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bigmo24 · 02-26-2005, 12:01 PM

Is Telfair the answer? Is he expected to get the start at PG next year? I've heard they may just let Rahim and Stoudamire go and cut Van Exel. I don't live in the Portland area and am just trying to get the local scoop. I actually haven't seen Telfair play and have only seen stat lines.

kaydow · 02-26-2005, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmo24

Is Telfair the answer? Is he expected to get the start at PG next year? I've heard they may just let Rahim and Stoudamire go and cut Van Exel. I don't live in the Portland area and am just trying to get the local scoop. I actually haven't seen Telfair play and have only seen stat lines.

Well, the answer to your question depends on who you ask on the board. Some of us feel he is the real deal, and will be ready to start next season. However, even Telfair's biggest supporters don't envision he'll be able to lead us deep into the playoffs NEXT season (if we make the playoffs at all) There are also others on this board who feel he is a "shoot first" PG without good range. Many feel his passing skills are overated. It just depends on who you ask. I'd say the board is split 70-30 in favor of Telfair being a really good PG in the future, but that's just a guess.

**SheedSoNasty** · 02-26-2005, 12:22 PM

like kaydow said, it really depends on who you ask, and because you didn't specify I'll shell out my opinion:

Telfair definitely seems to understand the game and has excellent court vision. Taking that into account, he's only 18-19 years old and unlike LeBron James, he still needs plenty of seasoning and in game experience before he becomes a solid contributor/difference maker.

He showed great promise in the RMR in terms of passing ability, but during the regular season he appears to be racking up the FGA rather than assists. This isn't to say that he doesn't like to pass, seeing that sometimes players (Przybilla) drop his hot passes or fail to earn him the assist via a missed shot, but he seems to really like to drive it in and draw the foul. Being a solid %81 foul shooter is a plus in regards to that.

As for being our starter next year, I don't know if he's quite ready for such a big role. Maybe during training camp (and the remainder of the season) he can get a better feel for his teammates and the NBA game overall. Although he may not be ready in the immediate future, I'm expecting big things from him down the line.

**crandc** · 02-26-2005, 12:33 PM

There is some feeling that Damon Stoudamire might re-sign with Portland, albeit for a much reduced amount. IMO Telfair has great skill but he is coming straight out of high school into the most demanding position in the game. He would definitely benefit from being the back-up pg for a couple of years. At that time he will be 21, still very young with a lot of good years ahead, barring major injury. He really is not ready to lead the team next year, especially if the Blazers let some of the vets go and play the young guys more. A veteran team can make up for the mistakes of an inexperienced point guard, but the reverse is like a rookie QB throwing to a rookie receiver. If the passes aren't good, they are very likely to be dropped.

**Dan** · 02-26-2005, 12:43 PM

we'll never know if he's the "answer" unless they give him the ball and let him run with it. Basing whether or not he's "the real deal" (or bill mcneal) on the fact that he doesn't get minutes behind 2 vets in NVE and Damon, really doesn't seem to make sense.

Look at Ridnour last year. He didn't play a whole lot, and had 2 PG's ahead of him in the rotation, Brent Barry and Antonio Daniels. He just got about 16 minutes a game, and really (on a regular basis) didn't show how he'd be this year. But once he got minutes (toward the end of the season) it was pretty clear he was worth the risk of starting him.

I think Telfair will be the same (altho I'm not claiming that he'l have as successful a 2nd season as Ridnour is). Partly because Ridnour has a much better SG to feed off of than Telfair does, but also because Ridnour is just more physically mature.

Sometimes you just have to throw him to the lions. Tony Parker was given a lot of minutes his rookie year, and actualyl didn't shoot that well. His first 3 seasons he really didn't show he had 3 point range (still hasn't), but he's improved his shot. Of course, he has Duncan to help him..

bottom line, if you look at the games where Telfair played minute, he looked strong. You'll hear people complain that he's not a "pass first" PG, but really, stats don't alway show that, nor is there a definitive "pass first" label that everyone would agree on.

I think for a 19 year old rookie straight out of high school, he's further along than I expected.

**Dan** · 02-26-2005, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crandc

There is some feeling that Damon Stoudamire might re-sign with Portland, albeit for a much reduced amount. IMO Telfair has great skill but he is coming straight out of high school into the most demanding position in the game. He would definitely benefit from being the back-up pg for a couple of years. At that time he will be 21, still very young with a lot of good years ahead, barring major injury. He really is not ready to lead the team next year, especially if the Blazers let some of the vets go and play the young guys more. A veteran team can make up for the mistakes of an inexperienced point guard, but the reverse is like a rookie QB throwing to a rookie receiver. If the passes aren't good, they are very likely to be dropped.

where'd you hear that Damon might re-sign?

I thinkhe'd be like Tony Parker, who came into the league at 19. He has started all but 5 games, in his career (all in his rookie year)? I don't see why Telfair can't do that.

I dont think he's going to go Qyntel Woods on us, like he Woods did when he was given the PG spot 2 seasons ago.

BlayZa · 02-26-2005, 01:02 PM

id say its 80-20 , answer-not answer.

but he has had limited chances to prove he can be more than a spark and some flashy passes now and then so the jury is still out IMO. trips me out how people have put out names like

stockton
marbury
nash
kidd

as people he will/probably will end up being in the ranks of. i *hope* he does get some time and uses it well cause one thing is for sure he'll get about 1-2 seasons of us going nowhere before the fans need a new scapegoat.

Perfection · 02-26-2005, 01:48 PM

Actually, I thought that AI was the answer, but anyways.

Telfair, I believe, will be good. He's a gym rat and I like what I've seen so far. I think he's the real deal.

**crandc** · 02-26-2005, 02:18 PM

I certainly have not heard anything definite on Damon staying, but he's said he'd like to stay, mangement has said they'd be willing to consider it at reduced rate, and there have been no rumblings about attempts to trade him. So I think it's a strong possibility, although of course I don't know for sure.
The difference with Ridnour and Parker: Telfair is straight from hs. Ridnour did play college ball and Parker played in Europe. So they both had more experience than Bassy.
But I do want to see more of Bassy next year. Just don't think he's going to be ready to start.

**Schilly** · 02-26-2005, 05:33 PM

I think the most realistice comparison I have come up with as to what I think Telfair will be, is Tim Hardaway. Exciting player, very solid PG, not as good a deep threat as you'd like, but makes up for it with his other intangibles.

I think he'll have no worse than a Damon Stoudamire type career, bu Hardaway is more likely, and who knows he may be better than either.

**Oldmangrouch** · 02-26-2005, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schilly

I think the most realistice comparison I have come up with as to what I think Telfair will be, is Tim Hardaway. Exciting player, very solid PG, not as good a deep threat as you'd like, but makes up for it with his other intangibles.

I think he'll have no worse than a Damon Stoudamire type career, bu Hardaway is more likely, and who knows he may be better than either.

Best case....I would say Kevin Johnson. Small, fast, not selfish (like Damon or Hardaway) but found ways to get his own points.

**Schilly** · 02-26-2005, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldmangrouch

Best case....I would say Kevin Johnson. Small, fast, not selfish (like Damon or Hardaway) but found ways to get his own points.

SO then you think somewhere a Damonstoudamire calibre playher and a Kevin Johnson Calibre player then?

I can feel comfortable with that.

**Storyteller** · 02-26-2005, 05:45 PM

If he's not the answer at PG, Portland's in deep trouble....

The Blazers are pretty committed to letting him develop, which means they probably won't sign any big name/star PG's for a couple of years. In other words, I see them putting all their PG eggs into Telfair's basket.

**Oldmangrouch** · 02-26-2005, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schilly

SO then you think somewhere a Damonstoudamire calibre playher and a Kevin Johnson Calibre player then?

I can feel comfortable with that.

Me too. My only question is how long it will take. IIRC, KJ was 4 years older when he entered the league, and still took a couple of years to blossom.

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