STOMP

I don't see minutes as a problem this season and generally like how they project together. In practice LA's length and quickness should make Zach focus on banging to create space for his shot. I think Zach is at his most effective off the ball (not on a clearout) converting offensive boards. Hopefully the guard attack will be strong enough to relegate Zach to a deluxe garbage man role on offense. I think Aldridge will be at his best on the high post. That he should be able to guard either 4's of 5's (especially down the road) should make for a solid bigs rotation with Joel.

96 minutes at the 4/5 devided by 3 equals 32 MPG each... no problems!

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Fork

Problems:

We have more than 3 big men.

I doubt ALdridge is ready for 32 minutes per game.

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STOMP

Those are two different angles... neither of which is in conflict with what I wrote. Portland and every team with a 15 man roster will always have more then 3 big men... scrubs like Skinner and Raef are found on every squad throughout the league. On bad teams they get minutes, on good teams they sit and clap. Next year in Portland they should both get minutes as LaMarcus is a rookie who is probably a ways a way from his potencial... thats why I used terms like down the road and how they project. When he is ready, I see LA's talent as complimentry to Zach's... or to answere the thread question, I see the affect of LA as beneficial to Zach.

Both celebrated birthdays last week and are all of 21 and 25 years old respectively... the future stretches well beyond next season.

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BlazerFanFoLife

the problem is that raef and skinner arent scrubs per se. Both could be the backup pf/center on any team or even start at times like skinner did for us last year.

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ThatBlazerGuy

I dont think Aldridge will effect Zach much. I dont see him getting more than 20 minutes a game this season. I see the rotation ending up like this...

PF- Zach 32mpg, LaMarcus 20mpg, Skinner gets the garbage minutes
C- Joel 25mpg, Raef 18mpg, Skinner gets the garbage minutes

Entity

I don't think Zach is worried at all. If LaMarcus were to become as good as Zach, it's more likely that he'll be taking Joel's spot, and not Zach's.

Chan

That's what I'd do, if I were in Zach's shoes. But I'm not known for being a hard-worker.

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TallBottom

I agree that Aldrige won't be getting that many minutes (probably for the most of the year unless injuries raise their ugly heads again) and I think that Skinner and Raef will get the lions share of the minutes (although Skinner seems to be a nice piece in trade packages bc 1 year left after this.) IMO the use of Raef as a high post center will affect Zach more than anything else and open up the inside for him.

mook

there are few (if any) playoff teams who'd even consider starting Raef or Skinner. Skinner was worth Ruben Patterson, and Raef was viewed by his prior team as little more than a contract albatross, and was traded as such.

worrying about minutes for either would be like worrying about minutes for Kemp or Dale Davis in their final seasons here. pointless.

we'll only play either guy heavy minutes this season because Aldridge just isn't capable. same reason Dixon got so many minutes last year and the same reason Miles would get any serious minutes this year--only because Webster and Outlaw can't get it done yet.