KP bringing in a big, physical, experienced, rebounding defender. Apparently Clyde Drexler feels Portland is the lakers #1 contender next year. I kind of do too simply because I don't feel San Antonio is going to be able to sustain. But I'm not totally sold on that which is why I said "I kind of do too". I've been hitting this tune for a couple of weeks now and I'm going to hit it again. Ronny Turiaf is the answer. If there is a way of taking Brandon Roy's buddy in Travis Outlaw and moving him for Turiaf. The blazers will be neck and neck with the lakers in every area EXCEPT experience. They make this one move, they are contenders next year. If they don't make this one move. They have not did all they could do, to put themself in a position to win and win now. And really, It's not a franchise changing move, it's a tinker to your lineup. But one, I feel pays good dividends. The blazers even with Ronny, will come up short against the lakers. However, if the lakers suffer one injury next year. Ronny might be enough to put this team over the top of the lakers. Which means what? The blazers are going to the championship. Should look long and hard at this Pritchard. Ditch the organic evolvement philosophy this one time and make this one small move.
sorry I might be in the minority.. but to me.. 13 MPG isnt what we are missing on this team. We already are a dominant rebounding team. The guys that got pushed around werent our bigs.
13 MPG is a valid point, but if Aldridge goes down, we're completely screwed at the PF spot. Charmin, suprisingly, was an apt filler when LA went down with his concussion last year. He usually performed well when given minutes. I don't have the same faith in TO, or any of our rookies to fill in anyone in the starting lineup. Someone like Joe Smith comes to mind.
Well then, I tell you what. Take Travis Outlaw and move him for a draft pick and free up that spot for Pendergraph or Cunningham. Let them battle for the 13 mins of time. I suggest Turiaf simply because he is experienced and we know he is tough. Something this general manager stated we needed more of at the start of the offseason was toughness. And I don't disagree with him. The bottomline here is, we don't know how tough Jeff is. We won't either unless he is given time.
I like the Joe Smith idea too. I am more in favor of Ronny because I think he would bring in more energy and fire into the game.
thats true on the injury point. I dont want Travis as a starting PF EVER. That is the one thing that Channing offered. When LMA went down Channing could duplicate what LaMarcus did but at a lower level. So we gotta find someone who would be happy with 13 MPG but be able to step in, in case of injury. Joe Smith is a good idea though.
hey its not a knock on Turiaf I actually like his game, or your thoughts. but if we are going to find someone to step in and be happy with spot minutes until someone goes down. Joe Smith is decent.
I keep on seeing the mins of 13 posted in response. There are ways of taking that 13 mins and stretching it closer to 18-20 mins a game. Especially if one of two big guys are in foul trouble. I think a guy like Turiaf could be satisfied at 18 mins a game. How much does he average right now?
I was jsut checking, he was right at about 21 MPG I'd be fine with him at only those 13 MPG. The reason I keep throwing that number out there, while there ARE ways of stretching the minutes, Stretching them would be at the cost of Oden, Joel, LaMarcus' minutes. I dont see a reason to do that. But hell I would be totally fine with trading Outlaw for Ronny, and splitting Outlaw's minutes between Turiaf and Webster, but I highly doubt Golden State would.
But a guy like Turiaf would help Oden as well. We talk about practice dummies. Why not bring in the real deal to body him and help further toughen him up on the court in practices. They both would keep each other sharp IMO.
Heres to KP over valuing his talent and saying the word culture so many times it pissed me and the rest of the nba off. and here is to KP throwing away the blazers biggest trading chip in the history of the frnachise at the trade deadline for nothing.
I'd rather just see more of the Oden/Przybilla twin tower tandem at 4/5 than add a marginal younger guy like Turiaf who will want more minutes. Hopefully by midseason Oden is a 30 mpg player. Przybilla always plays around 25 mpg. Besides, I know Outlaw absolutely stunk in the playoffs, but the guy was a decent bench player during the regular season. I like giving Nate options. I like that we can try a skinny, scoring backup PF, and if he isn't performing you go the other extreme and throw the Oden/Przybilla lineup out there. It makes us that much harder to prepare for. If we get locked into Turiaf, Nate pretty much is stuck with brawny rebounders at backup PF. I could see us adding Joe Smith for the vet minimimum on a one-year deal. Unlike Turiaf, he knows his best years are behind him and probably wouldn't kick up much of a fuss if he didn't get in a lot of games. Smith would be nice insurance against an Przybilla or Oden injury. Anyway, if Aldridge goes down, we're probably not a contending team.
If Oden isn't in foul trouble I agree. Last seasn though, he was in foul trouble a lot, and when it was Frye and Outlaw on the front line when we were forced to (Which was a lot of the time) those sections of the game costs us dearly. The best teams bring a big effort for the whole game. Not the whole game minus 13 minutes.
Let's face it. Adding a player like Turiaf who is tough and experienced will do nothing but help this team.
I agree that he would help, but also would take away. Our Bench would have Rudy as the only scoring punch which scares me. Unless Webster is healthy... then I'd be ok with Rudy and Webster as our 2nd unit scorers.
I agree that their is concern on my part about Webster. That there would be the only reason why I wouldn't move Outlaw. Which is probably why he ain't moved yet. KP really watching the progression of Webs. I guess you could say if Outlaw isn't moved that might suggest something about KP's overall confidence in Webs and his foot.
Not sure why this guy's name hasn't been brought up much here, but... Kurt Thomas is stuck in Milwaukee and is owed $3.8mil next season. Wonder if we can trade anyone on our roster for him. I'd happily do a Webs for KT trade.
I would love KT, however according to Milwaukee he is in their plans http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/53045352.html
