Game Thread Blazers vs Suns Summer League Game Thread

I miss jlprk running a game thread for summer league..he keeps it funny

 

Same. I miss his esoteric musings.

 

It's not so much about replacing the minutes. It's about replacing the shooting. Turner isn't a shooter. Harkless isn't really a consistent shooter. Right now we don't really have a shooter we can bring in off the bench if Crabbe leaves.

 

We have until tomorrow to match. I was really hoping to see some growth from these guys. I don't think they made Neil's decision any easier.

 

It's 1 game....

 

Not a 3pt shooter no, but he has a good mid range game and can handle the ball much better than Crabbe. Dame and CJ are enough of a floor spacing threat when Turner is handling the ball that we won't need him to hit 3's at Crabbes percentage. Plus Crabbe got his looks primarily off of passes from Dame/CJ. Turner won't be asked to be a floor spacer like Crabbe was, he will be asked to be a facilitator so that Dame and CJ don't have to shoulder as much of the load on offense.

 

I don't think Neil is gonna make a decision to match an $18M/yr contract based off a summer league game.

 

It might have made a difference. If Connaughton or Layman showed that they were able to consistently knock down an outside shot, it might have made the decision somewhat easier to let Crabbe go. We don't know what factors Neil is weighing, but we are watching some guys that could be a replacement in the rotation and their play in SL will be factored into personnel decisions.

 

1st game you got look at the positive things they did right improve on the negative. That why there out here to improve. It not Montero don't try on defense he not strong right now but I think he needs to get in the weight room because I think he is player.

 

I could care less about winning in SL. All I took away from this game was, we looked rusty and I'm happy Chriss isn't a Portland Trail Blazer.

 

Good shooters have bad games. You could pick out one bad Lillard game, and based off of that game alone, you could say he can't consistently hit an outside shot..

I don't think seeing Connaughton going 4-7 from 3 instead if of 1-7 in a summer league game as making a difference in deciding what to do with a $18M/yr contract.

 

Nolan Smith was the toast of summer league before he got injured one year....then we know what happened...Batum had a terrible summer league early on..turned out much better

 

If Connaughton came out and shot 40% from three and scored 20 points while looking at another level compared to the Summer League scrubs, you don't think that would play any role in Neil's decision to match Crabbe's offer?

You can tell if someone is better than the rest of the competition in summer league. Look at Booker. That dude doesn't belong here. He is clearly a rotation player in the NBA.

 

Bayless looked like a world beater

 

IT'S ONE GAME. Playing good in one SL game doesn't make a player. Playing bad in one SL game doesn't mean the player is crap.

A couple players playing bad in one SL game doesn't play a factor in matching a 4yr/$75M contract.

 

I disagree.

 

And that logic is why you sound absolutely ridiculous.

 

I'm not saying that these guys will never be good. They're projects. They need development. We hadn't really seen them since last summer (except for Vonleh).

I like Montero. I think he's raw but he has some really nice potential.

I like Vonleh. I think people forget that he's only 20.

I'm not really a fan of Connaughton. He seems small and slow. He's tough and he's strong, but his shot always looks off. I just don't see anything that screams NBA player about him.

Layman is too hard to tell at this point. His shot looked good. Hopefully he plays better in the next game.

 

And here's the key.... I don't care.

People said I was ridiculous for thinking that Crabbe would get paid a big contract.

People said I was ridiculous when I said Aldridge would leave two years before he did.

I don't care if I sound ridiculous. I call it like I see it.

 

And Bayless has gone on to have a pretty long career. He's still in the league. Maybe he never turned into the star that some thought he would, but you can't question the fact that he's had a nice career.