in two weeks. Has been workin out with Blake already, said was ready two months ago but they smartly IMO want with the conservative approach - GOOD NEWS! http://www.columbian.com/article/20090815/BLOGS05/908159989/-1/BLAZERBANTER
Last year, for the most part, that wasn't Batum but rather Outlaw finishing at SF. I wonder if Webster can push Outlaw out of the finishing spot or, for that matter, can push Batum out of that spot. I like the fact that he's planning on coming in 10 lbs lighter. Gramps...
Whoo hoo!!!! This is great news!! The rest of the league better watch out cause we just added an inconsistant average at best player throughout his career, who's best PER was over 3 points below the league average to the mix. Championship, here we come.
I'm glad he's coming in lighter. He seemed to be in great condition last year, so 10 lbs lighter should make him even quicker.
Yep this is good news, I hope the best for that kid. He has had a rough go of it lately, and with all the shit hanging over his head his whole career for being drafted instead of Chris Paul, it would be nice to see him have success finally.
I am feeling good today. However, neither was a slam though. Nate has said he is not going to mess with his starters, and everything I said about Martell Webster was 100 accurate. Maybe you just don't want to hear the truth?
Whoo hoo!!!! A pessimistic poster who can't do simple math!! Just what we need!! Since when is 15.0 - 12.0 > 3.0? Last time I checked 15.0 - 12.0 = 3.0 Yes, Webster was below average as a 21-year old NBA starter, but not everyone around here thinks the glass is half empty (or half full of piss in keeping with your overly sarcastic theme). Some people actually think that a 21-year old player has not yet reached his peak performance and believe that there might actually be room for him to improve. If nothing else, it gives the Blazers added depth and another player, who has experience starting at both the 2 and 3, on the bench that could fill in in case of injury. BNM
....Or, maybe he just realizes labeling a player with 3 years of NBA experience (playing time), who came straight out of High School is foolish? Glad to see Martell back, and I for one think he's the starting SF on this team for now and the future.
Wow. Who pissed in your cheerios this morning? He's 22 years old. Should probably be a senior in college right now. And before the injury last year he was probably the most improved player in training camp, and he looked absolutely solid in the first preseason game against Sacramento. There's good reason to believe he'll be a valuable addition to this team with his athleticism and outside shooting. You're allowed to be optimistic.
Webby may turn out OK. But it will take a fair amount of PT to get there... if Outlaw is limited to backup PF, then both Batum and Webster will have their chances. My money is on Batum, but I want the Blazers to win, so here's hoping Webster blows our collective socks off! iWatas
Nope, no way, no how. We have an incredibly young, talented team that won 54-games last season and added a quality, veteran point guard. What could we possibly have to be optimistic about. It's much more fun to be ridiculously negative. You get a lot more attention that way. BNM
Since I don't expect much of anything from high-school players who were drafted before they were ready to contribute in the NBA, I don't hold it against Martell that he has not yet played like a top 10 SF. Sports is the ultimate example of 'what have you done for me lately?' It doesn't matter if a guy was a stud two years ago, if he's not bringing it this season. Same goes for the flip side. It won't matter that Martell has not set the world on fire in his first four seasons, if he is able to contribute this season. The bottom line is, Martell coming back is a good thing, whether he turns out to be a starting quality SF or a backup quality SF. If he beats out Travis for the backup SF minutes, great. If he beats out Travis for the 'finisher' minutes, even better. If he beats out Nico and starts, better still. I don't know how this can be spun as a negative. I probably have a higher opinion of Martell's ability and potential, to go along with lower expectations, than most people. This is the season Martell has to show whether he is good enough to meet fans' expectations. I have no idea if he will. As a Blazers fan, obviously I hope he does.
As a third string SG/SF, I'm really excited to have him back. Much like I'm excited to have Bayless as our third string PG. Young guys with risky but big upside are perfect for leaving in that third-string tier. I just don't want him to take a minute of playing time from guys who've proven much more to me (ie, Roy, Batum, Fernandez, Blake) until he's actually proven he's worth it. I don't think he's really in competition with Outlaw, as I see Outlaw mostly backing up the PF position.
