What's the latest on Festus Ezeli?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by maxiep, Dec 12, 2016.

  1. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,981
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Meh, that was probably blown out of proportion by Quick because he was still friendly with the team and CJ shortly after that "incident." He was still around after we got Nurkic, then disappeared around the time of his surgery.
     
    Pinwheel1 and Dougnsalem like this.
  2. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2008
    Messages:
    92,780
    Likes Received:
    55,419
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    This dude was the very definition of a bust.
     
    Dougnsalem likes this.
  3. Dougnsalem

    Dougnsalem not barf

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2016
    Messages:
    3,658
    Likes Received:
    6,302
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Salem, Orygun
    And that really sucks. I had such high hopes of him coming in and kicking some serious ass. Just like Nurkic has done. The whole season would have been way different. I don't have any hard feelings at all for him though, and hope he heals quickly.
     
  4. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,981
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Imagine if we had Ezeli backing up Nurkic. Man, we gotta find someone like that...please!
     
    Chris Craig likes this.
  5. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2008
    Messages:
    57,592
    Likes Received:
    56,024
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    NYstateofmind
    We have one. Ed Davis.
     
  6. Orion Bailey

    Orion Bailey Forum Troll

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2015
    Messages:
    26,285
    Likes Received:
    21,507
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Have you seen them side by side? I haven't, but going on memory, im pretty sure Ezeli is quite a bit bigger.
    Im not sold at all that Ed is a 5 on a contending team. Not big enough. Backup or not.
     
    Dougnsalem likes this.
  7. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2008
    Messages:
    57,592
    Likes Received:
    56,024
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    NYstateofmind
    How soon we forget how good Ed was last year. He got talk for 6MoY last season. As a 15-20 mpg big man off the bench, he's awesome when healthy.
     
    Orion Bailey likes this.
  8. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    Messages:
    19,094
    Likes Received:
    22,763
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Kyle O'Quinn.

    BNM
     
  9. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,981
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Ezeli could guard most centers one on one. Davis strength is more as a help defender. Davis is overmatched physically against most centers. He's really more of a PF.
     
  10. Orion Bailey

    Orion Bailey Forum Troll

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2015
    Messages:
    26,285
    Likes Received:
    21,507
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I think it was in part because he came out of no where. And how good was he really? I think his last years game was overrated.

    6.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in 20.8 minutes. That is not bad at all, but not great like some people seem to portray or think.
    The year before he averaged 8.3 and 7.6 in 79 games averaging 23.3 PPG.

    Nothing in those two full season stands out as something I would say see? We need him as a backup C.
    However. His contract might strap us into making him our main backup Big. for the money he is great. For the league and stats, mediocre at best.
     
  11. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2008
    Messages:
    57,592
    Likes Received:
    56,024
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    NYstateofmind
    What opponent has 2 physical, offensive-oriented, post-centric big men? I just think spending 8-12 mil on a backup big just for his post defense is a waste of $ and a roster space.
     
  12. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,981
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Well, we could've signed Edy Tavares for almost nothing....so maybe we can find another guy like him somewhere else. And I disagree, a backup post defender would be so valuable.
     
  13. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    Messages:
    19,094
    Likes Received:
    22,763
    Trophy Points:
    113
    We had one, the 2015-16 version of Ed Davis.

    And his significantly lower production was not just because of an injury. Something was wrong from day one. He came into camp out of shape and seemed completely disengaged and lacking in the energy and emotion that made him so good in 2015-16. Personally, I think he was a bit disenchanted, felt slighted, underpaid and undervalued after seeing how much money was handed out to lesser players last summer.

    Well, 2017-18 is a contract year for him, so he needs to get back to playing his ass off if he wants some of that Monopoly money. Honestly, I think we've seen the best Ed Davis has to offer and hope we find a bigger, better replacement.

    I've said it a hundred times, but I hope Neil goes hard for Kyle O'Quinn. He's bigger than Davis, just as good on the boards, better offensively (including a very solid midrange game that would compliment Nurk and Volneh better) and elite rim protection. He's basically a combination of what Ed Davis gave us in 2015-16 and what Festus Ezeli was supposed to give us in 2016-17, plus better offensively and in a healthy body.

    BNM
     
    Chris Craig and Dougnsalem like this.
  14. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2008
    Messages:
    57,592
    Likes Received:
    56,024
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    NYstateofmind
    You've been on that O'Quinn bandwagon for a while. So I paid extra attention to his game in POR this season. Dude, he's trash. Maybe it was an off night, but I think you seriously overrate the guy. Reminds me of a Vonleh type but 5 yrs older. And Ed was solid as a backup every year before this one, so it's not like 15-16 was such a statistical anomaly.

    If we want an energy dude who goes all out, Faried should be a target. 15 mpg of him running out with his dreads on fire will be amazing value.
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2017
    Chris Craig likes this.
  15. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    Messages:
    19,094
    Likes Received:
    22,763
    Trophy Points:
    113
    It's not just about post-oriented. You saw how much better our perimeter defense became with a legitimate rim protector backing them up.

    Again, Kyle O'Quinn: $4.1 million, elite rebounder, super elite rim protector, solid midrange game, available, healthy and can back up both the center and PF positions. Like Nurkic, he doesn't fit into his teams future plans, is underutilized and available on the cheap. I think Ezeli's partially guaranteed contract + the CLE pick for O'Quinn + filler is doable. Might as well get something out of Ezeli.

    BNM
     
    Dougnsalem and e_blazer like this.
  16. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,981
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I think oquinn is solid, especially as a backup. Not sure I'd give up the 23rd pick in the draft for him, but I'd at least think about it.
     
  17. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    Messages:
    19,094
    Likes Received:
    22,763
    Trophy Points:
    113
    One game sample size, REALLY? I think Kingspeed just hacked your account. Nikola Jokic has also had some pretty unimpressive games against us. Is he trash, too?

    So, one game isn't a statistical anomaly, but an entire season is?

    Ed is also older and on the downswing.

    O'Qinn just an older Vonleh? Really? Vonleh will never be nearly the rim protector O'Quinn is. That 6.9 BLK % is fucking elite, and he's a MUCH better passer than either Davis or Vonleh will ever be. Seriously, you're basing this on one game. At least look at a season or two worth of performance before you dismiss him out of hand.

    Here's how O'Quinn compares to Vonleh and Davis, and I've been extremely generous and used Ed Davis' MUCH better 2015-16 stats. If we use his 2016-17 stats, it's a no brainer, O'Quinn crushes him in every conceivable way.

    OQuinn_Comparison.png

    Here's the same comparison using the current incarnation of Ed Davis:

    OQuinn_Comparison_2.png

    Still think O'Quinn is trash? He's bigger, younger, cheaper and better than Davis.

    BNM
     
  18. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,981
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I'm pretty sure Oquinn is also best friends with Harkless...so that can't hurt.
     
  19. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    Messages:
    19,094
    Likes Received:
    22,763
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I like the fact that he can back up both Nurk and Vonleh. One player, at $4.1 million, that can back up both front court positions. He'll make a more immediate impact than anyone we could draft at 23 and he's the same age as Dame. So it's not like he's outside of our age window.

    BNM
     
    Scalma likes this.
  20. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2008
    Messages:
    57,592
    Likes Received:
    56,024
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    NYstateofmind
    Can you blame me for not watching the Knicks more than when they play us? I'll take your word for him. I like his contract-- that's for sure, but his instincts looked Vonleh esque in that game anyway. Ya I know, one game. But it left an impression. Might be worth a look if Jackson feels like going away from him.

    I don't want to get rid of any of those picks for a backup, though. I want to see if we can put em all together to move into the lottery for a starter SF or PF.
     

Share This Page