We got the #3 pick. Discuss the possibilities.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...speak-with-teams-top-prospect-to-meet-with-mj

Haynes is reporting Scoot is meeting with MJ on Monday. Yesterday it was reported that Charlotte was trying to get both Scoot and Miller back. So did Miller decline? Did Charlotte zoom in on Scoot?

 

BRANDON MILLER, YOU ARE A BLAZER! ... or Raptor, or Net, or...

 

This is what it sounds like to me as well. Seeing all these videos of Scoot, the guy seems much more imposing in person. I think he has also been hitting the gym.

 

I wonder is after every one of those conversations, Cronin hangs up the phone and immediately says "fucking Neil, geeeeezuzz"

 

I don't do a good job of projecting players into the NBA who I haven't seen play in the NBA, so my prospect analysis is probably worthless

that said, I'm not trusting all the hype around Scoot...at all.

and I'm also sitting here this morning realizing there are still more than 6 days until the draft and thinking....damn

 

Every NBA forum on the net has been for weeks on end -

 

I think you may be my digital doppelganger.

 

Does anything else suggest he declined? Maybe one of them decided to do it on different days?

 

I don't think he falls quite that far, but if Leonard Miller was available at #23 (Krysten's pick), I'd be pretty darn happy about that.

 

Yep, really like Miller at #23, but I also don't think he will be there...

However, I don't like Clowney (who feels like the second coming of Noah Vonleh to me).

 

https://www.espn.com/radio/play/_/id/37858943

They start discussing Portland around the 22:00 mark. Some key points:

- Scoot had a better workout than Miller for Charlotte. Charlotte still favors Miller over Scoot but it's not nearly 100%, still up in the air. They ironically discuss how this might change if new ownership gets finalized, and we just got news today that Jordan is stepping down. Highkin reported that Jordan still plans to meet with Scoot and Miller, so it sounds like he's still going to have some influence over decisions there but new ownership could change their draft outlook.

- They don't know for sure but assume that Portland will be happy to just draft the leftover of Scoot/Miller. Don't foresee something crazy like taking Amen or Whitmore. They also say that if the draft were tonight Portland would be keeping that pick. Unless something crazy happens they don't see a trade unfolding by draft night. Says they haven't had anywhere near that level of conversation to get near value back for that pick.

- Front office executives around the league are in a majority agreement that the #3 pick is more valuable this year than in other years.

- Front offices value Sharpe over Simons but the Blazers are absolutely keeping Sharpe. He's not untouchable untouchable, but it's pretty damn close.

- People tend to underrate Simons even if his value isn't terribly high. Says he's a really good player, easily one of the best shooters in the league and any team would like to have that kind of player on it. His contract isn't some albatross, feels Simons is getting pretty fair value.

- Teams that are 'turning their nose up' to the #3 + Simons package are probably posturing at this point, or other executives aren't correctly valuing what Simons can bring.

- Does not think it's as binary as keep pick #3 and trade Dame or keep Dame and trade pick #3. Portland could be trying to thread the needle since the opportunity of getting a player as valuable as they get at #3 is incredibly rare. This idea is that the prospect is just too good to pass up but the Blazers also love having Lillard around.

- Lillard is a true basketball junkie. He's in the gym everyday, he studies prospects and knows about salary cap rules. Says he would understand that there isn't necessarily a trade out there that makes sense from an organization standpoint. If Blazers keep the #3 pick then Lillard isn't going to just all of the sudden demand a trade. Lillard is smarter than that. Says it's been overblown at this point and Lillard wants to stay in Portland.

 

Wonder what he's referring to here?

 

Definitely Charlotte, for one.

 

Chatter showing the value of 2 and 3?

Which player(s) in the draft (from 2 and below) has translatable size/length, uber athleticism, and multi-skills that can be impactful (getting on the court right away) and at a position of need — forward?

IMHO — Amen. Yes, he can be a turbo-charged and more (multi-)skilled Nico Batum 2.0 (about an inch shorter) from about 15 years ago. Start at SF and as a 2ndary initiator?

 

I don't believe any reporting right now. I think it's all sourced reporting but the sources are all only putting information out there to obfuscate. I wouldn't be surprised if Miller goes 2 and we make a huge trade with Scoot at the third pick. I say that because it seems like it's the opposite of what everyone is putting out there as we get down to the nitty gritty but it was the most likely scenario before all of these front offices decided to start playing games. Maybe this is paranoia mixed with wishful thinking but I think it holds some water.

I think there is a reason why so many people were reporting that the Hornets were about Miller and I don't know why that would have changed. I think if Scoot is on the board when we go on the clock all of these teams playing it so cool right now like they're so in love with what they have (Nets, Pels, Raptors etc.) are going to get really thirsty really quick. I guess we'll see in like six days.

 

Thanks man. I take back what I said about you.