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The Year in Reflection
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  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2281

    Posted 01/07/2013 2:57 PM

    2012 was a busy year for me as I constantly spat out suggestions on what the team could do to be better, who we should draft, and I probably suggested trading everyone on the roster at one point. I just wanted to take a little time and look back at some of my biggest ideas from last year.


    #1 I must apologize to Nicolas Batum, I blasted him regularly last season and made one of the biggest threads about Batum not being worth 10 million. I then followed it up by suggesting he give 20% of his salary to charity because he only had 4 gears instead of 5. Batum has stepped up and earned his new contract. Sure he remains a little too passive on offense, his turnovers are a bit too high and defensively he still needs a little improvement. However, despite these few issues his game has been solid, he stopped disappearing when he is not scoring and he is one of the biggest reasons this team is in playoff contention. So Nicolas I am sorry.


    #2 Now for something I do not need to apologize for, Damian Lillard. It certainly helped that I had seen Lillard play live several times but several people on this thread believed the team would be much better off with someone like Kendall Marshall running the point.  I am very happy to see that Lillard is back to back rookie of the month and Marshall is D League fodder. 


    #3 Ersan Ilyasova I pushed for the Blazers to do everything to sign this guy because I thought he was the real deal. Maybe he is just lost in the PF shuffle in Milwaukee or maybe last year was an aberration but he just does not seem like the player who I felt could take over at PF if we dealt LA. 


    #4 Omer Asik As wrong as I was about Ilyasova, I totally nailed Asik. This dude would be a perfect fit on our roster adding size, rebounding and post defense. His offense has been slightly better than expected but it is still mostly just put back dunks and layups. However, 10.5 points and 11.4 rebounds at 30 minutes a game are certainly valuable contributions. His 8.33 million a year salary is also looking like a nice bargain at this point. 


    #5 Andre Drummond I was never a fan of keeping the number 11 pick. I wanted the Blazers to use the pick to move up in the draft. I had 4 players that I wanted the Blazers to take at the top of the draft. Anthony Davis who I still believe would have been worth trading LA for. Michael Kidd Gilchrist who defense and hustle I love. Damian Lillard who we took and Andre Drummond. I was cautious about his poor free throw shooting, still a problem, his jumper much better than expected, and his motor also much better than expected. Taking him over Lillard I felt would be a mistake. However, as he fell to #9 I could not believe the Blazers would not move up two spots to take such a polished defender and freak athlete. 


    Last year, was not perfect but I was right more than I was wrong. Furthermore, as it relates to Batum, I am very happy that he proved me wrong. On the other hand, I really really wish our front court would have been Asik, Drummond, and LA. I love JJ but defense wins championships and we do not play good team defense at all.  



    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2281

    Posted 01/08/2013 4:19 PM

    I guess I did not give much to reply to so I ask how did your predictions, suggestions and must have Blazers turn out? Did you nail the draft like I did or did you find your self on the Austin Rivers, Thomas Robinson hype train only to be disappointed? Did you have a super bench player suggestion that is killing it on another team? Or did you find yourself believing in Babbitt, Nolan and the rest of the Blazer bench?


    I had a pretty good year, and I hope you did too.

    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. freddead
    freddead
    Posts: 321

    Posted 01/09/2013 12:44 AM

    not going to lie agree with the whole asik thing whole heartly he'd be absolutely perfect for this blazer team could still skip drummond imo and just kept j.j. or let him go still got leonard cause i think leonard in a few years will be a good maybe great center cause of his athletic ability and touch drummond will never be a good shooter and leonard already is
    I am a fan of
  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2281

    Posted 01/09/2013 10:00 AM

    Leonard has potential but when compared to Drummond I do not believe he stacks up well. Drummond is a much more natural and skilled defender. Additionally, despite not having much of a jumper Drummond is still shooting around 60% because he limits his bad shots and gets most of his points on put backs and ally oops. Basically, he is a slightly less efficient version of Tyson Chandler right now. With his athleticism giving him a major advantage and some time his offense will continue to improve. 


    I like Leonard and think he has some upside but right now he needs major work, especially defensively where he lacks polish and fundamentals getting fooled into silly fouls or failing to close out on mid range shooters. Right now I wish we had Drummond but hopefully down the road I won't feel so strongly cause Meyers got better.

    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. Siccolo
    Siccolo
    Posts: 858

    Posted 01/09/2013 7:53 PM

    Drummond eats Leonard....Drummond has niche, he will go out there block shots, rebound, take high percentage shots, and does a lot of things out there.....22 Per I think

    But Leonard doesnt really do anything out there yet....Doesnt rebound well, or defend,....

    I am a fan of
  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2281

    Posted 01/09/2013 8:51 PM

    I think your being a little too hard on Leonard to say he doesn't do anything out there. He sure has struggled at times but he has also had some decent moments too. He is just not near the level of Drummond or Davis.

    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. BLASER
    BLASER
    Posts: 607

    Posted 01/09/2013 9:43 PM

    Posted By cmeese47 on 01/07/2013 2:57 PM 

    #4 Omer Asik As wrong as I was about Ilyasova, I totally nailed Asik. This dude would be a perfect fit on our roster adding size, rebounding and post defense. His offense has been slightly better than expected but it is still mostly just put back dunks and layups. However, 10.5 points and 11.4 rebounds at 30 minutes a game are certainly valuable contributions. His 8.33 million a year salary is also looking like a nice bargain at this point. 



    too bad we gave his rights away after picking him as as a second rounder a few years back 

    I am a fan of JJ Hickson Posterizing The Opposition
  1. Siccolo
    Siccolo
    Posts: 858

    Posted 01/09/2013 9:52 PM

    Thats what I thought at first CMeese .... But I just dont see him doing anything out there, Im not saying he will never be good, but its going to take a LONG TIME before he becomes truly productive. I just hope he finds something

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  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2281

    Posted 01/10/2013 9:46 AM

    I get your point but the man is just not getting any consistent minutes. I am not sure he could produce at least on the glass with some minutes.

    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. commontongue
    commontongue
    Posts: 1436

    Posted 01/11/2013 12:33 PM

    We just need to have a little more patience with Leonard. The kid is 20 years old. He doesnt get it... yet. But i attribute that to two things. One, he's a pup who doesnt know the fundamentals of the game yet. Particularly on defense. Two, we really dont have a solid big on the floor to teach him the nuances of the game. Camby or Pryz would have been a great mentor. Having Kim Hughes as a big man coach is one thing, but having a big man on the floor during scrimages and practices to knock him upside his head from time to time would have been  priceless lessons  to have him learn.
    I am a fan of Rip City Basketball
  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2281

    Posted 01/11/2013 1:07 PM

    I am okay being patient with Leonard, however, it would have been nice to land either Davis or Drummond because they already get it. All the rookies still have plenty of room to grow but Meyers at times seems like the most lost even when compared to others like John Henson, and Tyler Zeller

    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. commontongue
    commontongue
    Posts: 1436

    Posted 01/11/2013 1:27 PM

    While i agree that they get it meese,both of their teams have losing records. Not through any fault of their own,but when you thrust obvious talent into bad situations they tend to not develop as quickly. Individually they play well, but their teams are caca. I think its important that guys learn what it takes to have a winning mentality. Detroit beat us this year and im still sickened by that loss because they are an inferior team to us. They certainly couldnt beat us now.  Zeller has plateaued as far as his ceilings because of his college tenure. Leonard has more upside and room for improvement. He can still add something to his game. Henson needs to add some weight to his frame for what he's going to be asked to do. And how long was Leonard in college ? 1 year,2 ? Either way, he knows nothing about nothing right now, but i like his chances to become a damned good servicable center in this league.
    I am a fan of Rip City Basketball
  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2281

    Posted 01/11/2013 1:38 PM

    I hope so cause there seems to be a lot of quality bigs available in this draft and I would hate to miss out two straight years.

    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. commontongue
    commontongue
    Posts: 1436

    Posted 01/11/2013 1:47 PM

    Which ones do you see as being able to as Olshey says, move the needle meese ?
    I am a fan of Rip City Basketball
  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2281

    Posted 01/11/2013 3:58 PM

    Noel is a big one right away, Zeller and Len are also players that seem to have a bright future. Rudy Gobert is still a big unknown but at 7'1 and a 7'9 wing span there are huge expectations for him. Mason Plumlee looks solid as does Jeff Withey. Not sure if all are needle movers but the top 4 seem to be.

    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
  1. Siccolo
    Siccolo
    Posts: 858

    Posted 01/11/2013 4:03 PM

    Noel is someone I would LOVE to have next to Hick/Lamarcus


    I am a fan of
  1. cmeese47
    cmeese47
    Posts: 2281

    Posted 01/14/2013 9:13 AM

    I do like Noel he is a stud on defense but the dude is rail thin still needs to hit the protein powder hard

    I am a fan of Getting Defensive Players This Summer.
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