I don’t agree with every thing they say, but they are well informed and provide both the “eye-test” and statistics. I respect their opinions, just as I respect yours. Their analysis is so much more well thought out than the local sports media types around here.
Butler is the #1 option on his team offense, he plays under a totally different coach\system. You're showing me that he scores 1 more ppg than CJ and that's our big upgrade?? Don't get me wrong! I'm not dismissing the advanced stats and i think Butler is a more well-rounded player, but our coach and system would still be inferior to the one in SA , Anthony Davis can still drop 40 points on our defenders (we'll see if that will be enough without Rondo), OKC seems to look like shit in the playoffs...we could probably beat them with our roster last season and Utah looked much better than us in the playoffs and they are better coached overall. So we could still beat some 3rd tier teams, Lose to some 2nd tier teams and get dismantled by top tier teams... We're getting a 1 year rental to do that? Let's also not forget that Butler missed 23 games last year...That's why the Wolves were the 8th seed and got the aforementioned top tier team in round 1. He also missed 47 games during 2013-2016 (3 seasons). If he'll miss 15-20 games for us then we're probably out of the playoffs. Sell me Butler AND a real coach and i'd probably be more interested.
Meyers has value just in entertainment and providing fans an easy outlet to vent on. If he goes, fans will find another player to flame. It's human nature. I figure it may as well be Meyers as anyone else on the roster Maybe we should do a gofundme to get Meyers another emotional therapy dog (ok, that was mean....).
It's true, Butler has played under a different coach in a different system most of his career. Thibs is a very different coach than Stotts. On that, we agree 100%. Last year in MIN he wasn't really the #1 option. Wiggins actually averaged a faction more FGA/G and KAT was a very close third. For all practical purposes, in their system, they were 1a, 1b and 1c and whose number was called varied depending on match ups and situations. All three had comparable USG% rates (as did also Jamal Crawford), but Butler averaged significantly more assists than the others (and keep in mind, that an assists counts as a "used" possession) . And that's what impresses me the most about Butler, he uses possessions very efficiently. It's been pointed out that he "only" averages 1 more ppg than C.J., but he does so on 3 fewer FGA/G while also handing out and additional 1.5 more apg. And, that's just the offensive end. When you also include Butler's defense, he would be a very significant upgrade over C.J. at both ends. As far as playing under a different coach in a different system, Butler's last year in CHI, he played under Fred Hoiberg, whose coaching style/philosophy is more similar to Stotts than Thibs. Under Hoiberg, Butler had a career year, posting career highs in most offensive categories (ppg, rpg, apg, PER, TS% made 3FG, etc.). I think Butler paired with Dame and Nurk gives us a much more balanced Big 3 than we currently have with Dame, C.J. and Nurk. It also gives us a much better defense. I also don't believe Butler would be a 1-year rental. I think Damian Lillard is the type of focused, driven teammate Butler dreams of playing with. I think he would love playing next to Dame and would eagerly resign with POR. And yes, Butler missed 23 games last year, but he has never had a serious, career threatening injury. Thibs has a well earned reputation for playing his starters too many minutes, and that leads to fatigue related injuries. Butler has been in the top 4 in MPG for the last five seasons in a row. Cut back on his MPG and a lot of those fatigue related injuries will likely disappear. BNM
My barely informed impression regarding Butler's 'attitude' issues is that his issues stem from what he may perceive as a lack of adequate work ethic and focus among some of the Minny players. If that's the case, I feel extremely confident that would not be an issue in Portland. Not on Dame's watch. If I were Olshey, I'd pay every secondary asset we've got to get Butler on the Blazers with our core.
It's really ironic what a horrible fit Butler is in MIN. Thibs brought him in because he's a Thibs kind of player. Same reason he also brought in Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose, and Luol Deng. But, the rest of the roster Thibs inherited is full of no-Thibs kind of players. Even with Butler, that team was atrocious defensively. Without him in the line up, they were dead last. And, I think this is what's driving Butler nuts (and is probably giving Thibs ulcers and high blood pressure). None of the young guys he's surrounded with put in any effort on the defensive end. That's why he'd be perfect in POR. Our two young bigs, Nurk and Collins, are great defenders. Dame put in the effort last season to improve his defense. Depending on who else we keep, Aminu, Turner and Harklss are all solid defenders, as is Baldwin. In POR, Butler would be surrounded by the kind of teammates he craves playing with. Move Butler to POR and suddenly our roster looks a LOT more like Thibs had in CHI 6 - 8 years ago than what he has now in MIN. BNM
Rumor was, it was the same problem he has playing in MIN - didn't like the effort and work ethic of the younger players. I think he believed Thibs would whip the young guys in MIN into shape, but it hasn't worked out that way. In POR we have a great leader with an unquestioned work ethic, and that has set the tone for the franchise. Look how hard Nurk, who had the reputation of being a lazy slacker with a bad attitude in DEN, has worked the last two off seasons to lose weight, get healthy and be in the best shape of his life. Zach Collins also seems to be a hard worker, along with Wade Baldwin, and even Caleb Swanigan, who hasn't shown much yet at the NBA level has a background of working his ass off (literally) to lose 150 lbs. and become a 1st team All American at Purdue. In short, our young guys aren't their young guys (either CHI or MIN). We have a strong leader who leads by example and has already instilled that work ethic in them. I really believe if Butler got a chance to play here, he'd love the culture around this team and love his teammates. I think it would be a great fit for him, and us. I think he has the potential be the same kind of missing piece Buck Williams was to that early 90s Blazers team. BNM
Wouldn't be my first offer. I'd offer them Turner + Aminu. Thibs is also their GM and I think both Turner and Aminu are Thibs kind of guys. I think he'd prefer to bring in veteran players with significant playoff experience to couple with his young guys who have barely tasted the playoffs. Collins is another one of those young guys with barely any playoff experience. Not only is Aminu playoff tested, but he also has a proven record of stepping up his game in the post season. I think that would appeal to Thibs, and I think the fact that he is an expiring contract would appeal to MIN's owners. I'm not saying I wouldn't do Turner + Collins, but it wouldn't be my first (or second, or third...) choice. BNM
I’m not sold Collins is a ‘foundational’ player, but what do they do up front if they trade him? I guess Biggie and Nurk is about all they got?
