It’s Official, the Trail Blazers Return July 31st – Now What? | Trail Daddy: A Trail Blazers…
what’s going on everybody Welcome to the Blazers Edge podcast I am your host Danny morang and this week we have another guest co-host uh you may recognize her uh maybe by name I guess with uh I don’t know did you guys ever do a a little bit of video at all Kendall we didn’t no so I don’t I don’t I don’t know if my face has ever been public there you go coming out from the Shadows Kendall Bennett you may recognize her from the women’s whom stock podcast with my former co-host terone and bigs Kendall thanks for joining us of course thank you for having me I’m excited to be back I know it’s it’s been a while since I’ve been in the Blazers Edge world so excited to be back well uh speaking of excited to be back the NBA season is officially going to be back July 31st uh this is something I’ll the last couple weeks here we’ve hinted at um that was kind of the idea that was the league was gonna go with when you heard that not only the seasons coming back the Blazers are going to be a part of it what were your kind of first thoughts yeah I mean obviously as a basketball fan my first thought was like I’m excited to have basketball back um but then the logistics of it obviously start kind of worrying like is it going to be good basketball is it gonna is it the right decision to make with the timing so you kind of start worrying about all of that so I’ve gone back and forth I think I think I’ve kind of my ultimate conclusion is I’m excited for it and I think that it’s gonna be very competitive even if it is kind of sloppy um at first I think it will be very competitive and that it’s me a lot so I’m happy for it I think that’s the important part there you emphasized how good is the basketball going to be and I don’t I don’t necessarily know that it’s going to be the best brand of basketball but considering all the circumstances surrounding it are we really going to complain about the level of of play I mean even like preseason basketball I think people would be jonesing for right now so yeah I think the first eight games are going to be kind of sloppy I think it’s going to be some I especially I think there’s some teams like teams like the Blazers you know you have players coming back who have had even longer breaks than these three months um I think it’s it’s going to be kind of hard to watch at first but I think everyone’s just going to be so excited to finally see basketball again that it’s they’re going to be looking past that a little bit I think by the time yeah and but I think by the time that the playoffs start especially once you get to like the second round I think it’s going to be fine because I think these players too like when they come into preseason they use they don’t take it quite as seriously and I think this is different in the sense of they’re going to be more they’re going to come in and take it so much more seriously from day one um so I think they’re GNA kind of snap back into shape a lot faster yeah this something we kind of we talked about a couple weeks ago there’s probably a candidate or two out there for the ray Felton award coming back into the season maybe not in the best not necessarily in Portland I I think uh the injured guys uh Zach and nerk are going to be looking looking good I mean I saw nerk you know getting ready before the season ended he actually looked a little bit lighter than he had in the past um Zach I mean feed the kid a cheeseburger I mean he’s still he could still he could afford to put on like 25 more pounds and be totally fine um but there’s gonna be there’s gonna be an old head out there who was like ah the season’s over we don’t have to worry about this who all of a sudden is like a crap I gotta get shape I’m just I’m just wondering who that guy is going to be and they have some time though they I mean they know now here’s the date that I need to be ready by so those guys it’s kind of like they have no excuse at this point where it’s like you have I mean realistically when when do they start training camp it’s like mid July or early July Yeah official training camp yeah yeah they have they have about a month to get it together so they don’t really have an excuse when it comes to that so we there still will be a couple there’ll be a couple oh yeah you you’re hedging a little bit there there’s going to be at least one probably two where you’re like that I mean guys aren’t going to be in game shape like that’s that’s that’s that’s the reality um speaking of CJ McCullum as the vice president of the mvpa has pushed for the NBA to allow guys to get back in a bit sooner so they can get some one-on-one going I mean I understand the league trying to protect its players so to speak as far as controlled environments but if they’re going to play they kind of need to play right yeah well they don’t want to risk them getting injured as well so they have to be able to get them ready for that as they have to put them in a position where they’re ready because his thing was he pushed for like more contact in the practices and like starting that earlier and that’s something where like if they practice without contact for all this period of time then all sudden they start playing like that’s G to bump up the chance of being injured as well so I it’s hard because it’s like it’s like what what is the right thing to do it’s like maybe like people think about it’s like oh well it’s what’s more important protecting them from injuries or protecting them from covid it’s like everyone’s gonna have a different opinion on that of what’s more important to them I get that there’s going to be a difference of opinion on that but I think if you if you’re gonna do this you have you you can’t just put your toes in the water kind of a situation right like if you’re gonna do this you just need to do it like guys need to play guys like it needs to be like kind of a fully invested kind of deal and I get that there’s inherent risks because because you don’t have an entirely controlled environment but no matter what you do it’s not going to be an entirely controlled wi even even in the bubble it’s still not going to be perfectly controlled there’s always going to be an interaction there’s always going to be something and all it takes is is you know one thing to happen and then who knows and I guess that’s the kind of League’s position is are trying to minimize that entirely but I don’t think you can necessarily I think you need to operate this responsibly but not out of complete fear because if you I’m CU see yeah I’m curious to see what happens though because they said basically if someone ends up testing positive they’re going to keep going but if one person tests positive they’ve been most likely they’ve been contagious for a few days so it’s like they’re probably not gonna be the only one it’s like at what point would they kind of shut it down again like if it all in Spirals and it’s like okay well this ire team is out is it just like well sorry like that team yeah like so it’s kind of like I wonder I’m sure they have to be thinking about that have a plan but it’s like how what is the right way to handle that well the attempt is we got it from W last night is that there’s G to be a pool of players basically that are going to be eligible to join a team it’s going to be a lot more free flowing than it would would be under normal NBA circumstances in that teams can join teams who have a player either receive a serious injury or test positive during the eight game leadup now those rules that is that like from the teams that have been eliminated or I believe the pool is is gonna be like free agents So currently current free agents who a guy like Mo harkas who didn’t sign with the team like he could potentially be somebody who could who could join one of the teams if somebody got injured or if you know somebody tests positive and I think that’s something that they clearly have to think about they have to allow a little more fluidity in the roster situation just because this is kind of a unique situation right yeah so we we’ll see interesting to see because then it’s like how how good a shape is then that player G to be in and how much are they G to help and yeah I feel like it’s just I feel like this could go really smoothly or this could crash and burn very quickly as well I think those are probably the two likely scenarios either even going smoothly one or two people test positive um I I I ultimately I think that would probably be uh an optimal situation where you only have like one or two people come back positive the reality is I think somebody’s going to test positive like just even in a controlled environment it’s still gonna happen not a player it’s gonna be a staff member or coach or it’s someone yeah it’ll be interesting kind of see how that part of it plays up but the league is is clearly looking at it as we saw last night um there the exact quote is sources told ESPN league and teams are already discussing how teams will be able to utilize players on two-way contracts a conversation revolving around safety practicality and competition that will surely be a part of the ramp up so two ways and unrestricted free agents that are in that pool I know we’re in that discussion so again they’re thinking they’re trying to think ahead they’re trying to be proactive they’re trying to understand that things are probably aren’t going to go exactly the way you want them to and you have to allow for a little bit of fluidity what’s going to be interesting here is if a team like the Lakers perhaps uh have their 13th guy get injured and all of a sudden one of those unsigned guys who’s more than just a 14th guy like aaras all of a sudden is available to sign so how they limit those kind of situations uh will be interesting to see who tries to manipulate that the most because realistically if you’re not if you’re not trying to manipulate it you’re not trying that’s just kind of how that situation go yeah the conspiracy theories are going to come out of did he actually test positive like all that start listen I’m here for that give me give me all of the conspiracy listen if the NBA is coming back it better come back with all of its weirdness tin foil hat wear and Kyrie stuff I Want It All give me every last bit of the weirdness Yeah well yeah because then it that’s a good argument with Kyrie I mean bringing up I don’t think this is what you’re getting at but it’s you’re looking at teams like Brooklyn who some of their their star players are not even going to be coming back so are they then qualified to get one of those guys automatically because they have a smaller roster so then it’s like because they can try to argue really good point yeah because it’s like hey we we are coming in without a full roster so how is that more fair if we start with without a full roster versus a team who has a full roster and just loses a die and that it’s replaced so it’s like I wonder if they’re gonna try to push that how they’re gonna handle that listen that’s a valid argument I mean Shawn marks has has been has shown that he’s pretty shed with a lot of things so I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see uh them try to try to pull something off um but I didn’t think about that that’s a good that’s a really good point I like that um we did open this up for um some questions uh it’s a slow week obviously with everything but uh one of them we did get in um I think when we’re talking about the Blazers in particular ret turning to play I want to use this kind of as a springboard because this is this is the one topic that everybody has questions about it doesn’t matter how much you follow the team or or who you’re pulling for who you’re rooting for the big question is ner and Whit side whites side and nkit will it work how will it work how won’t it work yeah how much it’ll impact so we got this from the real R dub how do you think this will affect the resigning of son whes side now that nerk and Collins are ready is this potentially a dress rehearsal for next season uh I I don’t think we can get to next season yet I think we have to see how it works with just those three uh well also realistically if you’re just looking on paper we I mean Whiteside is not going to get the same money that he’s currently making he I don’t think like there’s no way he’s doing that no but unless he takes a huge pay cut we can’t resign him no matter what so it’s like unless he wants to take I mean I don’t I don’t remember exactly what the well they they only know what the cap space is gonna be because they might be changing it now so that’s that that changes it too but um yeah so it’s like unless he’s willing to take less I mean it’s it’s it’s going to be a very very small amount and I don’t see him doing that I don’t I don’t see him being willing to do that and that’s the thing is he’s he’s 31 years old he’s probably on his last chance to get a real multi-year deal um and again this this podcast has always been team secure the bag it’s very player friendly in the salary front um but the situation that the Blazers find themselves in both financially as far as what limitation they may or may not have based on the salary cap because even by getting these eight games and even getting the playoffs in the revenue is still going to take a hit that’s just the reality of it they’re going to end up missing about 12% of the games so I think it’s pretty fair to assume that a 12% 12 to 15% reduction in the salary cap is probably likely um and that doesn’t you know impact how you know ad revenue is actually going to come in for the league because obviously they’re not only are they playing these games they’re playing these games where not in home stadiums not in home stadiums where there’s attendance so there’s a lot of Revenue that’s still going to be lost so that salary cap table is going to get hit pretty damn hard now as far as the basketball side of things this is where I think it gets a little interesting I am very much against the idea of nerk and Whiteside on the floor at the same time yeah yeah I don’t like that I I know they I think it’s gonna happen a couple times they’re gonna test it they’re gonna see you have to test it yeah you never know they might pull they might pull it out and it might be insane but I yeah I don’t think so I don’t think that’s laughing nurk is visibly looks like he’s lost some weight and looks like he’s a little bit felter looks like he may have a little bit more lateral quickness to him um which is kind of hilarious to think about when you’re talking about a guy coming off a compound fractured leg um yeah but I don’t want him on the perimeter guarding Giannis like that’s just no that’s not what I want to see happen um I I get the whole idea of oh it be great Rim protection it’s like yeah how about everything else so I I I get it um but you have two guys who naturally want to Anchor themselves to the pain one as a big-time shop Blocker in Hassan Whiteside and one as a premier like highlevel IQ defender in Yousef nurkic who knows how to funnel guys away how to play with or how to challenge a shot without fouling how to force a kick out pass um and who can shoot yeah and that’s the other thing is is is nerk an elite shooter no but he can work that free throw line jumper yeah um son has shown he does have a little bit of range he stepped out to the three-point line but I don’t know if you want to try to space the floor with uh nerk and Whiteside um I mean both of them want to gravitate towards the rim that’s just kind of their natural lineup I’ve thought about that like I I’ve had friends ask me and they say like if they were to do that and they started or at any point in the lineup they had nerk and whites side at the four and five like who would you want as the three ideally in that situation and I’m like I don’t even know what I would want like I feel like I don’t have a strong opinion of what I would want because I’m like it just seems like such a weird situation I’m like I don’t even know at that point what would be the best I think the only way you could really do it you have have to have a premier Wing Defender so it that pretty much limits you to arza or Gary ARA yeah it’s it’s one of those two guys um the problem is if you have those guys on the floor you don’t have primary creators and if you just have Dame out there you only have one so it has to be Dame and CJ or Dame and ant or CJ and ant you have to have guys who have the ability to create their own shot like that’s a must have because Whiteside and and nerk they’re not creating shots on their own they need they need to be fed well nerk nerk doesn’t necessarily you can post nerk up and he can go get you a bucket Assan I don’t know if I necessarily trust that uh as much uh so I think optimally in that particular situation you probably go Dame CJ Gary or Trevor and then nerk and Whiteside even then that’s that’s a weird that’s just weird yeah I mean even even for like late 90s basketball that’s weird that’s yeah and that’s why when people have asked me that I’m like that’s what I’ve a lot of times I’ve said but I’m like I don’t feel comfortable saying that like that lineup does not make me feel comfortable so I’m like there isn’t one that I feel like good about some like may like they’ll have to do it at some point like they’ll they’ll try it out but it’s it’s gonna be weird to watch Terry stant’s going like full-on mad Professor will happen he he does do that um yeah the spacing it’s just yikes that’s it’s hard for me to really wrap my head around how effective that’ll be um but here’s the thing again kind of getting back to the whole nurk white side side of this the big question I think everybody has is who starts who gets the most minutes who closes I I’ve kind of said my piece on this so I want to kind of tip this one to you which which way do you think it Go who starts the game um I think right off the bat I think they are going to start nerk and I think that’s the smart decision to just like see and kind of give him the shot because I think he’s kind of earned that um we’ll see how that goes I mean they might change that depending on how he plays um in a perfect world like if he comes back and he’s strong and everything’s fine and it’s not a concern about his play or whatever I would want to see him starting and closing for the most part okay maybe not in all situations I think it probably depends on where the Dame is at the end um but in a I would want that more so I think just because this has been an unpopular opinion to a certain extent I just don’t have a lot of faith in wh side like I don’t enjoy watching him play like I am stressed out watching him play so like I’ve only I’ve because I’m in La um I’ve only I have I’ve only been to one actual like Blazer game at the Moto Center this last season I saw both times when they came to LA and played the Clippers I went to both of those games um I refused to go Lakers games so I didn’t go to those but um uh so I’ve only seen him play three times in person this last season and all three times I was just like it just made me even more so in person just like Angry to watch him because it’s like it just every time like it just it just bothered me and I did I like I did that obviously he especially later in the season like he was really improving he wasn’t doing the same things that he was doing the beginning like he wasn’t getting yelled at as much for just walking around and standing there but it it’s still it’s like those times when he does that it just makes me completely lose faith in him so maybe this is I mean this is a very biased opinion but like the I I don’t I would rather not have him out there at the end unless they really feel like depending on the specific Dame it’s fitting so safe to assume you’re team nkit yeah okay listen I I just didn’t expect that from you that was that was a that was a Dan level r that was pretty good I’m not gonna lie um I don’t even know like that’s kind of what I’ve said for most of the year so I was a little a little surprising I didn’t expect that one um yeah I always have people who aren’t Blazers fans they’ll they’ll be like oh like uh what do you like what do you want to have happen where ner comes back and I’m like I want whites side to sit on the bench as much as possible like that’s my initial reaction and people I think a lot of people are like no but he’s doing better and like look at his stats I’m like yeah like he’s that guy that like if you don’t watch the game and you look at his stats you’re like oh this guy is amazing like this guy’s great look what he’s doing and then you watch the game and you’re like okay like yeah his stats are great but like look at so look at all the things he did that are like really terrible in that game like look at all the missed opportunities like look at all the problems he caused not always but like it’s like he might have crazy stats but he’s still all looked at a Dame and be like he lost that Dame for us even though his stats are great like there were just so many situations like that with him like he’s just such an interesting player in that sense that like he’s one of those people that like you can’t rely on his stats at all which a lot of players can’t but like he’s one especially that’s like his stats I feel like do not really represent him as a player I think that’s that’s true of him in this exact situation in Portland because of what they need their big to do yes like I don’t think how people I don’t think many people realize the S how many sins Yousef nerkish covers up for on a nightly basis and not that Assan doesn’t do that too he does do that but not to the extent that nerk does and I just think a lot of that hinges on the relationship and the time spent and I I think it takes some time to learn that to know when to step up know when to drop off no when to challenge no when to switch know when to foul when to challenge when to stay down like those are all things that come with time especially in in in a defense where so much of it is relyant upon the big uh being that guy at the rim and and Assan as a rim protector has been very good um he’s a he’s he’s probably the best shot Blocker in the league I know he had the you know I’m the best rim protector in the league I’d call him the best shot Blocker in the league I think those are two different things I’d say the best rim protector in the league is is is Rudy goar goar knows how to not only block shots but how to challenge how to do so without fouling how to not jump uh at every single pump fake every well I don’t think players coming into Portland are scared of Whiteside I don’t think there’s very many players who go in and they’re like scared to play against him where the same way like there are a lot of players you hear where it’s like Rudy dear is someone that’s like intimidating to play a d for a lot of players I don’t think Whiteside is as intim like he’s not that person as much I don’t think I think he can be to a certain extent but I don’t think he’s that person that’s like if you were to talk to a lot of players and they say like oh who are the like defensive players that like if you see them on the schedule they’re coming up you have to really like think about that and you start like looking forward or looking ahead to that I don’t think he’s really that player a whole lot even though like I think it to it a little bit but he’s not nearly as much as someone like Rudy goar or something I think that’s that’s an interesting concept to think about as far as like how you’re attacking somebody in the game where I think you’re on to something in a sense I think the one thing that he does do and you can see this over the course of a game if he gets like three early blocks guys stop wanting to come inside because he is a premier shot plucker and I think that’s the one thing where he can alter mindsets after sending a few out um but I think you I don’t think going into a day no exactly and I think that’s that’s the difference between the two when you’re talking about the levels of Defenders I think that he has the ability to alter a game plan when he is really locked in and blocking shots and being that aggressive guy who was out there just sending everything out but I think it is you’re right I think it is different that when you’re going up against a Joel embiid or a Rudy gobear or a one of those types or you know Giannis or any of those guys you know that the amount of space they can cover as Defenders as Rim protectors as help Defenders as weak side helpers um their length their their strength their reach their ability to kind of cover that ground that I think that’s and not only that to have a severely Advanced High level defensive IQ like that’s really what separates most guys at this level is just how they think about the game how they anticipate their ability to to be there a step sooner to not buy on a pump fake to understand what an offense is trying to do and I think there are just guys who do it better than Hass on that side of things yeah well you always know what you’re getting with players like goar or Giannis or something you always know what you’re gonna get and with Y or with Whiteside like you don’t always know like sometimes you’re like he might not even try like he might not even try to block my shot like sometimes like I think players go in knowing like there’s a chance that he just might not be doing that tonight I mean that’s the real really yeah and you don’t really get that with like I don’t think there’s ever players that go in looking at Yannis like uh I don’t think he’s gonna really try to block my shots and I like I don’t think any player has that mindset where Whiteside is kind of like yeah like there’s a chance that he might just not really put a lot of effort in tonight I think less so as the season went on but especially at the beginning it was like who knows like he might just be walking around all night not doing a lot it might take the second half for him to actually start start trying to block these shots and really be aggressive like that so it’s I think that’s the thing is like it’s the consistency of it is that with these other players they know consistently this is what they’re going to get going against Rudy goar going against Giannis but with um even with embid sometimes that’s even something that people said he can be inconsistent so I think it’s very similar to the sense where it’s like yeah like when they are aggressive when they are playing at their top level they’re definitely difficult to play against they’re scary to play against but you know there’s a chance that you’re not going to get that yeah and I think the consistency part is is probably the the fairest part of the criticism because the whole idea of um the dominance that we see from whites side in some quarters I mean just absolutely in like he’s said multiple double doubles in single quarter this season or in single halfes and you’re just like good Lord like the impact you can see you know he’s got 10 12 and four in 15 minutes of action you’re like I’m sorry what and then he there have been times where for entire quarters and and Joe and I talked about this during the season you don’t even know he’s out there which is such a strange thing for somebody who’s you know seven foot 280 pounds that’s what’s so frustrating about it is like I would rather rather have him not play to that top level but have it be balanced out more and I I don’t want this to to like frustrating a wh side B yeah no and it’s not it’s just when we’re when we’re talking about particularly Whiteside verse nerkish and it’s not necessarily verse I I think that the Way Portland looks at this I don’t think Mo even the people who have an issue with with whiteside’s player contribution or effort consistency any of those things I don’t think it’s necessarily just an entire reflection of Assan Whit side as much as it is an entire reflection of son Whiteside against use of nerkish yes and it’s not like nerk hasn’t had moments of where we’re sitting here going hey hey big fella G need you remember the flip shots we all remember the flip shots it drove everybody insane it’s like hey big fella how about you use that 285 pound frame and you dunk it on somebody and yeah he he got away from it and it took him a little bit of time but I I think that a lot of the conflict and The Strife among Blazers fans as as a the on Whit side is not necessarily directly solely at him but directed more so as he stands against Yousef nkic and how many people love nerk well especially coming like when nerk got injured he was having a insane season he was 172 four- two like he was and it was his impact was even more than what the box score was that’s I think the contrast yeah so it was like he he got injured kind of in his Peak MH so people it was kind of like people had forgotten about the inconsistency because it was like look at what he’s doing right now look what he’s been doing this for these past couple months and then Whiteside came in it was just like such a difference that it like it definitely highlighted that a lot more so people had were much harsher on because of that like I definitely I know I’m guilty of that but um but yeah it’s it’ll be interesting to see them play together because I think that it will I’m curious if it kind of in a way inspires whites side to kind of do some of the things as nerd like if it puts him in a position where it kind of like like he almost wants to imitate certain things ner does I’m curious if he sees that and like actually seeing that on the floor maybe we’ll encourage him to do that a little bit more um or just the level of effort that nerk puts in the entire game like just even that inspiring whide so I’m curious to see if that has any impact of just like playing next to him of like is it gonna push him to really want to or just to bring the competitiveness out being like I don’t want to be second best to nerk maybe just puts him in a position where it’s like he’s like no I wanna I want to start I want to be this person and he wants to fight for that and that’s what I wanted to kind of tie this this whole conversation off with to son wh side as we started talking about the beginning of this is up for a new contract if nothing else if absolutely nothing else this is his last chance to perform before hitting for agency and so it’s incumbent upon him to be as good as he can be to deliver to the highest level and I think that mixed with the whole idea of competing directly for those minutes as people like to say somebody’s always trying to take off of your plate there’s always somebody trying and which will overcome the other is it Hassan wanting to get that next contract which again I don’t begrudge players for doing that because that’s just the economy of the league you have to last time he was in that situation too he took advant yes when he was in Sacramento he put up nasty box score stats and even on the negative marks Pat riy and the heat were like hey we can do something with this and for a time they did and so it’ll be interesting to see how that situation plays out I think of all of the things coming into this restart how that situation goes and we did this without even talking about Zack Collins because Zack Collins wants to play more of the five2 um it’s gonna be interesting to see how it all kind of comes all comes together there uh just kind of progressing into the the Blazers themselves coming back because we I want to pull all the put all the swords away on son Whiteside for a little while um but the the Blazers are returning to basketball they’re gonna have an8 Game season uh they voted against the the the 22 team because they wanted the 20 team and from what I would able to gather they basically just wanted a better chance of being able to get in obviously with the 22 team you do have more teams in there but I think one of the other things that kind of got altered here is that in a 20 proposal the Blazers were probably much more likely to play the Memphis Grizzlies twice versus the 22 where now the New Orleans Pelicans will play the Grizzlies twice and there’s that and then I had heard that there was there had been an idea that if Portland were to have a rough go of it in this eight game return they wanted some assurances and protections that the negative record would be reflected to increase their Lottery odds so there’s they kind of wanted to have their cake and eat it too but ultimately it looks like they’re going to get the 22 team format they’re going to get the eight game runup uh then we obviously we have this the the playin potential part of this eight games three and a half back do you think that Portland is the team that at bare minimum gets to be in the playin portion of this yeah absolutely I mean I think when you look at the other teams up for it what the it’s the Suns the Kings which are both like teams that haven’t proven themselves they don’t they’re young not saying that they can’t do it but it’s like they don’t they don’t have the track record the other team that I think is really just the competitor would be the Spurs I think they’re the only ones but even then it’s like they haven’t really proven themselves a whole lot this year as as being a super strong the pel and the Pelicans do have Zion and and Drew bi and I think that the the weird thing is is that you take a look team like the Kings and I know a lot of people have counted them out they’re the youngest of the bunch outside of Memphis probably so as far as like being able to be ready quickly that’s something they can probably do the other part of this is they were playing really good basketball if remember the Kings lost to them kind of or the Blazers lost them going down the stretch uh it wouldn’t be hard for me to see the Kings kind of push up but I think they have probably too much ground to cover the big thing here at least for me is the Blazers have Damen Lillard which nobody else has and if you look at all the other remaining teams jaw at with the Grizzlies is the guy who reminds me most of Damien load as far as his leadership and how he just kind of Wills victories uh he doesn’t put up the most impressive box score but neither did Damen Lillard in his rookie year I I think there’s a lot of intangible leadership who where he fits he’s the point guard ethos of griton grind version two he’s got some of that Tony Allen that that absolute dog in him we’ve seen from Damen Lillard who when push comes to the sh he just won’t let his team lose so I think Memphis is still as weird as may sound a bit of a front runner for that spot and at least to get into the play in and then I ultimately think it comes down to Portland and New Orleans and it’s how the schedule plays out more than anything because I think Portland’s not gonna be short on Firepower they’re gonna be a little short-handed obviously without Rodney Hood but how the situation plays out and I guess we’ll tou touch on this real quick we’ve we’ve hit nerk and whide we’re both in favor of nerk starting um Collins and Carmelo yeah who starts who meet the minutes who who finishes I again I’ve kind of set my piece on this show who do you think starts who gets the minutes who should play who should close where do you stand so I think to start off I think they should still start with Melo um because I think just with Zach because of how young he is still and coming off of that injury I think they should give him some minutes off the bench to start um and then kind of see how he’s playing and if he did is back to where he was when he got injured and then I I would want to start him over Melo that being said then you have to start considering how is that gonna affect Melo and I think that he has to a certain extent like proven that he is different now he’s changed but at the same time like he’s still been starting so he still as much as he’s saying like oh I’m here I know my role all this he’s still been starting so is night yes is he still gonna feel the same way if he gets benched to a young guy came back from injury yeah yeah so I don’t know I would I would like to think so but I don’t we don’t know how that’s G play out so I think in a perfect world if Zach comes back super healthy he’s everything’s great he’s playing great Melo can handle that I would want to start Zach but if that’s not how that happens if OS didn’t the way and all of that or Zach doesn’t come back full strength or whatever it may be then I would say Melo but I think Melo should start for the first like two games maybe so this is where Something’s Gonna Be broken as far as like the unwritten rules of the NBA the idea that you can’t lose your spot to injury which Zach is the incumbent starter even if it was only three games he is the incumbent starter yeah and a promise that was likely made to cararo Anthony that if he came to Portland he would start get X minutes so which one of those things get broken which is more important to Portland now or in the long term is it better to honor a commitment that was likely made to Carmelo Anthony is it more important to keep the future big man of your roster who’s going into the final year of his rookie deal on Zack Collins happy or are they both okay with with the situation there could be much to do about nothing here like they both like Melo could start and Zach could be totally okay with that or Zack could start and Melo could be totally okay with that we just we just don’t know I I’m just really interested to see how that Dynamic plays out after nurk Whiteside it’s Melo Collins like how the how the Blazers front Court looks when they return to basketball not only just how they perform but who’s out there and when they’re out there and who they’re out there with are some of the most interesting questions of all the teams returning yeah so who so in your opinion then who would your be who for the three form obviously arza so who would who would your starters be then it’s Meo nerkish and it’s not because I think that uh Melo is a better option or this that and the other I believe that the established standard of the 16-year future Hall of Famer being told X Y and Z is going to take precedent over the third year player yeah and plus I think that someone like Melo in a situation like this where every single game is going to be so competitive you’re going to need the best out of every player it might be better to have someone like him where starting might help give him that ego boost to help him and like the confidence to really push through where someone like Zach I don’t think that he’s really in a place where he needs that I think that he’s like he seems very like Zach seems like one of the more humble guys in that sense where I don’t think that him not starting is going to really drastically affect his play yeah especially as it pertains to like how weird this season has been I I would I would think that Zach probably wants to just get out there and play and that that was that would be kind of the way that I would go with it um especially coming off the bench to someone like Melo I don’t I think if he was coming off to bench to some random guy it might be different but it’s like it’s mellow and I think especially as a younger player he’s probably like the respect is there in the sense of like okay if I’m going to come off the bench like it’s to Mellow I can justify that like I’m not going to take that offensively I’m not going to that’s not gonna hurt my ego and if Melo was coming off the bench if he was coming off the bench for LeBron that’s that’s a different story than if he’s coming off the bench for the third year guy and again it’s not because it’s Zach it’s because it’s a third year guy like melo’s been in the league almost as long as Zach’s been alive and that’s that’s just a reality of the situation I he’s been in League 16 years Zach’s what 22 so I mean Zack Collins hasn’t known an NBA that didn’t have Carmelo Anthony in it um so that again that that’s going to be interesting to see how that part of it all plays out and we’ll kind of tie it all together with with with this when you look at this Portland team and how they’re coming back in all these questions how good of a chance do you think they have of actually making it through the eight games and into the into the um the playin game and actually making it to the playoffs and do you care uh I definitely care um uh yeah I mean I I before all this happened before quarantine and before when it was just looked as this was a regular season I had pretty much written off the season already because I was like even if nerk and Zach come back the last month like it was just the point where I’m like it was just not it just wasn’t looking good I think a lot of people just kind of had lost hope to a certain extent it was kind of like okay like just get through the season make it till next year um but I think with this like this gives me more hope because I think they’re coming back like the way you hear the players talking they’re so energized about it and they they’re very confident in themselves Dame is super confident about it and that gives me a lot of confidence in the sense of like I think that they have a very I think they in my mind like they definitely are the favorite to take the eighth seed whether it be through the play in or not um so I think they have a very good chance like they definitely are the favorite to me and I think that if you’re looking at it it probably is going to be it’s a Laker Blazers match up and like I’m not going to sit here and and say oh I’m going to favor the Blazers but I don’t think that’s going to be an easy series that’s definitely not gonna be a that’s not gonna Lakers are gonna walk away with that no um especially like some with someone like Dame who like he’s gonna come in like pissed about all of this and he’s going to want to prove a point he’s gonna want especially with all the you know there’s always the rumors about Dame going to the Lakers and all this and that’s going to pick up even more if they’re playing each other in a series I think he’s going to come out and then melo’s playing against LeBron and it’s I think it’s just going to I think that that would be an amazing series and I think that it it could be an upset like I would not be shocked to see that as an upset so I think I’m very confident going in I don’t I’m not gonna sit here and say I’m favoring them I’m all but I think I favor them to get to the playoffs um and I think that they potent they have the potential to do some damage I would be shocked if they they got the Lakers and upset them but I I do also know that LeBron and the Lakers do not want to play Damen L and the Blazers they would much rather play a Young team like the Pelicans like the Grizzlies uh even if they have quote unquote more talent in particular positions uh neither of those teams have Damen lard neither of those teams have a guy who was absolutely eviscerated franchises uh in the playoffs and done things that you know you know what maybe a dozen NBA players have have done in the history of the game by you know dropping a 50 piece and a serious clenching game um so yeah I mean that everybody knows Dame is a top what seven player in the league now um and in the playoffs that’s what matters so and as much crap as I’ve given CJ McCullum for being kind of like that Flatline guy during the regular season the last couple years he’s performed his ass off in the playoffs I mean yeah what I mean he if they weren’t for him we would have not made it to the Western confence finals last year I mean what he did against Denver was was incred it truly was um so you you’ve got two guys who literally have proven track records of being able to take over a game and take over a series what CJ did against Denver and what Dame did against Oklahoma City H so yeah I could see nerk I I could see a situation where nerk comes out and does that as well not to the extent but I think like where yeah like his quote like the games where he’s had the crazy stat stat lines where it’s kind of like it’s it’s different when a when a like that takes over a game sure um but I could see him having moments like that and the reality is you either have Yousef nurkic or Hassan Whiteside coming off the bench and you either have Carmelo Anthony or Zack Collins coming off the bench so you’ve got a just a metric ton of size coming off the bench uh and then we’ve got you know when you look at it you’ve got a young guy like Gary Trent Jr who is playing incredibly well uh who looked like he was emerging and and you could see him being in there and this is something I’ve hinted at and yes he’s my guy and yes I support the living hell out of him but you could see Anthony Simons who is going to be at home in Orlando feeling a lot more comfortable and reinvigorated and put back in a position where his sole job to on the floor is to go get Buckets if all of a sudden just think about that you have Whiteside or nurkic H or uh Collins or melow out there on the floor Off the Bench when those guys were out there now you’re bench consists of Anthony Gary you know either Hass or or nerk or Zack or and then insert whoever you want uh at the forward position as as you kind of Juggle it or you stagger Damon CJ and slide you know um ant up to the two and Gary up to the three with the the uh Elite size you now have coming off the bench and I think you could see the young guys have or this year I mean you’ve got NZ out there too who yeah now you’ve got a lot more options your 10man rotation certainly looks a lot better when you toss in you’re starting four and starting five again yeah and and that is going to be interesting to see how it plays out because what has been the storyline from Blazers fans all year well they they underperformed not because of injuries but the counterargument to that was always well you only had Zach for two games and nurk was never there so how much were they really worth you know how much more could they impact how much this that and the other now you get to see that on the floor how much is Zach Collins worth how much is of nerk it’s worth how much is it does it mean to have that Dame nerk pick and roll again like how different does the offense look how different does the defense look and I think those those questions to me matter more than win or loss as as crazy as that sounds because I’m team you know win every game because of where Portland is right now with the salary cap with who’s coming back who’s not how they need to get things done return of Rodney Hood how those things play out in the develop of the young guys and how things come together and what was supposed to be a full-size team for the first time all year I think that’s the most interesting thing of all this yeah I think what’s what’s interesting too is that like Portland has the most questions out of every team coming in this to this which in a way I think can energize them a lot like we’ve seen it especially with Dame like the more you doubt him the better he does the shoulders yeah so it’s like yeah and I think that a lot of those players I think Dame helps spread that energy to everyone so I think that like this the couple weeks before these Dame start I think that they’re gonna come in just they’re GNA come in ready as far as like we want to prove everyone want wron we want to put this conversation to an end that because you know a lot of people were were giving the Blazers a lot of heat and were not even talking about the injuries they were just talking about all this so I think they want to come out and like yeah like Oh see it was a flute that they made it to Western Conference fin like they did it without nerk then and it was a fluke and all this and I think they’re going to come out and they they have a lot to prove and I think that they all have kind of the temperament to get that energy and just pull it together and go out there and do it and so I think they’re gon they’re by far the most I think the most energized team going out there right and I think it’s G be the most interesting we’ve got Kendall with the Blazers will be the most energized team who wouldn’t be shocked if she if they upset the Lakers in the playoffs and is I’m not favoring them I’m just saying and his unabashedly team nage which things that we support here uh endlessly uh I just want to thank you for coming on with us Kendall I I do appreciate it um tell everybody out there where they can find you how they can find your work what you’re doing social media all that kind of stuff yeah let me I don’t even know what my Twitter name is um I haven’t said it in so long that yeah um so you can find me on Twitter Kendall bennett6 um that’s really the only place that I post a lot of basketball stuff but but yeah well cool thank you very much uh for joining us folks if you want to give her a follow just head over to Twitter and I don’t know I’ll probably put the uh the link in the in the podcast on the on the site uh do have a little bit of news regarding blazes Outsiders Joe and I have had conversations it look like we will be returning to cover these games not sure what’s going on with the playoffs yet but uh in some facet or another whether we’re doing it from our homes or perhaps in the studio uh we’re still getting guidance from the overlords at NBC to see which way this is going to go uh until then you can find me on all social media Danny miring atda Ann y m a r n g uh and when blaz basketball Returns on NBC Sports Northwest following every game with my friend and co-host Joe Simons Kendall thanks again for joining us uh again folks I don’t say it enough but please like follow subscribe do all that kind of stuff I don’t promote it I’m terrible at it but that’s what allows us to kind of grow the podcast and generate ad Revenue so I can keep doing this and spending hours and hours and hours and not getting paid for it so again thanks Kendall appreciate it if everybody else out there thanks for joining us we catch you guys next week bye
On this week’s edition of the Blazer’s Edge podcast., Danny Marang is joined by guest host Kendyl Bennett to take a look at the Portland Trail Blazers as they return to competitive basketball July 31st. The lead up to the resumption of the season, how Jusuf Nurkic and Hassan Whiteside do (or don’t) fit together, how Zach Collins will be able to integrate, whether or not the Blazer’s have a real chance at the playoffs and more!
Intro
Opening comments
Kendyl Bennett!
First thoughts on the return of the season? 2:00
Safety, quality competition… competitive?
Will there be a Ray Felton candidate? 4:00
Worried about players being in shape and ready to play without getting injured? 4:30
Is there a point where you would be “comfortable” if you’re not already,. about the return to play and at what point would you have to shut things down? 6:00
Open roster situation and how rigid will it be? 7:30
Looking at the early financial implications of the restart to the season and how that impacts a soon-to-be free agent such as Hassan Whiteside 11:00
Looking at how Hassan Whiteside, Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins all get minutes and how to maximize the contribution of each 13:00
Who gets the starting nod at center for Portland when the season resumes? 17:30
Kendyl’s love/hate relationship with Hassan Whiteside 18:30
Which version of Whiteside will Portland get int he restart- heading to free agency in a shortened year, how will that impact (or will it at all) how he plays? 25:00
How the schedule will likely play out – and who has a head start with seeding? 30:00
Who gets the starting nod at power forward for Portland when the season resumes? 34:00
How much do you care/how invested are you in a restart to the season? 37:00
How the return of Nurkic and Collins impacts the guys further down the roster 44:00
Closing comments
Outro
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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/893278?utm_source=youtube
