| 23 February 2011
It’s looking more and more likely that Andre Miller will be traded away either today or early tomorrow, but lost in all the shuffle of the trade deadline frenzy is another intriguing story: the return of Brandon Roy.
Roy has been out for the last 30 games and has missed a total of 33 games all year. During those 33 games, the Blazers have gone a surprising 22-11, which has sparked some debate over whether or not the team is better overall when Roy is sitting on the bench. And while Roy, Nate McMillan, Rich Cho and Paul Allen guage the three-time All-Star's comeback from double-knee surgery, some wonder if it's better not to disrupt Portland's team chemistry right now, or even "risk" Roy's health at this point of his career.
Beyond The Beat contributing writers Eric King, Travis Margoni, and Nick Poust debate what effect Roy's return to the floor will have on Portland and their playoff push:
Travis Margoni
Here's a take you might not hear often: the return of Brandon Roy shouldn't -- and might not -- change the Blazers in a significant way right now.
The hobbled superstar will come off Nate McMillan's bench for the foreseeable future, likely reducing the role of Rudy Fernandez, who averaged 15 points per game in the seven games leading into the All Star Break. Patty Mills may also see a drop in minutes if Roy is asked to handle the ball in the second unit, and it's not entirely clear why Armon Johnson was recalled from the D-League's Idaho Stampede on Monday -- perhaps in preparation for an Andre Miller trade.
In any case, the Blazers' offensive plan shouldn't change one bit: this offense goes through LaMarcus Aldridge. Every possession. LaMarcus gets a touch as deep as possible and the game plan follows according to how defenses respond to him. If the Blazers are going to make it into the playoffs, it'll be on the shoulders of LaMarcus Aldridge. Surely Roy will see some time on the floor with Aldridge when he returns, but it's Roy whose game has changed and needs to change until he's back to full strength.
It's not the offensive end that worries me with Roy. It's defense, lateral movement. Players often note that the mental hurdle of trusting a recovering knee is a greater struggle than the physical limitations. Roy will continue to work through both mental and physical challenges.
This won't be the Brandon of old anytime soon. Let's hope Brandon, the organization, and fans proceed with patience.
Nick Poust
Brandon Roy’s impending return to the Blazers from arthroscopic knee surgeries should be a good thing, but do they really need him? They have been successful without him and Roy won’t have a set role.
A team can always use more scoring. But Portland needs such production from the center position, not a guard. There’s only 48 minutes in a game. Wesley Matthews plays over 35 minutes while Rudy Fernandez, flourishing in his sixth-man role, logs upwards of 25 minutes. What does that leave Roy? Not much. This is why their minutes will inevitably be cut to accommodate him, which could prove detrimental.
Throughout his career, Roy has been at his best in isolation situations. This led to, frankly, a lot of standing around by the four other Blazers. Waiting for him to do something has led to success, as Roy has an extraordinary amount of talent, but it is difficult to believe that this team full of confidence would ideally want to go back to that style of play, especially with LaMarcus Aldridge dominating inside.
For the betterment of the team, if Roy is going to take minutes away from Matthews and Fernandez he might best become a decoy offensively and a distributor. He’ll get his fair share of looks at the basket, but, since he’s so accomplished, he will draw defenses if his knees respond well. Choosing to be unselfish in these situations could open up shots for Matthews, Fernandez, Aldridge, and others.
In years past, wining was miraculous when Roy was absent. Not anymore. To keep the victories coming, he will have to be Plan B, C, or D for Portland.
Eric King
The return of Roy can really only be a good thing. He’s a three-time all-star and almost singlehandedly made basketball in Portland relevant again. And even though this is not the same Brandon Roy that fans are used to watching, he is still an amazing player and can still do great things in a diminished role.
But that’s the keyword: diminished. Roy is used to having the ball in his hands and being “the man.” In past years, the Blazers would run isolation plays all game long and there was never a second thought about who the offense would go through in fourth quarters. A lot has changed since then. Aldridge has elevated his game immensely to become a clear-cut #1 option and Miller has continued his smart and steady play late in games. Even Matthews, although sometimes streaky, has turned into a solid starting shooting guard.
Where does this leave Roy when he returns and what role should he attempt to fill? I believe he could become a reliable sixth man in limited minutes. Lately, the team has struggled during stretches when the bench has entered the game. Having an experienced scorer in there with Patty Mills or Rudy Fernandez could do wonders for the Blazers and could be a nightmare for opposing second units.
If Roy can understand that he is no longer going to be the go-to person at all times and is willing to do whatever it takes to contribute, the team should continue to improve. If he comes back trying to resume where he left off, he’ll only hurt his teammates more than help them.
photo: getty images
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