Breaking Down the Portland Trail Blazers Best Trade Bait: The Portland Trail Blazers currently hold a 20-6 record, have played well on both ends of the floor and are tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for fifth in points-per-game differential. But since the ruling against the trading of newly signed players passed on December 15, teams are gearing up to make changes and improve. It’s a difficult situation for the Blazers, as they have one of the most cohesive starting lineups in the NBA. Each player is instrumental in what Portland does in one way or another, so it raises the question as to what a trade could do, for better or worse. The reserve unit doesn’t carry a great deal of credibility, ranking dead last in minutes per game per Hoops Stats, but the eternal parable of potential applies to a few players. Head coach Terry Stotts’ reluctance to give them a huge chunk of minutes in the rotation limits their ability to showcase their talents to entice another organization to make a trade. Given the Blazers’ third-best record in the Western Conference, there isn’t a true sense of urgency to make some modifications to the team. The bench could use a few tweaks, but Portland will be hard-pressed to receive an influx of quality contributors with very few outgoing assets to tempt other teams. But regardless, let’s take a look at the players who would act as the best trade bait for the Blazers this season. Thomas Robinson, PF Now in his third NBA season, Thomas Robinson hasn’t yet reached the level many predicted. While NBAdraft.net hit the nail on the head with Robinson being selected No. 5 overall in 2012 (by the Sacramento Kings), other sources like Draft Express and even Bleacher Report pegged the big man going No. 2 behind unanimous No. 1 selection Anthony Davis. Robinson’s potential was great coming out of Kansas, being an athletic and energetic rebounder. And to be fair, that’s exactly the role he’s filled for the Blazers to this point. With Robin Lopez out due to injury (hand), Robinson got the starting nod against the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 17. He chipped in 15 points and 16 rebounds, playing tremendously aggressive basketball with 15 free-throw attempts. Though he would only convert five of them, it still points to Robinson’s ability as an energy player. Those numbers were achieved in just 29 minutes of play. He has proven to be a solid contributor off the bench when given the opportunity, averaging 6.0 points and 5.7 rebounds on 51.6 percent shooting in 15.4 minutes after the All-Star break last season. Stotts has become (in)famous for how he handles his rotation, seemingly rewarding players when they play well but yanking them back to the pine after a few miscues. As a young player, Robinson hasn’t truly had the chance to showcase his ability. His start against the Bucks was the first in his NBA career. With Lopez out for an extended period of time, this is Robinson’s opportunity to lose. Stotts has entrusted him to start, though that could change depending on the matchup, as when Meyers Leonard started against the Brooklyn Nets back on Nov. 15. In any case, the minutes are there for Robinson. Portland’s front office informed Robinson it would not pick up his fourth-year option of $4.6 million for next season, per Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, but that may have more to do with freeing up cap space than trying to show him the door. Robinson’s reaction to the decision, per Freeman, was beyond the maturity of a 23-year old, articulating a measure of true humility: Its a business. Thats all youve got to understand. Youve got to realize that its bigger than you sometimes in this league. At the end of the day, its just a business. So all I can do is keep working hard. I want to stay thinking positive and thats what Im going to continue to do. Hopefully toward the end of the summer, the Blazers have a different mindset and they want to bring me back, because I want to be a part of this team. Something special is happening here. I want to be a part of it. As aforesaid, the Blazers don’t truly need to make any major shakeups. Robinson has become a fan favorite in Portland; his work ethic and hustle is appreciated, and he fills a role for the team. An energy guy who can come in and change the flow of the game is rare, but Robinson has showcased that quality time and time again. Remember this? As such, it’d be irrational for the Blazers to look to move him. But as part of a roster short on assets, Robinson may be the only one who wouldn’t be considered untouchable. He’s still young, with some obvious potential to demonstrate if given a break, which should come in Lopez’s absence. That’ll have a two-pronged effect for Portland: Either the Blazers will be blessed with a consistent hustler/rebounder off the bench who will shore up the reserve unit, or it’ll get general manager Neil Olshey’s phone buzzing about Robinson’s availability in a trade. Either way, it should work out well for the Blazers. Nicolas Batum, SF Hold your horses, keep your shirt on, etc. Bear with me. It must be noted how essential Nicolas Batum is to this team. He’s the do-it-all swingman for the Blazers, providing an uncommon blend of shooting, distributing, rebounding and defense. Batum acts as the point guard for the Blazers, allowing Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews to play off the ball as shooters. In turn, this spaces the floor for LaMarcus Aldridge and Lopez in the middle and creates driving lanes for Batum or any other perimeter player. His 5.2 assists per game rank No. 3 among all small forwards, while he’s No. 1 in assist-to-turnover ratio in the same measure with a mark of 2.92. On the other end, he’s regularly assigned the opposite team’s best offensive player. Per NBA, Batum holds opponents to 41.4 percent shooting overall and a lockdown percentage of 27.9 on attempts from three-point range. So just how can the Blazers dangle Batum as trade bait, you ask? Well, there are a few reasons. First and foremost, Batum has struggled offensively thus far. Though he’s normally an adequate shooter, he’s converted just 37.1 percent of his shots. But that’s not even the worst part. Avert your eyes: Batum’s knocking down three-point attempts at an abysmal 23.3 percent clip. That all might be a bit harsh, especially considering what happened against Milwaukee. As Batum drove for an easy dunk, the Bucks’ Larry Sanders let loose a shove from behind, causing him to lose his grip on the rim and crash to the floor (Sanders has since been suspended for one game). Per Freeman, Batum may miss a chunk of time: He watched practice in a sweatsuit and, while he put on a happy face and said all the right things, it was clear his injuries will jeopardize his short-term availability. When asked if he thought it might be best to sit for a couple days, he replied: Well see in 24 hours. The setback is another dose of bad injury luck for Batum, who missed four games in November with a right knee injury that required Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections. In fact, Batum’s shooting has dropped heavily since his return from the plasma therapy. After a four-game absence, he has shot 18.9 percent from beyond the arc. Prior to that, he had converted 34.4 percent of his long-range attempts. It’s clear his knees are still troubling him, prohibiting the appropriate lift and comfort of shot attempts from long range. If not that, then Batum may be overthinking it offensively and trying to compensate for his lowly percentages. And now with this current spell of spills (try saying that five times fast), the days ahead might still be dark for Batum and the Blazers. What’s comforting though, as well as a point in favor of trading Batum, is that Portland has gone 4-0 without him this season. He played in all 82 games last season, so there isn’t a true sample size to measure how well the team plays with or without him in the lineup. The Blazers won those four games by an average of 9.5 points, though the sole noteworthy opponent would be the New Orleans Pelicans on Nov. 17. The other matchups, against the Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets and Charlotte Hornets, were all one-sided in Portland’s favor. Batum’s role as the primary distributor was thrust onto Lillard’s shoulders, who performed well with his swingman sidelined. The All-Star point guard averaged 27 points and 8.2 assists in that span, shooting 53.9 percent from the field. While the duo work well together, in addition to Batum’s chemistry with other players, Lillard has showcased his ability to play the role as the primary ball-handler. It gives the Blazers a different look on both ends which still has the desired results in terms of victories. Again, those games did come against lesser competition. But Lillard’s play points to the potential of this group if the roles are shaken up. What’s more is that Aldridge, Lopez and Matthews will all be unrestricted free agents in the offseason. Courtesy of Basketball Insiders, the Blazers payroll will sit at $23 million in guaranteed salaries. Chris Kaman and Allen Crabbe possess non-guaranteed options, Steve Blake holds a $2.1 million player option, while Joel Freeland, Will Barton and Victor Claver can have qualifying offers extended. There’s a lot to account for since Portland’s payroll could change, but Batum’s salary checks in at $12.2 million for next season. It’s the last year in a back-loaded offer sheet extended by the Minnesota Timberwolves in July of 2012. Using Batum as trade bait would free up a sizeable chunk of salary, though the re-signing of Aldridge and Co. could still be accomplished with the lanky wing on the roster. All in all, there’s quite a bit of material to argue both in favor and against shopping Batum on the trade market. His all-around play is tied to what the Blazers do on both ends, despite the teams taking a different look in his absence. His poor play to this point could be a product of hampering injuries or just a bad start to the season. But either is troubling if you’re the Blazers, as one of your key guys isn’t just struggling but setting a record in futility. As of now, Batum has shot the worst three-point percentage of a small forward to attempt at least 100 three-point field goals in more than a decade. His offense may come in time, and it hasn’t damaged Portland’s offense too much since he isn’t a primary scorer, but it can’t keep happening. Between his shortcomings offensively, his bloated contract for next season and the potential limitations he places on Lillard, Batum is the juiciest piece of trade bait the Blazers can cast out. But simultaneously, he remains their most versatile player in terms of pure skill, athleticism and basketball IQ. This isn’t a call to send him packing, as Batum is integral to this group, but he gets the short straw if Portland has to pick. Read more NBA news on BleacherReport #Basketball #NBA #NBANorthwest #fantasybasketball
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 17:39:45 +0000
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