2014-15 season outlook: Thomas Robinson
Los Angeles Lakers' Julius Randle, left, goes up for a shot against Portland Trail Blazers' Thomas Robinson during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, in Ontario, Calif. The Lakers won 94-86. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Hunker down, get hydrated and tell your loved ones you will see them next spring.
Hopefully that’s not your mindset, but people should be warned: The at times seemingly never-ending NBA regular season is at hand.
The first handful of games tipped off Tuesday, and nearly every other team played its opener by Wednesday, marking the start of the 82-game grind.
Thankfully for us, all we have to do is sit back, watch and enjoy. To make sure you’re fully prepared for the 2014-15 campaign, we’ll be rolling out a season outlook for each former Kansas University player who currently calls The Association home.
Thomas Robinson — Portland Trail Blazers
6-foot-10 Power forward | Third season
2013-14 numbers: 70 games | 12.5 minutes | 4.8 points | 4.4 rebounds | 48.1 FG% | 56.4 FT%
In his still young NBA career, Thomas Robinson has called three different franchises home. He could be changing zip codes again, bringing that number to four, by the time his fourth season rolls around.
Reports surfaced earlier this week — days before the start of the regular-season schedule — that Portland wouldn’t exercise its option on Robinson’s contract, choosing instead to let him become a free agent next summer.
Obviously, this made Robinson, a Trail Blazers backup who doesn’t typically get a ton of media attention, a popular interview on the eve of his team’s season opener. The Oregonian’s Jon Freeman detailed Robinson’s Tuesday Q & A, as reporters asked about his reaction to this personally disappointing news.
“It’s a business. That’s all you’ve
got to understand,” Robinson said.
“You’ve got to realize that it’s
bigger than you sometimes in this
league. At the end of the day, it’s
just a business. So all I can do is
keep working hard. I know I belong in
this league, I know I’m a worthy
player in this league. I actually
think I’m above average if I had the
chance. But, like I said, it’s all
about just working and understanding
that it’s a business. You can’t take
nothing personal.”
While this move by Portland could be some incentive for Robinson to prove himself and earn that next contract (maybe from the Blazers) in the months ahead, it also could be a sign the organization isn’t interested in keeping him in its future plans. One could also speculate this decision makes Robinson a more valuable trading chip, because many teams tend to look for expiring contracts that will help them free up salary cap space for the summer.
So Portland figures to have some suitors if it decides to flip Robinson’s contract in a move to brings in some sort of proven veteran(s) that will help the team advance past the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Although Robinson can play above the rim on both ends of the floor, it seems the Blazers’ frontcourt depth (LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopez, Chris Kaman) makes him the odd man out when it comes to significant playing time.
In Portland’s season debut Wednesday night, a 106-89 win over Kevin Durant-less Oklahoma City, Robinson played just two minutes. That’s not a good sign for the free-agent-to-be.
So what do we expect out of Robinson for the 2014-15 season?
Either he finds something within himself to make Portland take notice and give him more minutes, the Blazers try to move him or they keep him around to let his contract come off the books just in time to re-sign Aldridge next July.
Robinson has the athleticism to be an impact energy guy off the bench in the NBA. This season could determine his value, not only in Portland (one of the better teams in the West), but also around the league, for years to come.
‘Hawks in the NBA 2014-15 season outlooks:
• Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris — Suns