So, here we are. A top offensive team that must improve defense and 'bangability' in order to reach the next level. What are we doing? Going after HEDO - a guy who not only shoots in the low 40 percentile, but can't defend and averages about one half of an offensive rebound per game. Heck, Frye averaged more offensive boards while playing 1/4 of the time that Hedo did. Hedo is going to be a disaster of a free agent and exactly what Portland DOESN'T need -another scorer who plays below average defense and gets pushed around. Hedo is a liability.... The Mullet is NOT a FAN....
Hedo will make others around him better, and make the offense much easier for Roy and Aldridge. Batum is for defense.
We need smart players. If all the Blazers do this offseason is replace Travis Outlaw with Hedo Turkoglu, the team will improve immeasurably at both ends. Outlaw was frequently out of position, distracted, or simply confused at both ends of the floor. Sure, he made the occasional great block or clutch shot, but far more often, he made life harder for his fellow Blazers. On offense, it meant stagnant sets with desperation shots with time running out on the shot clock. On defense, it meant giving up offensive rebounds and other lapses which led to points. Turkoglu is not as good a defender one-on-one as a lot of players, but he's sharp, when it comes to team defense, and executing on offense. Landing Turkoglu would improve the defense of the Blazers, because he would use his help intelligently, rather than forcing players out of position to make up for a dumb move. On offense, he can obviously score, but he also knows how to help run sets, even complicated ones.
The Mullet dates one's experience, son. Considering I was following the Blazers back in '77 and attending games before you were even born.... I look forward to reading your posts and learning from your insight.
I keep seeing the claim that the Blazers have a good offense. This is supposed to follow from the fact that they have an efficient offense. But it doesn't. The reason the Blazers have an efficient offense is because Nate plays a really slow-down cautious game, because he doesn't trust half our players and we (pre-Hedo) have been low on multi-talented players. Blake can't penetrate and none of our SFs (pre-Hedo) have had good ball-handling skills. So the way to win in those circumstances is to make it v-e-r-y s-i-m-p-l-e for the Outlaws of this world. As a result, though, the Blazers have been pretty predictable, and the Rockets were able to snuff out that offense. But with Hedo, I'm hoping this will change. And the Magic managed to be one of the top defensive outfits in the league with Hedo, so there's hope for us.
Our "top offense" was exposed as vulnerable by a good defensive team in the playoffs. That is why we need better balance and depth and better post feeding and pick and roll play in our offense. Turkoglu offers all of those things. This is why the Blazers did not make Ariza (or some others possible players) their target. Hedo is not a "stopper", this is true. But he does have excellent length and his high IQ allows him to use that length to decent effect. For a "no defense" player, as you say, Hedo has a surpisingly good Defensive Rating and Plus/Minus numbers. Remember this - there is no NBA team that has very good defenders at every position. TEAM defense is the most important issue. Greg Oden is going to be a BEAST defensively, and the type of player that you build a good TEAM defensive scheme around. Hedo can play on a team with excellent TEAM defense. He knows how to direct his guy into the teeth of the defense. Good team defense. That is all that matters really. For that "stopper" role we have two young prospects that may develop into that role - Batum and Bayless.
Hedo = Even More Efficient Offense Hedo = Greg Oden becoming a beast Hedo = More Lethal Brandon Roy Much of our defensive problems will be addressed by other moves and the improvement our existing players. However, as others have shown, Hedo's not a defensive liability. You fail.
Took me a second to get your avatar, e_blazer. Duh. (Perhaps you should find a turkey without the sign, though.)
Why do you assume Hedo plays no defense? Because he's white? Because he's European? He may not be a lock down 1-on-1 defender, but he actually plays excellent team defense - especially when he has a shot blocking center backing him up. Because of his length, other smaller forwards have trouble shooting over him. He doesn't block a lot of shots, but players need to adjust when shooting over someone as long as Hedo. His long arms also clog the passing lanes, and he does a good job of funneling his man into the the help defense. He had the 8th best DRtg (defensive rating) at in the entire league at 93.8 when he played for San Antonio in 2003-04. His defensive rating last season in Orlando was 104 - which matches his career average. Batum had a DRTg or 107 and Outlaw's DRtg was 109. Hedo's PER while playing small forward last season was 16.7. The PER for opposing small forwards against him was 13.2. So, he held his opponent to significantly below league average production. By comparison, both Batum and Outlaw were out produced by their opponents when playing small forward. Batum, PER at SF = 14.8, opponents PER = 16.4. Outlaw, PER at SF = 14.0, opponents PER = 17.1. Hedo is a significant upgrade over our existing small forwards at both ends of the court. When Hedo was on the floor for the Magic, they averaged 112.2 points per 100 possessions and gave up only 101.9 points per 100 possessions. With Hedo off the floor, the Magic scored considerably less (107.7 points per 100 possessions) and gave up considerably more (105.0 points per 100 possessions). So, he significantly improved his team's performance at both ends of the court. His "Clutch Stats" were even more impressive. With less than 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter, or overtime, with neither team leading by more than 5 points, the Magic, with Hedo on the court outscored their opponents by 91 points. During "Clutch Time", with Hedo on the court, the Magic offense averaged 116.0 points per 100 possessions, while holding their opponents to only 90.8 points per 100 possessions. That's a delta of +25.2 points per 100 possessions with the game on the line and Hedo in the game. BNM
You make it sound like Hedo is going to just stand in the corner, watching the rest of the team play 4 on 5 on defense. This guy was one of the top 3 players on a team that just made the NBA Finals! This guy can play. Some Blazer fans are just so blindly loyal to the current group, they don't want to see any of them go and see them replaced. We rarely bring in top-notch free agents, and some fans would rather just see the current group grow and wait another year or two to see the guys develop before the championship window opens. The team is ready win next season. Please don't try and run this guy out of town after he's spent one day in Portland.
First of all, I hope to God that is you in the pic because if so it is awesome. Secondly, you are wrong. Hedo is no worse on defense, and probably better in fact, than Outlaw is.
I do appreciate that Hedo is slightly better than average with the assists, which of course, is made easier playing with Howard. Did anyone notice the impact Ariza had against Hedo recently, or, that the Lakers are getting better by adding key defensive players? Portland doesn't need scorers. We need muscle. We need defense. With Hedo, Batum's development is slowed and teams WILL average more points against Portland. Mark my words..... Teams will average more points against Portland.
So, how do you explain the fact the Orlando gave up fewer points per 100 possessions with Hedo on the floor than with him off the floor? How do you explain the fact that Hedo did a much better job defending opposing small forwards than either Batum or Outlaw? How do you explain the fact the Hedo makes his team MUCH better at both end of the floor? Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but it's generally useful to consider the facts when forming that opinion. BNM
