Exclusive 2022-23 Portland Trail Blazers Roster

Winning is what we want but doesn’t mean they don’t want the fame and respect that comes with being a starter. Anyone who’s played sports wants to be a starter and these guys are at the top of the mountain of course they want to start

 

So a rookie that played a grand total of 32 games and is 4 inches smaller and 50 lbs lighter said he was physical.
I decided to go and look that game they played against each other up. It was Jan 10th 2022. About a month before the deadline. Portland won the game. Nurk played 32 mins but in typical Nurk fashion was 4-13 from the field but he did get 14 points and 8 rebounds. 6 of his points came from the line.
The rookie went for 14 pts and 7 rebounds in 24 mins on 6-6 shooting. Seems like he torched Nurk for the most part? It's only one game so who really knows?
Funny part was Claxton was wiping the floor with Nurk but foul trouble put the rookie in.

Nurk is quite possibly the softest player in the league at his position. Does this mean Nurk is weak? No. Does this mean Nurk isn't big? No. It just means he plays soft as can be. Maybe this is due to his injury past? Maybe it's just the Euro way he plays? I honestly don't know but you just watched Eubanks (Who has less than half the raw talent) show what physical play looks like. Nurk can do it. He has shown flashes. It's just not in his nature from what i have seen.

 

Now here goes the tough guy.
Any time you want to have a cup of coffee and discuss it I'm game. Seriously any time. I am more than willing to show.

 

This is quite possibly the reason. He does have a injury history. Doesn't take away from the fact he plays soft.

 

Are we going to call it another built in excuse for the GM and Coach? Owner?

 

This could be as well? Still doesn't take away from the fact he plays the way he plays.

 

Alright. This is a Portland Trailblazers Fan Forum site. I'll let you figure that out.

Do you guys really get this caught up in Semantics? When i say he is the "Softest Center in the league" doesn't it go without saying that i'm talking about his play?

I can meet up with you also if you are going to call people out. I'll buy the coffee.

 

Sure. Okay.

 

OK fine he would prefer to start. But that does not take away from the original point, and that is if Chauncey thinks it is best for the team if Hart starts then I doubt that Simons (or management or the fans) are going to have a problem with it. Is there anything in
Ant's past that indicates he is not a team-first type of guy? Is he the type of guy who will sulk about it? No

Maybe starting him is the best option. I guess it depends on who the other starters are with him. But the bottom line is Simons will not be a problem if he does not start this upcoming season. He already got paid and he will still get the same minutes. We need his offense too much not for him to get his minutes. The question is what is best for the team? Chauncey will decide that, not Ant, not Joe, not the fans, and not management.

 

I didn't read it as sounding like that at all. If Nurk is being called soft on this forum its in context of his play on the court; unless specifically labeled as off the court.

 

If ducking the tax suprisingly is not the priority, there are still some targets we can pursue to add bigman depth, or even a starting wing if one suddenly becomes available.

We have the RoCo TPE, and we can nearly use the entire amount now and still slide in right below the apron (if Bledsoe is stretched).

Also have the BAE at 4.1 mil if we don't stretch Bled.

TPE targets:
- Cam Johnson (dream will not die for me)
- Cam Reddish (no thanks)
- Rudy Gay (meh)
- Taj Gibson
- Georges Niang
- Matisse Thybulle
- Dewayne Dedmon
- Chimezie Metu
- Naz Reid

BAE targets:
- Serge Ibaka
- Dwight Howard
- Ed Davis
- Gorgui Dieng
- Demarcus Cousins
- Tristan Thompson
- Luka Garza???
- Blake Griffin
- Lamarcus Aldridge
- Paul Millsap
- Melo
- Markieff Morris

 

Is Ibaka any good at this point? He'd be perfect if he's not a total scrub.

 

Good to know. Spotrac had not updated. Niang actually played playoff minutes, and PJ Tucker will eat into that next year.

 

Right? keep him on ice until the playoffs and dust him off then. And we could offer him more than just the minimum

 

Interesting that Walker still hasn’t signed. Probably don’t want to fill that last spot just yet. Still think a two way is more likely.