We'll, that or maybe the fact that he's a much better player now the he was six years ago in Portland. He's improved significantly in the five seasons since he last played for the Blazers. Still this isn't another Jermaine O'Neal situation. It's not like Jarrett was buried on the bench here, didn't get any minutes and blossomed into an all-star the instant we traded him. He got plenty of minutes in Portland and his improvement since leaving has been much more gradual. For one thing, he's reduced his turnovers significantly over the last five seasons. His last year in Portland his TOV% was 19.6. The last two seasons it was 14.1 and 14.3. I liked Jarrett a lot when he was here, but he was a turnover machine. Perhaps some of those fans who didn't like him weren't so stupid after all. BNM
There's a picture of Carlos Boozer guarding Nikola Vucevic (who is #97). Boozer not listed yet, so he's maybe top 90 players? What a shock.
Boozer should be a top 60 player. He is still a good rebounder and an efficient scorer but his D sucks and he is a very overpaid player. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
There is something here I'm missing. Did the bulls amnesty boozer and I missed it or are you trying to point out boozer is a decent player after everyone shat on him all summer in the hypothetical Bulls LMA trade thread? Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
I love his game. I used to be a bulldog like him on the court back in the day. Not only that, but when he first was in Utah he lived in the same hotel we stayed at when we came to town to play the Jazz. He sat down next to me in the lobby one night and we chatted for about 10 minutes. Great down to earth guy.
We haven't had a new blazer in the countdown for a bit, so he're a comparison of this year's team vs. last year's team (countdown currently at #93): 2013: x LaMarcus Aldridge x Damian Lillard 57 Nicolas Batum 128 Robin Lopez 130 Wesley Matthews 169 Mo Williams 185 C. J. McCollum 200 Dorrell Wright 204 Thomas Robinson 255 Meyers Leonard 2012: 20 LaMarcus Aldridge 63 Nicolas Batum 109 Wesley Matthews 202 J.J. Hickson 211 Damian Lillard 268 Jared Jeffries 330 Meyers Leonard As pointed out even including the rise of Damian Lillard last year's team was just bad according to ESPN. 2012 Blazers, 6 players in the top 300 2013 Blazers, 10 players in the top 300. 2012 Blazers, 3.5 players in the top 200 2013 Blazers, 8.5 players in the top 200 2012 Blazers, 3 players in the top 150 2013 Blazers, 5 players in the top 150 2012 Blazers, 2 players in the top 100 2013 Blazers, 3 players in the top 100 2012 Blazers, 1.5 players in the top 60 2013 Blazers, 3 players in the top 60 Another way to compare is to look at the 8th best player, i.e. your starters and your bench: 2013 Blazers, 8th best player: 200 (Dorrell Wright) (approx average 7th man) 2012 Blazers, 8th best player: 338 (Nolan Smith) (approx average 12th man) ---------------------------------- Analysis: We are a MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better team than last year. I think the numbers say it all, but I've bolded the parts I think most telling. Let me say this: Last year our 8th best player according to ESPN prognosticators was Nolan (F'ing) Smith, yes out-of-the-league Nolan (F'ing) Smith.
