Brandon Roy unhappy? With the addition of Miller and Batum's injury there's less touches for Roy. Touches played a part in Roy pushing hard for Batum to start last season. http://twitter.com/blazersedge/status/5599458921 http://twitter.com/JohnCanzanoBFT/status/5599453787 http://twitter.com/JohnCanzanoBFT/status/5602273338 http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/11/10/1125108/brandon-roy-unhappy#24203097 http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/10/inside_the_blazers_roy_adlridg.html http://www.dwightjaynes.com/hmmm-kind-of-early-for-this-kind-of-stuff-isnt-it --------------------- http://columbian.com/article/20091108/BLOGS05/911089993/-1/blazerbanter http://twitter.com/JohnCanzanoBFT/status/5553718179 --------------------- http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=mc-millerblazers101009&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
I said it a few months ago when Portland gave Miller all that money. Pritchard threw money at Miller because he could, not because Miller was going to be a good fit. He couldn't get Milsap so what did he do? Instead of NOT doing anything, he felt compelled to do SOMETHING so he signed Miller. Granted, Miller's been playing fairly well for the Blazers but if it's taking the ball out of your best player, Roy, then the signing isn't a success. Although I think this is the main reason why Roy and everything else is questioning their role, I think the presence of Oden in the starting lineup effects everyone too. With Pryzbilla, you know that your starting center is there and ONLY there to rebound, block shots, and defend. Any points you squeeze out of Joel is just gravy. With Oden, he plays defense, sure, but he wants to post up and score as well...something I don't think is needed when you have Aldridge and Roy on the floor. In other words: 70% Pritchard's fault for signing Miller 30% Portland's fault for starting Oden instead of Pryzbilla
You kind of HAVE to play Oden though. This is going to be his third year out of college (second playing, i know) and as a #1 overall you have to see what you've got. And although he is foul prone he's good (enough) when he gets the minutes. Portland should def. look into trading Miller but for what in exchange. They seem to be set long term at every position.
Well of course they HAVE to play Oden--the drafted him instead of Durant. It's just anyone can see that, efficiency-wise, Pryzbilla gives them just as much (f not more) than Oden and can actually stay out of foul trouble. Pritchard might have signed Miller just to make him into trade bait (which would explain the undisclosed role Miller was given at the beginning of the season) but that's a big gamble to sign a player just to make him into trade bait..especially a player that not a lot of teams had coveted during the offseason.
I guess Bill Simmons doesn't look like such a putz for saying adding Miller was going to cause issues in Portland.
We have a Spanish fan on the Nugs board. Seriously, they're crazy there. He's convinced that Rudy is the best player on the Blazers and Roy should be coming off of the bench. I'm all for supporting your local guys (Go Chauncey!), but it seems like the Spaniards take it to a whole other level.
I'd keep Miller and trade Blake instead. I'm surprised Blake is still a starter. In any case, they are heavy on guards and I can understand it causing dissent. Maybe Oden and a guard for a very good big man? For the coach, this is a headache; for the GM, it is a good problem to have.
Unfortunately, IMO, they will NEVER trade Oden unless they get a player like Dwight Howard. That would be an admission by Pritchard that he screwed up the draft and I don't think he's willing to admit failure. What's weird or funny is that if you trade Oden, Outlaw and Blake to the Thunder for Durant and Etan Thomas, the teams look so much better. Portland: Before Trade Oden Aldridge Webster Roy Blake After Trade Pryzbilla Aldridge Durant Roy Miller They get out of Outlaw's contract, Blake's contract, and inserts their more efficient center back into the starting lineup. Top it off, they get another expiring contract (Thomas) that's worth about $7 mill Oklahoma City: Before Trade Krstic Green Durant Sefolosha Westbrook After Trade Oden Green Outlaw Harden Westbrook They get a better defensive player at center (a must for any young team), get a complementary player (Outlaw) that allows Westbrook to have more scoring opportunities, and allow Harden to become the scorer that they had envisioned. And they get a quality backup point guard. Of course this is assuming that Roy and Miller can play nice.
As a Blazers fan second. I am not ready to panic yet. Blazers have done 3 major changes to their starting line-up this year with the injury to Batum and insterting Webster in place, starting Dre Miller and Oden in place of Pryz. That means the only 2 starters from last year remain in Roy and Aldridge. Roy is the type of player that needs the ball in his hands and last year he dominated the ball (in a good way). Great things happen when he has the rock. Does that mean I think he should be moved to PG? No. I think the signing of Dre is going to pay huge dividends later on in the year for Roy and the Blazers when the effects of a season long grind starts kicking in from constantly getting double and triple teamed and basically doing everything. Aldridge is also having a tough time trying to adjust as well since he's not getting the ball in the paint as much and he gets less rebounds etc. I liked the signing of Dre from day 1 and I still do. We're less than 10 games into the season and Nate Mac is still tweaking his line-ups and trying to figure out what works and what doesn't. It's a process. No need to worry this early.
Haha you beat me to it. Was going to say "T-mac Ver 2.0" (sarcasm of course for you slower ones out there)
