Olshey is a very good GM and talent evaluator. The trade for Afflalo was a good trade and I said right after the trade that I like Afflalo and that I can live with this trade. But the decision not to extand T-Rob after he was great for us in the playoffs, on the 2nd season of a rookie contract, when we couldn't even use bird-rights to extand him after this season was his biggest mistake as a GM. About Leonard, I don't need a 7 foot stretch 4, especialy when Dorrel Wright does a better job defensively even against opposing 4s. He can make 3s? Ok, that's nice, now in order to be effective this has to become a bonus, not his main ability.
You might not, but the Blazers do. T-Rob was a highlight/hustle player. That's why people wanted him around. But even I can admit he and Barton were supremely disappointing for the Blazers this year. With the playing time he was getting he shouldn't have been making the same mistakes he made during his first year in Portland. I don't need a 6"7 power forward who goes all out for an offensive rebound, then doesn't box out on the defensive glass... Forget everything else... Rebounding is T-Rob's best skill and he only did it half the time. Not many NBA teams do when they're trying to win games.
Extending T-Rob would have given us a cap hold that would have made our offseason holds more difficult. But again, why are you complaining about this? Considering what we did with him it seems to be the correct move. It was not a mistake.
This is my thought as well. I get what Stotts is doing (shortening the rotation for the playoffs) but I hate seeing our young guys string some good performances together only to be DNP'd when they don't play the greatest. They need PT.
You're honestly telling me you would rather have Leonard than T-Rob as our backup 4? Really? T-Rob is a POWER Forward, he plays inside, he hustles, he is 10 times better defsnsively, a better rebounder, a smarter player (yes, don't know about their IQ tests but T-Rob is a much smarter basketball player). He could give us the one thing we're lacking which is points in the paint, whereas having Leonard on the floor gives us usualy our 4th 3-point shooter which is just stupid and means we play 4 on 5 on the defensive end.
I've always been of the opinion that bench players, since they only play for short spurts, should always play with maximum intensity. That put me firmly in the TRob-over-Leonard camp. That said, I can't fault the AAA deal. Even at his best, TRob was a useful player - not an irreplaceable one. Even though I have been mildly disappointed in AAA's play, I still think Olshey made the right call. I also have to admit that TRob's problem were at least partly self inflicted. He played hard - but there was no indication he worked hard on developing his game. When an NBA player fails to fully develop his natural-born talents, that's on him, not his NBA coach. Of course, that applies just as strongly to Leonard.
Stotts addressed wanting to get Meyers and Joel in the last couple of games together but matchups didn't favor it. Meyers will play and Kaman has been staying on the court. Joel needs to get some minutes before the playoffs. Find his shot and get his legs. Joel will play more in the playoffs when the game slows down but having Leonard ready is a good problem to have. Problem is we've been losing too many 3rd qtrs to see bench players on the court for long. Freeland is a lot better defender and screen setter than Meyers.
I don't know about Meyers Leonard, but for every decent shift he puts in then he will miss something and we are down three points. One of the problems is the speed of the NBA. The game is FAST and he is still adjusting (if he ever does.) I wouldn't have traded TRob over him and T-Rob wasn't exactly Mr Hustle. Leonard left college WAY to early. I doubt he ever realizes his talent. Whatever there is.
The mood swings on nards are intense. He's the same guy he was a month ago, a good young big who keeps getting better. That we have better players than him is a good thing as far as the team is concerned, I wish we had 10 players better than lillard. It is what it is.
Its too bad the blazers are too busy going to the playoffs, they could really be developing their 5th big guy faster. Oh well.
So. Best case being we resign Aldridge and Meyers leaves when he wants more playing time. Or worse case, Aldridge leaves and Meyers eventually plays into the position? Either might happen.
