Chris Johnson Center of the future? - I Am A Trail Blazers Fan - Message Boards - Team

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BlazerManiac
Posts: 683

Posted 02/06/2012 9:38 AM
I like the kid, has some good raw skills and if he puts on about 40 pounds he could be a great center in the league. We have two great Centers now that could groom him. But he seriously needs a good sound weight training program and a diet that helps him get anothher 40 pounds on him.

Your Thoughts?

I am a fan of JJ the Double Double Beast.

uprised
Posts: 131

Posted 02/06/2012 9:45 AM
I like him too. He shows some aggression on offense and looks like he enjoys playing. Putting on 40lbs of muscle is not easy. I'd hate to see him blow out a knee walking around at a weight that's not natural for his body. I'm curious to see how he develops with more playing time and what he can do with the physical tools he has. He will get bigger though, that's for sure.

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stacksfan2005
Posts: 302

Posted 02/06/2012 10:51 AM
hes great at blocking off the ball. his downfall is he doesn't rebound much since he's always swatting. he doesn't need to beef up a whole lot more, he could easily be another marcus camby, i hope he's been stuck to camby during practice and shoot arounds.

EthanMoney
Posts: 301

Posted 02/06/2012 12:38 PM
Definitely not a center of the future...if anything we groom him into a better player and sell him when his stock is higher because right now hes worth nothing.

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Tattoo You
Posts: 7

Posted 02/06/2012 5:30 PM
I'm with eMoney

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benh7777
Posts: 199

Posted 02/06/2012 7:04 PM
I like him but he's definitly not our center of the future.

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Blazer247
Posts: 503

Posted 02/07/2012 1:08 AM
don't see why he couldn't be our center of the future... he's got the same natural lanky/underweight style that Camby has used for years, and Marcus has consistently been one of the best in the game (of the last 6 years, Camby was #1 defensive player for 3 of them, and Howard has the other 3). Chris is young, energetic, aggressive, and has something to prove. On top of that, he's got the best opportunity in the world to learn from the best teacher he could ask for. Just because he's not a Shaq-style center (beefy, takes up space, plants the feet) doesn't mean he couldn't be extremely effective for the Blazers, especially since trying for a different center will potentially require giving up another piece that we could need to keep (i.e. Wallace, Batum, or Mathews), and Chris Johnson is already on our roster and learning our system.

Besides, with the time it would take to get a new center to Portland, if we instead used that time to help Chris improve, he'll be significantly ahead of anyone else that would have to come in and learn the system by the time they'd be available to us. So, unless a miracle center opens up on free agency, and that guy would LOVE to come to portland instead of a handful of other teams that can offer him more... I'd say we should start doin some investing in Chris Johnson.

I am a fan of BLAZER BASKETBALL. Not drafts, not business, not trades, not David Stern. Just BLAZER BASKETBALL.

BlazerManiac
Posts: 683

Posted 02/07/2012 7:44 AM
I agree with Balzer247. ALl teams want that player who can make an impact right away. The problem is, that it does not happen that often. We have two awesome Centers in Camby and Thomas. Use both of them to teach Chris the complete game, Camby's defense, rebounding, shot blocking and Thomas finesse around the offenseive end, then get him on a weight training program to bulk-up and this could could be dominant.

I am a fan of JJ the Double Double Beast.

EthanMoney
Posts: 301

Posted 02/07/2012 1:37 PM
Blazer247; He is a good option and would be nice to keep him around for awhile if the price is right...but Center of the future? The man is 27 years old and hasn't ever started in the NBA. Lets not forget we just got him from the D-league not to long ago. He has only played 22 TOTAL minutes in the NBA. Half of those minutes was when he was our third string and we lost all our center options last year. Armon Johnson is 4 years younger and has 10 less TOTAL minutes. Is he our PG of the future? Same goes for Luke Babbit, 4 years younger and 14 less minutes. Small forward of the future? We could use a little bit of our mass cap space and seal a solid Center (not an all star). Then Chris can be the BACKUP or the future.

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DHawes22
Posts: 6481

Posted 02/07/2012 2:50 PM
Apparently his contract got picked up for the remainder of the season per Chad Buchanan.

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Blazer247
Posts: 503

Posted 02/08/2012 1:54 AM
Lol i guess it's just a different definition of "of the future"... I never intended to say that Chris Johnson is ever going to be the best center out there. But if you read the 2nd part of my post above, I just don't understand putting a limitation on what we expect of him, at the very least until we have some other option to even consider. And that's the biggest thing; any other center that we would want to bring to Portland is most likely either a) asking for enough money that we'd have to sacrifice too much of our talent and give up our team chemistry, or b) doesn't have any interest in playing in Rip City at all. So yeah, like Ethan said, I'd be stoked if we could get a solid center by using our cap space, and maybe gettin rid of AJ or Babbitt or both, and then we could just use CJ as our 'backup of the future' lol... but until that miracle happens, and a quality center wants to come here for cheap, and prefers Portland over somewhere else... I'd rather invest in Chris Johnson as our future-camby-esque Center than to just keep talking "trade this, get that, it works on the trade engine" kind of stuff...

I am a fan of BLAZER BASKETBALL. Not drafts, not business, not trades, not David Stern. Just BLAZER BASKETBALL.

Austin Martin
Posts: 92

Posted 02/09/2012 8:08 AM
Kid has a lot of upside, but he is on the older side for still being developed. I think that as is he is a great defender, but gets muscled out of the blocks on rebounds. I dont know if he can change this, due to his build. That doesnt mean that he cant find a niche in the NBA, but with aldridge that historically hasnt rebounded much (though he is improving) we NEED a rebounding center to compensate.

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benh7777
Posts: 199

Posted 02/09/2012 12:02 PM
Joel Freeland is our center of the future. We should be able to get him here next year.

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Ricky
Posts: 422

Posted 02/10/2012 11:15 AM
No way. If he is our center of the future we will never make it out of the first round. Adding weight does not increase ability. I do not think Joel Freeland is our center of the future either. G.O. is also not our center of the future but for a different reason. Uncertainty will rule us in the future.

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BlazerManiac
Posts: 683

Posted 02/10/2012 12:36 PM
Agreed

I am a fan of JJ the Double Double Beast.

benh7777
Posts: 199

Posted 02/10/2012 9:52 PM
Problem is that there is not much to pick from. I think the best current NBA player would be Robin Lopez, as far as a free agent signing goes. And we need a center that can give us 30-35 minutes per game. Freeland wouldn't be a super star in the NBA but he could be very valuable much like Przybilla.

I am a fan of Effort

Austin Martin
Posts: 92

Posted 02/11/2012 2:43 PM
IDK much about Freeland, but we dont necessarly need a scorer, we need a hussler and rebounder. IE, what OKC has in Ibaka.
A stronger C.Johnson would provide that as he already puts in a lot of effort, and can block shots. The stregnth would allow him to rebound better which is what people are looking for.

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BlazerManiac
Posts: 683

Posted 02/13/2012 1:27 PM
Agreed, We have a lack of strong effort on the boards and that is what we need.

I am a fan of JJ the Double Double Beast.

Blazer247
Posts: 503

Posted 02/13/2012 11:33 PM
Camby is still one of the best rebounders in the game, and yes, he's getting old. But if there is any player out there that is something of a young Camby-esque up and comer, it's Chris Johnson. Let him learn the lengthy rebounding/blocking game from Marcus, and maybe even get a little bit of the groundwork from Kurt? In another year (when we'll STILL probably have Camby lol) Chris will be looking that much better than now, and soon enough he could be a stronger, younger, athletic version of our man, Marcus in the Middle.

I am a fan of BLAZER BASKETBALL. Not drafts, not business, not trades, not David Stern. Just BLAZER BASKETBALL.

BlazerManiac
Posts: 683

Posted 02/14/2012 10:33 AM
I agree, when Johnson plays he plays without fear and has so much heart and passion (which they are sorely missing). With proper weight training and coaching from Marcus and Thomas this kid could be another Marcus Camby. All he needs to do is be a stronger rebounder and that comes from upper body strength.

Someone work with him.

I am a fan of JJ the Double Double Beast.

jamsmashers
Posts: 276

Posted 02/14/2012 11:44 AM
On the other hand, if we could get Howard here, I personally think him and LA will bump heads wayyyyyyy to much. LA is outstanding at his post up style....and that is how DH plays. If i had a choice id give up LA for DH. But since id like to keep LA, I think a scrappy type player would work best, similar to Camby, just younger. (Brook Lopez is a free agent in the offseason is he not?)

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mbmurr1
Posts: 530

Posted 02/16/2012 9:46 AM
I agree

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stacksfan2005
Posts: 302

Posted 02/16/2012 10:15 AM
if howard could focus on defense and rebound and let LA be the scorer they would kill teams. later they could work on passing eachother and be unstoppable. i doubt we'd ever get howard though.

chris johnson got like 25seconds lat night, way to rest the bigs before the clippers game nate.

benh7777
Posts: 199

Posted 02/16/2012 10:25 AM
Howard is not coming to Portland, he doesn't want to come to Portland.

We don't want him anyway, he's got 2 years topps left of top shape, he is already showing signs of his age.
Portland will be in a rebuilding phase next year and you don't rebuild with an aging player as your center piece.

I say rebuilding not as a complete makeover, we will have LA and will resign a few of the current players we have. Blazers will be able to rebuild while still in the middle of the pack instead of starting at the basement.

I am a fan of Effort

BlazerManiac
Posts: 683

Posted 02/16/2012 3:36 PM
I agree we do not want someone mid-late career. We want to build a long term championship contender.

I am a fan of JJ the Double Double Beast.

Danimal
Posts: 3

Posted 02/17/2012 7:18 PM
I have to agree with you on gaining the 40 lbs. Right now he's just too soft.

BlazerManiac
Posts: 683

Posted 02/20/2012 10:36 AM
I am still trying to figure out why the Blazers are not getting him a Nutrionist and a Personal Trainer so start bulking him up.

I am a fan of JJ the Double Double Beast.

BlazerManiac
Posts: 683

Posted 02/29/2012 1:45 PM
Now that we have Pryz, Camby and Kurt Thomas we have all the peices to Mentor this guy into being a tough NBA Center. I really like this kid just needs to toughened up to play the low post.

I am a fan of JJ the Double Double Beast.

commontongue
Posts: 1436

Posted 02/29/2012 3:57 PM
And gain 20lbs.

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BlazerManiac
Posts: 683

Posted 02/29/2012 4:58 PM
Ideally 40lbs in muscle

I am a fan of JJ the Double Double Beast.

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