If we keep Wes and Arron, would they split starting duty?

When Wes comes back, he might have to take it easy on the tendon for a while. What if he and Arron split starting duties, and each start 41 games? Arron gets to start for a finals-quality team, and Wes gets to ease into his role again.

If you start 41 games (36 min a game) and play off the bench for 41 games (12 minutes a game) you still get a bit under 2000 minutes a season (1968 minutes) to do your thing.

It sounds odd, but both players are so similar they're plug-and-play in our offense. Instead of treating that like an unnecessary overlap, let's embrace the overlap and keep health as our priority.

Am I nuts?

 

That's actually a really cool idea bro! I don't know if they would accept that though

 

I think they are both team guys at a level that is hard to find these days.

 

I -LOVE- this idea.

And don't let the other team know whose starting till right before tip.

 

I don't think it matters who starts. It's all about the minutes. If healthy I think both Wes and Arron can play some back up SF behind Nic. So a 4 man rotation at the SG/SF with Wes, AAA, Nic and CJ should keep them all fresh throughout the season. Then you have Crabbe and Wright there in case of injuries.

 

Stiffy alert.

 

It'll be at least 8-9 months before Wes will be anywhere near his old self (if he ever gets that good again).

If we have both of them next season (we may not have either), I'd start AA, and have Wes come off the bench.

I'm in favour of consistency. Let everyone know where they stand at the start of the season.

 

That's a good question. I agree that starting isn't really important but a bigger question could be who finishes games, which could be even more troubling with Stotts apparent inability to react to specific situations and tendancy to go with the same rotations he would play if he was with his back to the court the entire game. I don't think either player would be happy with never finishing games much moreso than they'd be unappy about maybe not starting.
There's also the minutes situation. If CJ continues to evlove then even if you never play anyone else in the swingmen positions you have 24 minutes a game in average for Wes, Nic, Arron and CJ which would be a downgrade for anyone but CJ and even CJ may be worth more than that by next year. CJ could possibly play some backup PG and we could play a 1-big lineup for stretches, which proved to be very effective in the past.
Bottom line is that it is an issue and wouldn't be easy to solve. But I still would like us to keep both Wes and Arron, It's what you call having "good problems" and I think if you add a healthy Wes to this lineup the decision I would make personally is to let Kaman walk, consider using smaller lineups more often and consider CJ as a backup PG. Maybe still keep Blake but if CJ proves to be effective in this role it could be part of the solution.

 

Wes is going to have a difficult comeback and unlike Kobe i hope he doesn't rush back. Aaron should be the starter and then a month or so later Wes works back into the rotation; first as a limited minute bench player. I'd rather see Wes miss a lot of next season than come back too early.

It'll be interesting what we do with contract negotiations this summer. Ideally I think I'd like us to bring everyone back and sign a MLE vet.

 

If we keep Wes, AAA, and CJ -- and we should -- it's going to take something like that to get them minutes, plus CJ getting minutes at PG. That's a lot of matchup options.

 

CJ is an above average ball handler and passer for a SG. (Better than Wes and AAA) But IMO he is a below average play maker as a PG. Sure he can still improve at it, but my preference would be to have 5 guys on the court who are all above average for their position at handling the ball. I think you get better ball movement that way and easier shots for everyone.

 

What I like about CJ is his ability to create his own shot. Wes and AAA require others to get the ball to them for a post up or jumper. CJ can actually ISO and even get others involved.

 

Essentially it is like playing with two PG's. His defense allow us to get away with it, plus he is a surprisingly good rebounder.

There are a few SG's that he will have difficulty guarding, but those will be the players everyone has a hard time guarding. (Klay Thomspson, and Harden) I am not worried about SG's posting him up. There are very few Kobe's or Michaels anymore who do it consistently. SG's who post up now often take their team out of their normal offense. It usually backfires. Again Thompson and Harden being the exception.

 

If you can resign Arron and with the emergence of CJ it affords you the ability to take it slow with Wes in the beginning. It's def not a bad idea. Wes may not agree. But you have to do what's best for Wes and the team. Arron in the last week and a half is really starting to show what he can give you on both ends. His shot is falling and is playing with more energy on both ends. He is a very capable starter. I have no idea where this emergence is going to take CJ but he maybe starter worthy. Although that scoring is probably better suited coming off the bench in a Ginoboli kind of role.

It wouldn't hurt for Wes to take it slow and implement such a strategy.

 

If all our backups are above average that indeed would be a good thing.

 

CJ is obviously shooting more consistently, the way we knew he could. Its been great. He's even settled down and improved his free throws.

But where I see the biggest improvement is in creating and making shots against NBA players. Last year he'd try to do the things he did in college, with spotty results. He's gotten stronger and wiser, and hes been money taking the ball inside and scoring or finding teammates.

Basically he's been what we hoped he would be. The only surprise to me is that he's so active and smart and with his long arms his defense is better than I thought.

The Blazers knew what they were doing keeping him over Mo and Wild Will.

 

I dont think I am a fan of splitting starting duties...especially at the last minute. If any team has proven that the players need consistency to produce, is the Blazers. I do agree that I think both players would do what it takes for the team, but I dont think they would be as consistent with spiratic playing time. The players need ot know what their role is and what is expected and players play at thier optimal level when this is understood and not deviated from.
The saddest thing is with te things CJ is showing, Wes might come out on the short end of this problem; a good problem to have as a Blazer fan, but a heart breaker if it means Wes moves on, or worse...Is unable to recover.
I would say Aflalo is really in the midst of earning this starting spot and as unfortunate as it is, its up to Wes to get healthy and earn it back. I dont think you can just bring him back and insert him into the starting rotation. He will need to get his legs under him and will need to come off the bench for at least the beginning. I say let the battle begin and as long as both understand its all for the better of the team, we have a really competitive team next year, if we are able to bring everyone back.
Regardless, I am excited because it seems the long term future hasnt looked this good since before Oden went down with his initial injury!!!

 

I'd be very excited about a rotation with Dame, Wes, Nic starting then CJ, Afflalo off the bench. Yes CJ can play more PG next year; with our teams passing and familiarity between one another he'll be fine. His ball handling is above average for an NBA PG and he probably the best handles of any SG in the league.

Wes will start the year on IR so there should be plenty of minutes for the other 4 guys then. When he gets back we give CJ minutes at both guard spots and Afflalo minutes at both wing positions. Nic gets some spot minutes as a small ball PF. Also we might hate to hear it but odds of all 5 guys being active and healthy for half the seasons games are very unlikely. Injuries and fatigue happen. We aren't even close to leading the NBA in games lost to injuries this year but feels like we've missed a ton. That is normal and expected most seasons so it'd be a great luxury to have multiple legit options on the bench.