With the trades of Gerald Wallace (New Jersey) and Marcus Camby (Houston), as well as the dismissal of head coach Nate McMillan, the team has entered a much-needed rebuilding mode. For a team that had so much promise just a few seasons ago, injuries and front office upheaval have left this team a shell of its projected future dominance. Brandon Roy has retired, and Greg Oden has now been waived after another microfracture surgery was needed.
First I'll break down the New Jersey trade:
New Jersey receives: SF Gerald Wallace
Portland receives: SF Shawne Williams, PF/C Mehmet Okur, 2012 1st round pick (top three protected)
While Wallace is clearly the best player in the deal, the most important pieces for Portland are the first round pick, as well as Mehmet Okur's expiring contract. The Blazers were willing to eat the salary of Shawne Williams (who Portland will likely try and buy out) in order to get a second first round draft pick in what is a fairly solid top half of the draft this season. With New Jersey currently holding the sixth-worst record in the league, the Blazers would have the potential to possess two of the top 14 picks (provided the Blazers don't go on a ridiculous run to end up in the playoffs).
Wallace was likely going to opt out of his current contract at season's end, should he have accepted, the Blazers would have had a harder time retaining small forward Nicolas Batum (who will be a restricted free agent this summer). This move also alleviates some of the logjam on the wing, as Batum will slide over to small forward, with Wesley Matthews likely rejoining the starting lineup at shooting guard. This may also free up minutes for both SF Luke Babbitt and SG Elliot Williams.
Next up is the Houston trade:
Houston receives: C Marcus Camby
Portland receives: PG Jonny Flynn, C Hasheem Thabeet, 2012 2nd-round pick (from HOU via MIN)
Camby was in the last year of his contract, and his performance and effort this season were largely inconsistent. The Blazers will be able to take fliers on both Flynn and Thabeet, who have both struggled since being lottery selections in 2009 (Thabeet 2nd, Flynn 6th). Both have team options that the Blazers can exercise if they work out over the next month and a half, but would have no further commitments beyond this season if their struggles continue. The 2nd round pick is also a nice throw-in. It's likely Joel Przybilla becomes the starting center, with Thabeet and Kurt Thomas seeing time behind him (with Thomas also getting looks at the backup '4').
There had been writing on the wall regarding Nate McMillan's firing for a little while now, and with massive struggles during the team's current seven game road trip (including an embarrassing 42-point loss to the Knicks on Wednesday), as well as the team deciding to rebuild, letting McMillan go was the right move. While McMillan had done a good job when the team was short-handed due to injuries, he's not a coach that gives rookies (or young players in general) a lot of minutes. Interim coach Kaleb Canales has a good rapport with franchise player LaMarcus Aldridge, and will likely provide the team with more offensive flow and freedom, as well as the opportunity for young players to prove their worth.
Two names that had been floated around frequently before the deadline, PG Raymond Felton and SG Jamal Crawford, are still a part of the team. Felton has been awful this season, and has likely played himself out of town following the season. Crawford has done what he always does: shoot his team into (and out of) games. Being a volume shooter, Crawford relies largely on isolation moves, which causes the offense to stagnate. With a $5 million player option for 2012-2013, its highly likely Crawford opts out and signs with a team that will be in contention.
This offseason, Portland will likely have between $20-$25 million in cap space, and could use that to pursue a top-tier free agent (PG Deron Williams?). While the Trail Blazers basketball won't have as many wins as fans have become accustomed to over the past three seasons, the team has taken the right step, and the future could again look bright.
Showing posts with label Gerald Wallace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gerald Wallace. Show all posts
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Friday, December 16, 2011
Without Roy, Blazers enter pivotal season
With Brandon Roy retiring due to his degenerative knee problems, the Blazers enter the season in a bit of a pickle. LaMarcus Aldridge is now clearly the franchise player and go-to offensive player, but after that, there seem to be more questions than answers.
Gerald Wallace played well in Portland last season, providing energy on defense (2.0 steals/game) as well as on the boards (7.6 rebounds). Wallace will turn 30 just after the season, and has trouble staying healthy due to his reckless style that garnered him the nickname "Crash", and has a player option worth $11.4 million for the 2012-2013 season. Wallace will likely choose to take that player option, but his long-term fit in Portland will be in doubt.
Nicolas Batum is one of the main reasons that Wallace's tenure in Portland may not extend past the 2012-2013 season. Batum still tends to disappear if he struggles early in games, but has a well-rounded game that could remind some of Tayshaun Prince. A more explosive athlete than people sometimes give him credit for, Batum enters this season hoping to get a contract extension. Whether he does receive the extension or not, Batum will definitely be tendered by Portland, making him a restricted free agent this next postseason should Portland not extend him prior to the season.
Recent addition Jamal Crawford will provide the Blazers with another player that can make plays off of the dribble, something Portland struggled with in their playoff series against the Mavericks. Crawford is more of a volume shooter than Roy, but has the ability to get ridiculously hot, and can carry a team for stretches. One area where Crawford struggles is on defense, as he is undersized for a two-guard, and tends to gamble unnecessarily.
Raymond Felton was acquired in a trade with Denver during the 2011 NBA Draft, and is entering a contract year with Portland. Felton is best suited for an up-tempo system, and is a better three-point shooter than his point guard predecessor, Andre Miller. Felton will have a familiar face in Portland, as he joins former teammate Gerald Wallace, whom he played with for five years. How he acclimates to Nate McMillan's coaching style will have a huge part in whether Felton stays with the Blazers past this season.
Wesley Matthews will be the starter at shooting guard this year, and provides a solid three-point shooter (40.7%) to space the floor for PF LaMarcus Aldridge. Matthews will also provide solid on-ball defense, as well as a scrappy attitude that endeared him to Nate McMillan. Matthews has a reasonable contract, and will likely be in Portland for at least the next couple of years.
Marcus Camby enters the last year of his contract, and will turn 38 this year. While there's little doubt Camby is getting a little long in the tooth (he'll turn 38 this season), he still is a very good rebounder (10.6) and weakside shot-blocker (1.6/game) that will provide a safety net for perimeter players like Matthews, Batum, Wallace and Felton to play the passing lanes.
Greg Oden was re-signed about a week ago, but suffered a set-back in his rehab from microfracture surgery, and may not play this season. The Blazers have shown tremendous loyalty and belief in Oden, who if healthy, is a game-changer on both ends of the floor. Sadly, with his history of serious knee injuries, the likelihood of him being able to stay on the court for an entire season gets smaller with every additional injury he sustains.
Portland also added veteran big man Kurt Thomas with a two year, veteran's minimum contract. Despite being 39, Thomas was effective for the Bulls last season, averaging 4.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in about 23 minutes per game last year. Thomas is sets very good screens, and can hit the 16-18 foot jumper with solid consistency for a big man. He'll likely see the majority of his minutes spelling Marcus Camby at center. Joining Thomas on the front-line will be "The Rhino" Craig Smith. At 6'7" and 260 pounds, Smith is a bulldozer that has decent touch around the rim, and uses his wide frame well when hitting the glass. Smith's foot-speed and lateral quickness are slightly below average, so he will struggle some with pick-and-roll defense, and is doesn't have a great wingspan, so at his height, he will struggle some guarding the better power forwards in the league.
The bench has some intriguing players as well, with rookie G Nolan Smith. The former Duke Blue Devil lacks elite quickness and athleticism, but is a solid ball handler who does a good job of using a well-built frame to attack the rim and finish, and should see some time behind Raymond Felton. SG Elliot Williams is a freakish athlete that is coming off knee surgery last season. Williams is somewhat buried on the depth chart, but could see some spot time due to the quick turnaround between games this year. PF/C Chris Johnson flashed signs of being a serviceable big man, using good athleticism and length to make an impact in limited minutes. Johnson will likely need an injury to either Camby or Thomas to see consistent minutes. Former teammates at the University of Nevada-Reno, SF Luke Babbitt and PG Armon Johnson are stuck in a numbers game. Babbitt in particular struggled adapting his game to this pros last season, and will need to show the shooting stroke that made him a first-round draft pick to see the floor. Armon Johnson is an aggressive on-ball defender for Portland, but struggled to take care of the ball early last season, and fell behind (former) teammate Patty Mills in Nate McMillan's rotation.
If this team can gel, there's a possibility of Portland notching its first playoff series win since the 1999-2000 playoffs, a span of 12 seasons. Should the team struggle to gel, there's a strong likelihood that management decides to "blow up" the roster, and focusing on building around a core of LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and (potentially) Nolan Smith. Either way, the 2011-2012 season should give the Blazers a good feel for where this team is at.
Gerald Wallace played well in Portland last season, providing energy on defense (2.0 steals/game) as well as on the boards (7.6 rebounds). Wallace will turn 30 just after the season, and has trouble staying healthy due to his reckless style that garnered him the nickname "Crash", and has a player option worth $11.4 million for the 2012-2013 season. Wallace will likely choose to take that player option, but his long-term fit in Portland will be in doubt.
Nicolas Batum is one of the main reasons that Wallace's tenure in Portland may not extend past the 2012-2013 season. Batum still tends to disappear if he struggles early in games, but has a well-rounded game that could remind some of Tayshaun Prince. A more explosive athlete than people sometimes give him credit for, Batum enters this season hoping to get a contract extension. Whether he does receive the extension or not, Batum will definitely be tendered by Portland, making him a restricted free agent this next postseason should Portland not extend him prior to the season.
Recent addition Jamal Crawford will provide the Blazers with another player that can make plays off of the dribble, something Portland struggled with in their playoff series against the Mavericks. Crawford is more of a volume shooter than Roy, but has the ability to get ridiculously hot, and can carry a team for stretches. One area where Crawford struggles is on defense, as he is undersized for a two-guard, and tends to gamble unnecessarily.
Raymond Felton was acquired in a trade with Denver during the 2011 NBA Draft, and is entering a contract year with Portland. Felton is best suited for an up-tempo system, and is a better three-point shooter than his point guard predecessor, Andre Miller. Felton will have a familiar face in Portland, as he joins former teammate Gerald Wallace, whom he played with for five years. How he acclimates to Nate McMillan's coaching style will have a huge part in whether Felton stays with the Blazers past this season.
Wesley Matthews will be the starter at shooting guard this year, and provides a solid three-point shooter (40.7%) to space the floor for PF LaMarcus Aldridge. Matthews will also provide solid on-ball defense, as well as a scrappy attitude that endeared him to Nate McMillan. Matthews has a reasonable contract, and will likely be in Portland for at least the next couple of years.
Marcus Camby enters the last year of his contract, and will turn 38 this year. While there's little doubt Camby is getting a little long in the tooth (he'll turn 38 this season), he still is a very good rebounder (10.6) and weakside shot-blocker (1.6/game) that will provide a safety net for perimeter players like Matthews, Batum, Wallace and Felton to play the passing lanes.
Greg Oden was re-signed about a week ago, but suffered a set-back in his rehab from microfracture surgery, and may not play this season. The Blazers have shown tremendous loyalty and belief in Oden, who if healthy, is a game-changer on both ends of the floor. Sadly, with his history of serious knee injuries, the likelihood of him being able to stay on the court for an entire season gets smaller with every additional injury he sustains.
Portland also added veteran big man Kurt Thomas with a two year, veteran's minimum contract. Despite being 39, Thomas was effective for the Bulls last season, averaging 4.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in about 23 minutes per game last year. Thomas is sets very good screens, and can hit the 16-18 foot jumper with solid consistency for a big man. He'll likely see the majority of his minutes spelling Marcus Camby at center. Joining Thomas on the front-line will be "The Rhino" Craig Smith. At 6'7" and 260 pounds, Smith is a bulldozer that has decent touch around the rim, and uses his wide frame well when hitting the glass. Smith's foot-speed and lateral quickness are slightly below average, so he will struggle some with pick-and-roll defense, and is doesn't have a great wingspan, so at his height, he will struggle some guarding the better power forwards in the league.
The bench has some intriguing players as well, with rookie G Nolan Smith. The former Duke Blue Devil lacks elite quickness and athleticism, but is a solid ball handler who does a good job of using a well-built frame to attack the rim and finish, and should see some time behind Raymond Felton. SG Elliot Williams is a freakish athlete that is coming off knee surgery last season. Williams is somewhat buried on the depth chart, but could see some spot time due to the quick turnaround between games this year. PF/C Chris Johnson flashed signs of being a serviceable big man, using good athleticism and length to make an impact in limited minutes. Johnson will likely need an injury to either Camby or Thomas to see consistent minutes. Former teammates at the University of Nevada-Reno, SF Luke Babbitt and PG Armon Johnson are stuck in a numbers game. Babbitt in particular struggled adapting his game to this pros last season, and will need to show the shooting stroke that made him a first-round draft pick to see the floor. Armon Johnson is an aggressive on-ball defender for Portland, but struggled to take care of the ball early last season, and fell behind (former) teammate Patty Mills in Nate McMillan's rotation.
If this team can gel, there's a possibility of Portland notching its first playoff series win since the 1999-2000 playoffs, a span of 12 seasons. Should the team struggle to gel, there's a strong likelihood that management decides to "blow up" the roster, and focusing on building around a core of LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and (potentially) Nolan Smith. Either way, the 2011-2012 season should give the Blazers a good feel for where this team is at.
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