Sports Illustrated's NBA writers spoke with scouts ahead of the 2016—17 season for our annual behind-the-scenes look at all 30 teams. Opposing scouts dished the good, the bad and the ugly on each team while discussing their off-season moves and outlook for the upcoming season. We granted them anonymity in exchange for their candor. They delivered. Portland Trail Blazers "Portland takes the Northwest with 49 wins. They should have a top 7 offense and get by OK on defense. … They’ve got everything you want on offense: spacing, shot-creators, unselfish guys. They are one of the few teams that can hang in a shootout with Golden State. … After this summer, their depth is better than people think: they can play big, they can play small and they just need to find the best lineup combinations. … Their payroll took a huge jump so they have to make the playoffs or face some serious backlash. … Stotts has had some tough situations in the past with Aldridge leaving and rebuilding teams. But this might be his toughest job yet because he’s got so many options to juggle now and there are expectations now. He has a lot of people to keep happy when it comes to their touches and shots after everyone got paid. … This team starts and ends with Lillard. He’s the best point guard in the league besides Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook. He’s good enough to will a team into the playoffs and to make some noise from there. You can rely on his game, his personality and his leadership. Offensively he has it all. … Lillard’s defense gets nitpicked for good reason. He wants the challenge but he still has work to do in pick-and-rolls. He wears down. … McCollum is one of the best ball-handlers in the league and he’s got a little Kyrie Irving in his game. He can make threes but he prefers getting the clean look from mid-range. … McCollum breaks down defensively but he puts so much pressure on you the other way that he usually makes up for it. … I would start Crabbe over guys like Turner and Harkless because of his shooting. Putting him out there with the two star guards gets Portland to its natural style. … I don’t really understand the Turner move because he’s taking away possessions from either Lillard or McCollum, and that can be a slippery slope. How they fit in Turner will be the biggest storyline for them. … Starting Aminu as a small ball four was easily their best lineup. He’s emerged into a defensive stopper who can shoot the three just a little bit, although his form is terrible. He still needs to prove he can shoot. … What exactly does Vonleh do? Not a playmaker, not a huge rebounder, not a knockdown shooter, not a lockdown defender. If he wants to get paid he probably has to become an energy guy. … Plumlee is an average or slightly below-average starter. He can make plays out of pick-and-roll traps. They understand that his back to the basket game is nonexistent and he’s not a shooter. Stotts covered up his flaws well. … Even though they paid him, there are probably going to nights when Leonard doesn’t even play. He’s a stretch five who can shoot it but he’s still not guarding anybody and he doesn’t have any other plus skills. He’s a decent passer, I guess. … Portland is in position where they might look at trade options if everyone stays healthy. Otherwise, they could have some unhappy campers." http://www.si.com/nba/2016/10/19/nba-scouts-season-preview-western-conference
Sounds pretty close, in my estimation. I think Harkless has size and defense over Crabbe that warrant him starting at SF. Hopefully, Plumlee's off-season work on his shot makes him a better offensive threat than this guy give him credit for. Meyers...yeah, he nails it there.
Always nice to see scouts seeing most of the same things we all see. Might be underestimating Vonleh and Harkless a touch, but otherwise, pretty accurate and reasonable analysis.
Last season, Vonleh was in the game just so we didn't put four people on the court. If the scouts haven't put much stock in his pre-season activity, then that analysis above would be expected. I think he breaks out this season though. Is he big enough to start as a small ball center? He looks beefier this season.
Been peddling this Noah as our CotF idea since last season. His measurables are like the same as Al Horford's.
That lineup is sick (even if you replace Moe with Crabbe). Every player can hit the three or slash semi-effectively, the front line can switch picks at will, and the team would be 1991 Denver Nuggets fast.
He was really thin last year (or... lanky anyway). This season he looks buff as fuck. I wonder if the rental model we've been employing with Plums and Ezeli is just to buy time for Noah to show up.
Seriously, this is my favorite type of article. I'm much more interested in what scouts actually think over what a random reporter from the east thinks.
This is true, so I hope that with new found depth Stotts puts a little more emphasis on pacing Lillard's minutes this year. They all got paid so it's time the others step up in the regular season and help carry the load.
I'm hoping that Napier's emergence this pre-season makes this even more likely. Then again, if we can get a few blowouts, Lillard can take entire 4th quarters off...
Yes that was a pretty good analysis. Even though I voted to start Harkless, I have also thought about this argument as well: I would start Crabbe over guys like Turner and Harkless because of his shooting. Putting him out there with the two star guards gets Portland to its natural style. … I would both agree and disagree with this argument: I don’t really understand the Turner move because he’s taking away possessions from either Lillard or McCollum, and that can be a slippery slope. They are talking as if Turner will be starting, not helping out either Dame and CJ, when the other is on the bench. Did they not watch the playoffs when teams trapped us with bigger wings? What's not to get? We need an extra ball handler, but I agree that either Dame or CJ should be the main guy with the ball in their hands when playing with ET. Not every time, just most of the time. They need their possessions with the 2nd team. I can understand why they would think this: Plumlee is an average or slightly below-average starter. He can make plays out of pick-and-roll traps. They understand that his back to the basket game is nonexistent But I now think it is inaccurate. Plums has shown that he actually does have back to the basket game. His hook shot has looked pretty good so far in preseason. (In the limited times he has tried it) Is he a go to guy down low? probably not. But hey the shot has gone in. So technically that part of his game......actually does exist.
