I guess this is the 2026 draft, but the US U17 team has just destroyed the competition. https://www.fiba.basketball/en/even...final-breaking-record-after-record-whats-next https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-u17-basketball-world-cup-2024/games/122628-USA-CAN What's the betting that when next June rolls around they'll be saying "sure, this draft is good, but 2026 is going to be amazing"?
Actually FAMS, they have already said these next two drafts will be loaded with talent. This my complete lack of excitement for this past one. Let the REAL tank begin.
I bet we will try him at SF a few times in a big lineup, with Ayton at PF and Clingan at C… if we see success I could see us going really big on the frontline before targeting a new SF.
While listening to 1080 yesterday the guys were basically joking around that cooper Flagg looks so good, many teams should try to lose every game to get him etc etc. It got me thinking… Even if you lose the most games in the league, or second, or third most… the odds you secure a top pick are still somewhat minimal as we just saw the Hawks make the play in, and still get the top pick. So, what I suggest instead is that we do try to win as many games as possible as long as we still develop the young guys as much as possible, and just try to add a couple more 2025 first rounders as available if Cooper Flagg is really generational and worth tanking for… The tanking concept is just so dumb to me, because you cannot reasonably state that a 5% diff in odds to get the #1 pick is worth losing your fan base and culture over by seriously considering to prioritize losing. If we were to win say 35+ games next year and also snag another 2025 lotto pick, I would much rather that outcome than we don’t improve whatsoever record wise. If, and I say IF we prioritize trying to win this year, post Grant-trade with what we have… I’d hate to be anyone in the league this year facing our full roster. We are not a normal “bottom feeder”, low key scary options at all positions. I’m excited. Could see a nice start to the season.
First, welcome to S2. Always good to have new voices and opinions. Half the membership seems to want to have this roster play to win every night, the hell with the draft. The other half of the membership wants Portland to trade vets that have value on playoff teams, thus allowing the young players to learn while actually on the court and figuring things out vs. watching Ant and Grant do their ISO thing and Scoot/Sharpe wasting away. I do think Portland is a normal bottom feeder in that at this point they do not have a player that everyone concedes will be a star in two years. This is why I and half the membership think Portland needs to stay off the treadmill trying to make the play in. They need to get ping pong balls. It would be great if they could trade for another unprotected 2025 FRP, but GM's are too smart and Portland does not have the talent to trade for one. At minimum, five players in the 2025 draft would have gone first in the 2024 draft. The 2025 draft is crazy good in the top 10. But the real prize for Portland is Flagg or Ace. They will go 1-2. Given our roster and locale, Cronin should be all in on capturing the Flagg. Nobody is jumping off the Portland bandwagon. They are the only show in town. and if some do jump off, they are back on if Portland gets Flagg or Ace. It's a vicious cycle.
Blazers should look hard at anything that can help them move up in the 2025 draft. Yes a roster that can be top5 in NBA losses is a must. I'd also explore trading Simons to Detroit for only a 2025 pick swap.
Vecenie's initial 2025 mock 1. Cooper Flagg (Duke) - 2. Dylan Harper (Rutgers) - 3. Nolan Traore (France) - 4. V.J. Edgecombe (Baylor) - 5. Ace Bailey (Rutgers) - 6. Hugo Gonzalez (Spain) - 7. Asa Newell (Georgia) - 8. Liam McNeeley (UConn) - 9. Jalil Bethea (Miami) - 10. Ian Jackson (North Carolina) - 11. Dink Pate (G League) - 12. Donnie Freeman (Syracuse) - 13. Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina) - 14. Tre Johnson (Texas) - 15. Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois) - 16. Kon Knueppel (Duke) - 17. Hunter Sallis (Wake Forest) - 18. Rocco Zikarsky (Australia) - 19. Alex Karaban (UConn) - 20. Mackenzie Mgbako (Indiana) - 21. Boogie Fland (Arkansas) - 22. Kam Jones (Marquette) - 23. Jaland Lowe (Pittsburgh) - 24. K.J. Evans (Oregon) - 25. K.J. Lewis (Arizona) - 26. Isaiah Evans (Duke) - 27. Motiejus Krivas (Arizona) - 28. Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State) - 29. J.T. Toppin (Texas Tech) - 30. Khaman Maluach (Duke) - 31. Xavian Lee (Princeton) - 32. Adou Thiero (Arkansas) - 33. Egor Demin (BYU) - 34. Jarin Stevenson (Alabama) - 35. Dame Sarr (Italy) - 36. Johni Broome (Auburn) - 37. Tucker DeVries (West Virginia) - 38. Payton Sandfort (Iowa) - 39. Grant Nelson (Alabama) - 40. Jaxson Robinson (Kentucky) - 41. Jamir Watkins (Florida State) - 42. Alex Toohey (Australia) - 43. Malique Lewis (Trinidad & Tobago) - 44. Darrion Williams (Texas Tech) - 45. Izan Almansa (Spain) - 46. Mark Sears (Alabama) - 47. Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton) - 48. Tyon Grant-Foster (Grand Canyon) - 49. Adama Bal (Santa Clara) - 50. Nique Clifford (Colorado State) - 51. Michael Ruzic (Croatia) - 52. Xzayvier Brown (St. Joseph’s) - 53. Cade Tyson (North Carolina) - 54. Tyrese Proctor (Duke) - 55. Michael Ajayi (Gonzaga) - 56. A.J. Storr (Kansas) - 57. Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State) - 58. Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida) - 59. Saint Thomas (USC)
Ace Bailey is #5? Not sure this years picks would be top10. So that makes Clingan what a pick for a playoff team and Knect a 2nd rounder.
I thought Bailey being 5 was crazy, but a lot of the draft junkies on the NBA Draft subreddit agreed with it.
Big fat pass on Hugo Gonzalez. Dudes a twig, why is he actually even a top 10 pick? Imma go on record saying I hope we don’t end up tanking a season only to land that guy.
We only have a 14% chance at best to get Cooper Flagg, so I wouldn't make any big decisions based on trying to tank. Also, it looks like after Flagg, there are a lot of PGs and SGs, except for Ace Bailey. So we might end up in a tough bind where we end up with the option to get a redundant player, which means we're giving up on Sharpe/Scoot. (unless we want a 3 guard lineup) If only a SG or PG is available, do we use the pick as trade bait to get another forward?
I've looked around for a true barefoot measurement for Avdija but struck out. Since you're relaying his height as fact, apparently you've found a link. Please relay it... thank you! fwiw (nothing) my eyes tell me he's more in the 6'7 range STOMP
There is something about his game that has some rarity to it versus the rest. I'll dig into it a little more but to me, he might have the highest ceiling.
