why does Portland need a big bruiser off the bench? What bench players are you afraid of? The Baby Blazers led the league in rebounding differential last season. They are already kicking the snot out of most teams inside and thats not about to change. ...and btw, I recall Roy and Aldridge getting a ton of minutes as rookies. I think your claim that "we can safely assume JP won't see one second of playing time next season" is pretty laughable... want to make a sig bet on it? STOMP
You really shouldn't compare Roy and LaMarcus to JP. Those two were top 5 picks. JP will be lucky to stick in the league. Sure, what the minimum JP needs to play for you to win? If you say one second, I would probably lose since Portland will more the likely blow a few teams out. But hey, it's what I said so screw it. I bet that JP does not get one second on the court next season. As far as a bruiser goes, it's something I have wanted the team to get for a couple of years now. The team got abused in the post whenever Frye was in the game. I felt the team needed a defensive minded bruiser more then a offensive minded outside shooter. I still feel that way. The fact Portland was dominate in the paint says way more about the merits of Oden and Joel then it does about the need for a backup 4 who has some actual power.
Maybe it's not fair to compare him to those two, but we can look through Nate's history in the league beyond those two to also refute your statement of his dislike of rookies. His first season as a coach, Demond Mason got almost 20 minutes a night. There were plenty of options on that team, also, so saying theer was nobody else there for those minutes doesn't work. Second season saw Radmanovic, Earl Wastson, and Drobnjak all getting over 15 minutes a night. Reggie Evans the following season saw good minutes. Luke Ridnour the next got over 15 a night. Then Nick Collison Jarret Jack, Martell Webster Aldridge, Roy. Even Sergio got close to 13 a night. Rudy, Batum, Oden So please. Just stop with the he dislikes rookies shit. I dunno who the first person to utter it was, and why it has taken hold as absolute 100% truth. But it's bullshit.
Frye getting abused in the post wouldn't have been that big of a deal if Frye's ability to hit a jump shot hadn't evaporated. He couldn't make back enough on the offensive end to compensate for his defense. Unlike Travis Outlaw, who is in many ways a shorter, higher jumping version of Frye. Except that when he shoots, he actually makes a reasonable percentage of his shots. If we add a bruiser, we'll then complain that it's too crowded underneath and we need to add a backup 4 who can hit a jumper. If we add a bruiser who can also hit a jump shot, he'll complain because he probably would be a starter on most teams. Bench players are bench players because they have serious holes in their games. Those that don't are never happy for very long coming off the bench.
SHHHH! Don't say that out loud in this forum. I made that mistake, and I am still recovering from the burns. Blair has almost as many bashers here as Durant.
A lot of folks are counting Dante Cunningham out. If they guy is any good at all, he will take advantage of the open door that is right in front of him, and take advantage of the opportunity. Travis has always been one of those guys who can only thrive at backup PF as a mismatch, because he is a tweener. He operates from outside in. Cunningham operates from the inside out. He is a solid rebounder, and he already knows how to play defense. Those are the type of things that will endear him to Nate McMillan. What he doesn't have, is outside range. That doesn't concern me right now. I really hate seeing PF take 3 pointers.
I am not sure what open door is right in front of Dante Cunningham? It sounds like Martell has carried over his good play from last preseason, and batum isn't going anywhere. Travis will need to get on the floor, so I would assume that would be at the 4. Where in the world is Dante Cunningham going to get any minutes?
Roy was picked 6th, but he and Aldridge were both rookies who earned more then 1 second of PT under Nate. Other examples of this are Sergio, Josh McRoberts, Taurean Green... hell Batum started for almost the whole season. I don't think the evidence supports your contention that Nate doesn't play rookies at all. In NMc's whole Blazer tenure has there been a rookie hasn't seen the court? since you're already admitting to being over the top in your original statement I'm willing to let this silly bet slide. If you want it on thats cool too. either Joel or Greg is coming off the bench... thats plenty of bruiser for me right those guys are the inside bruiser, Nate's PF needs to be able to can a top of the key jumper to compliment them. If both the PF and Center are inside players then neither really has room to operate... too many cooks in the kitchen. I am a proponent of having solid D along the front line though but I don't see that player being out there/available. STOMP
