Im in Vietnam and just read the good word - Crash a Blazer But that got me thinking about the future of the team. With LMA playing so well at Center this season, I expect that we will see even more of that, with Crash being the starter at PF, or if Camby and LMA start, Crash would be first off the bench. Does this mean that LMA is now first and foremost a Center? Also, we needed a PG change for the future, and this deadline passed without fixing that situation. I believe that the plan was to get both Crash and Harris, but with the sweetheart deal that NJ got for Williams, I don't think there was any realistic way for the Blazers to have achieved that goal. So it looks like, for the most part except for a vet min type player or something like that, this team is the one the Blazers will go to battle with for the remainder of the season. I think this team will do pretty good, and hopefully grab a decent spot in the playoffs. But moving forward, Miller expires as does Camby in the offseason, making it more difficult to get the next PGotF or shore up the PF/C whole which will be left by Camby leaving. This is just a mix of some of the thoughts that are swirling around my head right now. HOw good do you think the Blazers will be this season, next?
Miller doesn't expire, he's a team option. An option I expect the Blazers to take barring any trades in the offseason. Camby doesn't expire till next season either. In fact, if we pick up Miller's expiring, Miller, Camby, and Wallace will all expire in 2012.
I think we're the 5th best team in the west- only LA/SA/OK/Dallas are better than us. Next year, we could be a contender, depending on Batum and Mathew further development, our midlevel free agent signing and whether Oden comes back decently. Crash really strengthens us defensively- we now have up to five players that can play stellar defense- Camby, Batum, Matthew and Aldridge can all defend well. I think he may give us some extra grit as well, seems to be a player that leaves it all out on the floor. If we'd gotten Harris as well, I'd say we'd be the best defensive team in the league...but maybe we can pry him away from Utah once they go into free fall.
Wallace has played SF most of his career. I think he played 2 seasons at PF out of necessity, but he's been playing SF again this season, no?
I haven't really watched him play this year, but in the past it seems like it was mostly match-up dependent. The closest analog I can think of is Jeff Green and the way he kind of slides between the three and the four (only with a helluva lot more athleticism and grit).
Well, looking at Charlotte's roster (pre-trade)... Muhammad and Kwame Brown started all the games at C Stephen Jackson started all the games at SG Augustin started all the games at PG Diaw started all the games at PF Leaving Wallace to start at SF 82games.com says Wallace played 48% of Charlotte's SF minutes and 13% of their PF minutes. They list Diaw as playing 63% of the minutes at PF. The point being... I'd start Wallace at SF, LMA at PF, Camby at C when all healthy (or swap LMA and Camby)
I think most people think that. However there are times when Nate is going to go with his small-ball unit (which he does a lot) and we'll likely slide LMA to the five with Wallace at the 4 and Nic at the 3.
I don't think the label matters much. If the team were to acquire a Paul Millsap, then Aldridge would probably become the team's long-term center. If Oden were to return and stay healthy, then Aldridge would be the team's power forward. Aldridge can play either position and whom he defends will basically be a question of match-ups and whom his frontcourt mate is.
