Change is a good thing. And on Sunday afternoon in Toronto the Portland Trail Blazers will begin to dabble in some minor alterations. Not only is Martell Webster suiting-up for the first time this season, but his return to action also creates a ripple effect throughout the rest of the roster.
Diogu has barely sniffed the floor this season. Actually, I think you and I have played more minutes than Ike so far this year. Yet with Webster getting reacclimated with minutes here and there– briefly now and logically a lot later – perhaps this is the time for a change in whom – along with Travis Outlaw – helps back up LaMarcus Aldridge. Maybe it’s time to get Diogu in the fold before long?
Think about it.
Portland has missed a rugged bruising forward since the days of Brian Grant. Channing Frye isn’t going to provide that presence anytime soon, and since it appears he’ll have his minutes cut the most with Webster back, why not see what Diogu can give you with more than mop-up minutes?
I can hear Nate McMillan now: it depends on the match-up. Well, why not create a mismatch? Let the other coach adjust. At 6-9 and 250 pounds, all Ike would be expected to do is rebound and bang – you know, add a little toughness down low; an attribute many surely agree would be a welcomed change and shouldn’t be only expected of Joel Przybilla.
Change is a good thing.
Update: Apparently Nate has other plans….Diogu was placed on the inactive list to make room for Martell.
pic via: nbanoise
I have been a trailblazer fan since Clyde. I walked away when it was the “Jail-Blazers”. KP got rid of the bad apples, got a new direction and character people who could play a.la. Channing Frye. He took Portland on as a resident and has performed as well as could be expected having to play behind LA and others. He never went to the papers or cursed anyone out about his PT. He has worked like a dog for our fair city. Now, as all NBA players do, he has almost no PT and is being dissed and heckled by fickle fans. Its not fair and I would feel sorry for our team if he just left and played against us with revenge in his heart. But that’s NOT LIKE HIM TO DO SO. NM and KP need to man-up and play the guy or tell him why or let him go. Frye in my opinion IS a trailblazer and always will be whether he is here or not.
We love him and what he stands for.
Good luck, Channing.
Man-up NM and KP. Sun Devil your cover is blown! Youre a player hater!
thanks for reading and writing miltonstowe….much appreciate.
since my days in new york when channing came in as a rookie, he’s always been one of the easiest guys in the league to cover. he’s just real…..perhaps even more-so now than his first two years in the league.
he’s good for the blazers. and the blazers are good for him. he wants to earn his keep and when those mintues are available – whenever that is – this season you know he’ll take advantage of them.
right now though, he’s simply the odd man out. but going to the “papers” about the lack of playing time isn’t his m.o.
never has been. never will be.
“perhaps this is the time for a change in whom…helps back up LaMarcus Aldridge”
The answer is: none of the above. Pritchard needs to take Frye and Diogu (and their expiring contacts) and flip them for a backup 4 who can bang and rebound. The Blazers will need more muscle coming off the bench, come playoff time.
thanks for the line two4…..
let’s open this badboy up: who would you like to see portland get if a deal could be done?
Chris Wilcox is a name that’s been thrown out there (Blazersedge) He played with Blake at Maryland and is a UFA with OKC. I suspect the Thunder won’t be able to resign him (he’ll want outta there!) so they should be looking to get as much as they can for him at the deadline. Not sure about his salary details
Another name is Brandon Bass (Mavs) Tougher guy to get unless Dallas slips out of the playoff hunt (which is unlikely…)
i’ve heard the same from a couple folks close to the thunder…. about wilcox being on the market. then again,
that organization has tried to move him for some time now…. we are talking a couple of seasons.
not sure what the stalling is about. sure chris wants to know the same.
should be an interesting next couple of months with the nba tradedeadline steadily approaching….that’s for sure.