PORTLAND CROTONATS
"Five players on the floor functioning as one single unit: team, team, team - no one more important that the other."
Roster:C: Shaquille O'Neal / Brad Miller
PF: Jermaine O'Neal / Ronny Turiaf / Taj Gibson
SF: Rashard Lewis / Ryan Gomes / Jared Dudley / Quinton Ross
SG: Michael Redd / Manu Ginobili / Fred Jones
PG: Mike Bibby / Delonte West / Jrue Holiday
Overseas: Carlos Delfino, Nikolai Pekovic, Sergio Llull, Pooh Jeter
Front office:General Manager: Edgar
Co-General Manager: Roy Hobbs
Head Coach: Norman Dale
Assistant Coaches: Dean Smith, Pete Carril, Sergio Hernandez
Equipment Manager / Entertainment Director: BassThumper
Mascots: Stanford Tree, Phoenix Gorilla
Broadcaster: Mike Gorman
| Player | Position | Drafted | Age | Height | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Blocks | Steals | eFG% | 3PT% |
| R. Lewis | SF / PF | 2nd (5) | 30 | 6'10" | 17.7 | 5.7 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 1.0 | .540 | .397 |
| M. Ginobili | SG / SF | 2nd (20) | 32 | 6'6" | 15.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 1.5 | .524 | .330 |
| M. Redd | SG / SF | 3rd (16) | 29 | 6'6" | 21.2 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 1.1 | .519 | .366 |
| S. O'Neal | C | 3rd (21)* | 37 | 7'1" | 17.8 | 8.4 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.7 | .609 | .000 |
| M. Bibby | PG | 4th (5) | 31 | 6'1" | 14.9 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | .518 | .390 |
| J. O'Neal | PF/C | 4th (11) | 28 | 6'11" | 13.3 | 6.4 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 | .474 | .000 |
| B. Miller | C / PF | 5th (9) | 30 | 6'11" | 11.9 | 7.8 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | .494 | .411 |
| D. West | PG / SG | 5th (25) | 26 | 6'4" | 11.7 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 0.2 | 1.6 | .530 | .399 |
| R. Gomes | SF / PF | 6th (12) | 26 | 6'7" | 13.3 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | .486 | .372 |
| R. Turiaf | PF / C | 7th (3) | 26 | 6'10" | 5.9 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0.4 | .508 | .000 | |
| J. Holiday | PG | 8th (28) | 19 | 6'3" | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Q. Ross | SF / SG | 9th (14) | 28 | 6'6" | 3.9 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.5 | .446 | .375 |
| J. Dudley | SF / PF | 9th (21) | 24 | 6'7" | 5.5 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.8 | .528 | .392 | |
| T. Gibson | PF | 11(27) | 24 | 6'9" | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| C. Delfino | SG | 11th (28) | 24 | 6'5" | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| F. Jones | SG / SF | 14th (15) | 30 | 6'4" | 7.3 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 0.2 | 1.0 | .492 | .367 |
| P. Jeter | PG | 15th (25)* | 25 | 5'11" | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| N. Pekovic | PF / C | Free Agent | 23 | 6'11" | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| S. Llull | PG | Free Agent | 21 | 6'3" | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
* player acquired in trade
Highlights:Shaq:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPrbbvuqmJMManu:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOf2axeWHgkRashard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piv2fBrsGokRedd:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0ZFX7WJB6EJermaine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8zvoTgRGxABibby:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzh_MLBaL6Q Drafting philosophy / strategy: Edgar and I had a choice: build around a semi-elite talent, or move down in the draft for more depth. When Toronto offered us the opportunity to pick up four draft picks for our #1, our mind was made up. We further decided to pursue the "win now" approach, as building for the future is a crap shoot (as any "real life" rebuilding team would tell you.)
In the first three rounds, our philosophy was firmly to draft the best player available. Since we wouldn't be building around a classic "superduperstar", we knew that at times we'd have to gamble on players who had some question marks. That led to the decision to draft star players with some injury concerns, such as Manu Ginobili (a first rounder last season) and Michael Redd (an early second rounder).
In round four, we rounded out our starting lineup by filling positions of need, before moving on to fill out the bench with later picks. We specifically targeted good "fits" on our team, which may have led to a couple of very minor reaches in the later rounds (i.e., Quinton Ross in the 9th).
We wanted to draft players who were talented, experienced, efficient, versatile, and had a winning and hardworking mentality. Additionally, we placed a premium on good outside shooting, and wanted players who were comfortable in a reduced role.
Toughest Decision: The toughest had to be dealing the #1. Pre-draft, we knew there were 17 players we gave an elite grade. Dealing out of the 16th position, we knew we wouldn't get one of those players. The player drafted in our slot, Amare' Stoudemire, is a player our team values highly, as he is a Fake Portland alum (drafted #8 last season). However, we decided that landing picks in the early parts of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 7th rounds was the right price, and we made the move. We're very happy with the results, but only in hindsight.
Best move: Trading Spencer Hawes for Shaquille O'Neal. We loved Spencer Hawes, and would have gladly given him a starting role on our team. However, Shaq has won four titles, and led the league in field goal percentage. His acquisition really solidified our role as contenders, I think, and his addition will help galvanize the locker room, as we added another strong leader.
Roster breakdown:Shaquille O'Neal -- When motivated, Shaq is still one of the most dominant players in the NBA, as demonstrated by him leading the NBA in field goal percentage last season. He's still an excellent, physical one-on-one defender, who will be called on to guard some of the elite big men in our conference, such as Dwight Howard. Shaq has 203 career playoff games, 4 rings, and 6 Finals appearances under his belt, making him an example for the younger guys on the team to look up to.
Rashard Lewis -- Last season, Rashard Lewis proved that he's one of the hardest covers in the NBA. His 6'10" height, combined with his clutch shooting, makes him a matchup nightmare for most teams. The PED issue is basically a non-factor for our team, as we accept Lewis' story that he inadvertently took over-the-counter supplements that contained a banned substance. The 10 game suspension may come as a blessing in disguise, as it gives Lewis a chance to rest after a very long 2008-09 season.
Manu Ginobili -- People forget that this guy is a star. He's a slasher, a scorer, a shooter, a defender, and a leader. He's starred on three title teams, and it's been clear that when he's been injured, San Antonio just isn't the same team. After a full summer off, and no national team commitments, Manu should come back strong this season.
Michael Redd -- Although he's one of the best pure shooters in the NBA, Redd isn't solely a shooter. Rather, he's an extremely dangerous offensive player who can score from anywhere. People forget that two years ago, this guy scored 57 points in a game.
Jermaine O'Neal -- O'Neal is a guy who plays excellent defense, and is a good, versatile scorer. He won't be our first option on offense, but he can make open jumpers and can score in the post. Defensively, he's going to be a monster next to Shaq.
Mike Bibby -- An amazing shooter, and a point guard who knows how to run an "ensemble" offense. He's been an excellent floor general in Sacramento and Atlanta, and is one of the most efficient point guards in the NBA.
Brad Miller -- Miller brings grit, toughness, rebounding, and defense to our second unit. He can shoot from outside, but doesn't mind doing the dirty work down low, either. He's a great passer for a big man, who will really help the second unit.
Delonte West -- If you don't know what Delonte brings to a team, you may be on the wrong blog. He's a skilled scorer, a great shooter, and a hard-working "dirt dog" of a player. He's also bound to keep the locker room loose, as his "KFC mix tape" making the rounds on youtube makes clear. His size and tenacity allows him to create real matchup problems for opposing PGs.
Ryan Gomes -- See Delonte West. One of the hardest workers in the game, he's now an extremely dangerous scorer from both inside and out.
Ronny Turiaf -- A tough, physical defender who is one of the leading shot-blockers in the NBA. We love that he's young, but has NBA Finals experience.
Jrue Holiday -- Edgar wasn't as high on Jrue as I was, but the kid already plays NBA-level defense and is an amazing athlete. By the midpoint in the season, he could potentially have a steady role on our team.
Quinton Ross -- An all-defense, no-offense role player. He can shut down opposing swing men and point guards. We love him for a limited role; he's going to be the guy who pulls the Kobe and Lebron matchups when games come down to the last possession.
Jared Dudley -- Another guy in the Delonte / Gomes mold. He's a hard-working Boston College kid who is really impressing folks with his defensive mindset.
Taj Gibson -- We love what this kid did in college, and if he reaches his potential, we got a real steal. He's a D-Leaguer this year, though.
Fred Jones -- Jones probably won't see much playing time, but he's a local guy (University of Oregon) who started 21 games last season. He can fill in in an emergency, and the team won't lose much.
Carlos Delfino -- Currently, he's overseas. However, if he decides he'd like a spot on our roster, it's his. At that point, we'd have to make a decision between Jones and Gibson, and I've got to think that Gibson would be our keeper based upon potential and position.
Coaching staff -- Come on. It's Norman Dale. "I've seen you guys can shoot but there's more to the game than shooting. There's fundamentals and defense"; "Stick with your man. Think of him as chewing gum. By the end of the game, I want you to know what flavor he is."; "My team is on the floor". If Norman Dale can get Jimmy Chitwood and six scrubs to beat Oscar Robertson, I think he can handle the Orlando Magics. Seriously, if he can't get these guys to buy into a team concept, nobody can.
Frequently asked questions:1) Are injuries a concern?
A concern? Yes. The concern is a bit overblown by people looking for weaknesses on our squad, however. The players most commonly cited as being injury concerns are Shaq, Ginobili, Jermaine O'Neal, and Michael Redd. Ginobili suffered last season from coming back too soon to play in the Olympics; no such concerns exist this season. Redd's injury last season has reportedly healed fully. As for Shaq and Jermaine, they were as healthy last season as they've been in years.
We plan on being very liberal with the rest we give our players. Nobody will average more than 30 minutes per game, meaning everyone should be healthy for the playoffs.
2) What's the rotation?
We have two "primary" starting lineups: Shaq/J.O./Rashard/Redd/Bibby and Shaq/Lewis/Manu/Redd/Bibby. The decision of who starts at power forward between Jermaine O'Neal and Rashard Lewis will be dictated by matchups.
As for our rotation, it's nine players: Shaq, J.O., Rashard, Redd, Bibby, Manu, Miller, Delonte, and Gomes. Each player will play roughly 25 to 30 minutes per game. Turiaf, Ross, and Dudley will all get spot minutes, while Gibson and Holiday will play in the D-league at the beginning of the year. Jones will be in street clothes for much of the season.
3) Is "fit" a concern?
Not in the slightest. We drafted guys who are winners and hard-workers who have put their egos aside and accepted limited roles in "real life". Only Rashard Lewis and Michael Redd will be asked to play modestly fewer minutes than in the real NBA, and Redd especially welcomes this opportunity to rest.
Our team has seven championship rings, and eight players on the team have advanced as far as the Conference Finals (with four players having Finals experience).
4) Does the Rashard Lewis suspension disrupt your team?
No. The team has rallied around Rashard, as they know this was an innocent mistake. As mentioned above, the team welcomes the opportunity to give Lewis 10 games to rest at the beginning of the season, as he's coming off of a long summer.
In the short team, we'll move Manu into the starting lineup at SF, a position he has played consistently (and consistently well) in San Antonio.
5) How was it working with a co-GM?
It was great. Edgar and I saw eye-to-eye on the vast majority of players drafted. We each had our "pet" picks, but fairly consistently, we found ourselves liking the same players.
My favorite pick in the draft was the choice of Brad Miller in the fifth round, and that was a player who I had totally overlooked for whatever reason. As soon as Edgar brought up his name, it was an instant "yes", but it's a choice that wouldn't have been made if I didn't have a co-GM.
Outlook for the 2009-10 season and beyond: While we like our young role players, we realize that the first-tier talent on this team has a limited window of opportunity. We're probably looking at a 2 to 3 year period in which this team can be truly dominant. This season, we fully expect to be in title contention; our goal is the #1 seed in the playoffs and an NBA championship.
Topic: CB Draft '09 Mock Press Conference: Northwest Division (Read 92234 times)