Official 2018-2019 training camp thread

Less than a month away. Let's talk basketball

 

Critical Stats for the Trail Blazers in 2018-19
As training camp inches closer, we’re firing up the spreadsheets and talking stats! Which numbers are Blazer’s Edge writers keeping their eyes on this season?

BNM

 

It should be in the rule book on S2 that if any official threads are made it must provide pictures!

 

Ok, if you insist:









BNM

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/portland-trail-blazers/are-these-blazers-christmas-day-jerseys

Shouldn't they have really cold rain drops instead of snowflakes?

And . . .


Honestly, it is good to see Meyers just playing basketball.

 

even better to see him with his eyes open while doing it

 

Crazy that camp starts in just a few weeks! Thank the lord above!

 

This is going to be a serious dogfight training camp...can't wait to see who cracks the rotation early

 

Can you even imagine what he'd be like if his brain was as developed as his biceps?

 

Seems weird to think of a Leonard/Swanigan battle, but realistically that will be one of them.

Trent/Stauskas/Layman?

Curry/WB4 (probably not really a battle, but situational play if they want defense)?

 

Dogfight for what positions? I'm assuming the top 8 or so will be the exact same except Ed.

 

we have to replace Pat C, Bazz and Ed...that's 3 changes...Meyers and Boogie will battle for Ed minutes or at times Layman...Layman Trent Stauskas will battle for Pat's minutes...Baldwin and Curry will battle for Bazz' minutes. I agree that the rookies will probably only see garbage time this season though

 

Last year Connaughton played most of his minutes at SF. I expect Stauskas to get first crack at those minutes this season.

Napier player almost all his minutes at point guard. Sometimes Lillard played off of him. This year I expect Turner to be the main ball handler on the second unit, going back to the role he had in Boston. That’ll open up minutes for Curry. Defensively Turner will just guard the wing.

Collins is Ed’s replacement, but that’ll leave his backup PF minutes up for grabs, which is where the most question marks lie imo. I’m guessing Meyers and Biggie get to battle it out, with Layman a possibility as well.

I’ll be rooting for Trent to beat out Stauskas but knowing Stotts, he’s going to have to force his hand.

And then there’s my boy Baldwin, who I would play over Turner, but there’s no point in wasting time on that.

 

I expect Harkless to fill the void of Connaughton. People forget he was benched half the season.

Dame/CJ/Curry backcourt with a splash of Baldwin
Moe/Hark SF rotation.

I don't understand why people are high on Stauskas. If the coaching staff is, then that's scary... He's been absolutely horrible for all 4 years of his career. He's the worst defender on our team by far. He'd have to improve so much to be playable for a playoff team. He hasn't even deserved minutes for the horrible teams he's played for.

It reminds me of people talking about Anthony Morrow as a rotation player in the pre-season last year...

 

By default, Moe is gonna play more this season and take some or all of Connaughtons SF minutes. Of course, Connaughton played some SG as well, so I don't think it's between those 3 specifically for the rest of his minutes. Gotta include Baldwin and Curry in that conversation. I could easily see Curry getting all the backup guard minutes and Stotts restricting the SF rotation to Moe and Turner.

 

Against big lineups:
Lillard (36) / Curry (12)
McCollum (35) / Curry (13)
Harkless (28) / Turner (20)
Aminu (30) / Collins (18)
Nurkic (30) / Leonard (12) / Collins (6)

Against small lineups:
Lillard (36) / Curry (12)
McCollum (35) / Curry (13)
Harkless (23) / Turner (22) / Curry (3)
Aminu (33) / Collins (6) / Harkless (9)
Nurkic (28) / Collins (20)

 

Except Morrow was signed in September and didn’t get a guaranteed contract.

The sooner you accept Stauskas will play, the easier it’ll be to see what he could theoretically bring to the team.

 

I look forward to the 15-player rotation this season. I guess 13-player since rookies are automatic DNPs. Haha.

Last Season:
-4.1 BPM
-1.8 DBPM
37.0 2P%

Career:
34.9 3P%

He's not going to regularly play, and if he does we'll be a lottery team. He can theoretically bring 3pt shooting, but....

What else could he bring, exactly? The guy has a career 8.8 PER. The guy has a career 52TS%. The guy can't defend.

I don't see it. Please explain.

 

AREN'T YOU FORGETTING SOMEONE????

 

uh...Moe/Hark are the same person...Mo is assured rotation minutes...he had them when Pat was playing...it's Pat that will replaced by a new guy...my post was about replacing 3 guys who were in the rotation and are gone...not the core..Mo will start.