What is the bigger hole to fill on the Blazers??

[Mr Odd]

Whats the bigger hole to fill on this Blazers team??

Vote & Explain

Thanks!!


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Im going to go with rebounding & toughness off the
bench at the PF spot. The reason why is because I
dont think Oden will fill all of the need. Dont get me
wrong, I think he should help a ton in that area, but
even with Przy & Oden I feel we're going to need one
more hardnosed player & loves to rebound & get into
peoples faces. The Blazers will need that in the playoffs.

The reason why I didnt vote for scoring is because Rudy
may fill that need, plus its a lot easier to get a banger I
think then a scorer without screwing up the team to much.

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Anyway, those are my reasons.. .whats yours??

[PDXKnight]

We need a banger PF more than anything. Rudy should provide the scorer role at SG (backup or with Roy at PG), but the Blazers really need a banger PF more than anything. Rebounding (or lack therof) is clearly needed especially on the white unit and a player like Milsap or Davis would fit our needs to a tee.

[Dome]

I think it's some clearity from the PG spot, because the whole offense starts there. Oden will come in and strengthen the frontcourt next year, and I think with Oden, Aldridge, Przybilla, Frye and maybe even Outlaw snooping a few minutes at PF the Blazers have enough there compared to the questionmark that is the PG situation in Portland at this point. Finding a good PG that fits the coach's style and complements the rest of the future stars on this team is going to be a lot harder than to find a bigman who can bang a bit as well. No contest IMO.

[Fitz303]

It depends.. If we're talking for just this year, we need a banger down low to get some defensive rebounds and stop allowing other teams grab them on the offensive glass. Next year I think having either Oden or Joel out there almost the entire time will help a great deal, along with hopefully improvement from LMA and Frye (although Frye has done pretty well). If we're talking next year and beyond, I guess I would go with another scorer. I still think we have an alright set up with Blake IF he can continue to do what hes been doing lately, and not revert back to his over dribbling and bricking ways of earlier in the season when he was trying to tap into his former Maryland partners bag of tricks

[Norm2953]

I'm on record as saying we will ultimately need to add a scoring
threat to play alongside of Roy. We can do better than Blake
for Oden is going to reduce the critical need for rebounding. We
don't know if Rudi can really play until he comes over and shows us.

[Mr Odd]

Just a quick follow up question:

To those who think Oden will fix the rebounding
and toughness problem, do you think Oden will
avg around 15rpg, or how many do you think??

Just wondering peoples expectations on his rbs.

Thanks!!

[Norm2953]

I think Oden will help the rebounding and toughness issues
but getting a physical PF is much easier than adding a scoring
SG. I expect Oden to average 10-12 PPG and 8-10 RPG and
he will team with JP to give us the best center tandem in the
league.

[b_roy7]

On Oden's rebounding: I really think it will depend from game to game on how many rebounds he gets. If everyone(guards) come in to help with that, Oden should get 7-12 rebounds. If it's one of those days where no one can rebound for crap and the other team grabs offensive boards every other trip, Oden will be there, stop that and get 20+. I'll have to see how the team changes up front before making a true prediction though.

[Fitz303]

I see Oden getting about 9-10 rbs per game, pending staying out of foul trouble.. On top of that, hes a big body that BOXES OUT.. Thats such a huge problem that we have and Oden is very good at it from what I saw of it in college. Boston got 13 offensive rebounds during that game. Say they convert on half of those, and youre looking at 14 pts (2.25 points per basket). Having Oden in there to take up the paint would be huge for this team. Dwight Howard as a raw 19 year old rookie averaged 10rpg.. I dont think its too much to think that Oden could do the same, if not a little better. When Odens out, Joels in, so you never really lose that toughness during the game. Man I cant wait until next season!

[Wizenheimer]

I voted for the scoring guard, although I really think blazer needs are in another direction then the poll allows.

As to 'adding' a banger up front: it should at least be acknowleged that option would require a re-design of the frontline. Either Outlaw's or Frye's minutes would disappear, and next season, the muscle-man logjam would increase. It's great to think about a theoretical player, but then you have to start looking at who would be realistically available and the equation changes. In another thread along this line I posted the per40 rebounding numbers of Frye versus some of the bangers that have been mentioned on this board. And frye's numbers were actually quite good. And none of those guys can hit a mid-range jumper and spread a defense like Frye can.

And of course, the need for more rebounding and toughness may be to a large extent addressed by one Greg Oden, especially if LMA comes in next season a bit stronger then now. (and by the way, the desire for a banger is a direct statement on LMA...he needs to get better around the basket)

Another scorer beside brandon roy in the backcourt would help, especially after oden starts playing.

But more then either of those options, I think portland needs more physical players on the perimeter at the SG and SF positions. They have a surplus of long skinny guys like LMA, Outlaw, Jones, Blake, and likely Fernandez. They need one or two guys capable of defending, bumping, fighting screens and hitting the boards. Martell may develop that kind of game...he has that kind of nba body...but that's not certain.

I know he's hated a lot here, but the fact is that Jarret Jack may be the 2nd most physical blazer after Joel. He's the one perimeter player who shows a willingness to fight through screens. He's skill chalenged at times but at least he shows a willingness to mix it up.

In last night's game the Boston perimeter players played physical pressure defense and it worked. They were right in the blazer grills all night. Portland needs a player or 2 like that, but I don't know which rotation player would be sacrificed to add that physical presence.

[Yadadimean]

After watching the Boston game, our most glaring need was thoroughly exposed. Our roster is deficient and devoid of NBA officials. What we need is more refs on our team. You see what happens when Boston hires a few...

[Voodoo]

I haven't read all the posts on this thread yet, but I think people are forgetting that Joel will be coming off the bench next year. He will definitely fill the role of a rebounder off the bench, Frye and Joel work well together and would make a formidable lost post duo for the second unit. Rudy should take Jack spot next year hopefully, or the SG spot and move Roy to PG so that should be resolved too. I don't think we should do anything at all this year with the exceptions of unbelievably good trades, which almost certainly wont happen. I think we should just let the team continue building chemistry (even though that apparently doesn't win basketball games according to some people) until next year, then tinker with the team.

[Voodoo]

After watching the Boston game, our most glaring need was thoroughly exposed. Our roster is deficient and devoid of NBA officials. What we need is more refs on our team. You see what happens when Boston hires a few...

Oh my god, dude you crack me up! I was not ready for a joke out of left field that was almost unfair, that joke was not funny but the lead into it totally got me. Anyway I agree with you on this point, there should be a new option added to the poll, one I hadn't thought of, the buying a ref option. Seriously though the way things are going in Miami that might actually be an option here in a few years, just would be an indirect way of buying a ref, as in buying D-Wade.

[DanBlazer]

I think Pritchard will first look at how much Oden's presence helps our rebounding next year before getting a banger, or if there is one available in the second round he may fill it there.

Definetly I would say a scoring guard would help the team a lot more. Pairing a star guard alongside Roy would mean other teams could get beaten inside or outside consistently and would cause matchup nightmares for opposition defenses. I'm hoping Pritchard can work some magic for whichever guard slides in the draft, being either Mayo, Rose, Gordon, or Bayless.

Of course, If Rudy proves to be a high caliber scoring guard then we are already set but we won't know that until next year. If Rudy penetrates and can shoot as well as we all hope, then we should just look at adding even more depth at any position, wherever the need may be.

[Yadadimean]

-= original quote snipped =-



Oh my god, dude you crack me up! I was not ready for a joke out of left field that was almost unfair, that joke was not funny but the lead into it totally got me. Anyway I agree with you on this point, there should be a new option added to the poll, one I hadn't thought of, the buying a ref option. Seriously though the way things are going in Miami that might actually be an option here in a few years, just would be an indirect way of buying a ref, as in buying D-Wade.

WELL DAMMIT MAN!! DO I CRACK YOU UP OR AM I NOT FUNNY?????!!!?!?!?! LOL