Assuming Hedo signs with us, consider what the Blazers will look like next year: Subtraction: Frye and Sergio (thank God!) Addition: Hedo Turkoglu for outside shooting, pick and roll play, and crunch-time performance. Addition: Martell Webster for much improved outside shooting. Are you kidding me? Now that's a team to love! Even if we don't make another move, I'm already excited about next year!! Go Blazers!
Mostly just anecdotes from various courtside shows, the occasional snippet from Ben at Blazersedge.com and it's been mentioned at points in the past couple of episodes of the trailblazers.com podcast.
I'm beginning to be concerned about Websters career, and whether or not he will be able to recover and play again. Make no mistake about it, I am a Martell Webster fan, but if I am wondering whether or not he will ever be able to play again surely other teams would have the same concern. I'm thinking his trade value is about nil, and can't imagine why any team would want to take on his contract when there is a good possibility they will get nothing in return. By their actions the Blazers are not demonstrating the confidence Webster will be able to play again that they showed when they gave him the new contract. If they were afraid Martell would not be able to play again they most likely would not share those concerns publicly. Travis has said several times since the end of the season that he expects to be traded. If Outlaw is traded and Webster not available to play, then all we have at SF is Nic Batum, unless you bring in Hedo or another SF. I'm still hoping KP has another target in mind.....Devin Harris. Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw and Rudy might get it done. It works under the cap.
Everytime I see someone say Martell Webster will give us much improved outside shooting I laugh. His career best is lower than Outlaw's average last year and barely better than Batum's this season.
Good point, but I keep hoping he's going to develop more confidence. He's shown the potential to be a big-time shooter (remember the 24-point quarter?) and I think he can do it if he's healthy.
I think the fact the we all remember the 24 point qurster speaks volumes. In other words, he has never really done anything else.
Me too. I am still holding my breath on Webster though, I hope the best for him. You know there has to be a problem when a normal stress fracture heals in 2 to 4 weeks. We are coming up on a year here soon.
No I think it is from actually watching him shoot that gives people confidence in his outside shot. Forget the fucking stats as it does not tell the whole picture. (Like who is guarding you.... the teams best player or a second string PF, like the tempo of the game, like being forced to take a shot as the shot clock or quarter winds down) Just watch him shoot and you will know that Dallas will never try zoning us with him on the floor.
Thanks Shooter for the thread. I am also very excited about this team and hope that Oden/LMA make big leaps in their games and help us a lot next year. If we sign Hedo (I think we will) I am getting excited about the thoughts of what he brings to this team. His ability to help make everybody around him (mainly Oden) better, gets me going. I am trying to be patient about the PG spot and see what KP does this summer, but I trust he will make the right decision.
All we heard on this board last season was how awful Rodriquez and Frye were. Now that they are both gone, people should be pleased as punch for that reason alone.
I am. The team should be better without them. I wouldn't honestly be upset at all if it weren't for 2 years of the Blazers pointing to the summer as the year we were supposed to add a big piece.
Methodically, the team has improved the team. We added Claver & Mills to our already bulging bag of prospects, which already includes Freeland & Koponen. We added frontcourt toughness with Pendergraph & Cunningham, while subtracting Frye, Ruffin, Randolph, and Lafrentz, who's skill sets don't fit. We added Hedo in place of who I presume will be Outlaw, which brings us more efficient scoring and playmaking. Next up, we'll replace either Blake or Bayless in conjunction with Travis to upgrade our defense at the opposite-of-Brandon guard spot. This is a masterful off-season so far!
Nice. Some friends of mine, all much younger an still in college, play a drinking game wih Wik. Whoever has their "achievement" up the longest doesn't have to drink
