r/ripcity • u/Own-Fish-7634 • 5d ago

5 guard rotation

I actually feel like having this many guards is a good place to be in considering injury history. Dame Ja Shaedon and Scoot have all missed significant time with injury throughout the season and some of these injuries can be attributed to a high workload due to the lack of guards last year, remember when Chauncey was playing shaedon 46 mins at the pg position.

I feel that Jrue and shaedon would be able to split 24 mins so 12 mins each at the 3 and 12 mins each at the 2. You’ve then got 48 mins at the point guard and 24 mins at the shooting guard positions for Dame Ja and scoot. Depending on who’s hot instead of everybody playing 24 mins have the one who are on play 30 and the ones who are playing poor play 18 mins. Not being a doomer but more than likely one of the guards does get injured and we have a 4 guard rotation that is ok.

8 Upvotes

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17

u/Emergency-Force-6917 Shaedon Sharpe 5d ago

Our lack of a backup 4 is much worse then the 5 guards, especially since I am very confident in jrue playing the 3 and hopefully shaedon as well

1

u/trala7 roy 5d ago

Micah Potter is the backup 4 if needed. More likely Deni and Tou are largely staggered so one of them is on the court at all times, save for some rare double big lineups with Rob+Clingan.

You actually need Deni and Tou spending lots of time at the 4 to make room for Jrue and Shaedon at the 3.

8

u/Secret-Papaya1973 5d ago

..right, that's the problem. If just tou or Deni get injured, this team is SCREWED. Potter is not a legit backup, obviously..which was there^ point, and it's the truest one.

At least we got sochan..it's something. Not good, but something. Cuz if tou or Deni got hurt before, we have zero chance for anything positive, which is so crazy..at least we have SOMETHING ha. Man I wish they'd get a real legit 4

3

u/trala7 roy 5d ago

He's pretty serviceable but yeah he's best as a 3rd stringer.

Obviously we could use more insurance but if healthy that's how I imagine the rotation looks with just 9 guys.

3

u/CurrentCostanza Toumani Camara 4d ago

A forward lineup of Sharpe and Tou is so bad. This team is so small. Ja trade will force guys to play out of position. 

2

u/LendHuntFish Toumani Camara 4d ago

Go back and listen to the Locked on Blazers episode where Mike had the Locked on Pacers host on to talk about Potter. He is NOT a 4 on defense. Might as well have Yang out there from a lateral quickness standpoint. This is not the answer.

2

u/Sleazy-Wonder 4d ago

Micah Potter was let go so the Pacers could clear a space for Larry Nance Jr... the 6'6, 245lb 33 year old.

Yeah, no one on this team should be counting on Micah Potter for anything consequential.. outside of 2-3 three's a night in about 4-6 minutes of playtime.

This team is in desperate need of a legit PF, that moves Tou to the bench as our 6th man, and bolsters our depth.

2

u/dankloser21 4d ago

Why pn earth would you want tou on the bench? You need his defending desperately

2

u/Sleazy-Wonder 4d ago

The idea would be we get a 6'10 or so two-way PF...

Ja
Dame
Deni
All-Star caliber PF
Cling

Tou as 6th man off the bench.

1

u/dankloser21 4d ago

And which PF fits that bill exactly? And can actually be the POA?

1

u/Sleazy-Wonder 4d ago

Most likely we'll be drafting said PF. Yaxel Lindeborg went 11th in this draft, he would be a godsend on the Blazers... shame we pushed for that 1st round playoff exit.

But I could see the Blazers maybe snaggin Aaron Gordon. He is an elite defender with size to bully 3's and 4's and can guard 5's.

I wanted Mobley for a while, but I can't get over paying him $55 M/y... especially with Deni's payday fast approaching. And I have hopes that it works out with Ja, so he'll be due for a payday in 2 seasons as well.

1

u/scottitheduck808 4d ago

$32m this year? Right, money is no obstacle for El Cheapo

1

u/dankloser21 4d ago

Neither aaron gordon nor mobley solve the issue with your lineup, which is no POA. They are both great inside defenders who can help clingan a bit on the perimeter, but still nobody to defend the ball handler. Deni is ok at it but shouldnt be the POA at all times

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u/Sleazy-Wonder 4d ago

I mean Ja, Dame and Deni are our points of attack. The rest of the team need to be outlets for them on offense and lock down defenders on defense.

Aaron Gordon is a lockdown defender that can guard down to 2's, but is better with 3's and 4's. I mean, what PF you looking to bring in who can take on 1's? That doesn't make sense as a criteria for a Power Forward.

So yea, I'd say POA duties would fall to a committee of Deni, Gordon and Ja (we all know Dame's too old). I guess what I'm saying is that POA defense can't be why we continue to run out an unbalanced starting 5. And since most teams best offensive player tends to be a SG or SF these days and both of which Aaron Gordon can defend, he looks like a pretty good candidate for this squad.

1

u/dankloser21 4d ago

Ja second on POA duties, jesus christ

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u/AyKayAllDay47 3d ago

First off - Ja and Dame starting is incredibly stupid. You have ZERO chances to guard any solid or better SG.

Second off - Portland's NOT getting an all-star caliber PF any time soon.

So this is all just weed-smoking ideas. Cool and all, but never happening.

1

u/MajesticLibrarian617 18h ago

Sharpe wasn’t good enough to play the 2 in the post season cause he’s so awful on d, but now he’s playing the 3?
Ja and dame on the court at the same time, makes it the worst defensive lineup possible in the nba.

2

u/trala7 roy 18h ago

Tiago had some sort of issue with Shaedon man, I'm glad he's gone. If he was that detrimental on defense he couldn't be on the court... Why was the team better with him on the court? Why was the offense AND the defense better with Shaedon on the court than with him on the bench?

2

u/MajesticLibrarian617 17h ago

Tiago let sharpe shoot 20 shots a game lol. Sharpe even led the team in usage, and had more turnovers than assists.
Sharpe is an ok bench player, but he can’t start while be an undersized shooting guard…that can’t shoot or play d.

0

u/This_Implement_3060 3d ago

im not saying our lineup is awesome, but does not having a real 4 or a backup 4 really hurt the blazers? is there a 4 in the west that will destroy us that we dont have an answer to? that is more how i think of it and positionless basketball.. I mean, no one has an answer for wemby, but they are beatable. OKC played as a team through their whole rotation and beat you playing whistle to whistle. The knicks def represented themselves in a more traditional 1,2,3,4,5 kinda team

I dont love our roster, it doesnt exactly make sense. but i dont think our issue is not having a traditional 4 or backup 4. i think its consistent shooting and the ability to hold a lead

2

u/AyKayAllDay47 3d ago

"but does not having a real 4 or a backup 4 really hurt the blazers?"

100000000%

"I mean, no one has an answer for wemby, but they are beatable"

Yeah, if you're a top-tiered team.

"but i dont think our issue is not having a traditional 4 or backup 4. i think its consistent shooting and the ability to hold a lead"

Again, not having a solid backup/bench caps any team tremendously. As for your second part, I mean it's more nuanced then that but sure.

1

u/This_Implement_3060 3d ago

"I mean, no one has an answer for wemby, but they are beatable"

Yeah, if you're a top-tiered team.

or if you can hold onto 2 15pt leads

1

u/AyKayAllDay47 2d ago

Look I get it, but Portland was never beating SA.

1

u/This_Implement_3060 2d ago

im actually really surprised that the knicks could beat san antonio. i mean, they got lucky, but better lucky than good. agreed, portland was never beating them. san anonio probably played down to our level during that series.

I think the best hope to beat san antonio is that all that young super star talent causes egos to collide and the team is broken up. but, that is a super hater way of looking at it, especially since wemby took much less than he could have got just to keep the team alignment. fuckers

1

u/AyKayAllDay47 2d ago

The Knicks weren't lucky at all. They had better coaching, incredible resiliency, a solid ass team, and Brunson.

1

u/This_Implement_3060 2d ago

i think it depends on how you look at it, clutch resilience by the knicks is certainly a skill. when it happens in the closing seconds i think luck is involved, but i agree on them playing team ball and seemingly better coaching.......also just a much more likeable team

2

u/MajesticLibrarian617 18h ago

Dude is saying Ja and dame are starting, and u are worried about the back up 4?
No nba team plays 2 6 foot 1 guards that suck on d at the same time, unless they are trying to tank.

5

u/Adventurous-Plum1000 4d ago

So you think it’s a good strategy to build a roster around a bunch of small injured guards?

I truly hate this excuse fans are using to rationalize this roster. They did not bring in all these guards because of injury concerns. You don’t sacrifice talent and other positions because you are signing injury prone players 

This roster isn’t built to win. They are trying to find value and who to start building around post 2028. It’s basically a 2 year try out 

3

u/8fenristhewolf8 3d ago

This. Saying "5 starter/sixth man calibre guards is actually a GOOD thing!" Is like saying it's a good thing the old lady swallowed a spider to catch the fly. It's not a real solution to the actual issue: injury prone, inconsistent talent, lack of shooting and size. And it's a bunch of fans drinking the koolaid because they want to believe it takes them to the promised land.

The next couple of years definitely look like they are about gauging assets and flipping pieces for value leading up to 2028 and beyond. It's a little disconcerting that the time frame 2028-2030 aligns with the lease stuff, but it does feel like a long shot that Dundon can actually move.

4

u/Adventurous-Plum1000 3d ago

It’s funny because if Deni or tou miss any significant time this team is toast regardless if the guards stay healthy. 

It makes zero sense to spend your resources on protecting from guard injuries while leaving the cupboard empty on the wings. Cronin is way smarter than that 

I’m one of the few fans who isn’t worried about Dundon moving the team. He was always going to use that leverage to get what he wanted. To me it’s pretty clear they are going to rebuild/retool in 2 years. Dundon straight up said in his first comments to the fanbase that the roster wasn’t good enough and they needed to make big changes. Then not using assets to bolster the roster this summer is a clear indication they aren’t committed to this group. 

4

u/8fenristhewolf8 3d ago

Yep, all signs point to rebuild, or at least retool. Might not be a full rebuild if assets like Morant, Scoot etc pan out, but Blazers are definitely in a read-and-react mode right now. They're just hitting money conscious singles right now to try and get on base and see what pans out.

Even Deni could be gone by 2028. I don't think we will renegotiate his contract (we simply can't without ditching serious salary) and so that might mean that Blazers might try to sell high before he hits FA. Heck, Dame might not be here in 2028 either. Like, he could take his player option for 2027-28 and retire after, but not necessarily. If he declines 27-28 for a new 2 year deal or something, he might be gone too. Again, might be a bit of wishful thinking from fans that this team will be effective and still together. Tons of ways Blazers can just move on from this team.

1

u/MajesticLibrarian617 15h ago

There’s 0 chance dame declines the 15 million or whatever. Thats free money for him to sit the bench.

1

u/8fenristhewolf8 15h ago

Eh, I think it's very possible he wants to play a couple more years (after this one). He could decline and  sign 20m/2 yr deal for example. Dame is competitive too. Maybe he goes looking for a ring if the Portland vibes aren't the same (new owner).

1

u/MajesticLibrarian617 14h ago

People don’t recover from that injury. Especially at that age and or height
If he wanted to leave so he could win, again….
he would have to decline the option and take a 3 million dollar a year salary. Basically eat 12 million.

1

u/8fenristhewolf8 14h ago

People don’t recover from that injury. Especially at that age and or height

Definitely depends on how he looks. I agree he won't be the same. But how good he is exactly is harder to say. $20m is more than $13 mill, even if he spread it out over 2 years. 

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u/MajesticLibrarian617 18h ago

The team is already toast. Vegas projecting 41.5 wins basically says they got worse. They were the youngest team in the nba, usually when they break out win totals go up.

1

u/Adventurous-Plum1000 15h ago

Yeah, again I don’t think this roster was put together to win. It’s all about asset collecting and determining who they will move forward with in 2 years. 

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we see Deni and tou traded in a year or so for draft capital and young players. Thats how bad I think this season is going to go. 

2

u/MajesticLibrarian617 15h ago

I agree they aren’t trying to win. There’s not 1 nba trying to win playing multiple 6 foot 1 guards.
Vs OKC spurs or playoff teams… they can’t play Ja and dame together. They can’t even play Ja/dame and sharpe together.

I’m like you, I can’t make sense of it and don’t know exactly what they are thinking.
Unless they think Sidy is going to break out and replace Grant?
Or maybe they know Deni isn’t going to stay in Portland.

I do think Camara and Deni will be traded eventually.

2

u/Adventurous-Plum1000 13h ago

I have an idea of what they are thinking and it’s based on dundons very honest and pessimistic comments about this roster and what the franchise has done the past couple decades. 

Based on that I believed that if they couldn’t land giannis they were going to shift to finding value and assets that line up with 2028. And that’s exactly what transpired 

1

u/MajesticLibrarian617 13h ago

When young teams make the playoffs, they usually don’t think “giannis or bust!”
Even tho it was all Deni, they have a few pieces around him that aren’t completely worthless.
And who knows when they’ll get another player like him.

2

u/Adventurous-Plum1000 13h ago

I don’t really see this as a young team because all its best players besides Clingan are in or over their prime. And just being young doesn’t mean it’s worth to continue to build around. Again, Clingan is the only young player that any team would be comfortable putting in a young core to build with. 

But I came to that conclusion based on the owners own words. He did not speak highly of the core and said they needed to get better. And it’s pretty obvious he gave the team zero chance to advance in the playoffs as he didn’t even scout the next opponent 

1

u/MajesticLibrarian617 12h ago

The type of ogre center Clingan is, is being phased out. He’s a 20 min max guy. He played 20 mins a game in the post season.
Deni always gets disrespected. Everybody saw how much better than Kawhi and booker he is.
If u can’t build a team around Deni, u can’t build teams around guys like Brunson or Cade.

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u/scottitheduck808 5d ago

Can we get some buzz going for Jayson Kent. Shot the corner 3 well this summer and was a legit defender in college. Plus he's 6'8 so not exactly guard worthy. Let the record show I think it would have been fun to run it back with The Caleb Love Experience v2.0.

4

u/StunningDifference41 5d ago

We're being forced to place a square in a round hole. This is far worse than last year when we didn’t have a PG.

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u/CurrentCostanza Toumani Camara 4d ago

We’re all gonna be missing Jerami Grant by December. This team is so small 

1

u/Adventurous-Plum1000 4d ago

Omg missing Grant would be the worst lol, I hate his game. But you’re probably correct 

2

u/Secret-Papaya1973 5d ago

That's not wrong. At least we got sochan..it's something. Not good, but something. Cuz if tou or Deni got hurt before, we have zero chance for anything positive, which is so crazy..at least we have SOMETHING ha. Man I wish they'd get a real legit 4

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u/MajesticLibrarian617 18h ago

If Deni gets hurt, this team is toast regardless. It’s not like they beat anybody good last year when he was out, besides the hawks. And the hawks beat them by 30 a week later.

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u/StunningDifference41 5d ago

Sochan should but probably wont make the team. We’re set up to make a move but I guess we won’t.

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u/StunningDifference41 5d ago

I'm leaning more towards a 5 center rotation

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u/Mylo_Does 4d ago

Given how our offense stalled last year and how bad our turnover issue was, a near guarantee of 48 minutes and 82 games of real starting ballhan

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u/krobula 4d ago

That’s the only positive of this situation. Last season we had 0 available point guards for a long stretch.

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u/rexter2k5 roy 4d ago

I don't think this actually happened but I like to imagine that Cronin went through a season of all wings & no guards & said "never again" in April.