Official 2013 Draft thread

"if your team doesn't have a draft pick in this year's draft, I wouldn't be too broken up about it"

http://sulia.com/channel/basketball/f/418c0e66-16f9-4919-9013-62d13af8ff75/?source=twitter

 

Exactly.

It's also why I'd rather just slide into the playoffs and give up our pick to Charlotte. Sure, there could some diamonds that slide later in the draft, but that's a complete crap shoot. We could still find something later in the draft (and with two decent second-round selections, some team at the end of the first round may be willing to make a swap).

I'd rather just get in to the playoffs, build the team's confidence and not be committed to a rook that likely won't contribute much and will be detrimental to our free agent spending (and the better we are, the more attactive we are to potential FA targets). I think this scenario is more valuable than finishing 9th or 10th in the West and keeping a weak lotto pick in one of the weaker drafts we've seen in some time.

 

I really don't understand the desire for some of you to give up a free asset.

 

It's actually not free MM. It's going to be a guaranteed contract for a player that could quite possibly be a long term player development. Wouldn't you rather use it for the opened cap space for a vet free agent, we know can actually produce now?

 

Trade it in a draft day trade then. It's a free asset.

 

It is peanuts though. Small market teams have to hit it big in the draft (even with late round picks you can do it. Ibaka and Reggie Jackson from OKC are two examples) to have a realistic chance of building a winner that doesn't go over the cap. In fact, with the new cap restrictions you are going to see many teams build through the draft that used to spend more in free agency.

 

So many point to this being a bad draft class, (I don't see it, but whatever) I think most people view the 2000, 2006, 2001 classes as being pretty crappy, but looking at them, there are players in those drafts that have been productive NBA players. Looking in the 8 or so and lower picks, in 2000 you had Crawchuck, Przybilla, Turkoglu, Q Richardson, Maglore, Lance Stevenson. In 2001 you had Joe Johnson, Radmanovic, Rich Jefferson, T Murphy, Z-bo, Brendon Heywood. In 2006 you had Gay, Reddick, Sephalosha, Brewer, Rondo


It's not sure fire by any means, but to say a draft class is poor doesn't mean there are very good players in them, or minimal players who can help

 

That's where you're thinking is wrong. We've already traded the pick, it's just a matter of time before we have to give it up. Since we have to give up a pick eventually, I'd rather give up a weak lotto pick in a weak draft, as opposed to an unknown. Giving up the pick now also makes it easier to include a future first-rounder in other potential deals. So it simply makes life easier.

Besides, I don't understand why people want to lose for the sake of a weak lotto pick (especially in a weak draft). You hear players, management, etc talk about how winning breeds winning, losing breeds losing. A losing atmosphere is very tough to break. So, yeah..... I think some of us need an attitude shift. Get rid of the losing mentality. Sure, the odds of winning it all are not in a team's favor when they're the 7th/8th seed. But odds are 100% against you when you aren't even in the playoffs.

 

You can't trade a first rounder 2 years in a row.

 

You aren't you are trading the rights to the player you drafted

 

I am always in favor of the higher pick. Much rather have the opportunity to draft the guy we want at 12, rather than hope he is there at 22

 

Yes, but in weak drafts, there are often guys taken later in the draft who were just as successful as some of the lotto picks. You have to rely on management to draft. Don't have faith in our management to find gems later in the draft? Understandable. But by the same token, why would anyone have any more faith in management to find a difference-maker with a weak lotto selection? The success rate of the 12th pick in the draft (if we ended up there) over the last 2+ decades isn't particularly exciting.

 

This should be the last time we are in the lottery so why would we want to give up this pick when we can give it up next year. Even with the draft being a crapshoot I would rather have #12 in a weak draft vs #18 in a stronger draft. Give #18 next year to CHA. And success rate of #12 may not be good but it is better than success rate of #18.

 

Look at the history of #12 picks over the last several years. Outside of maybe the top 5-8 picks every year, there's almost as much success late in the first-round as there is at picks after 5-8. It's a crap shoot. You have to rely on management.

And again, going against what you said, the pick isn't a "free" asset. We have a liability to pay. The exchange rate is more likely in the Blazers' favor with this draft than in other years, so it could very well be the time to give up the pick (especially when considering salary cap flexibility).

 

Review the last 15 years of the #12 v. #18 picks. I'd rather build a roster from the actual #18 picks than #12.

It truly proves how big of a crap shoot the drafts can be.

 

Again, I'd rather have the opportunity to select the guy I want at 12 rather than hope he is there at 22. Not saying having the 12th pick guarantees you a better player, but it guarantees you the opportunity to draft a better player than if you are drafting at 22

 

So does that mean we should never draft 1st or 2nd because overall us picking there has been bad? Your logic is flawed IMO. Just because the picks at 12 have been poor in the past, doesn't mean you should want to pick lower.

Kobe was the 13th pick. That means picking 18th you would never had had a chance to draft him. Karl Malone, Clyde Drexler, Al Jefferson, many others

 

No one is denying the draft is a crap shoot. Past results don't dictate the future in the draft however. It is always better to have the 12th pick vs the 18th. Trust your guy to pick who you think should be picked at 18 instead at 12 if you feel that player will be better.

 

Those draft classes were pretty stacked though at the time. This draft class isn't so much

 

The point I am trying to make is that regardless of the draft class, I'd always rather have the opportunity to draft the best player, rather than hoping he is available later in the draft. I honestly can't understand how anyone could feel differently?