Rotation to start the year as well as after the all-star break assuming no injuries Lillard Matthews Batum Aldridge Hickson Smith Barton Babbitt Freeland Leonard Lillard Barton Batum Aldridge Leonard Smith Matthews Claver Hickson Freeland
I prefer the 9-man rotation to the 10-man. Starters: Hickson LA Batum Wesley Lillard Other Rotation Players: Leonard Freeland (may get bumped out of rotation if Hickson plays the 5 well). Barton Nolan Injury Insurance: Claver Babbitt Practice Player Only: Price (because he sucks) Jeffries (because he's old) Injured: Pavlovic (isn't he injured?) Williams
You think Barton will get in over Matthews in the second half? I can't see that happening. I agree on the rest though. I think Matthews will play better than last year and will be a solid presence in the starting unit. I just didn't see enough in Barton to make me think he can bang with NBA bodies or play well off the ball.
Hickson will get some time in the beginning of the season. He only signed a 1-year contract and may not be in the Blazers future plans. If he plays well during the 1st half of the season, then the Blazers may trade Hickson at the trade deadline. Just a thought. Babbitt better show he can do more than shoot the 3-ball. I have a feeling he's trade bait as well. Look for our Blazers to make a run at a top tier FA at the end of the season.
Olshey said if Hickson plays like he did for us last year, he will be a Blazer for a long time. I think Babbitt will be traded as well I really hope they don't waste their time trying to get a top tier FA to come here. It simply won't work. Hopefully they use cap space to trade for a top tier player
You know you're also assuming no trades, but deadline trade possibilities will be interesting to consider (yet another thread?). We'll have... young players with some potential. about $10 Mil. ending contracts ( http://storytellerscontracts.info/?page_id=1608 ) cap space for "unbalanced" trades.
I think LA makes other players better by his mere presence on the floor. I think Hickson brings a lot of energy and toughness. But I prefer LA I understand that you are suggesting that the person we get for LA in the trade, along with Hickson would be better than LA and.........Wes/ or Barton. And you have an argument but I think keeping the better player is a better strategy in the long run. (Not necessarily in the short term.
Hickson's good at offense and bad at defense, the opposite of a center. And he'd be a midget center. Our center will be a committee.
LOL at "assuming no injuries". We're the most injury prone organization in the NBA. Of course, it couldn't be our top flight training staff.
You misread, I think? I'm not saying I think the Blazers will have no injuries, I am saying that for this particular game I made the rotation with no injuries involved
haha I still never answered the OP. I really don't think we'll see LA at Center much this season. Stotts has pretty much committed to keeping him at PF. We also need Scoring and Rebounding off the bench. Which is why I think Hickson will be our 6th man (who else will fill that role?). Babbitt is a tweener stretch 4. He is NOT a 3 IMHO (which is why we picked up Ammo). I think the rotation will play out like this: PG) Lillard/Smith SG) Matthews/Barton SF) Batum/Claver/Morrison PF) Aldridge/Hickson/Babbit C) Leonard/Freeland
On trailblazers tv, Rice was on with Casey, and he was really thinking Freeland at C. But said while Freeland and HIckson are right there with each other, Leonard is right behind them. Said it will depend on what Stotts wants. Freeland can stretch the floor and rebounds, Hickson is more down low and rebounds, Leonard brings defense and rebounds
