OK, so how hard is it going to be to trade Andre Miller NOW?
Andre Miller and Nate McMillan got into a heated shouting match during Blazer practice today, according to Jason Quick.
I found Kevin Pritchard’s reaction interesting:
“I encourage open and honest dialogue, I think that is always good,” Pritchard said. “I think it can be (healthy). We have the ability to take it one of two ways and I believe in the character of this team, and you know, I think we can come together.’
Man, that’s some real nice spinning there. Turning this into a positive wasn’t easy. All I can say is that I hope they didn’t keep Miller around so long that they have ruined any trade value he may have. He’s going to have to go and now, after this, the team is surely going to be dealing from weakness, rather than strength.
It was obvious a month ago that the dislike for Miller, whether it originates from Brandon Roy, Nate McMillan, the entire team or whomever, is going to inhibit his ability to fit into this organization. At that point, there was no reason to delay his exit, once Dec. 15 came and went.
UPDATE FOR COMMENTERS: Folks, his trade value is not diminished because people will suddenly think he’s a bad guy. It’s diminished because everyone is going to know that the team now MUST trade him. When you’re trying to move a guy you have to move, you’re going to get low-balled. It’s a fact in any sport.
Now, of course, they’re going to say all is fine and they don’t have any plans of trading him. I doubt it and so will everyone else around the league.
NBA, Trail Blazers | Dwight Jaynes | January 7, 2010
Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, Kevin Pritchard, Nate McMillan, Portland Trail Blazers
What this says is Brandon can’t play nice with others and Nate is going to let him continue to do that. Brandon pouted when Greg was in and wouldn’t give him the ball. He played like he was insulted someone could outshine him.
Nate’s an idiot. Not playing Miller in the 4th quarter of the Memphis game was borderline idiotic. It was only a matter of time after that.
We won’t get anyone good for Miller. Good work in the offseason Pritch.
Bayless keyed the run that brought Portland back and gave them the lead in the first place. I can understand keeping him in ahead of Andre.
You are clueless. Bayless helped key the comeback. Zach stealing offensive rebounds from LMA is what keyed their comeback. It had nothing to do w/ Bayless or Miller. Find something else to cry about, this is a non-issue.
He is not clueless, while it is true that Bayless helped key the comeback, the fact remains that Bayless is still up and down, even in that vary game. Once the team got up, Bayless had a few plays that made me want Miller back. And Miller has proven in his short time with the team that he is a closer.
The only reason to keep Bayless in the game is to get him that experience, and I love that, because Bayless should be a Blazer for a long time, while Miller is just a stop gap, but if that is the case then just say so Nate!
The only non-positive thing Bayless did during the final Memphis run was miss a 3pt attempt. Don’t even try to convince me Miller would have hit it. Zach’s rebounding was the difference, it had nothing to do w/ Bayless or Miller.
NOOOOOOOOO Harris to U…Bayless missed the free throw…THAT was critical! We all know your stance..quit YOUR CRYING! You the PR for Natey and Bayless????1
Bayless also missed the first free throw
Perhaps before we all armchair quarterback this issue here, we should take a breath and see if we can hear just what Miller and McMillan were arguing about.
From the article in Oregonlive, it’s not entirely clear what they were arguing and shouting about for 30 minutes. Something maybe having to do with Miller’s role in Bayless making the 2nd free throw.
Maybe. Who knows. Relax for a sec, folks.
Can we trade for Adleman?
Hear! Hear!
Adelman would never do something so stupid as to sit Miller those last 5 minutes against Memphis. But, that’s typical Nate.
In response to the question, “Who’s to blame?”: I preface this by saying there’s as many perspectives as there are radii extending from a single point. My perspective comes from having footed the bill for the last 11 seasons for season tickets when everyone else abandoned the team including every talk show, sports columnist, fan, business, and player, too. I want to win a Championship. To this end, Kevin Pritchard is the man who’s going to get me that Championship. Nate McMillan is not. The constant bashing of Andre Miller is a direct result of the difference of opinion that Nate has with Kevin. Kevin’s right. Nate’s wrong. Nate is stubborn and refuses to take the “suggestions” that Kevin has given him when it comes to playing certain people (Bayless, Jack, and Miller, in particular). Nate’s been called out by everyone in the USA who has half a brain when it comes to this issue of Miller not playing over Blake. Blake should be getting no more than 20 minutes per game, if that. Pritchard has given Nate the horses to run, run, and run some more. Nate, in his anal-retentive best, refuses to do anything that hints of him not having total control of every single second of basketball. Nate plays basketball scared. It’s a philosophy that would work in College. It doesn’t work in the Pros. I am so glad that Nate is on a 1-year contract. I’m hoping that Paul Allen’s likeness for the guy (Nate’s obviously a great human being) doesn’t interfere with his decision to take Pritchard’s recommendation that another Head Coach be hired who can take this team to a Championship. While no General Manager can or should micro-manage a basketball season, that Memphis fiasco was Nate at his best and a microcosm of Nate’s philosophy and insistance that his way is the only way. Nate doesn’t even see how he’s tried to mold Jerryd into a Steve Blake clone (make him a 3-point shooter who stands on the line waiting for SuperRoy to save the day (and Roy ain’t so Super…I know a couple of his favorite strippers in Seattle that he sees on a regular basis, but, Roy’s just smart about it…I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know)) instead of taking advantage of Bayless’ extraordinary skills (he was 22-24 from the free-throw line against Stanford’s Twin Towers in two games…that’s why Pritchard went after him). And, all of this BS that I hear seemingly from every crack of media that’s out there that Andre Miller isn’t “complimentary” to Roy is for people who are best left just watching the games and eating their concessions. Andre Miller and Jerryd Bayless are both “complimentary” to Roy because they help Roy to get opposing players in foul trouble. If Bayless and Miller each cause 5 or 6 fouls to be committed against them, that makes it more likely that some Starter isn’t going to be on the floor when Roy is doing his drive’s to the basket. How much easier does that make it for Roy. Blake can’t do this (Blake is the worst point guard I’ve ever seen for the minutes he’s received, and it’s only because of Roy and Nate). Blake also can’t do this: When Bayless and Miller penetrate, they draw 3 or 4 people to them, leaving others open for easy shots, including Roy. It’s Miller who should be at the point with the ball and Roy on the wing waiting for a pass (God Forbid, Nate draws up a play where Miller has it first and he finds either the open Roy or the open Aldridge, or takes it himself). Roy’s ego is every bit as large as Kobe Bryant’s and Michael Jordan’s. That’s a problem. Roy has turned Miller into the bad guy and Nate’s allowed it to happen because he disagrees with Kevin on how to use Miller.
A lot of this could have been solved if Pritchard had just gotten rid of Blake in the off-season. But, who wants him? Nobody. Because he doesn’t do any more than some fat guy in a pickup game…stand at the 3-point line waiting for the ball to come to him so he can throw up a shot.
Excellent post – intriguing comment about the strippers, not that it’s terribly relevant. Another Tiger in Roy’s tank ?
He’s no different than 85% of the NBA players over the last 50 years. I don’t look down on him for it.
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmm..maybe KP will prevail and Nate will be the one who is gone after this season. And we could get Rick Adelman..that would be nice. Blazer Benner, what do you think are the chances of that happening?
Natsthecat, I think the chances of Adelman coaching in Portland are slim, as the parting between him and Allen wasn’t tender to say the least. Adelman would be the “dream” option, but when it comes to Head Coaches, I’m thinking that Paul Allen has a huge say in the matter. I also think that there’s a 50-50 chance that Paul Allen could pick Nate over Pritchard, though that would be foolish on Allen’s part. Both Nate and Pritchard are highly professional, so I see the two forcing themselves to get along (as Allen want’s both here) until one of them can’t stand it anymore and walks away the way Petrie did.
If I was Pritchard, to fix this problem, I’d trade Miller, Pendergraph and Pryzbilla for Elton Brand. The 76′ers get 2 years less of Brand’s contract and get a good young player in Pendergraph, and they get him cheap, along with Miller, whom they’ve liked in the past and know how to use him. Pritchard makes peace with Nate, gives him a Center for this year and the next 3 years in Brand, in case Oden gets injured again, and Brandon Roy is happy, too. Nate gets better rebounding from Brand and the inside presence that he wants. Philadelphia should love Pendergraph over Brand, with Brand’s history for getting injured and his $14M contract for each of the next 3 seasons after this one where Pryzbilla earns only $6.7 next year and that’s it. That frees them up of $14M in 2011-12, and 2012-13. Miller’s contract is for $6.3M next season and in 2011-12 if they don’t trade him, too.
he should be gone before the season ends….I hope natroy does not get a free pass. failed playoffs and its failing now.
I don’t think it will be any harder to trade him, if that is the intention. Miller is not known as a miscontent and his skill is widely known. He still has the same value.
I think the real question is what value did he ever have… we were the only team to have serious interest in him, why would that have suddenly changed.
guys, Andre’s value hasn’t diminished, thats not the point. the point is when a player is yelling at your coach saying
“I ain’t going to take this (stuff).”
and the coach is screaming back “You don’t play the way we want to play.”
(quotes from Brian T. Smith)
guess what, it tells the rest of the league that KP is in trouble. he HAS to trade the guy for whats now obvious reasons (apparently it hasn’t been obvious to some fans for the past month or so…how, I have no idea. maybe they don’t watch the games). so now here comes the low ball offers. KP is now dealing from a position of weakness because apparently you can hear Andre Miller cussing out Nate through shut doors now.
and also, we weren’t the only team interested in Andre last summer. Andre was a free agent looking for a certain amount of money. only a few teams had that amount available in cap space. PLENTY of teams would have loved to have added him but couldn’t at the time. trading for a player and signing a free agent are 2 different things.
the point about value is that the mutual discontent makes it a buyer’s market.
The real question is, Who’s guy was Miller to begin with? Was it a last minute, best guy available deal for KP to save face since he could not get anything else done- or was he really the Vet that Nate has wanted and needed?
If Nate does not feel he can count on Miller, then they should move him ASAP. This one relatively minor incident will not affect Miller’s trade value. Even the NBA is not that superficial.
I dont think Bayless is ready for prime time and Blake can’t get it done when the going gets tough in the playoffs, but Nate has made it clear Miller is not for him.
I’d like KP to make it clear then that Nate is not the coach for the Blazers. It seems Nate is just dandy with the rookies who are right out of college, or with a Juawann who is playing his butt off in the last year or two of his career. But how will Nate handle ANY VETERAN who has a viewpoint other than to BUCKLE UNDER AND PLAY MY GAME OR ELSE…MCMILLAN. The Blazers need a coach who can work with veterans who can lead this team to a championship. And that would be NOT NATE MCMILLAN. (I know…not correct grammar but I’m making a point)
yes we should move natroy asap!
I agree with ItsMrHarris2u. I don’t think it will damage his trade value.
Other teams may try to be opportunistic and offer poor value in return, but I find it hard to believe that a disagreement like this would really sour others in the league on Miller.
Everyone seems to agree he hasn’t fit in with the Blazers’ style of play. This is just further evidence. I don’t think a team who believes their style of play is more conducive to Miller would be deterred.
That said, it will all depend on what Miller and the team say in the coming days starting this afternoon when McMillan and Miller are on the radio talking about their disagreement.
Man, who didn’t see this coming?
There is way too much ego involved in KP’s decision making. No one likes to admit that they made a mistake but KP hitched his Free Agent wagon to the wrong guy. Miller began the season by going national with his views on KP and Nate and it upset the chemistry of this team, we didnt know what exactly was happening behind the scenes but we could see the effects.
KP needs to trade this guy and man up that he made a mistake. Miller should be gone within 7 days. Sometimes we have to just get off the road that leads to no where and admit that we lost the map, rather than keep driving the wrong way.
“KP hitched his Free Agent wagon to the wrong guy”
Don’t forget that KP tried to get Milsap and Lee 1st. I think it’s a bit unfair to pretend that this was KP’s dream guy or something.
it wasn’t KP’s top three…but it was McMillian’s FIRST choice.
the irony is that natroy cried and screamed for vet help experienced vet help then natroy cries and screams when its here. lame.
In a more perfect world – keep Miller and get rid of McMillan.
ditto that!
That would be ideal, but part of me feels Nate and
Brandon feel the same way, and you now that Baby Boy Roy ain’t going anywhere.
Brandon, given the right coach would see the benefit of Miller’s style of play. For instance, if Nate actually COACHED instead of “HANDING THE KEYS TO BRANDON”, Nate could have said, “look Brandon, you yourself said last year that you needed help. You can not do it all by yourself. Miller can help your game. He can draw the defense, pass to you so you won’t be the ONLY one out there going to the hoop or drawing the double team….his style of play will make your body stronger longer…etc. Play with him. Learn to play with him. That is the deal. I am the coach.” But Nate instead started Blake. The PG Roy was comfortable with. The same guy who was in the first round of the playoffs last year…
TRUE THAT!!!!
that would be the best but no wont happen with mr. allen sick.
McMuffin is who needs to be traded, not Andre Miller. I doubt you could get anything for him though.
This is all so stupid. It’s like saying that a couple is going to divorce just because there has been an argument. I agree with KP, sometimes these shouting matches need to happen. Everyone feels better and can move forward after they’ve got whatever is weighing them down and off their chest.
Now the media blowing this out of proportion and overreacting, that’s what’s going to prevent everyone from moving forward after this.
Many have speculated that Miller was signed to be traded–but assuming that he wasn’t intended to be a bargaining chip in a larger trade, how about Miller to the Knicks for Chris Duhon, straight up? Too generous?
I don’t see Duhon as the long-term answer here in Portland–and his value might be better as trade-bait (his contract expires this year, and I expect Portland would let him walk), but he plays good defense and passes well–and gives us a different look than either Blake or Bayless (or Mills). He would work better in a slow-down system than in Mike d’Antoni’s offense.
Of course, Duhon cannot shoot at all–which is why, long term, he’s not likely to be anything but a backup.
Miller, meanwhile, would be a good fit with the Knicks–and might be useful in attracting a guy like Chris Bosh to town.
Pritchard sure is a master spin doctor. No matter who you blame for all this– KP for signing a player who was a questionable fit, Nate for not making it work, or Miller for “not being a pro” or whatever, its clear its not a good situation. Portland may have to take whatever lowball offer they get. We’ll see.
Miller shouldn’t be traded; he should be played more. We already have a talented team, why not play one of the most experienced more often. Andre was drafted in 2001, and has been in the league 8 years. Steve Blake has less experience, plus by what he’s shown, he isn’t getting the job done.
Andre Miller was drafted in 1999, and this is his 11th season.
You know who seems like he’s doing the best for this team right now? Kevin Pritchard. He could caoch the team if he weren’t so good at doing what he does now.
He would definitely be a better coach than McMuffin – who is really just Roy’s figurehead.
shut up!
this team is nothing without roy.. all you andre lovers are starting to make me sick.. he is over the hill and has had a bad attitude all year.
Raftman never said trade Roy, quite the contrary…but Roy is not the coach, nor should he be. Player coached teams have a pathetic record in the league, your letting the inmates run the asylum. Andre is a class act and has done everything asked of him – the only reason he’s had any attitude at all – and it hasn’t been much – is a starter of his caliber deserves to be treated better. And please don’t drag down the fine sport of rafting by piggybacking on someone else’s handle with such ignorant misinformed remarks.
its natroy that has the bad attitude..
Dwight I asked posted this yesterday (not the first time) and I’ll try again:
Franklin says:
January 6, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Hey Dwight how about a blog piece on the shortcomings of Kevin Pritchard as GM? You would certainly have a lot to write about.
You could write it, I’m sure. While KP isn’t perfect (who is?), his strengths outweigh his weaknesses IMHO.
Of course no one is perfect. The difference is that Kevin Pritchard and some of the media around here think he is (was). It is about time he accept some of the blame for his mistakes.
Come on Dwight, it would be a fantastic read and would likly result in a record number of replies.
Who thinks he’s perfect?
I don’t.
I do think he’s better than most of the other current GMs. Better than all of them? Can’t really say that–Popps/Buford in SA, Sam Presti in OK City, Geoff Petrie, are all quite sharp. Even Mark Warkentein, who is widely believed to be the guy leaking negative stuff about KP to awoj (he used to be in Portland, and KP got a promotion that Warkentein thought should have been his), isn’t stupid.
But what would you like–a public apology? For KP to kiss Kevin Durant on the butt at center court next time the Thunder come to town? The way a GM “owns up” to a mistake, if he indeed makes one, is to replace the player or coach with someone else–or to be fired if his mistakes are too grave or too many.
But throwing players under the bus–even if couched as an apology, and even if said player is no longer here–is seldom productive.
Don’t need a public apology. What we need is a little reality however. There seems to be no shortage of blame directed at the coach and players but it is really KP that put all these pieces together. Furthermore KP is the only one with the authority and power to make real change.
Fewer excuses and more action is what the organization needs from senior management no matter what you and other KP apologists might think.
Frankly, I’m tired of some blaming Roy for this mess. You defer to your stars – period. Adelman deferred to Clyde forever. Clyde couldn’t stand Jack Ramsay or Mike Schuler and, guess what? – they both left. Adelman let Clyde and his tempo dictate the team and McMillan does not do that. Roy may be a slowdown type of player, but, who cares? McMillan has his fingers all over the way this team plays and this whole team will blow up big time if he doesn’t let it go. From calling time-outs with 10 seconds left and we’re up 2 so the other team can set their defense, to rotations, to not knowing how to get a center involved – McMillan must leave or this team, led by Roy, will never do jack…
Not!…on all accounts.
Sorry, not all accounts. I stopped reading after what was said about Adelman and Clyde. Porter was Adelman’s extended arm, and he did everything that Adelman wanted. The difference between Blake and Porter, though, is….well…..Blake and Porter.
Agree with this, though:
McMillan has his fingers all over the way this team plays and this whole team will blow up big time if he doesn’t let it go. From calling time-outs with 10 seconds left and we’re up 2 so the other team can set their defense, to rotations, to not knowing how to get a center involved – McMillan must leave or this team, led by Roy, will never do jack…
If it wasn’t Miller arguing with the coach, I would say this whole mess would probably blow over. Afterall, Travis Outlaw tried to attack Nate after an alteraction during a game and had to be restrained (according to a Quick article). And that didn’t stop Nate from continuing to give Outlaw big minutes.
I really feel bad for Miller. He’s been set up to fail and doesn’t deserve it. Nate doesnt’ have a clue how to utilize his talent.
Trade Dwight.
Anyone else notice the common denominator in all these Miller is the devil stories? The “By: Jason Quick” after the title. Time for Quick to do his job and stop trying to buddy up to athletes.
I have to completely agree on the Jason Quick as a media arm of the organization—he only spins out what they want out. He has been on this Miller “needs to go” kick for months. He can’t stand the thought of one of the players not liking him–poor reporting.
All this talk about Bayless and Miller. I agree Miller should finish games; especially given the kind of game he was having. What about Cunningham? We’re dead tired, all of our bigs are running on air; we can’t make a shot and Cunningham sits the entire game. What’s going on here?
Good question.
YES! YES! YES!
Am I the only one here super excited over the news of this altercation?
Miller yelling at McMillian for 30 minutes (saying it was mostly one way) is a sign that Miller is fed up with Nate’s poor defensive and offensive schemes.
What does a PG do? A PG runs the offense. A PG gets it into the bigs (only Miller got it down to Oden successfully). A PG see’s the floor and passes to the open man. A PG in a successful offense pushes the ball. A PG knows when to slow the tempo down and speed it up.
None of those are things that McMillian likes or appreciates. McMillian likes a “controlled” offense. He likes to make the call each time down the floor. He doesn’t like the running, because at times it may result in turnovers. In the plays called, McMillian’s playbook is an absolute joke.
Lets be honest here, McMillian has coached 1 year less than he played his entire NBA career and still does not have a winning record! McMillian, no matter what you NW’ers want to believe, was you’re average run of the mill PG. He was just known for being with one team for real long. BTW, my old Jr. High School teacher and him were the last two players competing for a contract McMillians rookie year. McMillian was much like Steve Blake is now.
Point is, McMillian never played with a true big-man, so how will he ever know that offense? If we make a trade and had all our other players back, have we made enough changes in our style to get past the first round? No.
While people keep reciting the last game of Memphis.. What about the clippers game? Bayless ball-hogged us out of the game, with Miller not playing much in the 4th… While having 20+ points and 15+ assists…. It was the same story during the memphis game. Saying that “bayless” brought us back in is BS. Martell’s shooting got us back in… but we would of never been in the game had it not been for Miller.
What’s the point of signing a veteran not to use him?
I am glad this flight broke out. Andre Miller has been classy his WHOLE career. Just as long as McMillian was in the NBA. He is very classy. Miller had enough of the crap idea of the NBA game by McMillian and called it out finally.
For those defending McMillian….well, you will see soon enough. (Go check back to you’re approval rankings of Steve Blake from last year, McMillian from last year, etc) …. It has changed drastically in 8 months… You will come to see the light soon.
Let’s not forget, that McMillian said Miller was his #1 pick. He “knew the game so well” … Knew “exactly what we wanted to do and how to do it” …… So how could McMillian be soooo off? Because he knows nothing!
FIRE NATE, KEEP AND APOLOGIZE TO DRE!
OH Yes YES YES! Agree fully!! Dre deserves better..good for him to call out NATE..FINALLY! Dre has been NOTHING but a class act, with the patience of a saint!!
Miller is the second best player on this team…. Maybe Nate should try putting him in the 4th quarter…
I’d say he’s third behind LA. But well ahead of Blake.
I think LA is to inconsistent at this point in his career.
Coaching has been a problem for quite some time—Nate was great for the first few years (under the Jail Blazer Era) they needed him to lay the law down.
The Blazers have no offense at all—no plan.
No rebounds because they shoot jump shots
No free throws late in games because they shoot jump shots
No fast break points but Nate prefers they walk it up the court
No flow to the offense because the only guy that can get double digit assists is on his way out (Miller)
No high percentage shots (even when Oden was healthy–they never dumped the ball into him)
I agree with all the Nate sucks as a coach comments and as a fan of TEAM basketball I have stopped watching the games until this schmuck is fired and it ain’t happening as long as the head cheerleader KP is GM.
I hope you are wrong. I’ve read that KP and Nate have differences op opinion as far as playing time for Bayless and Miller goes. Nate is the one who wanted Blake to start..because supposedly Brandon wanted this. I’m not sure this is what Brandon wanted. In any case, Nate is the coach and could have made Miller’s starting work. He did not. I truly hope Nate is not our coach next year. Nice person and good for the struggling teams but not a coach to win a championship. Maybe KP can coach. Firing Nate this year would be an excellent apology.
Teams don’t need to get along to win. Miller’s still the team’s best option at PG. And yes, he absolutely should have been on the court in the 4th. The FT thing is a moot point ’cause Bayless missed anyway.
I meant Bayless made it. He missed the miss.
Nate should be shown the door immediately and KP should coach until he decides to cede control to a new coach. McMillan is not qualified to lead this group, and his pigheaded, stubborn, overly-cautious approach is boring and destructive to the team’s morale.
Brandon Roy is an egomaniac who has fantastic basketball skill and little concern about the team’s welfare. It’s all about Brandon, and he has shown his true colors this year after extorting the cash he wanted all along. Nothing is more discouraging than watching a ball hog drag his team into the losing column, and Roy should get out of Portland play for a team that wants an overpaid diva who lives to see his own reflection in the mirror.
Miller is a heady veteran who could have made a positive contribution all season, and he has shown remarkable restraint until this point. I feel sorry for him and hope that Pritchard will fire McMillan and reshape this organization into one that knows how to use the talents of every man on the team. Right now, it’s pathetic.
I can see both sides. In Nate’s defense, Miller came to camp out of shape. But he’s also 16-6 as a starter. Hopefully, everyone will chill out and focus on winning games again.
I think Brandon has a huge ego..sure. That is what it may take to be as competitive as Brandon is. I think Nate has ALLOWED Brandon to be a diva by handing Roy the “KEYS TO THE TEAM”. If Brandon had a coach who could TELL him all of the advantages of working off the ball..and allow Brandon to SEE this, I think things would be different. Anyway, I think Andre will probably want the hell out of PDX after the way he’s been welcomed and the Blazers may have no choice but to trade him. I will be sad to see him go. And I bet any veteran will hesistate BIG TIME before coming to play for the Blazers as long as McMillan is the coach.
Very well-said.
Rarely does a team with championship aspirations have a ball dominating PG and a ball dominating SG. It just doesn’t work. They need to be off set by a dominant front court player. The argument is always made that Brandon is the same mold of player as MJ, D-Wade and Kobe. Each of them initiate the offense or have the ball most of the time. Roy haters don’t believe he belongs in that category, but the bottom line is that on this team, his clearly defined role mimics those players game. What kind of PG does Kobe play with? MJ? The answer is obvious that a team with that kind of talent doesn’t work well with a ball dominant PG. Look at this list of PG’s. Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Isaiah Thomas, Tony Parker, Rajon Rondo, etc… The common denominator with all of those guys, is none of them (except Kidd w/ Vince Carter) played successfully with a dominant off guard. I submit that Kidd’s greatness is the exception that proves the rule.
MJ, DWade, and Kobe have all carried their respective teams to an NBA championship. Who really believes Roy can carry a team to a title? He needs a better wingman than the Blazers have on their current roster…
As far as Miller having the ball in his hands too much – he gets Roy more open shots than Blake ever did. Why Brandon doesn’t see this is a good thing is beyond me.
Wouldn’t you like to see Kevin Pritchard take Andre and Nate out for a nice Italian dinner in Vegas and let them talk this out. It seemed to work this last summer. Don’t you wonder what that conversation was like? Andre explaining all of the wonderful things he would do as PG of the Blazers to help make the players better. Nate responding back and Pritchard sitting there with no opportunity to talk because of the puppy love banter going on all around him. Oh the memories!
I think the relevant point is not “can Roy be an MJ, DWade, and Kobe”, although I think most level headed observers would agree that Roy plays the same role on this team that those others play on theirs- ball dominating SG by design from the GM to the coach to the players on the team.
the relevant point is that Miller is in the mold of the point guards on that list. I personally think he is a very talented PG that has taught this team a lot about how to get easy baskets, feed the post, etc… but history tells us this is a bad fit, most experts told us this was not a good fit, the play on the court tells us it’s not a good long term fit.
Man! What happened? This team has fallen apart. Ther is so many things going wrong that its hard to beleive. I think Andre is a jerk, I think B Roy thruogh him under the buss, I dont think Nate is doing a good job [I never could see why they hired him], I think blake sucks, LA is not panning out like I thought he would, Webster has played well in 10 or 15 games as a pro. Then Oden starts playing really good and they [B Roy, LA and Blake] wont get him the ball. What the **** is going on here? They all [PT,Nate,B Roy,LA Blake and the rest] need to grow up, there pro’s and they need to start acting like or KP needs to start over.
If Miller goes and Nate stays, what top quality players are going to want to come to this team? Who will want to play for a guy like Nate, who will apparently put his precious ‘system’ and Brandon above all else? This is another example of Nate not having the flexibility to be a good coach. “You don’t play the way we want to play” Damn right, cuz this coach (and possibly Roy) insist on playing like a bunch of fucking morons.
You think exciting, athletic guys like Webster, Rudy, LMA, Batum, and Bayless like playing on a team that is at the bottom in both fast break points and points in the paint? How can anybody defend Nate’s style of play? Don’t use the injury excuse; this team will probably have more problems with their ‘style’ when people start returning, because it will overwhelm the idiotic head coach with all the possibilities.
I for one am glad Miller spoke his mind. Somebody in this organization needed to do it. There are probably a bunch of players on this team not named Roy who feel the same way. Miller isn’t perfect, but the problem is that Nate doesn’t utilize the talent he has; he thinks it is better for others to conform to his gameplan.
Let Miller do his thing – I think he is the most heads up, craftiest player on this team. Getting rid of him would be a mistake, regardless of who comes in.
Amen to that…when Oden was healthy, who was the only player consistently passing him the ball ?? Not Roy, that’s for sure, nor Blake – it was Andre Miller who made Oden look as good as he was.
Get rid of Nate, keep Miller, and make Roy be a bit less plodding. The good teams have figured Roy out, he needs to learn to move without the ball, and not always have the ball in his hands. This team CAN run, with some discipline and a better coach.
I think Miller can make Roy even better than he already is, I don’t see why Brandon doesn’t seem to want him instead of Blake (no offense to Blake, I still like the guy).
We have been waiting 30 plus years for a team to takes us to a championship, but this will never be the team to do it.
If you look at the list of young, eager players, you have a really good start. It’s the bad apples in the barrel that will keep us shackled to the same old crap, night after night.
I’ve waited this long, another year or two is no big deal. So here are my tradeable apples:
Dump Nate for anyone with an B.B.I.Q. higher than 51.3!
Dump Blake somewhere in the woods, so he can never find his way back to another court anywhere.
Trade LAM to some team who can use a stoneless eunuch.
Stitch Roy”s hip to Blake and offer a package deal as twittle dumb and twittle dee. I am sure they would be happy with that union!
First cut is the deepest! Lets build again, but lets not wait another 30 years.
Amen to that.
Repeat after me and maybe KP will get the message….
ODEN IS THE FUTURE OF THE BLAZERS
Guards are a dime a dozen…great big men come around once a year at most…rebuild everything around the ODEN…and I mean everything…Get a coach that gets it…and a group of players that want a championship more than anything…we have a few on the team already
That is true. Wonder how Oden feels about all of this? He loved Miller!!! And even when both he and Miller were playing, Nate didn’t allow Miller to feed Oden as much as Miller probably wanted to do.
Are really suggesting that Oden and his broken body is the future of this team???? That has got to be one of the funniest thing I’ve heard in a long time.
Yes I agree , Onden has been more of a pro than anyone on the team. If his legs hold up he will be unstopable. I say the ball goes to him first, Inside out.
Oden has barely played during the threee years he’s been on the payroll. Only a fool would try to build their team around him at this point.
I love Oden, and if he proves he can stay healthy then he should be the one to build around. The question about his ability to stay healthy is probably the toughest thing this team needs to deal with…
Dwight, just wondering..if Andre doesn’t INSIST on being traded. Which he may very well do…is there any chance that KP would step in and do something about Nate’s coaching style?? I mean there are SO many areas that I feel need to be changed in this arena…Nate’s style of coaching…you have addressed the team’s defense and offense…now it seems the SARGE thing is going to be an issue…at least with veteran players…OR any player that might not want to be micromanaged to the nTHº !!! Please reply to this!
Why bother with a trade. Adults CAN yell at each other and still show up and work with each other the next day. Season is kind of shot anyway, why make a trade if it is poor?
Andre was to be the key add, an experienced point guard. It seemed so obviuos, but it failed. not sure who to blame.
To me one thing is clear, Brandon isd not enough to raise Blazers to another levle. Ask Clyde where he would have been without terry or buck.
I dont understand why people think that adding miller equals a failure. In hindsight, it was a good move.
The problem is, his experience has shown all the flaws in Nate’s game.
If you were a great employee working for a fantastic company….. but you’re boss wanted you to spell the alphabet abckdielfjghs and you know the best way to spell the alphabet is abcdefghijkl…. Are you going to do something wrong, just because you’re boss told you to do it?
I am sure many people would say yes…. but LEADERS and people that move to EXCEL and increase EFFECIENCY will fight the change and explain why, no matter what is being told to them. Just because your boss says to do something a certain way, doesn’t mean its right. He gave McMillian a chance and he failed.
Since the Miller experiment has proven to have some very positives, the negatives have been the conflict of Nate’s game. What about the next point guard, it’s going to be the same problem.
Unless we keep Steve Blake till he is in a wheelchair.
Remember Nate and Kevin’s words?….”When we met with Andre, we were both amazed at how well he understood this team. It’s as if he had been playing with this team all along.”
Yes. Nate. You can’t say that then, and then act like Andre doesn’t know what he’s doing out there now. You’re a hypocrite, Nate. Go back to Seattle where you belong.
Paul Allen is also to blame for this.
Do you really think that Blake would be on the team and this problem would exist if Paul Allen didn’t like Nate so much and honored Nate’s request to have his guy, Blake, on the team? Pritchard got rid of him once, and he was brought back. I hate talking about these guys like this because Nate and Blake are just super, great guys, and I’d trust my children to be raised by them.
yup canning natroy is addition by subtraction…
Pritchard made a bad move. He is human after all, no matter what ya all think. I don’t think this guy is as greats a GM as everyone makes him out to be. His 2009 off-season won’t help his legacy one bit.
There are a lot of people that think Pritchard is a suck ass of a GM, the problem is those people aren’t the Portland media, the organization or Pritchard himself. His ego is on the Mark Cuban scale.
The best part of this season to me was the vast improvement and confidence in Greg Oden’s play despite the lack of offensive touches he was getting. I still break out in a cold sweat every so often seeing Greg go down with that mysterious Patella injury. The reality is that the “Vanilla Gorilla’ also went down with a Patella injury and who would have guessed that so it is best to look at these as freak accidents that can be recovered from. I see good things in the future with Andre Miller as the point guard directing the offense….next year! This unimaginitive offense we are seeing this year is not just because of injuries as it has been there all year. Walk the ball up the court and let Roy try and isolate and score or maybe kick the ball back out for a jump shot. I just think Nate’s style of play will not ever change to utilize a inside/outside game to make defenses wonder what they will have to do to stop us as now there is zero secret to our intent. The absolute most logical move would be to have a new coach in place this off season that puts the “keys to the team” back in his pocket and utilizes all the key players to keep the defense honest. Nate was great for the last couple years but he is rather blinded by his loyalties to some players without seeing the bigger picture.
A jump shooting team can make the playoffs but don’t count on “hot shooting” to lead the way to a championship parade…especially if easy transition baskets are something you only read about…or watch the other team make!