[ official ] 2016 summer moves

http://www.blazersedge.com/2016/5/22/11692044/all-second-round-first-team

PG: Gary Payton II

Age: 23 / Height: 6'3" / Weight: 183 lbs / Wingspan: 6'8"

Payton is a fierce competitor, who makes up for his lack of outside shooting by contributing in virtually every other way: defense and rebounding are elite for his position, and his work ethic and distribution skills could make him a great fit behind McLillard.

SG: Malcolm Brogdon

Age: 23 / Height: 6'5.5" / Weight: 223 lbs / Wingspan: 6'10.5"

Brogdon is a workhorse. He was the best wing defender in the NCAA this year, shot 39% from the three, and never took a night off. Would fit the Hendo/Crabbe roles like a glove, with good upside beyond that.

SF: Michael Gbinije

Age: 23 / Height: 6'6.75" / Weight: 205 lbs / Wingspan: 6'7.5"

A very solid 3-and-D guy whose passing game could really thrive under Stotts. Brought his best game to the Combine, continuing his reputation as a player who plays up to his competition.

PF: Thon Maker

Age: 19 / Height: 7'0.75" / Weight: 216 lbs / Wingspan: 7'3"

This is all about potential. He's got all the tools he needs to be a phenom, but zero experience against the next level. Either ROY, or years from contributing.

C: AJ Hammons

Age: 23 / Height: 7'0" / Weight: 250 lbs / Wingspan: 7'3"

My personal favorite second-rounder, and possibly the most underrated player in the draft. Sports Reference only has limited data before 2009, but there are only three qualifying (20 min/game) players in their database who posted a season with a TS% over .600, a rebounding percentage over 18%, a block percentage over 10%, an offensive rating of 117 or higher, and a defensive rating of 89 or lower:

1) Anthony Davis

2) Karl-Anthony Towns

3) A.J. Hammons

The guy's a defensive beast, but is also easily a top-3 offensive center in this draft. He might also be the best backdoor-passer at his position. He's my best hope for a star in the second round.

6M: Caris LeVert
Age: 21 / Height: 6'7" / Weight:191 lbs / Wingspan: 6'10"

There's no way I could get through a best-of-the-second-round list without LeVert. He's a triple-double threat with the skills of a PG and the size of an SF. Add in his scrappy defense, and the Michigan star becomes one of my favorite high-reward picks in the draft. Ask Olshey how afraid he is of fifth-metatarsal injuries in guards with star potential.

 

The thing that makes GPII Blazers-worthy is his intelligence, work ethic, and approach to the game. It's not just his skill set that is a good fit, it's his mindset. I am more familiar with him and his game than other players across the county simply because he's local, so I know there may be other equally good or better prospects who may be attainable, but because I am familiar with him I am also comfortable with him. I'd be happy if the Blazers get him.

 

Bunch of 23 year old draft prospects. Hm

 

AJ Hammons looks like everything we wanted Leonard to be.

 

A foreign-born black center?

 

If the NBA put hand checking back in the game and was more physical, GP2 would be much higher up on the draft boards. He plays a lot like and also has a mouth like his father.

 

I don't mind it. Would fit our age range better than a freshman.

Just surprised about how old they are. I was 21 when graduating college. Must be guys who redshirted.

 

Wow, just wow.

Millsap just came in 5th in DPOY voting and probably should have been higher. He probably won't make First Team All Defense, only because the voters will select someone like Tony Allen based more on reputation than performance, but Millsap is easily one of the top 5 best defensive players in the league.

In terms of raw stats, Millsap was the only player in the league to be among the top 10 in both steals and blocks.

He had more steals than:
John Wall
Rajon Rondo
Kawhi Leonard
Draymond Green
Kemba Walker
Jae Crowder
Avery Bradley

He had more blocks than:
Karl-Anthony Towns
Rudy Gobert
Bismack Byombo
Robin Lopez
Anthony Davis
Brook Lopez
Al Horford
Andrew Bogut
Draymond Green
Dwight Howard
Andre Drummond
Roy Hibbert

There were only four players in the league with at least 100 STLs and 100 BLKs. They were:

Paul Millsap:
STLs = 147
BLKs = 139

Draymond Green:
STLs = 120
BLKs = 113

Andre Drummond:
STLs = 119
BLKs = 112

Nerlens Noel:
STLs = 118
BLKs = 100

Chief didn't finish in the top 50 in either category:

Al-Farouq Aminu:
STLs = 72
BLKs = 53

But, there is more to defense than steals and blocks. If you look at the advanced stats, Millsap is even more impressive.

Millsap led the entire league in Defensive Win Shares, was 3rd in Defensive Box Plus/Minus and 4th in DRtg. Like I said, he's a top 5 defensive player in the league. Chief doesn't make the top 20 in any of those categories.

In terms of all around play, Millsap is also a top 20 rebounder and top 20 in all of these advanced stats: Total Win Shares, Win Shares per 48, Box Plus/Minus and VORP. Aminu isn't top 20 in the league any any statistical category or advanced stat.

I love Chief, I love his energy, his spirit, the way he shows up big in the playoffs and the way he's improved his 3-point shooting. Getting Millsap is a pipe dream, a fantasy, but if you have a chance you go for it and either move Chief to the starting 3, or the back-up 4, and you don't even hesitate. Millsap is one of the best defenders in the league and a much better all-around player, and it's not even close. The guy is a 3-time all star in the prime of his career and one of the top defenders in the entire league. Getting him would be a huge coup for Olshey and a massive upgrade to our team on both ends of the court.

I'd love to get either Horford or Millsap. To get both would immediately make us contenders. We already have the 2nd best starting backcourt in the league and adding Horford AND Millsap would also give us one of the best front courts in the league. Adding the two of them would make us a top 4 team that could match up, on both ends of the court, with any team in the league.

Not likely to happen, but that's how good Horford and Millsap are. They are two of the best 2-way big men in the league. To get one of them, would vastly improve our team. Horford is getting more attention, because he's a free agent and fills even more needs than Millsap, but don't underestimate how much Paul Millsap would improve this team.

BNM

 

Ok, that was a lot of shit about a disagreement on defense. Millsap is a better post defender. He is absolutely not a better perimeter defender. And you're fucking crazy if you think he is.
So yeah, I still don't want millsap taking aminu's minutes. Aminu is on the rise, millsap is not. Maybe next year in a more stable role/position aminu will have better stats than millsap. But regardless, I'd still rather have aminu. Especially after looking at millsaps horrible 3pt shooting percentages.

If olshey does his job, and gets us big body defensive center, then I'd rather have aminu, who can guard 1-4. Than a 31 year old millsap, who sucks at shooting 3's. But is a better post defender..... Who gives a fuck. I'm sure aminu can learn better positioning with some work...

 

Paul millsap was fucking irrelevant his whole career, until he went to the leastern conference, and mike budenholzer made a bunch of scrubs play the best basketball of their careers. Kyle Korver was a fucking all star... So yeah, I'll pass on players from the team that gets destroyed in the playoffs every year.
The two years that millsap has had respectable 3pt percentages... He had Kyle Korver shooting like 50% from 3... Aminu just shot better from 3 than millsap ever has. On more attempts. In less minutes. Paul millsap is pretty much the Kyle Lowry of power forwards.

 

I could see Nate/Indy try to go for GP II in the 2nd round.

 

As in, he's had a couple good years late in his career, so some dumb team is gonna over pay him, and he's gonna be irrelevant again in a couple years.

 

Gross.

 

Here's a comparison of their defense in the playoffs this year. Spoiler alert, Aminu played better defense!

http://stats.nba.com/player/#!/202329/tracking/defense/ ----- Aminu.

http://stats.nba.com/player/#!/200794/tracking/defense/ ----- Millsap.

Millsap had better regular season defense, but I guess you would expect better regular season defense from a 31 year old, 3 time all star, who's been on the same team 3 years in a row, that couldn't shoot a three to save his life all season, while playing in the eastern conference.

 

Based on what, other than your opinion?

Yep, me and all the others who voted for him for DPOY, we're all fucking crazy and don't know what the fuck we're talking about. How many DPOY votes did Aminu receive?

Yep, I'd rather have Aminu guarding PGs and SGs that Millsap, but given the choice, if we're going to put a big on a guard, I'd rather it be Mo Harkless than either Millsap or Aminu. Guarding SFs, I think is a wash between Aminu and Millsap, but guarding opposing PFs, I'd take Millsap any day. He's better in the post and he's better in the pick and roll, plus he's a better scorer, a better rebounder and a better passer.

The last three seasons:

2013-14:
Paul Millsap 3FG% = .358
Al-Farouq Aminu 3FG% = .271

2014-15:
Paul Millsap 3FG% = .356
Al-Farouq Aminu 3FG% = .274

2015-16:
Paul Millsap 3FG% = .319
Al-Farouq Aminu 3FG% = .361

So, Chief has shot better from 3 than Millsap exactly one time. He was a terrible 3-point shooter until he started playing in Stotts' system next to C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard. He gets a ton of wide open 3-pointers as opponents focus their efforts on stopping Lillard and McCollum. Given Millsap's past superior 3-point shooting, there is no reason to think he would also not thrive playing for Terry Stotts and teamed with the second best backcourt in the NBA.

I'm not going to rip on Chief, I like him, I just happen to think the 3-time all star who came in 5th in DPOY voting is an upgrade t starting PF at both ends of the court. Like I said, if we get Millsap, which is admittedly a pipe dream, I'd be fine with moving Chief to starting SF (if he can beat out Harkless) and backup PF. Imagine how good our defense would be if we started Horford at the 5, Millsap at the 4 and Aminu at the 3. Again it's a pipe dream, but boy it sure would be nice.

BNM