Let's get this party started. What draft picks do the Blazers have? OTOH, does it matter? If it does, PG or Big?
Best player available, IMO. Maximize your chances of getting a good NBA player, rather than potentially taking an inferior player just to match the roster better. If there's a point guard or big man Pritchard likes, he should trade up or down to the slot he thinks is most right for that prospect.
We have the 22nd and 44th picks this year. As for who we would take at those spots, your guess is as good as mine. Who I think we should take is also nothing but guess work. Right now www.draftexpress.com has us taking some kid named Paul George from Fresno State http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Paul-George-5688/ I've never watched him play a full game so I have no idea how good he would fit or if he's NBA ready, but I hunted down a few youtube clips and all I can tell is that he's got a pretty decent stroke and apparently likes to bomb away from deep three point range in college (shot 44% his freshman year and 36% this year). Other guys in our general draft range include: Gordon Hayward Solomon Alabi Kevin Seraphin Quincy Pondexter Willie Warren Avery Bradley etc. In the second round I wouldn't even want to hazard a guess who they would try to take (maybe Craig Brackins, Jarvis Varnado, Jerome Randle or even Dexter Pittman).
NBA Draft has us taking this center in round #2. He looks pretty decent: http://www.nbadraft.net/players/jerome-jordan
LOOOONG arms, good height, a little slow, but smooth movement. Has a good hook shot. I'd give him a try.
Sweet! A Blazers victory over the Lakers and then I leave the next morning for 2 weeks in Hawaii. Now that's how to kick off a new season.
In this draft I think you trade up or trade out. Swing for the fences at a prospect like Patrick Patterson (6'9" PF), Donatas Motiejunas (7'1" PF), or Cole Aldrich (6'11" C). Or go insane and trade up for a PF of the future - Derrick Favors (6'10" PF/C)
I like Aldrich a lot. Maybe 'swinging for the fences' doesn't really apply but I think he's going to be a lot like a young Przybilla. Very similar skill-set. Though, Cole is a much more talented offensive player.
This year will be interesting, just because Wall is the projected #1, and there is the possibilty Utah might get that pick. Outside of the top 2 picks, I see most of the picks as being available for not too expensive of a price. If Utah gets the top pick, it might even be available because of Darren Williams being there already. Cole Aldrich will probably have a long NBA career. But I am just not sure that he is worth moving up at all to get.
If you're swinging for the fences you swing for a proven NBA player/star, not an unproven kid coming out of the draft.
If you're talking about sticking at 22, I like Pondexter and Hayward, for different reasons but both of whom allow Nic to play more 1. If we're swinging for the fences, I'd see what Minny would want to do so that we could get Love and #2 (Evan Turner) for LMA, Rudy, Claver and ??.
With all due respect, why would Minny give up Love and Evan Turner for LMA and Rudy and other bits and pieces? Love is a superior passer, superior rebounder and more efficient although LMA is probably slightly more skilled and versatile on the defensive end (though you wouldn't know it with the way he plays at times) and that doesn't even factor in the Turner side of the trade -- he's almost certainly going to be about 5 times the player Rudy will ever be.
