Gortat appears* bound for a team not named the Dallas Mavericks

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

If he's not coming here to replace Damp, then he's coming here to back him up. Using the full MLE on a backup player *might* give one reason to bang head on desk.

So they signed him for five years but their plan only involves next season?

He's coming here to be Damp's successor. He may very well start this season, but it would likely be because they promised him the starting spot when offering him the deal.

Again, I'm not saying he won't ever be a better player for this team than Damp was. Over the life of his contract I certainly hope he plays up to Damp's level and perhaps even beyond.

But it's highly unlikely that he's ready to be a Damp replacement *right now*.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by jthig32

But it's highly unlikely that he's ready to be a Damp replacement *right now*.

Evidently Damp is overrated as often as he is underrated. What does he do for you in the playoffs? At least this kid Gortat has one playoff skin on the wall. That's one more than Damp has, and with incredibly scant experience (as you point out), at that.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Evidently Damp is overrated as often as he is underrated. What does he do for you in the playoffs? At least this kid Gortat has one playoff skin on the wall. That's one more than Damp has, and with incredibly scant experience (as you point out), at that.

What is the criteria for this *skin*? Gortat hasn't done anything in the playoffs at Damp hasn't done.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by jthig32

What is the criteria for this *skin*? Gortat hasn't done anything in the playoffs at Damp hasn't done.

Damp actually got 1 game farther in the Finals...


I think both you & Chum are correct in each of your perspectives because Gortat is a complete roll of the dice - we have no clue what we're getting into here, negative or positive... He could be better than Damp or he could be a complete waste of time/money (and how soon either way?)

Cross your fingers!

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Underdog

(I think both you & Chum are correct in each of your perspectives because Gortat is a complete roll of the dice - we have no clue what we're getting into here...)

This is, essentially, all I'm saying. Let's be careful annointing this guy ready to be a starting center on a playoff team.

ESPECIALLY because the most important component of a center that plays next to Dirk is DEFENSE. I'm as excited as the next guy about possibly having a center on the court than can score (that's not the same height as our SF), but part of the reason Damp is underrated around here (imo) is the fact that most of his contributions come defensively, which is much harder to quantify.

It's going to take some time before we know what we have in this guy (assuming we get him at all).

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by jthig32

What is the criteria for this *skin*? Gortat hasn't done anything in the playoffs at Damp hasn't done.

11 points and 15 boards, all the while being a completely unproven player. I could be wrong about Damp's stats, but when was the last time he put up 11 and 15 in a playoff game?

For that matter, Gortat stayed on the court for 40 minutes. When is the last time Damp played 40 minutes in a playoff game? Has he ever?

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

11 points and 15 boards, all the while being a completely unproven player. I could be wrong about Damp's stats, but when was the last time he put up 11 and 15 in a playoff game?

For that matter, Gortat stayed on the court for 40 minutes. When is the last time Damp played 40 minutes in a playoff game? Has he ever?

All reasons to get excited - his upside could be tremendous...

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

11 points and 15 boards, all the while being a completely unproven player. I could be wrong about Damp's stats, but when was the last time he put up 11 and 15 in a playoff game?

For that matter, Gortat stayed on the court for 40 minutes. When is the last time Damp played 40 minutes in a playoff game? Has he ever?

Gortat's last (and only) 40 minutes playoff game happened exactly two nights after Damp's last 40 minutes playoff game. Damp put up a double/double in that game while contending with Tim Duncan. You could easily make the case that Damp's performance that night out shined Gortat's given the competition.

Anything else?

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Gortat's last (and only) 40 minutes playoff game happened exactly two nights after Damp's last 40 minutes playoff game. Damp put up a double/double in that game while contending with Tim Duncan. You could easily make the case that Damp's performance that night out shined Gortat's given the competition.

Anything else?

Damp manage a 40MP and a 38MP against the Spurs, giving him two games in ten (that's 20%, for the mathematically disinclined) that he managed to keep himself on the court for more than a mere 23 MPG. Why? If it wasn't for suckitude, look at the fouls given. When you give fouls out like candy, it may look like you are playing good defense, but the flip side of that is that you cann't keep it up for long.

Anyway...when Damp went for 40 he put up 10 and 11 and 11 and 12. The ENTIRE rest of the time he was pretty much non-existent. Against Denver, he was probably hurting the team more than he was helping. It is almost difficult to describe just how bad he was in that series. You hold Duncan up as proof of Damp's prowess. Evidently if Damp could play Duncan every time we would be good off with him. If he had to play Denver every time, he would be the worst player in the league.

So...yeah, that's what else.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Damp manage a 40MP and a 38MP against the Spurs, giving him two games in ten (that's 20%, for the mathematically disinclined) that he managed to keep himself on the court for more than a mere 23 MPG. Why? If it wasn't for suckitude, look at the fouls given. When you give fouls out like candy, it may look like you are playing good defense, but the flip side of that is that you cann't keep it up for long.

Anyway...when Damp went for 40 he put up 10 and 11 and 11 and 12. The ENTIRE rest of the time he was pretty much non-existent. Against Denver, he was probably hurting the team more than he was helping. It is almost difficult to describe just how bad he was in that series. You hold Duncan up as proof of Damp's prowess. Evidently if Damp could play Duncan every time we would be good off with him. If he had to play Denver every time, he would be the worst player in the league.

So...yeah, that's what else.

And?

Look you brought up the double/double and the minutes played. I simply answered your questions and brought a little factual evidence to the discussion.

I don't think anyone ever made the case that Damp is all-NBA quality. I know I certainly didn't. So I'm not really sure what you're getting at with your post above.

If you expect Gortat to be putting up 11 and 15 on a nightly basis in any matchup in the playoffs AND defend the paint then prepare to be disappointed.

Again, I am NOT saying Gortat will not be a successful rotation player. I'm not even saying it's out of the question that he's a better player than Damp next season. All I've said all along is that the notion that he's automatically an upgrade over Damp and ready to start and play 30+ minutes a night is ridiculous.

That's not even much of a limb to go out on, either. There are people in this thread comparing Gortat to Calvin Booth for goodness sake. Am I really saying anything that off the wall?

[The Crippler]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Damp manage a 40MP and a 38MP against the Spurs, giving him two games in ten (that's 20%, for the mathematically disinclined) that he managed to keep himself on the court for more than a mere 23 MPG. Why? If it wasn't for suckitude, look at the fouls given. When you give fouls out like candy, it may look like you are playing good defense, but the flip side of that is that you cann't keep it up for long.

Anyway...when Damp went for 40 he put up 10 and 11 and 11 and 12. The ENTIRE rest of the time he was pretty much non-existent. Against Denver, he was probably hurting the team more than he was helping. It is almost difficult to describe just how bad he was in that series. You hold Duncan up as proof of Damp's prowess. Evidently if Damp could play Duncan every time we would be good off with him. If he had to play Denver every time, he would be the worst player in the league.

So...yeah, that's what else.

Throughout his career, Damp averages 4.3 fouls/36 minutes and that number was down to 3.7 last season. Gortat averages 5.0 fouls/36 minutes. Tell me again, who's more likely to be on the court? The numbers say Damp.

[badfish22]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Gortat's last (and only) 40 minutes playoff game happened exactly two nights after Damp's last 40 minutes playoff game. Damp put up a double/double in that game while contending with Tim Duncan. You could easily make the case that Damp's performance that night out shined Gortat's given the competition.

Anything else?

I just instantly became a lot less excited about Gortat.

[Windmill360]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Damp put up a double/double in that game while contending with Tim Duncan.
Anything else?

Really? Not Samuel Dalambert?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Windmill360

Really? Not Samuel Dalambert?

?