I am looking at the roster the Blazers currently have. The weak link is center. Just don't think Ayton is the answer and we all know from watching the current playoffs that Clingan would be played off the court immediately because he's not a scoring threat and is way too slow to defend multiple positions. IMHO Blazers need to be looking at getting better at the center position. If that means moving Ayton and or both Ayton and Clingan to do that then so be it. Choose a solid Big Man at 11 and trade to get a pick further down in the draft and pick up some more defensive length that can shoot.
I just don't think we have enough sure things on the roster. I don't think we have the luxury of picking for need. Best player available.
I think ideally we can keep Clingan but we will need to add a more switchable 5, at that point we can dictate the mismatch. People can try to play Clingan off of the floor but if he can make free throws, it will be very hard for them to do that if we have enough athletes around him to make playing 5 out too low of a percentage offensive philosophy... and again we would still need that other C and I don't think Ayton is it. I don't know if he'll be there at 11 but if he is Asa Newell might be BPA and fill that need. There are teams like Brooklyn and OKC who it seems very unlikely that they would want to use all of their picks in this draft. So maybe the BPA at 11 isn't a small ball 5 but we could either trade back and add a second FRP or we could pick BPA and then trade into the end of the first to get a complementary switchable 5 to play with Clingan.
Maybe. My point is more that MOCK's like ESPN have the Blazers taking a PG or SG. That doesn't seem like our position of need at this point. Edgar Demin PG/SG Russia Kasparas Jakucionis is another Guard from Lithuania Rasheer Fleming might be a better fit? PF/Center from My favorite is CMB Collin Murray-Boyles Forward from South Carolina. Kinda has the Draymond Green Vibe.
Utility Sports just had Kon going at 10 to Houston with the Blazers taking Demin at 11. If this scenario plays out, Blazers should definitely trade up to snatch Kon before the Rockets get him.
Stocks are starting to shake out — I’m firmly here, likely all the way up to the draft: Pick #11: 1a) Kasparas Jakucionis 1b) Noa Essengue Darkhorse: • Jase Richardson • Nolan Traore
The internationals are interesting, but I'd love CMB with #11, and Sorber with another pick (from Orlando?)
That would be pretty legit for our defense. I still think CMB is gonna be late teens/twenties like Eason. If we get a second pick in the 1st, it's likely due to trading Ant, which we're gonna need to shore up by adding a player who can provide some bankable offense. CMB and Sorber wouldn't do that but one of them with a more offensively gifted player would. That's how I would play it.
Can someone who has watch more than a highlight package break down why Murray Boyles is a lottery pick? I don’t see it but in fairness I haven’t gone down that rabbit hole as of yet. I am sticking to my gut and think Demin will be the pick if it’s kept at 11.
17-8-2 and with the strength to bang and the intelligence to play multiple positions. Great passer and he is a bit older. Not a freshman. Drawback is he might not be big enough but they are hoping he plays like Draymond Green. Guess the answer to your question is he might be good so why not take the chance.
In the draft you should always take the best available talent, every time/always and thats especially so with this current roster. They're a big versatile team with a young talent at every spot that could easily add another stud player at most any size but Clingan's. But if the best player available when they draft is Clingan 2.0 then draft him and sort it out later with trades. Too much talent is a good problem to have. STOMP
Undersized as a PF/C and no outside shot. He might be good.... but there are a bunch of other prospects who have just as good of a chance of being good (if not better) as why not take the chance on the higher upside players?
I guess the difference maker in this is his intelligence on the court. I’m not scouting him but the people who are watching are saying the kid is a winner. I agree there might be better prospects but the people who are being paid to look at this kid are all saying the same thing.
Would you watch a Draymond Green highlights package? Because that's the player he's most often (obviously optimistically) compared with.
Maybe if I were an investigator of some kind. I'm not really into watching people go dominatrix on other dude's junk...
