Just looking at our roster, it seems like a really good power forward is the last piece that we're missing. Dame/CJ/Crabbe is a really solid guard rotation. Aminu/Harkless is a nice small forward rotation. Plumlee/Davis is more than enough to get the job done at center. The hole is at power forward. Leonard really seems like he should be playing center, and Vonleh is at least a couple years away from contributing. So either through the draft, free agency, or trade, if we could add a legit power forward, I think this team could really make some noise. But who should we target?
Aminu and then Vonleh is probably our best PF(s). Davis can play it but I agree more effective at C. Leonard has to stay at C imo. So while I agree this year that is our biggest hole (although SF could be argued) I think playing Aminu more there and next year Vonleh getting better I could see it being fine. At that point SF might be our worst (if it isn't now) Ultimately, it isn't about position. We just need 1 more awesome player anywhere. Then we are ready to do some damage.
Obvious Neil has to have a plan though, right? Or do you think he's literally just going BPA in draft/free agency/trade? This is honestly the best I've felt about our centers since the Sabonis days. I really like Plumlee, and Davis is a nice bruiser that we can bring in off the bench.
If the team feels they're ready to take that leap to contention now, then Horford needs to be target #1. But I don't think they're quite there to target the final piece yet, especially if that piece is 30 years old . We still haven't seen all that Noah can be and Leonard is still a question mark. Think all this will be much more clear at the end of the season. I'm keeping an eye on Sabonis jr. Dude looks like a T-rex version of Draymond that would just mesh with this roster perfectly.
Well one comes to mind. Terry does like stretch 4's. If Cleveland's season ends badly this year, Love might be an option. And I say this never being a KLove fan. But he might fit with this team now. Keep Davis to back him up.
Not a bad option. I know there's a thread around here talking about Ryan Anderson, so Love would be Anderson on steroids.
Looking at just the offensive end with Love and Anderson. We have 0 shot blocking and rim protection. The guy we get needs to be able to either keep his man in front of him, or be able to play C as the one big in a lineup of guards/wings. Neither Love nor Anderson fit that.
Cousins if he becomes available but I dont think we would have the best offer for him. Realisticly Im not sure who is going to be available. Ryan Anderson comes to mind in a trade but he is often injured and defense never comes to mind when thinking of him. FA doesnt have a lot of PF talent. Id love to offer Horford a Max this summer or even trade for him this year if atlanta hits an atrocious losing streak.
This summer after Kevin Durant decides to take his talents to PDX: Guards: Dame/CJ/Crabbe/? SFs: Durant/Aminu/Harkless The PF/Center position is the puzzle and will probably not be static: Plumlee/Leonard/Davis/Vonleh/Aminu/?? Good times are ahead, my friends.
Though crazy poisonous contract at Drummond to make the pistons have to pay out there teeth or give him up Or go after Horford Or Whiteside Or we just leave the bigs as they are, go after Durant,vplay Aminu at the PF some of the time and go after a backup pg and let Fraizer walk Say Lin, Clarkson, Udrih, Cole Lin and Clarkson would be awesome Beno is a little older (33) but he would be a good veteren presence who can also ball it up
I've been saying this for awhile too. If we had an elite pf I think we would be good. But I'm torn on how we go about it. Vonleh has the tools for what we want. But he is raw and may or may not put it together. Leonard might be overpaid by someone else taking a chance on him this year. But I think he could play center well for us if we wanted to keep him. Good shooting big man. Davis is the ultimate hustle no nonsense guy. Every team needs one of him off the bench and he's locked into a decent contract. Plums - love what this guy brings to the team. Good passer, skilled around the hoops. Displays decent d. Davis and plums are kinda close in terms of the type of player they are, and Leonard andVonleh have some similarities too. Depending on how much Leonard gets on the open market, if we let him go I think it makes it essential for us that the pf we sign is a shooting bigman (like Kevin love). If we bring Leonard back, the need diminishes some and we can just try to get the most elite pf we can, regardless of strengths. Leonard, plums, elite pf kinda leaves ed Davis out of the rotation imo. And I love ed Davis, but if I had to choose between Davis or plums, I think I keep mason. He is a great passer and with aminu not being a good passer, I like having plums around.
The Warriors didn't have '01-'02 Tim Duncan, and before you say that Golden State has Curry, Dame has accomplished more in his first 3.5 years than Curry at that point in his career. We are one Draymond away from being the Warriors.
Look at the numbers http://bkref.com/tiny/QcbaT Dame is on the same trajectory as Curry, but he has accomplished more than Curry at this point in his career. Also, look at CJ compared to Klay after three seasons. http://bkref.com/tiny/Jajgg
The Blazers have always been blessed with having great power forwards I don't think we have ever been in such a position to say something like this.
I go back and forth on this. Could we get away with playing aminu at the 4 as our green and draft (if we learn to get our tank on) a Brandon Ingram type? Or is aminu at the 3, and grabbing an elite pf the answer?
