Blazers sleeper?

[Reality]

zig,

what is your take on Richie Frahm?  I've talked to people who have played with him and they say he can ball, esp on 3 pters.  

Got decent bench minutes with Sea as a rookie, with Port only got scrub late game minutes.  Only starting his 3rd year, but 27 as he played a few Euro years out of Gonzaga.  

Nate wants him.  He is an UFA.  Could be a steal considering the salaries other NBA players are extorting.  But Frahm wants playing time, even if it is on a sub .500 team like say for instance 2006 Seattle.  What with Daniels bailing, this could be his opportunity.

Now I know he wont start, but some think he could be a real sleeper, score some points if he got time.

I don't know about his all around game, but i can see him being another Brent Barry type.  6'5" but long.  Barry I think has tons more O potential.  Has played playmaker role on Spurs, but at times he stepped up big time and took the initiative on O for the Spurs.  I wonder if Frahm what cut loose what he could do for Blazerville.

[Guest_Randy]

I watched Frahm play in Seattle and the guy CAN score (around the basket and from outside) but the guy is a poor passer a VERY poor defender (when he tries on defense) and likes to hold the rock in his hand rather than pass the ball.  It's the reason why he didn't get much playing time in Seattle.

Frahm is a decent role player and he is a good spark off the bench -- I don't see that role changing any, he can't be "the man" and he doesn't deserve comparison with Brent Barry (Barry can shoot better, play MUCH better defense and is a much better passer -- in fact, the only area where Frahm might be better is around the rim due to Barry's age but I'd still give the edge to Brent Barry).  Barry also moves well without the ball -- Frahm likes to have the ball in his hands.

[Reality]

I watched Frahm play in Seattle and the guy CAN score (around the basket and from outside) but the guy is a poor passer a VERY poor defender (when he tries on defense) and likes to hold the rock in his hand rather than pass the ball.  It's the reason why he didn't get much playing time in Seattle.

 

So could he be a Kyle Korver type?
By that I mean lurk around the 3 pt arc on the right team.

I'm not dissing Korvers defesne, I haven't paid enough attention to know.

[Guest_Randy]

No, Frahm is a decent shooter but not in Korver's league (as far as shooting from the arch) -- he is a better mid-range than long range but he is best finishing around the basket.  He is the type of player that will drive you TOTAL nuts because on a 3 on 1, he will pull up and shoot a trey (off-balanced, probably).

I don't think you are going to see Frahm become anything more than he has been the last two year -- a sparkplug off the bench who hustles and shoots the ball (he is good at finishing around the rim).  Also, remember that he is only 6'5" (short for a shooting guard) and doesn't have the instincts to play PG.  Not to mention that the SG is the most inflated with talent of any position in the league.

[ziggy]

I like Frahm, I like him much more than Derek Anderson.  He has a lot of energy, is a better shooter, is bigger, and works hard on D.  He has a lot to offer, is happy being a role player, and he costs about $8 million a year less.

His biggest problem, and this is a big problem for a shooter, is that he doesn't shoot enough.  The best scorers shoot the ball.  They come down on the fast break and the fire away.  They get open for a split second and they launch it up.  Frahm doesn't shoot enough.  Part of it is because I think wants to to be deferential to his teammates, and is afraid to make a mistake.

The reality is he can shoot, and he should shoot more.  Be cold blooded about it.  I got so frustrated with him last year, because when he came on the floor he wasn't as aggressive as he should be looking for his shot.

[Guest_Randy]

Zig,

I can't disagree with you more -- Frahm can be explosive towards the rim but he's simply NOT that good a shooter!  He can be a little streaky but IMO, the guy is small for a SG (at 6'5") and he isn't that good a shooter, esp. from downtown.  He doesn't play defense (does he even know how?) and he isn't a great passer.  That's a LOT of "if's" for Frahm.  As for him being better than DA?  I doubt it -- but DA has been a TOTAL disappointment since his arrival in Portland (not to mention that he has been a grossly overpaid disappointment -- which makes him look FAR worse than Frahm!!!).  

I don't think Frahm is a very good player -- I like his energy off the bench and he can be a real sparkplug but he's got bench role player written all over him (on a pretty good team, he could help -- at least on the offensive end).  I'd like to see Portland focus more on their defense rather than just trying to add offense.

[ziggy]

Zig,

I can't disagree with you more -- Frahm can be explosive towards the rim but he's simply NOT that good a shooter!  He can be a little streaky but IMO, the guy is small for a SG (at 6'5") and he isn't that good a shooter, esp. from downtown.  He doesn't play defense (does he even know how?) and he isn't a great passer.  That's a LOT of "if's" for Frahm.  As for him being better than DA?  I doubt it -- but DA has been a TOTAL disappointment since his arrival in Portland (not to mention that he has been a grossly overpaid disappointment -- which makes him look FAR worse than Frahm!!!).  

I don't think Frahm is a very good player -- I like his energy off the bench and he can be a real sparkplug but he's got bench role player written all over him (on a pretty good team, he could help -- at least on the offensive end).  I'd like to see Portland focus more on their defense rather than just trying to add offense.

Randy,
For Richie Frahm to stay in the league, it has to be as a shooter.  Frahm is like just about every other "shooter" in the NBA, he is streaky.  He is a lifetime 38% shooter on 3's (based upon 172 attempts) and this would have placed him around #25 to #30 in 3pt % leaders in the NBA for the 03 and 04 seasons.  That tells me that he is a good shooter by NBA standards in todays NBA.  He is streaky, like all shooters, but he has 3 point range, and that is a FACT and not an OPINION.

I never said that Frahm was a better player than Derek Anderson, just that I like him a lot more.  Why?  Because he is a better shooter than DA, knows his role, plays with a lot of energy, and COSTS $8 MLLION A YEAR LESS THAN DA.

He is not a great defender, and of course I never claimed that he was.  I will say that 90% of defense is effort, and from what I saw last year Frahm worked very hard defensively.  He was always in the face of the guy he was guarding. worked very hard at getting back on defense, fought through screens, and worked hard to provide help to other defenders.  Part of playing defense is defensive rebounding, allowing your opponent only one shot.  Frahms rebound rate compared to Doug Christie and Brent Barry is higher and his defensive rebound rate is better than Christie and about the same as Barry.  Just so there is no confusion Randy, I AM NOT SAYING FRAHM IS BETTER THAN CHRISTIE OR BARRY, OR THAT HE EVER HAS BEEN OR EVER WILL BE.  I am saying that the notion that at 6-5 he is to small to play SG is ridiculous.  I AM ALSO NOT SAYING HE IS A GREAT DEFENDER, but I am saying that the notion that he doesn't know how to play defense is also ridiculous.

I agree Portland needs to focus on defense more than offense.  Last year we had a SG that scored 16 or more points in 29 of 32 games (averaging 22 ppg), and we lost the vast majority of those games.  WHY?  Because Damon at 5-10 could not guard the opposing SG.  We proved last year we need a defender more than a shooter.  That of course doesn't mean we shouldn't look for role players who can shoot.