Have we given up on the rookies?

Maybe I'm getting old, but it just seems too soon after getting excited about this crew that we're supposed to get excited about more rookies. Are we just going to write off this bunch?



(I'm still intrigued by Williams, and I think Johnson could be a good change-of-pace combo guard off the bench, but I confess I've pretty much given up on Babbitt already. And he's a reason I'm not feeling too great about Buchanan and Born taking over...)

 

Ugh, I hope this years draft isn't as big of a DUD last years was.

 

After the last 2 drafts, it is tough to be excited or confident.

 

No, yes, and no, in order of that picture. I gave up on Babbit before we ever had him. Wanted nothing to do with him before the draft, saw he'd be gone before we were supposed to draft, and was happy/laughing at the team that was going to take him. Then....bam. If we can get someone to think he's ok, I'd move him instantly. 2nd rounder. Sure. Do not care.

 

I really like both of the guards. They both have a lot of potential the big problem with Johnson is his ability to shoot the ball and finish at the rim. I'd like to keep him and see if he can develop a shot because his defense and quickness really intrigue me.
Babbit I think i'm one of the few on this board who still likes this kid and hasn't given up on him. He can shoot the three (with very limited minutes he hasn't shot it great) and likes to put the ball on the ground and drive towards the rim. I'll give him another year before throwing in the towel on him.
Williams is the most interesting of all the players we drafted. He would have been a top 10 pick if his knees hadn't scared people away. Unbelievably athletic guard who is supposed to be able to shoot the ball as well. Does not have great court vision and only decent ball handling skills, he is not a point guard but more of a comb-guard. I really want to see Williams play and I have high hopes for him.

-edit realized I didn't say anything about keeping or letting them go so added it.

 

Actually, I wouldn't mind another Claver-like draft. If we ended up with Lucas Nogueira, for example, and stashed him in Spain for a few years that would be fine. Even better would be to move up a little and get Biyombo, and stash HIM for a little. Perhaps if we think about this year's draft as if it was for our minor leagues, and think of getting Freeland/Claver to come over as other people look at the draft...

But it seems very unlikely that whomever we draft is actually going to see any meaningful time for the Blazers, so why care?

(But if we get Jimmy Butler in the second round, that would be okay...)

 

Is this thread serious? Give up? Give up on what? There was never any hope for these guys...

 

Babbitt is about as bad as they come defensively. Joe Alexander 2.0. KP's parting shot at PA

 

Babbit struck me as Ammo/Luke Jackson part II the moment they drafted him, I think he's probably never going to do a damn thing in the league. Armon I'm not real sure about; he looks athletic enough, but instead of gradually improving, he looked to be gradually regressing as the year wore on, I'd give him a 5% chance to stick. Williams is a complete unknown, who the hell knows if he can be a player or not.

 

I haven't given up on any of them yet.

Williams hasn't played and therefore who knows how he will do.

Babbitt had a long ways to go catching up with the speed of the NBA game, but sometimes players like him take 2 or 3 years to develop. I can easily see him as a Korver type off the bench eventually. Maybe not, but it's not time yet to throw in the towel.

As to Johnson, I like his size and strength for a PG, but he hasn't gotten it together. I'd hate to see them give up on him just yet and maybe he will develop into a backup PG of value.

 

Can't call Williams a bust yet. Dude will become top 15 SG in this league one day.

 

Spot on...

 

It's been a few years since we drafted an NBA quality player. I doubt we'll get one this year either.

 

Same needs we've had for 2-3 years.

What makes this draft different?

 

The question should be have we given up on Buchanan? I shudder to think that you guys know more about the draft than he does.

There is no conspiracy here. He and KP liked what they saw while scouting Williams and Babbitt. To think that you guys can watch them in limited action and know their skill level, while our head of scouting missed so badly, even after hundreds of hours of scouting them...... well quite frankly it scares the shit out of me. I am not be a smart ass here, it truely does scare me.

 

His ceiling IMO, is a poor man's Travis Outlaw.