Dealing with a huge roster

[Mr Odd]

The Blazers are at a point where they dont
really need anymore young players (draft
picks). What the team needs are vets who
fill in the holes that this team has right now.

The holes.
Now there is a lot of debate on what are the
biggest needs for this team, but I think most
agree it is rebounding/toughness and a player
who can score & wants to score. Which is the
bigger need?? I use to think it was rebounding
and toughness but its clear to me that we not
only need that but also a scorer.. .

I think the Blazers need to bring in a vet to help
with the rebounding/toughness, im not sure a
rookie can do that right away, which the team
needs. Its not unheard of, but it can be a hit or
miss type of thing, with a vet you know what
youre getting. Asfar as scoring there will be lots
of guys out there that the Blazers can get thru FA.
However im thinking we may have one already
on the team.. .Travis Outlaw. But in order for him to
become one hes going to have to start & with Oden
coming im thinking Travis is going to get even less
time, unless he goes to the SF, but I think hes a PF.
Its key to have outside shooters, especially when
the game is on the line, if Odens in that puts LMA
at PF leaving the SF spot open for Jones or Webster,
unless you move Outlaw to SF, Webster or Jones to
SG and Roy to PG.. .but then where does Rudy come
in at if he becomes a good player?? I really think Travis
has a good chance in becoming a bigtime player, especially
at the offensive end. It will be a mistake not to give him big mins!!

Anyway, the Blazers are going to have to cut the roster down some
and figure out what theyre going to do with Travis & his mins when
Oden starts to play.. .because once Oden is playing at the end of
games it throws LMA from C to PF and leaves Travis hanging.. .

[PDXKnight]

32mpg tier
Roy
LMA
Oden

28mpg tier
Martell
Outlaw
Rudy

24mpg tier
Blake
Jack
Jones
Frye
Joel

18mpg
Sergio
2008 1st


The Blazers should definitely look to trade Jack assuming Rudy comes over this offseason. Aside from that, Frye, sergio, and Martell definitely have value and could get a good return so it's something to consider. As for Joel, I see him playing a reduced role with Oden in the Mix. There's no reason to trade Joel, he'll give us 10-15 minutes of energy defensively off of the bench when Oden rests.

[d-train]

I don't agree that the Blazers have any difficult roster decisions to make. It's very simple. Oden, Roy, and Aldridge are the core of the team. Travis Outlaw is showing great potential and the other players are all expendable pieces that can be improved upon to fill the teams remaining needs. So, if you do the math there are 15 roster spots minus 4 filled spots, which leaves 11 available roster spots for the best players available. Some of the 11 spots will be occupied by names already on the roster and hopefully some will not.

As for playing time, that

[swede]

As for playing time, that

[Wizenheimer]

-= original quote snipped =-



Why isn't Frye that guy? He's 40th in the league in rebound rate, which puts him at about the 85th percentile if I'm doing the math in my head correctly, and that's pretty darned good. On top of that, he's young, getting better, and he is deadly from 18'. That's a pretty darned good guy to have coming off the bench. Plus, like Aldridge his rebounding should get better once other teams have to put two bodies on Oden underneath.

I've made that point a few times before and it always seems to be ignored in the amorphous desire for a "rebounder".

And actually Frye's rebounding numbers are quite good. Like you said, he ranks 40th in rebound rate. LMA ranks 66. Joel ranks 7.

The first problem with the desire for a rebounder is there aren't a lot available. A guy who will come to portland and average 6 minutes a game isn't going to help much. Guys deserving a lot more minutes means portland would have to revamp their frontline.

It's easy to say 'exchange frye for a rebounder'. KP won't find it an easy task though. And then there's the little problem of minutes next season when Oden is in the rotation. Oden will take all of frye's minutes and some of Joel's in a rough calculation. If LMA deserves 32-35 minutes and Oden 30, suddenly there's only about 30 minutes a gane to divide between Pryzbilla, Outlaw, and that 'rebounder'. I suppose you could think about trading away Pryzbilla to make more minutes available. But why would you trade away the 7th best rebounder in the NBA to make room for a rebounder?

And then there's the issue of Travis Outlaw. I predict he won't be traded. So if Oden, Joel, LMA, and Outlaw are around for a while, just where in hell are the minutes for a rebounder/banger going to come from? And just how will it affect the rotation?

[Jsun947]

Well consider the following...

1.) Oden & Przybilla can only play one position.
2.) Roy will get his 37 minutes in at SG. Even if he is assuming the PG role on offense there has always been our point gaurd in the game with him.
3.) Aldridge will get his 34 minutes at PF.

C - Oden (32), Przybilla (16)
PF - Aldridge (34), ? (14)
SF - ? (48)
SG - Roy (37), ? (11)
PG - ? (48)

That leaves 121 minutes between Frye, Outlaw, Webster, Jones, Blake, Jack, Rudy, and Sergio... Is that enough minutes to go around? No. I think we need to drop two of those players out of the rotation...