A big difference between McMillan and Stotts/Oshey is that McMillan had a mixture of good shooters and awful shooters. In contrast, Olshey filled the roster with shooters, simplifying Stotts' job, since everyone gets to shoot. Olshey has avoided depending upon nonshooters like Turner until now. So Stotts must change his system to become more McMillanese.
Looks like I got beat the punch this year. When are you and I going to a game together? Dec 26? Andre Miller is Reggie Miller next to Turner.
God no! Nate was a dinosaur when he was here six years ago. The game had already passed him by. The all ISO all the time offense won't work in today's NBA. Plus, it's boring as hell. Utterly unwatchable. For IND's sake, I hope he's learned at least one more play since he left PDX. Since when has Olshey filled the roster with shooters? Go back and look at some of the guys he acquired and how well they shot the ball before arriving in PDX. Aminu - not a shooter Harkless - not a shooter Plumlee - not a shooter Napier - had terrible shooting percentages before arriving in PDX, it's yet to be seen if preseason carries over to the real games Ed Davis - not a shooter Festus Ezeli - not a shooter Pat Connaughton - not a shooter The guys Olshey acquired, but let go: Montero - not a shooter Cliff Alexander - not a shooter Thomas Robinson - not a shooter The list goes on... It seems like the only guys who are shooters, are guys Olshey drafted (Lillard, McCollum, Crabbe and Leonard - who was not known for his shooting at the time of the draft, and possibly Layman), but they are in the minority on this roster. Nate had Roy, Webster, Batum, Matthews, James Jones, Steve Blake, Rudy, etc. Imagine what Terry Stotts could have done with that roster. Bet we would have one at least one playoff series - something Nate never came close to accomplishing in PDX. BNM
You forget Mo Williams, Dorrell Wright, and Steve Blake. Harkless had a good season of three point shooting earlier in his career. And Aminu was coming off a good 3 point shooting playoff series.
If we're playing him out of position we lose some of his effectiveness, which could make people think "he's awful", etc, because he's misused. We're short in real guards behind Dame and CJ (and Napier) and have many forwards so it makes sense trying to make him a SG, because he played there in the past or has the skills to play there or any other excuse, but the truth is we'd be playing him out of position and can't expect the same production. I say lets not make it easy on ourselves. We have too many forwards and bigs and not enough guards? Trade 1 or 2 of the bigs for a guard, then play everyone in their natural, most effective position. That would be the best way to maximize our potential.
I was really excited when we got Gerald Henderson - unfortunately we didn't get the Hornets GH, but some shadow of his former self. (Geralds hip surgery taken into account) I'm hoping the same is not true of Turner. His shot looked extremely rushed and he didn't look comfortable. But, Surely we need to give him at least 10 - 20 games to get acclimated to the system before we pull out the pitchforks. . .
BTW wasn't his mid-range shot quite decent last season? Never been any good from the 3-point range but I think he was scoring consistently from mid.
He's a slasher - his mid-range is definitely a strength - and he can pass too. The alley/lob to Vonleh on the break was a small peak at what is to come once he settles in. (hopefully a relaxed/higher percentage shot too) He averaged 4.5 assists with Boston - so he not only is an additional ball-handler - but one who is a willing passer and able to facilitate some scoring.
That's not the reason a fan should care. It's about how it affects the teams ability to retain or acquire talent in the future now that they've hamstrung themselves.
And guess what? This contract has no effect whatsoever on how we can acquire talent. With extensions kicking in next offseason our cap space this year was use or or lose it. The only potential way this hurts is luxury tax wise and that can be resolved with a simple trade or PA saying fuck it and paying it. It was an opportunity for our team to add a supersub. Or bench, for the first time in years, is one of our biggest strengths. Let's give the guy half a season before we crucify him and you guys get your pitchforks out for Olshey again.
King, did we bring him in to be a shooter though? Give him time. Dame will take care of him. He does have a good post up and dribble penetration. He just needs to learn better decision making when he hits that breaking point on his drives. New team. Those decisions will become much easier when he is really comfortable and knows his teammates and where they will be. Exactly.
I'm talking about all the over-paid contracts Olshey made this offseason. Crabbe + Leonard + Turner = 44 million dollars. CJ's extension puts us at the luxery tax threshold. But if you subtract that we'd still have space. What if the Blazers want to resign Plumlee, Ezeli or Vonleh? You realize how much tax that would be? And it's not so easy as making a "simple trade" if these guys are not worth their contract, who is going to take them? You'd also need to trade them to a team with oodles of cap space or we'd just be taking back about the same amount.
