Nate believes Nic can play the two, do you bring Wes off the bench in that 6th man role or do you package him to try and land a PF/C? Batum has played SG before and it's the primary position he plays for Team France. Matthews/MCEC/future first is a solid package. PG: Felton SG: Batum SF: Wallace PF: Aldridge C: TBD/Oden
I can see Nico getting a little bit of time at the 2 if Roy/Williams don't seem like they can handle it, or to create a lot of mismatch's. It will also allow Nico to become the actual 6th man and come in for either Wes/Crash/even LMA for a bit. I am going to be annoyed if McMillian suddenly makes Nico a 2 like he suddenly made Webster a 3 when he was really a 2.
I'd rather package Batum and keep Wes first, but I'm sure the Blazers staff would think the opposite. Anyway I still keep Batum as 6th man unless he vaults himself into being a starter (I would love to see it) or Wes just does awful to start the season (I would hate to see this option to make Batum the starter by default).
I don't know how well Nic would be at SG, but one thing about him I've noticed is that he seems to play better the more minutes he gets. He's isn't an explosive reserve player. As to who I might start at SG is a tough call. That said, between 96 minutes at SF/SG and possibly some reserve minutes for Crash at PF, one thing I can say is that there's enough minutes to go around for all.
I don't think there's a ton of distinction between the 2 and the 3 in the NBA, but typically a 2 is a better ball-handler than a 3 and I'm not so sure Nic is cut out for that.
Nico has the handle, the shoot and catch ability and the speed to play some 2. Not his primary spot - but when the matches make sense - a super-long team of Felton/Nico/G-Wallace/LMA/(Oden if we are lucky, Camby or CJ if we are not) - is quite an interesting team.
This is pretty much my opinion. A lot of it depends on who your primary scorers are. If you have a scoring point guard or a scoring small forward, Batum works just fine at shooting guard, because you're not looking for your shooting guard to be the primary guy to break defenses down and score. Batum could just defend, pass and shoot when open. With Wallace at small forward (less of a go-to guy, more of an opportunistic scorer) and Felton not a particularly impactful scorer, it's harder to have a shooting guard who can't isolate. Of course, if ultimately Oden gets back and the team becomes very post-oriented (with Oden and Aldridge maybe in a low post/high post orientation), then Batum could be a very viable shooting guard for the team. He'd give the team size and defense and (hopefully, considering his poor shooting year) the ability to knock down open shots on passes out of the post.
I beg to differ. Batum doesn't attack the rim unless he's got a wide open lane. Plus his jumper is as streaky as Wes'. If we need to upgrade SG, Monta Ellis asked to be traded today.
That's why he is only good in this position on a part-time basis. Make Nico our starting and go-to SG? No. Use him some there when it makes sense - sure. He has enough of a handle and enough of a catch and shoot ability with speed to guard opposing #2s to do so.
Wes doesn't have much of a handle either, so I don't see much of a distinction between the two players. The only difference is height and weight.
The way our roster is set up right now, Nic has a much better chance of playing the 4 than the 2. I don't know which is worse, tbh. I'd probably rather have him at the 2.
That's faint praise if I've ever heard it. Wes' ball-handling can only be described as substandard for an NBA shooting guard.
I think that is the point. IF Wes can be a starting SG on a playoff team with those ball handling skills, would Batum work at the SG position with the same ball handling skills?
I agree Wes's ball handling skills are weak, but Nic's are as good as We's so for our team I see no reason Nic can't play SG.
