The "Overlooked Shooter" revolving door

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by mook, Jul 15, 2019.

  1. mook

    mook The 2018-19 season was the best I've seen

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    Based on how he played in Summer League, I think if Gary Trent Jr spent a second year at Duke he'd be a top 10-15 pick. He averaged 14ppg as a Freshman--he likely goes for 20-25ppg in his second year. We got him at #37.

    Simons is the better pick, but given his size and his shooting ability, Trent is going to have a long career at least as a solid role player. Another damned fine second round pick.

    Between Simons (24th), Trent (2nd round), Crabbe (2nd round), Connaughton (2nd round), Layman (2nd round) and Frazier (undrafted), Portland is just really good at turning mediocre-to-horrible prospects, always guards and SF's, into value.

    Whether it's our scouts or just practicing with Dame & CJ, it's working. I'm a big fan of repeating what you do well. A huge part of Portland's strategy should be collecting low draft picks.

    However, Portland needs to do more to leverage their work. All these guys walk once their contracts are up. It's nice to have these guys fill roster spots effectively (and cheaply!), but in the end you want to turn all that work into some long-term value. What's keeping Portland from doing it?

    It feels like we don't have a D-League team because we are a D-League team for the rest of the league. I can just imagine rival GM's having conversations like, "Man, we could use another shooter off the bench. Who's walking from Portland this year?"
     
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  2. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    Herro is already better than Trent so I disagree. Overall point is solid though.
     
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  3. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Exactly what are you disagreeing with? What does Herro have to do with anything in the OP? I'm missing the connection.
     
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  4. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    He said Trent would be a top 10-15 pick.
     
  5. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Ahh, I see. Thank you.
     
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  6. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    I might counter that Cam Johnson went 11. If Trent had stayed a second year at Duke, you don't think he would have been valued similarly going into the draft?
     
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  7. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    A 6'9 3pt specialist is harder to find than a 6'6 one.

    Also, Phoenix is dumb.
     
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  8. Sarni

    Sarni Well-Known Member

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    Cam Johnson going 11 was mad crazy though.
     
  9. mook

    mook The 2018-19 season was the best I've seen

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    Cam Johnson was a 4 year college kid who averaged 16ppg as a senior.

    Trent averaged 14ppg as a Freshman before going pro. He averaged 33ppg over 6 games in the G-League. He was 11th in scoring in Summer League.

    I think he was pretty poised to have a breakout season as a sophomore at Duke if he'd stayed.

    It's pretty reasonable to think he might've gone 10-15 in this year's draft.
     
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  10. mook

    mook The 2018-19 season was the best I've seen

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    Herro was drafted 11th. So it's quite possible Trent goes 12-15 even if you're right that he is better. I haven't watched Herro play so I have no basis to judge that.
     
  11. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

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    Trent was so minimized in his lone year at Duke. He had the lowest usage rate among the starters and rarely had the ball in his hands. He was essentially an outlet, which is fine, guys can carve out long careers being one, but Trent brings a lot more to the table. He’s got the potential to be an inside out scorer, a rarity among shooting guards these days. He’s also the same age as Simons, so I don’t really understand the blazer fans that have already written him off and are tossing him in as filler in every trade proposal.
     
  12. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    The one time we DIDN'T let that kind of player walk was Allen Crabbe, so maybe Olshey learned his lesson from that...
     
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  13. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Trent reminds me of a poor man's Wesley Matthews.
     
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  14. LayneStaley

    LayneStaley Well-Known Member

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    Trent reminds me of a less explosive JR Smith.


    I don’t like JR Smith.
     
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  15. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

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    I see this thrown around quite often and I just don't see it. Wesley was a physical specimen-- dude was a tank and had elite lateral footwork. And his arms were long as well 7'1 vs 6'8. Trent might become the shooter Wes was, but nowhere near the defender. I think Little is a better Wes analog.
     
  16. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Little is a poor man's Aminu.
     
  17. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Trent is a physical specimen! And yes, Trent's defense is nowhere near Matthews' (and will probably never be). Hence "poor man's".
     
  18. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    No.
    IDK why you're bring Crabbe into it, unless you're saying we should pay Trent $80 mil... why is a "silly" point.
     
  19. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    Yes.
    But, Wes was a destitute man's Wes when he entered the league - his shot was completely revamped his rookie year.
     
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  20. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

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    Yeah. These two are the same age.

    86A02975-DE07-4C67-B1AC-6B7ABDFE5175.jpeg

    What’s Gary going to look like in his prime? For example, here’s Jimmy Butler at 20.

    30D40C1E-D3FF-40B2-9D7C-F0613F3B842F.jpeg

    I think Butler is a better comp than Matthews for Trent, at least offensively. Better ballhandler, more dynamic scorer. Matthews is more of a complimentary scorer that has a three and an occasional post up. He’s not someone that handles the ball in a pick and roll or is asked to go create his own shot and win his team a game. Butler is closer, but he didn’t become that until his mid 20s. It’s ok to be patient.
     
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