Pacers Forever wrote:Grang33r wrote:Why would Portland make this trade?
In reading articles about the trade Jru was with them and they traded him to the Celtics. So they know all about having him in Portland and must think that he has more left in the tank, like his defense, and want him to mentor his teammates into a defensive mindset. While I understand wanting to prepare their younger talent to play better defensively to me it seems like a reach. I just don’t know if he’s got that much left in the tank ? He appeared injured more this season and deferring to his teammates more than being a weapon for the Celtics. I have to think Brad Stevens made a great deal to reduce the tax penalty $41 million and past this season can weigh the pros or cons of re-signing Simmons.
Honestly,... I think this is more about Scoot?.... Simons has been playing point for the Blazers,... until Scoot seemed to level up at the end of the season. If you look at the Blazers roster,... they have no one that can not just mentor, but really coach Scoot to help him develop into the player he could be? If you look across the league,... the player that has the skillset & mindset that Scoot needs to develop, is Jrue.
Yeah,.. this is expensive. But, I have to believe that the Blazers will be doing more house-cleaning this summer. This gives them a chance to give Scoot a leg-up on his learning curve (something he said he always wanted,... to learn from veterans to improve his game), gives the whole team the chance to learn how to play & how to execute with a real PG pushing the offense & heading the defense. I'm not sure it gives them more wins next season,... but it should change the mindset of the whole team for 3 - 4 years from now,.. even if Jrue is retired by then?
Or,... I could have just had too much coffee & be reading too much into it?....
