Basically agree with that for the most part. We're looking to fill a long term need, our long term needs haven't changed due to short term injuries...
You mean like Portland? Seriously, for all the knuckle heads on this forum that were trying to tell us just one to two weeks ago that Andre Miller doesn't help his team win games and will never fit in in Portland (here and here), where would we be without him now? BTW, where have all the Andre Miller haters gone? They sure seem awful quite these days. BNM
I wasn't even thinking of him. He was gone before the latest round of Miller bashing. There were plenty of other posters parroting the John Canzano "Miller doesn't fit with Portland. He'll never fit. You know it. I know it. The Blazers players know it." position as published in his column less than two weeks ago. Valuable lesson to all posters: If you ever find yourself sharing an opinion on the NBA salary cap, or player talent with John Canzano, it's time to get a new opinion. If John Canzano was our GM, our starting backcourt would be Adam Morrison and Pooh Jeter, and our starting center would be Sean May. For those keeping score at home, those three players (at least the two who are actually on NBA rosters) have scored a total of 80 points this season in the 32 games they've played in. By comparison, Andre "doesn't fit with Portland. He'll never fit. You know it. I know it. The Blazers players know it." Miller has scored 84 points in his last four games. BNM
so you still think he's a top 10 pg? i don't see how you possibly could, but it seems to be what you're suggesting.
I don't remember calling him a top ten point guard... He's better than Steve Blake and that's good enough for me.
Less likely, as two of his main trade options were Steve Blake and Andre Miller. They are both needed right now.
For the record, the team is getting worse each month. The injuries have been taking their toll and they continue to take a greater toll every week as the season moves along.
Perhaps not, but it's close. He's currently 12th among starting PGs in PER (and that includes the indefinitely suspended Gilbert Arenas) and 9th in Win Shares. I've never personally called him a top 10 PG, but I have said he's an above average starting PG and that makes him better than anyone to play that position for the Blazers in a very long time. BNM
Technically, October at 1-2 has been our worst month of the season so far. Also, in addition to the injures, our schedule has gotten harder each month. BNM
I'm still around. I didn't think Miller was going to fit well here because I didn't think he would be able to thrive in Nate's offense. Obviously I was wrong. Couldn't be happier to be incorrect.
My gut feeling was KP was never going to do a trade anyhow. So no, I don't think it reduced our chances of making a trade.
Yes, like Portland. Miller isn't perfect, and he's less effective at doing what Roy does than Roy is, but he's been the best PG on the team since the day he was signed. I said before the season that if Nate didn't start Miller and Greg I'd shoot myself. Well, I'm still here, but I did lose a lot of hair waiting for Nate and Roy to pull their heads out of their butts. The claim that Roy can't play with Miller was stupid. There is a difference between "can't" and "won't." The primary factors that make Miller a logical trade chip are that: (1) if the Blazers are intent on bringing in a player worth trading for, it's likely to require sending out someone who is playing at Miller's level; and (2) I suspect Nate and Roy still have their heads in their butts where Miller is concerned. As much as Nate (and some say KP) overvalue Blake, if they also have high regards for Bayless I could see them having no qualms in trading Miller. Personally, I think Blake, Outlaw and Joel should be first on the block if we are looking for a post player. But it might take Miller or Rudy to get it done. So long as it improves the team and team chemistry, I'm good with 'whatever.'
Taylor (Corvallis) Any chance the blazers make a run at a big man this month? John Hollinger (12:18 PM) More than a chance; they're trying really hard to do something. The problem is that they don't want to give up any of their young guys, and that's all anyone asks about. If they could do a deal that only cost them Blake or Outlaw I think they'd go for it; both are free agents this summer and I don't think they expect Outlaw to stay. really... hcp says they arent. _____________
In my ideal scenario, our starting backcourt for the rest of this season, and possibly all, or part of next season will be Andre Miller and Brandon Roy. In spite of Nate and Brandon's pig headedness, I think now that Andre and Brandon have had a chance to start together and play significant minutes, they have seen that Andre isn't such a bad fit after all. Prior to his injury, Brandon was playing at a much higher level with Miller starting at PG than he was when Blake was starting and getting >30MPG. I would like to see Bayless to get 25 - 30 MPG backing up both guard positions. Bayless is still inconsistent (great one game, awful the next), but he has shown flashes of being able to play effectively when paired with with either Brandon or Andre. He can be our instant offense off the bench guy and bring energy and attack the defense like he did in the 4th quarter yesterday. As long as he's getting consistent minutes, I think he would be happy in that role and it will help him grow his game until he is ready to be our starting PG. At that point, Bayless could slide into the starting PG role and 35-year old Andre can either move to back up PG, or the team can decline his 3rd year option. Given all the injury issues I have no problem keeping Blake around as insurance, playing spot minutes off the bench, or a bigger role if one of our other guards gets injured. However, with the way Miller and Bayless are playing, I would have absolutely no problem trading Blake. I actually see Rudy as the odd man out. He's definitely got some talent, but with Brandon Roy playing in front of him and Jerryd Bayless capable of playing the back-up SG spot, I just don't see much of a future for Rudy in Portland. Now that he's back from his injury, I'd be dangling him as trade bait. I also think he's much better suited to an up tempo game and would thrive in a faster paced system (Phoenix, New York, Toronto, Golden State, etc.). Although I don't think Patty Mills will ever be a good NBA point guard, I do think he has the potential to be an instant offense off the bench guy. Since he's on a cheap rooike minimum salary contract I'd keep him around, especially if Blake is traded. He can be our insurance 3rd string PG behind Miller and Bayless. And eventually, he could possibly grow into the instant offense off the bench role I see Bayless filling short to midterm. So, of our guards, I see Blake and Rudy as the most expendable trade bait with the minum impact on both the short term AND long term success of this team. BNM
Glad to see you've come around. I've never claimed Andre Miller was our savior, a super star, or even a top 10 PG (but he's close). However, it has been obvious to me from the very start that he was a significant upgrade over Steve Blake and should have been starting from day one. I'm thrilled with the way he's playing now, but I can't help but wonder if maybe we would have won a few more games early in the season if Miller would have been the starting PG beginning with the very first preseason game rather than waiting until mid-December to finally start him at PG next to Brandon Roy at SG. Nate's undying loyalty to Steve Blake caused all kinds of conflicts and confusion about roles. It would have been so much simpler to just start the two best guards at their best positions (none of this 3-guard nonsense that had two of them playing out of position) and build from there. BNM
Agreed. That is all I wanted is an upgrade from Blanky. I knew Miller wasn't an outside shooter when we got him, and so I don't expect it from him. We began to see some of the worries many of us have with Nate now that a few players are coming back last night. 2nd half, no Roy, and who starts at SG? Blake. IMO that shouldn't have even been an option when you have Rudy and Bayless on your roster. But that is Nate, and I have come to accept the fact that things aren't ever going to change. Frustrating, but reality.
