Trendon and Drew were classic tweeners. Getting bigger required moving on from them...Jabari is on a rookie deal and they like him. I totally get why Watford and Eubanks weren't part of the offseason plans. Walker has better rebounding instincts than Watford ...we sucked badly at rebounding with Watford or Eubanks on the floor
I seriously doubt Joe has any say in Chauncey's rotations....Walker didn't earn more playing time his rookie season. We had zero big depth. Watford didn't shoot well early on either...didn't rebound well and definitely didn't stop anybody. With Watford as your 4th qtr go to guy like he was at the back half of the season, you better be tanking..I think he's being way overrated by some fans. If you loved Trendon Watford you should have really loved Evan Turner.
I can't see how it was a money move because his contract was very small. Let's see how many players on the team end up with a smaller contract after all the smoke clears.
Ahem [gestures at 30 million a year Jerami Grant] Ahem 2 [gestures at the fact we unloaded Josh Hart]
Josh Hart would've walked for nothing like Lamarcus did...he didn't want to live on the west coast nor did his wife...instead of that we got a first round pick in Murray and signed Thybulle to replace his pt of attack defense....I think Joe did Josh a solid and Josh has praised the FO for how it was handled...win win trade. Treating Josh and CJ well in their trades is good PR and will make it easier to work with their agents down the road. Joe essentially gave Watford an NBA career when no other team was interested in him either. I don't think Watford has a job yet since we let him go. Jerami Grant was a carrot on a string to keep Dame and every veteran we sign gets overpaid...everyone of them. It's Portland...it's what we have to do.
Highlights in the G-League don't necessarily make you useful in the NBA. But if you can cut and do the dirty work down there, that is much more likely to translate.
If Sharpe lowered his enthusiam because Watford wasn't on the summer league team, that would be a red flag about Sharpe. Luckily, I don't have any real reason to believe that's the case. Too bad Watford isn't a little bigger. The roster can only have so many defensive liabilities.
I don't think a second-year player not taking summer league says anything about anything except summer league itself.
I agree... I'd assume many other factors influenced Sharpe's play in summer league before I'd point to Watford.
Reath — back-up center. Sign him. Badji to the GLeague and teach him to count to 3 when alone in the paint. Walker — makes basketball plays and knows his role. Working on his 3’s. 10 year career — dial it up. Needs to develop his NBA body as he came in with higher body fat but under 220 lbs. Work to do. When he’s trimmed down and up to 230-235, then he can really bang. Rupert — needs time for his NBA body but can get out there and play some D. Work on entire game. A really good project that can pay off by year 3 and make Sharpe’s job easier with his D. Murray — will play just fine this year. Mature approach and looking like a hardworking, skilled, smooth combo -forward. Really liked the pick and still do. One of those older players picked near the end of the 1st round with multi-skills who becomes a rotation player pretty quickly. Nothing forced, just done. Seems like one of those people who may have nerves likes anyone else, but then he just has this solid presence. Sharpe — 3rd guard behind Scoot and Simons to begin the year. Starting SG after the All Star break. Natural development of NBA body and ready to pop in year 3. Handles need serious work. Trade a couple 2nd rounders for Payton Pritchard … dude has handles. Scoot — a real top 3 pick. Shooting and defense. I hope he becomes the Blazers leader and 2nd best player. 6 players I like plus Grant and Matisse Simons. Waiting on Little. Waiting on a Nurkic trade after (or at about the same time as Lillard).
I'm surprised he has yet to be picked up. I thought we were nuts for releasing him, but the FO clearly knows something we don't. Perhaps they saw his role as being filled by Walker. I have no idea.
My guess a lot of these guys who haven't signed yet are waiting for a few of these big trades to happen to see who has openings. Also wonder if some of these teams are keeping spaces open for trades.
