I like Murray and see him being like Walker and clicking his seccond season in the league. Hard to compare him to Camara because Camara has a lot more rookie NBA miles than Murray....Murray has gone on reecord as saying this season was about him becoming an NBA defender and I can see he's becoming that. I know he can shoot...saw it in Iowa and his G league time. He's not looking for his shot now, but trying to be a team player....Camara has elite defensive instincts but I think Murray will end up a more rounded two way player and have less foul trouble than Camara....I like having both guys on the roster
We're likely to add at least one more forward in the draft. This will squeeze Murray or Rupert out of the rotation with Camara and Walker probably in it. Put Murray in an Ant trade and be done with it.
I think Murray has a chance to be a rotational player in the NBA. Maybe not for us but for someone. He is fundamentally sound, just not great or explosive. I agree his ceiling is not that high, but if he keeps working hard he will be around for a while.
Murray's defense is acceptable, but only if he brings some decent offense and rebounding along. So far, he hasn't
From the start of his first Summer League, Jabari Walker had excellent instincts around the hoop, at both scoring and rebounding. Walker is a unicorn for the end of the 2nd round, a steal. Murray has shown no such instantaneous ability to execute and close. That's why his brother was drafted a year earlier.
Didn't you say one time that you didn't even watch the Blazer games? Are you watching them this year?
I've always watched, but this season I hang up the phone when it's a blowout at halftime. Last night I missed the comeback because I quit when we were 15 or 18 down in the 3rd quarter.
He's shooting 26,9% from 3, which is horrendous for a "shooter". Has he improved lately? He's shooting 10.5% from 3 since the allstar game (last 5 games). Until he starts shooting nba average from 3, we can't evaluate him properly. Anything positive right now is hope, not analysis. I'm ok with that, but we should call it what it is.
That's what I love about being able to go back and see my instant reaction! https://www.youtube.com/live/hj6hIAZhEqg?si=4jNJiAHonahE-vpd 3:23:05
You actually said it didn't make sense to take Murray if they are keeping Dame though. At that point you didn't know what you know now. I don't think either of you were really all that far off? You just were going off what you actually knew at that point?
In terms of +/- he's one of our least awful players (and he's suddenly getting a lot of minutes): Analysis? He can't shoot for shit at present, but he probably knows how to run plays and where to stand on defense and that sets him apart among our young guys.
If outbursts like that warranted a suspension, they would be so far up the repeat offender criteria, they might be banned for life!
How is Murray ever going to get any playing time in the future? He's a 23-year-old 6'10" forward who can't shoot 3-pointers. The Blazers have Camara and Walker, not to mention Grant, that are ahead of him on the depth chart. I don't care what Murray's +/- was. He shot 1-6 (0-3 three-pointers) for 2 points. Another G/F, Matisse Thybulle was 1-5 (0-3 three-pointers) for 2 points. The Blazers desperately need a Small Forward of typical NBA measurements who is dependable on defense and CAN shoot from the outside. Other things being equal, younger is better. Can 18-year-old Rayan Rupert be that guy? Maybe. Maybe not. But he should be given every opportunity that Murray has gotten to show what he can do.
just some info from the 2023 pre-draft combine: Murray was 6'7.75 w/o shoes with an 8'10 standing reach; 213 lbs Rupert was 6'6 w/o shoes with an 8'10 standing reach; 193 lbs
I agree I want to give Rupert more time for the rest of the season. And I agree that Murray might not get minutes over others, but I am not too worried about Murray's poor 3-point shooting. I would be really surprised if he didn't turn out to be a good 3 pt shooter. Blazer fans said the same thing about CJ early in his second season. Kris has too pretty of a shot not for it not to improve.
