Forum Game Would you be okay with keeping Anfernee if he went to the bench?

It really doesn't matters how these guys perform. Deni and Camara clearly outplayed Grant all season. Grant still started 100% of games and got tons of shots.

It's just going to be Ant and Grant starting no matter what. So two of Scoot Sharpe Deni Camara will be benched.

 

Their legally not contractually obligated to start or keep a role, it's just a standard expectation.

Blazers aren't the only team. Look a Klay getting bitter in Golden State when they tried to reduce his role. It's part of a dynamic that normally leads to player movement.

I do agree that this could be something that changes next summer - even if Ant stays. If Ant gets to free agency and no team will pay him more than the MLE - then the Blazers could negotiate a deal with him under an expectation he might come off the bench. Totally different than right now where he was told he leads the teams offense post Dame.

 

Exactly. Not a chance he'd be OK coming off the bench. And I can't say I blame him.

 

While I'd love to trade them, I am perfectly fine with Ant, Grant and Ayton going to the bench and staying there except for rare occasion. If we can trade them and get any kind of value back, great. If not, let them sit their contracts out and walk.

 

Because he is the best and longest tenured player in the team. This is professional sports and he will not be coming off the bench. Said the exact same things last summer when people swore he wasn’t going to start. As long as he is on this roster, he will start.

 

Exactly why he needs to be traded as soon as humanly possible. And should have been traded before last season.

 

Now are we asking if he SHOULD come off the bench…. Or do you WANT him coming off the bench… or COULD he?

 

If we are not trying to lose games anymore, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. We are definitely better with him or we have a better shot at winning games with him.

 

My theory is that Billups was going to bench Grant - and that is when his 'injury' occurred.

Grant/Blazers both agreed to let him sit out the remaining games and try and trade him in the summer.

We can't know for sure... but we may have clues if Grant is still on the team at the beginning of the season.

 

As long as he is the best option, then he should start. I am not one to give a starting position based on their draft position.

At the same time, if Scoot has a killer summer and earns the starting PG position, then he needs to start regardless of tenure or salary.
Ant is also the best option we have to provide scoring off the bench. Bottom line is because this is professional sports, the only thing that should matter is what is best for the team.

 

Not sure that is the case...

Small sample size for sure, but last year Blazers were 28-42 (0.400) with Simons. They were 8-4 (0.67) without him.

In the 23-24 season, Blazers were 11-35 (0.24) with Simons and 10-26 (0.28) without him. [negligible difference, but still technically better without Simons]

 

I don't care about winning games right now. I want Scoot and Sharpe to develop as quickly as possible and Ant gets in the way of that.

We have far greater long-term upside by getting rid of Ant and playing Scoot and Sharpe in the lead roles they need to learn how to play.

 

Whether they went full tank or half tank, they were still in tank mode the last 2 seasons. These W/L stats that have been floating around are a joke. They mean nothing. They played some of their best basketball with Ant during their win streak.

I am not saying don't trade him for value, I am just agreeing with HCP that they are better this next year with him than moving him for no value. Where we differ is that I think he should come off the bench and still get his 30 minutes.

 

Simon's doesn't make us appreciably better, if at all.

 

He won’t come off the bench

 

Because we are so good at shooting already? I think if they put him in more of a catch-and-shoot position, then he would excel.
Too many of his 3's are forced. Now he is still the best one on the team at shooting 3s off the dribble, but I am not a big fan o of taking too many of those.

And let's keep in mind no one on the team is a better free-throw shooter at the end of games, or better at game-winning shots. So I would disagree that he can not make us better.

 

I said he doesn't make us appreciably better.

The reason for that is because he's not actually that great of a shooter. He doesn't share the ball on offense. And his defense is just that freaking bad.

I don't want Ant taking last minute shots or pressure free throws for the team. I want Scoot, Sharpe, Deni, Clingan, and Camara getting used to taking those shots.

Every time Ant takes those shots it's one fewer opportunity for one of the guys we need to get used to taking those shots.

I don't think we'll ever win a playoff series with Ant starting. So the regular season wins that he can help us get just hurt us in every imaginable way.

 

As HCP said - bench is not going to happen for these guys. Their entitled to starting spots.

 

Too expensive to be a bench player.

 

Not so sure about that... unless they've agreed to showcase for trade purpose?