According to Detroit coach, Michael Curry, today's battle features two PFs with very similar games...something that I think most Blazer fans would agree with: http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/2008/11/stuckey_picks_up_play_pistons.html Should be an interesting matchup today.
Good to see LaMarcus get some respect from coaches around the league, while some fans here are quick to trade him without hesitation.
I'm still holding out hope that Aldridge will add more muscle over the next few years and become more of a POWER forward than sheed.
Quick to trade as part of a package for Bosh or LeBron, sure. If you aren't, something's a little wrong, IMO. But we can agree to disagree. Not that 2K9 means anything, but LMA/Blake/Outlaw gets you Bosh. I'd do that in half a heartbeat. For instance
Here's another way I can think about it: I've maintained for the last year or more that there's really no one (including LBJ, regretfully and homeristically), that I'd trade Roy for. He's quite close to "superstar" level (if not already there), and he loves Portland and the Northwest. He's a down-to-earth guy. There's one in the league that I would trade Oden for for the next year or so. LBJ, and that's it, if we secured an extension. Not even Dwight Howard. Perhaps if Oden stinks in 2 years (highly unlikely), but there's no reason right now not to think he's going to be one of the best centers in the NBA quite soon. But LMA? He's not anywhere near his peak yet, I hope. Which is why he's legitimately considered part of the Big Three. But I think many on here hope that one day he could be Chris Bosh. He's really tied to the Dallas Area, which I can understand. Even when I lived on the East Coast for my job, I knew I would come back home to the NW when I could. So if he could be traded with some of our non-Big 3 to get Bosh. then I think you have to be for it, right?
since this isn't complete fantasy land, why even pose the question? Is Chris Bosh smitten with the NW? STOMP
It was in response to Alex's post about It wasn't a willy-nilly "Let's dump LMA without hesitation". It was a hypothetical when I (as one of the fans) would be quick to trade him without hesitation. He had a great game today. If that's what he's putting his mind to (wide-open midrange jumpers, taking it inside, getting quick to the picks) and what we'll be seeing in the future, then he's doing quite well. It's not as if I'm the only fan of the team (or broadcaster, or sportswriter, or head coach, or NBA scout) that's questioned why LMA has (in the past) spent a large amount of his time playing like a guard, rather than a 6'11" PF. I don't understand the hate.
the hate? You know you have that backwards right? LA is a stud but he's also human. Of course he's going to have ups and downs as a young Big. I feel incredibly lucky to have him and Greg as the 4 & 5 of the team I root for as they've a chance (IMO) to be among the best frontcourts ever. His game is outside in. I'm looking forward to you coming to grips with this being a good thing... yes that includes shooting top of the key jumpers. He's not only an effective scorer from there but having him as a high post threat opens things up for a low post beast like Greg. It keeps a defensive Big out of the paint giving Roy and Nic room to drive. Yeah LaMarcus! STOMP
I'm a huge fan of his outside-in game. I said that I loved what he did today...taking the open midrange jumpers when they were there and taking it inside when he had a hand in his face. But you also can't have 3 shooters populating the outside when the other teams doesn't respect the post game of your PF. We're not running the triangle, here. Look at the bigs who could/can shoot...Ewing, Malone, Olajuwon, Robinson--even now with Boozer, Amare, Pau, Bosh, Brand, Duncan, Garnett, etc.-- each had an inside game that could devastate you, but could also take it outside. My criticism/issue with LMA is that he hasn't shown that he consistently can play an inside, physical game...so that when his jumper is off or taken away by a man in his face, he's more prone to extended slumps and bad games than guys like Bosh, Amare, etc. Can he learn this in time? I sure hope so. But he's nowhere near the All-Star level people keep saying he's projected to until he gets more consistency and a more well-rounded game. So if there was a chance to get a "For Real" Bosh right now, for a "Could Be Bosh Someday" LMA, that's what I'm talking about. Yes, it's 99.999% fantasy land. But that would be the scenario that "this fan" would "trade LMA without hesitation" for. That's all. And if he was just playing the high post, that'd be one thing, and I'd agree with you. But we're running a lot of 1-4 (especially in crunch time) or Iso to LMA on the left block (which was really working today, b/c he was taking it into the paint sometimes instead of immediately jacking up a contested turnaround.
Right now, certainly Bosh is a lot better than LaMarcus. And if that trade was offered, it'd be hard to turn it down, but it's rare those types of trades with two young studs playing the same position happen. And yeah, I understand how people might be concerned that LaMarcus doesn't have a consistent inside game, but this really is just the start of his second full season and he's grown a lot. He's added some muscle, and his post game is still developing. He's shown the ability to go into the lane and go up for the right-handed hook, or turn baseline ala Sheed and do the fadeaway jumper that no one can block. I really love how dangerous we can be in the fourth when we do run the Brandon ISO up top or the pick and roll with LaMarcus. Teams have to choose to let Brandon freewalk to the rim and he can either lay it up or pass to Greg underneath for the jam. Or if teams double him off the pick and the roll, LaMarcus can certainly shoot the 18-footer or pass it off to shooters in the corners, which are either Blake, Rudy, Travis, eventually Martell, Nicolas, Frye or whoever. I'm a big believer that LaMarcus fits in well with what this team will try to be.
