Roy said he will make no declarations that he should be a starter when the Blazers return for training camp after the NBA's labor strike is settled. No proclamations that he is back to his old self after his latest knee surgeries -- arthroscopic procedures on both knees in January. And no concessions that he is now a bench player who needs to adapt his game to compensate for what was left on the operating table. In fact, Roy wants to make it clear there will be no self-advertising whatsoever when it comes to his game. "I just don't even want to put anything out there," said Roy, who celebrated his 27th birthday Saturday. "I don't want to get hopes up one way or the other. I'm just trying to work to get better. And if I surprise a million people, that's better. Hopefully, I can surprise some people." At the same time, Roy let it be known he knows what has been said about him. That his knees no longer allow him to move with the surgical precision that made him one of the most crafty and effective players in the NBA. That he can no longer leap high enough to finish drives to the basket. And that the bone-on-bone condition of both his knees has all but ended his career. He has heard all of it, and in a way, it motivates him. "I'm definitely fine with how some things are said, and what people are saying about me," Roy said. "I kind of like to be doubted and counted out. That's a good place for me. I like this role." What exactly that role will be once the Blazers and the NBA reconvene remains to be seen.
People.... Roy is not going to heal. He has a bone on bone condition. He may be good or even great for small sections of a game but Roy is done! He isn't going to grow back meniscus, learn to play defense, and run an offense where others are involved. Stop lying to yourselves. He's a bench player at best now and one that if they can waive, WILL! It's sad, but he's a millionaire 100 times over.... He can be an analyst or anything he wants after hoops. Unlike the roofer who falls off the house and has nothing, Roy will still be living in a better neighborhood than all of you, living off the interest off the interest of his money. Ice bags and rest aren't going to work here. What he needs to be an allstar or even a relevant 2 in this league he no longer has. Let's stop talking about Roy in an unrealistic way!
May be good or great for small sections of a game? You blame posters for not being real about Roy and all you will give is he "may" be good or even great for small sections of the game. It really wasn't that long ago he was great for a quarter of a playoff game. Some could agrue one of the the greatest performance in a playoff comeback. So at the very least you should give that he still is good or great for sections of the game and still has the ability to help the Blazers win games on his own. He isn't starter 40 min a game player anymore, but he can still be a relevant player as shown by his latest performance in the playoffs. I agree, let's stop talking about Roy in an unrealistic way on both sides.
In that game Roy went into a zone agreed.... but no one else got involved and the next game he disappeared again... Do you want to pay a James Jones type of player franchise player money? If they allow one wipe off contract against the tax, Roy's days in the NBA are #'d. The fact that he's even thinking he's a starter anymore is laughable. He's such a defensive liability out there we might as well be playing a man down. I'll take my chances with Wes. I tend to like ball movement, defense, and feeding our bigs, and with Oden coming back, Roy doesn't really fit into what we can become nor the ball movement and energy we so desperately need!
I'm not saying he is worth what he is being paid, just taking issue with you saying he is done and questioning if he can even be a good player for short sections of the game. I think he has proved recently that he can be good and great during short sections of the game. I understand the idea that some think he is done. I think that attitude is more a comparison of what he was to today rather than if he can be productive in the NBA. I do find it intersting that you are talking about being real with Roy situation and then assuming Oden comes back. Let's be real about Oden. Oden coming back and being effective on the court for a long part of the season is in no way any kind of guarentee (either he is gone at the end of this season or he will never play a close to a full season). The Oden hype is only one step below the Roy hype because Oden has a slightly better chance of coming back and making an impact vs. Roy . . . and that is really a sad statement about the Roy situation. Personally I'm concerned about Roy . . . but fitting in with a center that has only played a handful of NBA games in his 4 year career and could become an UFA at the end of the year is the least concern for Roy.
When did he stay he thinks he's a starter? Sounds to me like he's not going to say anything and is working on modifying his game. How that plays out and how much (or little) of an impact he can make remains to be seen though. It's exactly what I'd like to hear.
If the guy could have put in 5 token minutes at the Seattle game a couple of days ago, it would show that he might be able to put in 5 token minutes during the season. He headlined the ads for the game. He was the main player they came to see. After his Seattle non-performance, I have even less confidence that he will even be a substitute for us. And I didn't have much before. He'll just sit behind the bench like LaFrentz, season after season. Eventually, like Oden, he'll just stay home.
Roy's problem on defense isn't all knees. He doesn't understand team-defense like other players (Batum, Camby) do. Another example for this syndrome is LMA who doesn't have health related issues but seems lost on the defensive end. Oden, BTW, is another player that doesn't play the most intelligent defense. Him jumping to block almost everything is IMO part of the reason he gets hurt so much and also called for so many fouls. I've read an article about Bill Russel a few days ago where they said part of his greatness was in his ability to play mind-games, to know When to jump and when to try to block, not just use his athletic ability/length to jump at every player getting close to the basket like Greg does. Many times this past season when Roy was on the floor we were playing 4-on-5. Even with his incredible 4th quarter in the playoffs, you can't deny that. But there's one thing I didn't understand then and gives me hope now: Roy seemed unable (mentaly) to sit-out games and let his knees heal! We heard his knees are in bad condition, etc. then two games later he makes his return... Another example was in the playoffs against Phoenix (2010) when he played injured. I can still see a scenario where few monthes of rest make a difference. Roy inability to sit in street-clothes is something you can admire but got to a point that it was plain foolish. I don't rule-out the possibility of a better looking Roy when he's back after using the off-season to get some rest.
