Regardless Of His Role, Chris Kaman Says You Don’t Need To Worry About Chris Kaman

If you were going to describe Portland’s roster in one word, “young” might very well be the word you’d go with. With an average age of 24, one of the youngest in the NBA, and only three players who have played at least four seasons, the Trail Blazers enter their 2015 training camp with a team whose future shines considerably brighter than their present.

And while that might be disappointing for all of the players, not to mention the fans, one assumes the chance to play significantly more minutes and assume a larger role will take some of the sting out of falling short of the win totals of the last two seasons and most likely missing the playoffs.

But where does that leave veteran big Chris Kaman? At 33 year old, Kaman is five years older than his next oldest teammate, Gerald Henderson, and 13 years older than the youngest, Noah Vonleh. Kaman, a 12-year veteran who has appeared in 719 games during his NBA career, probably doesn’t have more than a few seasons left in him, which might cause some to wonder whether he’s willing to sacrifice the last vestiges of his youth to play for a team that looks to be rebuilding.

The answer is two-pronged. First off, Kaman, along with every player on the roster, isn’t willing to concede the 2015-16 season despite the dramatic turnover from last year’s roster to today’s. And while many would understandably chalk that up to players simply saying what they’re supposed to say, when Kaman says he thinks this year’s iteration of the Trail Blazers might not be as bad as everybody thinks, there’s no reason to believe he’s being disingenuous. Kaman has never been afraid to give his honest opinion, as unpopular as it may be, so when he he speaks optimistically about the upcoming season, it’s hard to write it off as blowing smoke.

“I think if we have our chemistry and we stick together, I think we have a chance to be okay,” said Kaman after the first training camp practice on Tuesday. “When I look at the guys we have, the talent we have, I don’t think that you should write us off. I think we have an opportunity. If everything works well, baring injuries and if certain guys get injured here and there on other teams, I think it could be a close season for us. I really do. Teams have had less and done more.”

So perhaps the Trail Blazers prove wrong that predictions that they’ll finish the season as one of the worst teams in the Western Conference. But even if they don’t and the goal of the season becomes some combination of winning games and developing young talent, Kaman says he’s prepared to do whatever is asked of him.

“First of all, I was happy to have the opportunity to come back here again because obviously that was something in question,” said Kaman in reference to his team option the Trail Blazers opted to pick up this offseason. “I’m grateful to be back here. Even if it’s a rebuilding season and we’re able to make the playoffs or skirt at the edge there and be somewhere at the end of the season where we’re having a great opportunity, I’m happy to be here.”

Kaman said he doesn’t know exactly what role the coaching staff has envisioned for his this season, which is unsurprising considering the number of new players and the fact that training camp just started. But even without a direct edict, Kaman is ready to help in the development of his new teammates while keeping a positive attitude toward his own prospects.

“My role isn’t really defined yet,” said Kaman. “Me and Neil (Olshey) have had some talks, me and Terry (Stotts) have had some talks. At the start I’m just trying to do what I can to help the young guys get ready for the season. We have so many guys and so many new guys and I just want to try to do my part. I don’t want to be the guy who is the sour apple or bad apple or whatever you want to call it. So I want to start off trying to play as hard as I can, practice as hard as I can, take the reps that I can and when it comes time for my opportunity I want to make sure that I’m ready. I’m obviously not in the shape I want to be in, I have a month until the regular season starts. So I’ve got to really put myself to the grind here and prep myself. Ultimately whatever I get asked to do, I’m ready to do.”

Of course, his first preference is playing. While he’s shown himself to be a willing mentor — Meyers Leonard credits his tutelage often when talking about his own improvement last season — Kaman isn’t ready to hang up his “Air Sasquatch” adorned sneakers just yet. He may not be the player he once was, but he’s still certain he’s got something left to offer both on and off the court.

“I would think at some point (I’ll play), I don’t know when,” said Kaman. “And maybe it doesn’t happen. Maybe I’m mentoring all year, maybe I’m waiting for my turn, maybe I’m just going to help the young guys all year. I don’t know. But I know if someone gets hurt or someone needs me to play or they need me at some point, then I’m going to be ready. I still feel like I have a lot that I can bring to a team and an organization in many aspects, one being my play. And the other one, helping young guys develop their game anywhere I can.”

Which he’s already been doing. But Kaman also admits that feeling as though he can still help a team on the court makes it hard to accept that he might be more useful tutoring his teammates on the finer points of, say, playing in the post than doing the posting up himself. You don’t thrive for over a decade in the NBA without being supremely confident in your abilities, and that confidence doesn’t necessarily wain just because you’re on the wrong side of 30.

“The only thing that will mess all of this with me is I know I can still play the game, I know I’m still really good at what I do and I can help a team,” said Kaman. “That’s the hard thing to swallow sitting there trying to help mentor and do the different things that I’ll probably have to do this year. That’s the only thing. But I’m not going to be the bad guy. That’s just not me. Me and Neil have a great relationship, I’m sure he’s probably going to get calls. But right now I’m happy where I’m at. I really love the organization.”

Perhaps it due to that reverence for the franchise — he says Portland is “bar-none” the best organization he’s played for — and the perspective that comes with age that has made Kaman determined not to repeat some of his past mistakes. Rather than being a malcontent who bristles at a lack of playing time, something he admits he’s done before, Kaman says he’s opting to take on whatever role and responsibilities with gratitude.

“I got traded with Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Gordon to New Orleans, Chris Paul went to the Clippers, unmitigated success for the Clippers, obviously,” said Kaman. “It was a great trade for them and I would have done the same thing if I was the GM. But in hindsight, I should have kept my head down, stayed positive and done the right things, and I didn’t. I went the other direction, and that’s my fault and I take complete responsibility for that. That effected the outcome at the end of the year and it effected my relationship with Coach (Monty) Williams as well. I’ve spoken to him multiple times, it wasn’t who I am and I don’t like that side of me and that it happened.

“And then the next year in Dallas I tried to keep my mouth shut and do the right thing, and it was tough. I had times, two or three times, where I kind of lost it a little bit and me and Coach kind of went at it, Coach (Rick) Carlisle. I just didn’t see eye-to-eye with him and I didn’t get along. Then the next year in L.A. the same thing happened again and I was more positive. I kept everything under the lid, kept my hat on and stayed positive. I know how to do it. I’ve done this long enough to know how to do it now and I’m okay. I’m not that guy anymore and I’m ready to do whatever I need to do for the team. People say stuff all the time but a lot of people that know me will tell you I don’t BS nobody, I don’t play games. I’m serious. I just tell it how it is and that’s how I feel. I think our team has a great opportunity if we stay together on the same page. We can accomplish more than people think we can, I think.”


Casey Holdahl Beat Writer
Portland Trail Blazers

http://forwardcenter.net/regardless...ays-you-dont-need-to-worry-about-chris-kaman/