major asset.
RFA Festus Ezeli is who I'm hoping they make a run at this summer. At 26, he fits in age-wise with the rest of the main players on the roster & he can definitely defend the paint. On offense he's got some robotic low post moves that work OK, but more importantly he's athletic & coordinated enough to catch a pass and flush a miss. STOMP
I don't think we need to add a pick, Plums and capspace are plenty IF we even wanted Monroe and I am leaning to not wanting him. I think I'd still go after Whiteside, he may be a bit of a risk but if we want to contend I think we have to take a few risks, he'd likely not want to come here but you never now.
I'm already on record not wanting Monroe as all O/No D 5s with big contracts = mediocre hoops at best. I know it's not true for everyone here, but I find it gets tiresome repeating oneself STOMP
I feel like the constant demands for a "rim protector" have taken over from previous demands for a "banger down low" we used to see on here way too often. Maybe I'm in the minority, minority of 1?, in really liking plumlee as our starting c. I see no real need to upgrade that position, between he and davis.
As for rim protection, we give up the 5th lowest percentage of shots at the rim. We give up the 3rd lowest fg% at the rim. Seems pretty well protected.
Yeah; great way of putting it. Of course we'd love to have a better option than Plumlee but we're not going to have all-star caliber players at every starting spot. He is a solid option and next year will still be on a cheap rookie contract so we can spend more on other positions.
I'm hoping we don't. He's got severe knee problems and missed literally half the games over his career.
I would look to move Plumlee this offseason if I'm Neil Olshey. I wasn't thrilled about moving RHJ for him on draft night, either. Plums is a great backup center, but he's about to get paid in full this next offseason. His offensive game is limited to the pick-n-roll, and his defense, both man and help-side, leaves a lot to be desired. He's an above-average rebounder and a stellar passer, especially for his position, but I don't think they outweigh his lack of offense or overall defense.
I don't think Plumlee has reached his ceiling. Especially offensively. I say this because we see "flashes" of different offensive skills every so often that are surprising. Like his set shot from about 10-12 feet. I think he passes up a lot of opportunities to shoot more. I am not opposed to using him as trade bait for a better player. Mainly because I think he and his cheap contract have a lot of value. But I think it all comes down to what we want from our SF and PF when we start to think about Monroe. I agree with Scalma that it is a dilemma. Do we go after an offensive center and keep our defensive SF's ? Do we go after a offensive PF and SF and go after another defensive minded center? Do we stay put with Plumlee because he would fit well with a scoring PF because of his good passing skills. Neil as some big decisions for sure. I guess it will come down to who we can actually get.
I am not sure having a small-ish back court means we need a rim protector any more than with a bigger back cout. When we had Wes starting we still needed a rim protector. The need for a rim protector is often needed more with bigger slower guards because the little faster guards are blowing right by their defenders and getting to the basket. Even if the bigger guards shoot over CJ and Dame ont eh perimeter.......a rim protector won't help. At the present time I think CJ and Dame are average defenders. Not bad and not great. But even if some advanced stats says otherwise, it is not because of their size, they do fine against bigger guards. It is the smaller more explosive guards like Reggie Jackson and Isaiah Thomas who are the bigger problem. I just think we need to stop bringing up their size as being an issue. Being too short by a couple of inches on the perimeter is not that a big of a deal to over come. A step or two is the bigger issue, but guards of all sizes are susceptible to that.
"I think Plumlee is okay, but I do think that with the Blazers being committed to a small-ish backcourt that isn't known for playing great defense, having a true rim protector would be a major asset." I would have emphasized that sentence like this, rather than the way you did. I agree with you on the size issue, which, as you say, primarily relates to bigger guards shooting over them or posting them up. The rim protector is more of a factor just because Dame and CJ do often get beat by the quick guards, or simply get caught up in a pick. They've gotten better at D, but I don't see them becoming elite at it. That's why I think getting a big shot blocker of a center may be in the team's best interests.
really? Please explain what is exactly wrong with his knees that make them a severe problem. Excuse the snark, but are his knees in as dire a state as Curry's ankles as posters here used to claim? Articles I've read described his first surgery as necessary to "reinforce both the medial collateral ligament and posterior cruciate ligament in Ezeli’s right knee." He moved very well last year following that one. His other surgery earlier this year was reportedly to clean up loose cartilage, which is a very common procedure. I'm certainly not privy to the real details of his or any other players true health status & would hope that team doctors would weigh in before the team makes any FA offers. He's said to be back any day now and should have plenty of time to show what he's got left in the playoffs. Again, please elaborate on what you know that would lead you to share this opinion. STOMP
Ezeli has missed half his career games with knee problems. Its not an exaggeration, he was out an entire season, only played 40 games one season, and has been out for what will likely be another 40 games this season. In 6 of 7 years Curry played 74+ games every season. Curry had one season where he missed time with an injury and thats it. Totally different situations. The #1 predictor of future injuries is previous injuries. Ezeli likely is getting $10 million or more per season and would be our only free agent addition. I'd go in a different direction. It's been awesome the last few years not having Blazers with chronic injuries. Sure Wes had his injury but that was a freak occurrence.
so my question wasn't comparing Ezeli to Curry or Wes, it was... what do you know about his knees that causes you to call them a severe problem? The answer appears to be not much. Hoops is a rough game & pretty much every player deals with injuries that cause them to be shelved from time to time. Sure a very few players seem to be Mr Glasslike and break again and again until they're done (Oden), but the vast majority come back from injury and resume their careers where they left off... unless they suffered something irreparable. Unless there is insight to be lent how he doesn't have much cartilage left (like B.Roy) or something along those lines, I'll continue to hope Portland pursues him as a FA target if he continues to show out on the floor. I'll leave it to those Docs who've actually looked at the X-Rays & CAT scans & are familiar with his injuries and the recovery prognosis's to make the dire medical evaluations. Dude is a talent & in possession of a skill set Portland lacks. On court his biggest weakness is his Plumlee like FT shooting STOMP
Well of course I'm not a doctor and haven't examined Ezeli personally, that would be a ridiculous expectation on a fan message board. Some players are injury prone and others are more durable. When a guy has multiple major injuries over different season it becomes a pattern. When its to the same body part it heightens the concern. When it's a body part that has ended many players careers such as knees its more of a concern. There isn't one single fact that dooms Ezeli; but there's enough to where I don't think we should be the team taking that risk. If the Blazers were a franchise with no major injuries in our past I might feel differently. When the debate is between multiple free agent options I want us to target players with better health records first. Its not that Ezeli can't become a healthy productive player; all else being equal I don't want my favorite team to potentially go down that road again. I do expect Ezeli to get paid enough to where he would be the main free agent acquisition.
