Who's going to be our fifth starter when the dust settles?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Rastapopoulos, Nov 23, 2020.

?

Fifth starter?

  1. Melo

    18.8%
  2. Jones Jr.

    39.1%
  3. Trent Jr.

    6.3%
  4. Giles

    4.7%
  5. It will change depending on the opposing team

    6.3%
  6. Other (specify)

    3.1%
  7. Hood

    10.9%
  8. Collins

    10.9%
  1. mook

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

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    I initially voted Hood because jesus the guy shot 50% from three before he went down. And then I remembered how it went with Matthews' achiles. Yuck.

    Then I went with Jones, because of the defense and the $9m/year contract.

    Then I thought to myself, you know Gary Trent and Jones are basically the same age and both are plus defenders, but GT shoots 41% from three as a rookie (on 4.4 attempts) and we have his Bird Rights.

    We have every incentive to see Trent blow up, whereas Jones has a player option next year. So if you hand him a starting job there's a good chance he's gone at the end of the year.

    If it's even close between these two guys, we'll put all our chips in with Trent.
     
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  2. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    I think to start the year it goes Dame, CJ, Hood, Covington, Nurk
     
  3. kjironman1

    kjironman1 Well-Known Member

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    I went "other". Too many variables right now.
     
  4. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    So "too many variables" means that it definitely WON'T be any of the ones listed?
     
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  5. kjironman1

    kjironman1 Well-Known Member

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    Just didn't like the wording on "It will change depending on the opposing team" That almost never happens. Rotations change and crunch time players change due to matchups but the Starters usually start.
    Then there is "When the Dust Settles" in the title. That alone puts like 5 or 6 different twists on the thread.
    Like I said "Too many variables"
    We will see who Stotts starts in preseason. Then who starts to begin the regular season. Then where they will be at 20 games?
    Ask me again then. Disclaimer! - There still might be "Too Many Variables".
     
  6. James lamphear

    James lamphear Well-Known Member

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    I said Zach but will depends how the starters doing until he come back. So if the starters are playing well when Zach comes back then the common sense thing to do keep riding it and if not I see Zach getting his starting spot back.
     
  7. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    This is true, but I think Zach fits well next to Kanter with the 2nd unit. I see Covington starting at the 4 and Jones starting at SF.
    Melo is the one I can't find consistent minutes for.

    This is what I want to see while Zach is still out

    Dame- CJ
    CJ -Trent
    Jones -Hood
    Covington - Giles (Zach)
    Nurk-Kanter

    Melo and Simons when possible
     
  8. James lamphear

    James lamphear Well-Known Member

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    Melo will be playing in Stotts DNA with veterans. Yes Zach would be nice fit along side Kanter. But we will see how Nurk covington Jones front line looks first.
     
  9. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

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    No....the bigs usually get in early foul trouble and sit first....Kanter would probably be spelling Nurk to keep him from picking up early foul trouble. They won't worry if Melo is on the court with 2 fouls early and Jones will sub in for him probably as next man off the bench
     
  10. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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  11. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    There was never any doubt about Covington starting. I'm not too surprised about Jones getting the nod either. With Hood coming back off of Achilles rehab it makes sense to bring him along slower. Jones and Covington should ramp up the Blazers defense a ton.
     
  12. GrandpaBlaze

    GrandpaBlaze Predictions Game Master

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    If Giles stays healthy and plays anywhere near the promise he has shown at times in the past, he may be the starter by year end.
     
  13. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, that is a bit of a catch 22. If he beats out everyone else and ends up starting....can we keep him? And Jones?
    I guess I will worry about that after the season.
     
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  14. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    Would be a great problem to have.

    We can give Jones $12million and Giles the MLE.

    Sure it could end up being another Seth Curry, but I think Curry was discouraged from his role here where if Jones or Giles produce like your talking about it would probably be the best NBA role they've ever been in.
     
  15. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

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    Good to hear...this shows Melo is all about team first...very good to see
     
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  16. kjironman1

    kjironman1 Well-Known Member

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    Win a Chip and keeping people is much less a problem. Even more so getting people if they still want to leave is even easier.
     
  17. blazerkor

    blazerkor Well-Known Member

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    Chip or no chip this team seems like it is going to be very hard to keep together next season. I'm pretty sure we have to stay out of the luxury this season and next to avoid the repeater tax and it's pretty obvious that is what Olshey has been told to do. So even if this team is very successful (especially if everyone who is projected to be a rotation player does well), the league has said we won't see a big cap increase. That means we would have either keep Jones at the MLE or have to give him a raise, re-sign Gary and Zach who will get huge raises if they do well, and keep everyone else at their current salary (Melo and Enes are both FAs). That's not possible without going into the luxury tax which would then be the repeater tax.

    I am excited for this season and what this team with all of the talent that is assembled can possibly do but there are going to have to be some really big changes next off season unless Neil can sell Jodie and the Vulcans on spending a ton of money on this roster.
     
  18. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    If all of Gary, Zach, Jones, Melo, and Enes do well enough to all be deserving of big raises we probably win the title so that is fine.

    Most likely a few of them struggle, maybe Hood too who can be cut, and the franchise can part ways with a few of those guys, keep the good ones, make a few new additions, and worry about tax issues at the trade deadline.
     
  19. Tince

    Tince Well-Known Member

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    Nate, let's make our wager, I'm ready!
     
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  20. Stevenson

    Stevenson Old School

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    Agreed, and I like the Blazers' moves as much as anyone, but having a journeyman (Covington) and a 6th man (DJJ) become our starting forwards just doesn't reek of championship fodder to me.
     
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