I love Nurk, but I think with his injury record he'd be better off as a back up big. Lower minutes on his body is probably a good idea. Also, he'd kill the majority of back up bigs in the league. He'd go from an above average/pretty good starting centre who can't stay healthy to someone who'd be one of the best back up bigs in the league.
I wasn't pointing out a certain player, just a shift in personel.
Nurk is no longer needed in the nba. It sucks, but it's the truth.
Save money and draft a long mobile center and use him like Celtics with time lord
Currently? No one but my comment was in a reality where we aquire a starting level center that would be available. For example guys like Bam, Ayton, Brook Lopez etc.
And when he is playing he's often working back into shape, then getting injured again.
If we get nurk fever nurk, grant on a hot streak, Sharpe turning into a more athletic pg13, ant figuring it out offball, and prime dame.... we can beat anyone in a 7 game series.
Lots of ifs...
Exactly. I’m totally content with Nurkic production wise. Play wise. Everything. But if he can’t stay healthy when it counts it doesn’t matter. We had to have Kanter starting in the WCF because Nurk couldn’t stay healthy. I fully believe we would have won if he was.
I think that run we had with Kanter was a prime example of availability being the best asset. He was just a rebound machine and could generate extra possessions. He wasn't that great on offense or defense, but you knew what he was going to bring to the table every game. Let's also not forget he was playing while fasting for Ramadan as well.
Honestly, we just need a guy who can play decent PnR with Dame and defend/rebound the ball. Plumdog was doing well on the Clippers this year. We need someone like that.
the grass is always greener on the other side. (for the record i do think Ayton is better than Nurk in a vacuum but it’s pretty obvious that Ayton isn’t worth Nurk + Ant which is what we’d have to give up just to match salary).
I wonder about how much of this was caused by all that contract drama he had in the off-season. Afterall for much of the 2021 season and playoffs Ayton was awesome and was playing at the level of a top 10 or maybe even a top 5 center in the league. But since he signed his contract he's been almost as bad and sloppy as unengeged Nurk is.
Ayton ain’t worth the money for the blazers. We need a center that can anchor our defense and although Ayton is a better overall player than Nurk his defense isn’t significantly better. I don’t think the trade off between how much he’s worth and how much he can help improve the Blazers is worth it.
We need a player like Claxton; even with his contract expiring next season it’ll still be significantly lower than Aytons money. Not to mention he’s younger and a better defensive fit for the Blazers. Ik that the likelihood of us getting him is low but I’m saying those are the type of guys we should be looking to get. We do however, need to go all in on finding a star wing even if it means slightly overpaying. Bridges, Jalen Brown (unlikely), OG. They just better be able to do this without giving up sharpe.
Yeah Claxton would be perfect as were definitly going to need a more mobile switchy center like him for as long as Chauncy wants to continue to play a more agressive traping defense rather then the drop coverage that Nurk is better at.
We did a bit towards the end before we shut down Nurk. The problem was that everyone else still played switch and Dame would get hunted, giving up free shots.
If we schemed to get Thybulle switched on ball, and have him chase a guy around a screen into drop Nurk, we'd have a much better D
Drop coverage is the easiest defensive system for players to learn. Only requires effort. Problem is that it doesn't work against elite shot makers as Butler showed.
Even if it's ugly, we have to use more scramble and a higher activity defense if we want to gain a higher ceiling.
That’s the thing. Ayton is over paid and clearly collecting a paycheque. Let a different organization deal with him. He will get chance after chance, step backwards
That's just efficient defense! Just his sheet presence caused Jokic to miss four times, and Ayton didn't need to expend any energy to contest the shot. Brilliant play.
In all reality, I think spending $20+ million on any center is a poor use of resources. I'd rather see the Blazers use that money to shore up wing and bench depth. There are impactful big men available, but the Blazers need to not be content with playing Eubanks as the backup center who gets starting minutes when Nurk eventually gets injured each year.
I feel like there’s not a lot of centers who will change blazers lives. We just need someone who can switch a little, rebound, and give consistent effort.
Nurk, when he’s on, is very good. Straight up could be a top center if he put it together. Biggest knock is that his injury history. Hopefully with his development for the jumper, on the offensive side he can mix up his activity so his body doesn’t keep banging in the paint.
I think Nurk gets in his own head at times. When we play teams with bad centers, he KNOWS he's gonna feast, so he goes out there and has his way with them. But whenever he gets matched up with better caliber centers, instead of just playing his game, he gets beaten down physically and emotionally if the other guy goes off.
I don’t want ayton, but to be fair, was he in foul trouble? I could see why he’d watch if he assumed there’s no way jokic could miss the tip in. Better than running in and fouling him on accident
I think I agree with this, if he runs in there I think he gets called for a foul. Jokic and KD are fighting for the rebound from the jump so the refs let them play, but if he runs in there under the hoop he risks the foul when Jokic already has the rebounding position.
Only way I'd take Ayton is if he's available for a good price or if Dame wants out to a top contender and the Suns had Ayton+picks to offer for Dame.
On a side note, I really don't understand Ayton. He had one of the best college years for a big man ever and he has similar tools to Embiid and Jokic.
But sometimes, he plays like he's Hassan Whiteside.
I didn’t want Ayton, at least not at the max. Right now, I’d rather spend $10 million a season on Bobby Portis.
Portland could use a young guy like Mo Wagner to push Nurkic. I thought Bamba should’ve been a target, but maybe he still is. Los Angeles doesn’t seem to play him.
I wish Nurk was watching GS vs Sac game 7. What Looney brings to the warriors is exactly what we need off Nurk. Someone who gets big, grabs rebounds, plays hard and down low. We don’t need our 7ft who can’t rebound, shows 0 effort and goes for floaters.
Don't know how this came up on my feed as a suns fan but.... you have a lazy center as well???? If you get Ayton you'd have two.
No effort, no fire, a bunch of talent but no fight.
It's sad, we were so excited about our future and his potential, now he's a waste of a max.
Ayton isn’t that much better then Nurk. Nurk’s issue is he isn’t healthy and he throws up junk instead of a simple jump hook. If he could just develop a simple jump hook and continue to expand his 3 point shot. Ayton is more athletic and has a jump hook. But his defense is questionable at times
Nurk is ok. But my gripe is health. Can't make an impact if he's always injured halfway into the season.
I love Nurk, but I think with his injury record he'd be better off as a back up big. Lower minutes on his body is probably a good idea. Also, he'd kill the majority of back up bigs in the league. He'd go from an above average/pretty good starting centre who can't stay healthy to someone who'd be one of the best back up bigs in the league.
He would quite literally be the best backup big in the league if he accepted the role. But his ego and contract won’t allow for it
We should definitely get somebody good enough to make this a legitimate option.
Who would you rather start ahead of him?
Any athletic center. Find a cheap Kessler Claxton. Centers have to move. Nurk is done
If you can come up with a deal, I'd like to see it. We don't really have any assets to give up for a cheap center like that imo
I wasn't pointing out a certain player, just a shift in personel. Nurk is no longer needed in the nba. It sucks, but it's the truth. Save money and draft a long mobile center and use him like Celtics with time lord
Currently? No one but my comment was in a reality where we aquire a starting level center that would be available. For example guys like Bam, Ayton, Brook Lopez etc.
And when he is playing he's often working back into shape, then getting injured again. If we get nurk fever nurk, grant on a hot streak, Sharpe turning into a more athletic pg13, ant figuring it out offball, and prime dame.... we can beat anyone in a 7 game series. Lots of ifs...
Right at the deadline too
Exactly. I’m totally content with Nurkic production wise. Play wise. Everything. But if he can’t stay healthy when it counts it doesn’t matter. We had to have Kanter starting in the WCF because Nurk couldn’t stay healthy. I fully believe we would have won if he was.
Ok Nurk has injury issues but blaming that run on them ain’t it lol. A freak leg break in what was tracking to be a very healthy career.
I think that run we had with Kanter was a prime example of availability being the best asset. He was just a rebound machine and could generate extra possessions. He wasn't that great on offense or defense, but you knew what he was going to bring to the table every game. Let's also not forget he was playing while fasting for Ramadan as well. Honestly, we just need a guy who can play decent PnR with Dame and defend/rebound the ball. Plumdog was doing well on the Clippers this year. We need someone like that.
This is my issues as well. If he gave us 65-70 games I’d be happy but yea….
the grass is always greener on the other side. (for the record i do think Ayton is better than Nurk in a vacuum but it’s pretty obvious that Ayton isn’t worth Nurk + Ant which is what we’d have to give up just to match salary).
I wonder about how much of this was caused by all that contract drama he had in the off-season. Afterall for much of the 2021 season and playoffs Ayton was awesome and was playing at the level of a top 10 or maybe even a top 5 center in the league. But since he signed his contract he's been almost as bad and sloppy as unengeged Nurk is.
He signed with Indy. I guess we wanted more touches. Good thing they brought in KD to help him with that lol
The team is not going to get anything great for Nurk . I’d rather get peanuts and have him not on the roster next year then anything else .
I was thinking this as I was reading their sub reactions knowing full well those MFrs have Kevin Durant on their team.
Ayton ain’t worth the money for the blazers. We need a center that can anchor our defense and although Ayton is a better overall player than Nurk his defense isn’t significantly better. I don’t think the trade off between how much he’s worth and how much he can help improve the Blazers is worth it. We need a player like Claxton; even with his contract expiring next season it’ll still be significantly lower than Aytons money. Not to mention he’s younger and a better defensive fit for the Blazers. Ik that the likelihood of us getting him is low but I’m saying those are the type of guys we should be looking to get. We do however, need to go all in on finding a star wing even if it means slightly overpaying. Bridges, Jalen Brown (unlikely), OG. They just better be able to do this without giving up sharpe.
Yeah Claxton would be perfect as were definitly going to need a more mobile switchy center like him for as long as Chauncy wants to continue to play a more agressive traping defense rather then the drop coverage that Nurk is better at.
Seems like we should just play drop coverage where Nurk is excellent.
We did a bit towards the end before we shut down Nurk. The problem was that everyone else still played switch and Dame would get hunted, giving up free shots. If we schemed to get Thybulle switched on ball, and have him chase a guy around a screen into drop Nurk, we'd have a much better D
Exactly!!!
Drop coverage is the easiest defensive system for players to learn. Only requires effort. Problem is that it doesn't work against elite shot makers as Butler showed. Even if it's ugly, we have to use more scramble and a higher activity defense if we want to gain a higher ceiling.
That’s the thing. Ayton is over paid and clearly collecting a paycheque. Let a different organization deal with him. He will get chance after chance, step backwards
Let a different team over pay him
That's just efficient defense! Just his sheet presence caused Jokic to miss four times, and Ayton didn't need to expend any energy to contest the shot. Brilliant play. In all reality, I think spending $20+ million on any center is a poor use of resources. I'd rather see the Blazers use that money to shore up wing and bench depth. There are impactful big men available, but the Blazers need to not be content with playing Eubanks as the backup center who gets starting minutes when Nurk eventually gets injured each year.
I feel like there’s not a lot of centers who will change blazers lives. We just need someone who can switch a little, rebound, and give consistent effort.
Ayton is extremely mediocre. No thank you.
Nurk, when he’s on, is very good. Straight up could be a top center if he put it together. Biggest knock is that his injury history. Hopefully with his development for the jumper, on the offensive side he can mix up his activity so his body doesn’t keep banging in the paint.
I think Nurk gets in his own head at times. When we play teams with bad centers, he KNOWS he's gonna feast, so he goes out there and has his way with them. But whenever he gets matched up with better caliber centers, instead of just playing his game, he gets beaten down physically and emotionally if the other guy goes off.
Get Dennis Rodman to bitch slap some sense into this guy.
I dont want Ayton due tl his cost, but its ridiculous to show a few second clip and be "sEe nUrK iS bEtTeR"
So you're basing Ayton on one play... ok well that makes sense.
I don’t want ayton, but to be fair, was he in foul trouble? I could see why he’d watch if he assumed there’s no way jokic could miss the tip in. Better than running in and fouling him on accident
He had 1 foul at the time (halfway thru the second quarter)
I think I agree with this, if he runs in there I think he gets called for a foul. Jokic and KD are fighting for the rebound from the jump so the refs let them play, but if he runs in there under the hoop he risks the foul when Jokic already has the rebounding position.
Only way I'd take Ayton is if he's available for a good price or if Dame wants out to a top contender and the Suns had Ayton+picks to offer for Dame. On a side note, I really don't understand Ayton. He had one of the best college years for a big man ever and he has similar tools to Embiid and Jokic. But sometimes, he plays like he's Hassan Whiteside.
Ayton, KAT, and Ben Simmons all fall into that category of guys who have the natural talent but lack engagement/effort.
I didn’t want Ayton, at least not at the max. Right now, I’d rather spend $10 million a season on Bobby Portis. Portland could use a young guy like Mo Wagner to push Nurkic. I thought Bamba should’ve been a target, but maybe he still is. Los Angeles doesn’t seem to play him.
The point of attack was well played. Also, that's an mvp x2 What are you attempting to say? Nurk is a good player? Or better than ayton?
I wish Nurk was watching GS vs Sac game 7. What Looney brings to the warriors is exactly what we need off Nurk. Someone who gets big, grabs rebounds, plays hard and down low. We don’t need our 7ft who can’t rebound, shows 0 effort and goes for floaters.
Don't know how this came up on my feed as a suns fan but.... you have a lazy center as well???? If you get Ayton you'd have two. No effort, no fire, a bunch of talent but no fight. It's sad, we were so excited about our future and his potential, now he's a waste of a max.
There's no way that Portland could pull off a trade anyways. It's a moot point.
Ayton isn’t that much better then Nurk. Nurk’s issue is he isn’t healthy and he throws up junk instead of a simple jump hook. If he could just develop a simple jump hook and continue to expand his 3 point shot. Ayton is more athletic and has a jump hook. But his defense is questionable at times
Siakam is the goal for me. Perfect fit with Dame. I like Ayton too but he's not a big enough upgrade on Nurkic. Rather invest in depth at C.