Interesting tidbit in Yahoo article about free-agent Centers

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by chris_in_pdx, Jul 19, 2017.

  1. chris_in_pdx

    chris_in_pdx OLD SCHOOL

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    https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nerlens-noel-isnt-loser-ongoing-free-agency-struggle-214401408.html

    Are we overvaluing Nurk, or is Brook Lopez and Clint Capela true apples-to-apples comparisons?
     
  2. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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  3. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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  4. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    Nurk only played well for 20 games. That's what everyone else says. Until he proves himself for a full year, a healthy year, he's going to have skeptics.
     
  5. Minstrel

    Minstrel Top Of The Pops Global Moderator

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    Yup. He's a lower tier center because his "upper tier" play is in a very small sample. Until he's proven, he's not going to be considered a top-tier guy. Justifiably. If Nurkic were on any other team and that team's fanbase was including him in a "Big Three," I think he'd be considered overrated on this forum by many/most.

    That's not to say Nurkic is or isn't overrated--I think he's going to be really good. But it's easier for us to buy in after 20 games than for anyone else. We want to buy in.
     
  6. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    I think the trend of undervaluing centers is due to the fact that GSW and CLE have made the last three finals without dominant centers.

    I also think that's short sided. Pretty much any team in the East that has LeBron is going to make the finals and GSW has assembled an unprecedented combination of great shooters/scorers and cheap ring chasing role players. Neither of those things are likely to be repeated/replicated by other teams, and at the end of the day, you still need someone to rebound, protect the rim and set the picks that free up all those shooters.

    But hey, if the market for centers bottoms out next summer, we may be able to re-sign Nurk at a relative bargain price. It will be interesting to see what kind of money Noel gets this summer. He hasn't been healthy enough long enough to deserve anything close to a max deal, but right now, it doesn't even sound like he's going to get Evan Turner/Timofey Mosgov money. He may even end up settling for Joe Ingles/Tony Snell money.

    BNM
     
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  7. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    This has been such a weird offseason.
     
  8. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    If they don't give Nurkic at least what they paid Crabbe I'm giving Olshey rabies.
     
  9. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    Are you a little nervous that Nurk's new found work ethic may be tied to that very fact - that he needs to prove himself in a contract year to get the big bucks?

    Like most Blazer fans, I want to believe his motivation is finally having a major role on a winning team, but in the back of my mind, I wonder why this motivation was previously lacking?

    BNM
     
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  10. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    Not nice. The poor man already has a bad case of Crabbes.

    BNM
     
  11. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    This is always the worry with a player in a contract year.

    Do you think it is more concerning or less concerning that he is putting out THIS much effort? Some guys have a contract year and don't do much. Some guys play better. Nurk seems to be extremely motivated though. So I guess we can only hope that Dame has rubbed off on him.
     
  12. theprunetang

    theprunetang Shaedon "Deadly Nightshade" Sharpe is HIM

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    And Golden State only gets away with it because they have the angry unicorn that is Draymond. They can go small and still have a modicum of rim protection as well the change in the point-of- attack that he offers on offense, essentially running the point.

    Good luck to any team trying to replicate that.
     
  13. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    Yep, other teams thinking they don't need a quality starting center because GSW doesn't have one, are just plain delusional. No one else has a Draymond, a KD, or a Curry either, let alone all three.

    I think it's ironic that the fact that Bogut's injury was the turning point in the 2016 finals gets lost in all of this. Once they lost their big man in the middle, it became a layup drill for LeBron and company. As good as GSW's small ball death lineup is, they can't play it for 48 minutes a game.

    In addition to Noel, it will be interesting to see how much JaVale McGee gets. GSW is good enough they can afford to lose their back up center and still win, but he played very well for them this year. It's ironic he got that max deal in DEN all those years ago when he sucked and now that he's actually a good player, he can't get an offer from anyone. In this case, I guess it all evens out in the end...

    BNM
     
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  14. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    FTFY
     
  15. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    Probably both ;)
     
  16. Sarni

    Sarni Well-Known Member

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    Nurkic played well for us but it was a small sample size. He barely played for Denver towards the end. Denver's Nurkic would not have got a $20M or so contract at all. Portland's Nurkic might get close to that if his performances from February, March and April are anything to go by. It's still too early to tell, let's wait a bit. I don't find it outrageous at all that they don't mention him at the same level as Cousins, Embiid and even Jordan.
     
  17. Sarni

    Sarni Well-Known Member

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    McGee can only get a veteran minimum from GS I think. He has to go elsewhere and there are not many teams that need him and can pay him significant money IMO.

    What the hell is going on with Plumlee? Is he getting a deal? It's silly that his brother got $50M and he probably won't get close, being a much better player but coming to an extension at a much worse time.
     
  18. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    If Nurk simply maintains the play he gave us at the end of last season, he'll be upper tier.

    Per 36: 18.7ppg / 12.8reb / 3.9ast / 2.3blk / 1.5stl on 51% shooting and elite (top 5 C) level rim protection.

    That's absolutely top tier. That would make him a top 5 Center in the league. That level of play is just as good as DeMarcus Cousins, in terms of impact on winning.

    If he impoves? He'll be a top 3 Center. A two point uptick, 1 rebound uptick, and .5 uptick for all other stats would give him a per 36 statline of:

    21ppg / 14reb / 5ast / 3blk / 2stl

    It's crazy that last season, with a new team, while being an out of shape 22-year old, that he was already very close to putting up a statline like that.

    Nurk is the real deal. Capela and Lopez don't compare.
     
  19. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    Embiid had just as small of a sample size... And Nurkic has shown to provide rim protection near the level of Jordan, and everything else he does on the court is better than DeAndre.

    Nurkic will improve. Maybe he outplayed his own talent level when he played for us last year. But the work that he's putting him makes me expect him to maintain the play he gave us last year at least, and that makes him elite.
     
  20. Sarni

    Sarni Well-Known Member

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    If he maintains that level, he is definitely a tier over Lopez and Capela. We need to see this though. I will reserve my judgment until 30 games into 2017-18 season.

    I think he is going to be awesome. Potential was clearly visible at Denver.
     
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