Seems like you have two choices: Base your opinion on the assumed reasoning of another team's front office who was determined to get a scoring wing after botching bad by picking up Stephenson: OR Base your reasoning by looking at a second year player's college career and his summer league performance.
It's not a matter of being stupid, directly. It's about being desperate. 1) They're trying to balance their roster. 2) Big Al ain't getting any younger. 3) They didn't want to trade Vonleh, they tried to another frontcourt player first. 4) So, they traded their previous lotto pick for a high character player who will fill up the boxcores for them immediately - he also play very good defense (of course they may not have players we are interested in). The trade was logical for a desperate team. As a blazer fan, I am interested in making trades with Sacramento and Brooklyn - they are good candidates to be or become desperate.
I was excited for a lot of reasons. I don't expect him to be a star, but him being a high-quality starting PF isn't out of the realm of his potential. I liked what I saw from him in college, he's a hard worker from all accounts, seems fairly well-spoken, he is ONLY 20 (just turned 20 a month ago). I like what I saw from him during summer league, which is dominated by guards - he had people talking there, and I read a few times from analysts/writers that Charlotte would regret moving him. Local media is talking about him and his solid performance in training camp. Nothing about his career is assured, no doubt. But you have to be excited about the potential. I don't remember much love directed towards T-Rob regarding his play, outside of his energy and hustle. Not from the start of his Blazers career, not in the middle, not in the end.
I think Vonleh has a lot of potential but I don't expect him to be very good this year. I'd love to be wrong about that though.
What do I think of Vonleh? He's a beast - I just changed my avatar to reflect that. He shoot with either hand in the post. He's a very good shooter. He a good rebounder. He's aggressive. He can put the ball on the floor. He's not a jumper, but he's the physique of a beast, and is not at his peak physically yet. Can he pass? Can he play defense? If so, he'll have it all.
I'll take misconceptions for 100 Alex. Draft Combine (no-step-vert/max vert) Dame 35/40 Aminu 27/33 Davis 31/36 Plumlee 31/36 Harkless 32/37 . . . . and . . . Vonleh 31/37 I know it may not look like it, but Vonleh is not ground bound. He really can elevate.
the spurs come to town, vonleh blocks aldridge. next possession dame dunks on aldridge. aldridge cries and runs to locker room like a gazelle
1.4 blocks in 26 minutes in college as a freshman. I don't get the question. If you implying that he can't jump because he doesn't have a huge number of blocks I would remind you that your original premise said nothing about shot blocking.
I think he was going for how often Vonleh's shot is blocked, which was 14% last season according to 82games.com. I also remember him getting blocked a lot in summer league. It may not be that he can't jump, but more so that he just doesn't. His offensive game seems to be very ground bound.
Vonleh has the build of Malone at age 20 and can shoot the three. Btw, that Plumlee game winner is the GOAT.