I think Telfair is a great passer and he's great in the open floor -- running the fastbreak. And while the Blazers need a PG who can do that -- they also need someone who can knock down an open shot -- and the ability to play some kind of defense is an added bonus. Telfair can't do either of those two things. Granted, Stoudamire can't (or won't) pass either and he is streaky with his outside shooting (and he is WAYYYY overpaid) but I don't think Telfair is the answer for the Blazers. Very few players who can't shoot end up making it in the NBA -- Avery Johnson is one of the very few (and he COULD make an 18' shoot pretty consistently -- I wouldn't say that Telfair can do even that). However, Johnson had a big role on the team and played decent defense -- he also had the opportunity to play with the leagues top big men (first, DRob then TD) which helped him because they always required a double-team.
NVE is exactly what the Blazers need, IMO -- he is also a streaky shooter but he is a great passer -- unfortunately, at this point in his career, he just isn't healthy enough to be the factor. If he could teach Telfair how to shoot, then the Blazers would have a PG -- of course, someone still needs to teach the kid how to play defense -- but you CAN teach defense -- as long as he is willing to listen.
I do have to agree with dbods -- his "entourage" is a little scary as a fan -- we just don't see that the posses help players at all.
Randy,
This is how I see things playing out for the Blazers.
The Toronto deal will happen, unless Vince's injury is worse than at first thought. That will be Vince and Jalen Rose for Shareef, Derek Anderson, Qyntel Woods, and Vladimir Stepania. For Toronto this is a perfect deal, in that they get a quality player in Shareef and get ot from underneath Jalen Rose. Stepania and Woods come off, and I believe they can resign Shareef for around $10, which is about the level Rasheed is getting paid. So they go from ahving $27 million next year with Carter and Rose to having $19 million with Rahim and DA. Toronto needs a big guy, and Rahim is really the only player they can get for Vince, and also get rid of Rose.
At years end the Blazers will then let Damon walk, and then resign NVE for an amount equal to the mid-level exemption. NVE and Telfair will then be the PG duo for a couple seasons.
From a salary perspective they will lose
Rahim $14.5 million
NVE $13.5 million
Damon $13 million
DA $9 million
Woods $2 million
Stepania $2 million
Which is $54 million
they will add
Carter $13
Rose $14
NVE $5 (amount resigned for)
Zach $8 (the amount of his raise)
That is a total of $40 million
That saves them $14 million, and with the tax $28 million. In 2 years then Rose and Patterson both come off, which will take another $20 to $22 off the payroll, at which point they will replace them with Outlaw, Khrypa, and Monia, at much lower salary numbers.
As far as Telfair, I agree he isn't a good shooter, and he is not a good defender. I think though that he can learn to become a decent shooter and an OK defender. With the rest of his game, he then becomes a very solid pick at #13.
