+ - is basically meaningless to evaluate one players effectiveness in small sample size because it relies on the direct impact of 9 other players.
We''re lucky to have Whiteside backing up Nurk....we used to have Tolliver backing up Whiteside....he did not hurt us at all in the loss and actually helped us make that run at the end...I'm cheering for the whole team to succeed....what we don't need is another Meyers Leonard scapegoat going into the playoffs to root against or complain about...Hassan has been fine...fact is Boston played better than our starters and killed us with Hassan on the bench...Zach Collins made more mistakes than any big on the team but it's just one game. Go Blazers! I hope Hassan comes back next season at a reasonable price...we don't miss Skal, Brown, Biggie or Tolliver that's for sure...Hassan, Nurk and Zach are a strong rotation of 7 ftrs....let em break a sweat...Zach is rusty as it is...Nurk seems game ready. Hassan is coming off a foot problem recently..he missed the scrimmage games pretty much
I don’t get the “whiteside played ok in the second half” talk. He’s SO slow and doesn’t move on defense. Gives up offensive rebounds all the time. Okay yeah he made a floater...great. Nurk is a way better screen setter, not his fault dame wasn’t making them when Nurk was in. Whiteside had little to do with the come back...3s just started going in. That was the difference
Don't buy it.....Zach gave up more offensive rebounds to Kanter than any big on the team...he bobbled passes, bobbled rebounds and was a big part of the hole we dug early...but both he and Hassan still deserve to play....Moses Brown didn't deserve to play...Hassan will help us win some games in my view....you just don't like his game ..and yeah...he's not as quick or good as Nurk but neither is Biggie or Skal or Tolliver or Melo or Gabriel...choices....4 months without playing there is going to be rust....
OUCH Whiteside should be re-signed. He’s playing as good as any of the others. Nurkic is the exception! He’s playing hard and is a major presence. Ariza is worth keeping.
To me what ever Whiteside decided to do his play in the bubble I believe he shitting money out the door on his next contract. His play hasn't been that good his reaction been slow majority of the time. I like how someone wants to bring Zach name up in the conversation that he fumble couple balls out of bounds but if don't remember he made key stop on defense. He gave a effort while he was playing not like Whiteside looks like he lost his dog.
His play all season should negate the criticism of a couple games in a new role. I remember last year some in here wanted CJ traded but his play against Denver got us to the WCF.
I would give him some more chance, he actually looked better against the Celtics. I also like our young Center, forgot his name*, he played well for us in the scrimmages Edit: *Wenyen Gabriel
It's going be up to him at least the next 6 games to show that he inspired to give 100 percent while he out there. Maybe his Achilles acting up don't know. But he is around label while he was in Miami when got a reduced role on the team not given that effort and if that true he needs take his game somewhere else.
The Whiteside trade was a good trade no question but he's a goner, which is fine. The league has gone small. Collins doesn't look very good in his role at the 4 so get him out of the lineup and have him come off the bench for Nurk. Whiteside ain't giving 100% being a backup.
Whiteside will get a better offer from other teams. He's gone. It's not disinterest, it's a difference in talent. He's not an all-round player like Nurkic, he's a specialist. But he's much taller, like 6-11 vs. 7-2, so he shadows the running opponent better than Nurkic, with his arm up, and blocks the shot.
I call Nurkic 6-11 after I watched him stand next to Gasol in the Memphis game. Nurkic is 3 inches shorter than Gasol, and is no 7 footer. Nurkic would make fewer errors if he would stop one-handing the ball in shots, rebounds, and passes.