Barring any trades or signings (aside from Matthews) who would make your roster? What would be your rotation? Eight man? Nine man? 10 man? Miller/Bayless/Johnson Roy/Matthews/Williams/Rudy Batum/Babbitt Aldridge/Cunningham/Pendergraph Oden/Camby/Przybilla There's a good chance Rudy and at least one of our other guards will be traded, but for now I'll stick him at the end of my bench. My rotation would be nine guys during the season, with Roy, Miller, Batum, Aldridge, Oden, and Camby, Matthews, Bayless, and maybe Cunningham. Who would you play?
That looks about right ... but damn, will I be shocked/disappointed if that's what the roster looks like at the end of training camp.
Beside the RAMBO starters (Roy/Aldridge/Miller/Batum/Oden), my 8-man lineup includes Bayless (1/2), Matthews (2/3), Camby (4/5) Spot Minutes for Pendergraph and Johnson. Edit: I misspelled Matthews W-i-l-l-i-a-m-s, oops.
Would really play Williams ahead of Rudy? Also, am I the only one concerned about how thin we are at SF? If Nic misses a game we are screwed!
If we open up camp with that roster, we will be fucked. That being said...... Miller/Roy/Bayless/Williams Roy/Matthews//Rudy/Bayless/Williams Batum/Matthews/Babbitt/Cunningham Aldridge/Camby/Cunningham Oden/Camby/Aldridge Joel Johnson Pendergraph
The first unit is set: Miller, Roy, Batum, LMA, Oden The 2nd unit, as I see it, is also set: 3 Multiple-positioned SGs in Bayless, Rudy and Mathewss and two bigs in Joel and Camby. Other players I see as important investments but that will only see little time this year or more time in case of injuries. in order: Cunningham, Johnson, Babbitt, Williams (?), Pendergraph. That leaves Patty as the 16th player. I think he could eventualy be better than Pendy and maybe Williams (who knows?) but unfortunately, I don't see a place for him in the current roster. I think there is a place for him as a 3rd-stringer, somewhere in the NBA, but right now our 2nd-string PG is one of the SGs (Bayless or Rudy) and I trust Armon Johnson more as the 2nd "true PG" and 3rd PG in our rotation.
I go with this, but I'd also list Cunningham as a reserve 3/4--9th man, to be sure, but I see him as someone who has earned 10-12 mpg this year. 1st string: Miller-Roy-Batum-Aldridge-Oden 2nd string: Bayless-Matthews-Dante-Camby 3rd string: Johnson-Williams-Babbitt-Pendy Trade fodder: Rudy-Joel
if Rudy is healthy and still on the team, I'd expect him to be a regular in the rotation getting 20 MPG or so. He fell off so much last year from his rookie year I've got to think he was never right with his health and it affected his attitude. We shall see STOMP
In reality, Rudy won't be here, so I don't think it matters. And I agree completely with you about the 3. Although both Roy and Matthews can play there, so maybe it's not that big of a deal. Right now Portland looks to have the same problmes it has had for years. Too many players with the same ability. Portland, and Mr Sonic, need to forget about the whole two unit bullshit and do what real teams do and get the best 8 you can.
I always like a goal of a Top 8 rotation - but know that sometimes it must expand due to injury or chronic foul trouble. My Top 8 rotation would be: Miller - Roy - Batum - Aldridge - Camby with Bayless, Matthews and Oden off the bench to begin the season.
I hope we trade Rudy for another PF/C person. I still think Przy is going out to be out most of the season.
Oh I'm sure we could get a really good center or power forward for Rudy, maybe even somebody as good as Kwame Brown
I'm going to have my roster be a post-Paul trade. Bayless, Batum, Rudy, Joel, Miller, and Camby are gone. Okafor and Paul are in. PG - Paul, Johnson, Mills SG - Roy, Williams SF - Matthews, Babbit PF - Aldridge, Okafor, Cunningham C - Oden, Okafor, , Pendergraph I probably counted wrong, since I'm in Seattle working on a presentation, but that leaves two roster spots.
