As a Blazer: 13 ppg off 41% from the field and 32% from three, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. Not super efficient. Would you keep him around?
The interesting thing about Banton--un stark contrast to Knox--is he seems to be potentially capable of manning multiple positions. Knox couldn't seem to really find a single one. I don't think anyone sees a future starter, but I am coming around on the idea of keeping him around as a utility wing that can play the point if needed.
Haven’t we had quite a few guys on our team the past 3 seasons that put up very impressive numbers down stretch of the season and now aren’t even in the damn league? I don’t put much stock in these big numbers.
Not worried about his efficiency. He's had to shoot more because of all the injuries. He can play multiple positions and handle the ball. He's shooting the three ball pretty well. No brainer to keep him. He's cheap too.
He’s. Not the Answer. Bronny James is the Answer. More National TV for the Blazers and we will be on ESPN on every night.
In 12 games with Blazers shooting 43 and 37 precent vs career at 41 and 29%.. Keeps this up he may be a keeper as Blazers have a team option for next yr
The stat I like is is low turnover rate. I love having a 6'8" player on the team who can handle the ball. That allows us to play two SGs alongside him when needed. He might be 3rd string but recently we have needed a quality 3rd string PG because of injuries. I would like to keep him if we don't keep Brogdon.
Well said. I expect Brogdon to be gone this summer leaving Ant, Sharpe and Scoot. Banton is the perfect compliment to those three just in terms of size, versatility, and not requiring 25 minutes a night.
Yeah, I'm not talking about the numbers at all. I'm talking about the size, length, and skillset. He seems to have a good combination of those that would be worth having as an option to bring off the bench.
His D is decent, better than I expected. He doesn't have the strength to defend wings very well yet, but his length is bothersome for guards. He has blocked or altered several drives at the rim. The key is he defends without fouling, only 2 fouls in 40 minutes. Compare that to Scoot's 4 fouls in 26 minutes. Foul trouble has been a problem for Scoot all year. I like Banton's size, scoring, and defense. He has shown the ability to score at all 3 levels with the 3, drive to the midrange pull-up jumper, and drive to score at the rim. He is proving himself to have a role in this league.
I like Banton and would love to see him stick around on the backend of the bench as a 3rd string novelty point guard. “Maybe he figures his shot out” is becoming the title of the Joe Cronin 23-24 and 24-25 memoirs. Roster spots are going to become a difficult thing to come by, though, with the team now in its 3rd year of young player development: (Sharpe/Bari, Rupert/Camara/Murray/Scoot/…Reath, and whomever we select in the draft this summer)
generically, Banton has looked capable enough to have a role on an NBA roster. And apparently, a significant role on a weak NBA roster. Chauncey certainly appears to trust him....if you trust Chauncey right now, the Blazers have a full roster of 15 players under standard contracts and 3 players under 2-way contracts. If next season compelled a choice between Banton and Moses Brown, I'd choose Banton the big issue is the draft. Right now, the Blazers have the 5th, 13th, 34th, & 41st picks. I doubt they will be adding 4 more rookies to the mix next season, but even if consolidation trades drop that number to two picks, or maybe even one, there may not be a roster spot for Banton as for Brogdon, my hunch, a month before the trade deadline, was that Cronin had no intention of trading any of the veterans; not Brogdon, or Grant, or Thybulle, or Williams, or Ayton, or Ant. There seems to be a lot of satisfaction in the Blazer F.O. for the current roster construction. I don't understand it; at least not in a vacuum, but knowing the Vulcans are calling the shots probably explains why if it's the actual situation. I really think the Blazers are likely to go into next season with essentially the same roster plus a rookie or two
Until someone better comes along, I hope they keep him. Knox just isn't that guy. That's not necessarily a knock on Knox, as he's not a scrub, but Banton has height, dribbling and PG skills in his favor over Knox. Of course, as The HCP said, this could be a sample size type thing. There have been other players who looked good and yet, are journeymen at best. Knox is a journeymen, whereas Banton could be a semi-rotational player. What's funny is their measurements are similar. Similar wing-span, similar standing reach, similar height. But because of their positions (PG vs SF/PF), Bantons measurements are more beneficial to him than those of Knox. Also as a negative (unfairly) point to bring up, Knox was a lotto pick. Bottom line, Banton is an over-sized PG, who can play PG, SG and occasionally SF. Knox is an undersized SF/PF, who really can only play SF and PF.
Skylar Mays and Cam Reddish are on your beloved Lakers...Wenyen Gabriel is on either them or the Clippers...Trendon Watford on the Nets...yeah....out of the league? Nah...that's Alan Crabbe or Shabazz Napier
