Why this draft is so important

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Rastapopoulos, Jun 25, 2012.

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  1. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    This draft is pivotal, because the Trail Blazers are at a turning point. Last season saw the catastrophic final demise of the "Big Three" dream. Now we have to get a new identity. We have a comparatively high draft pick in a supposedly killer draft. So whatever player is taken will be (rightly or wrongly) invested with a "future of the franchise" label. Not just by the fans, either. This is the first big move of our new GM. So if he fucks up, he's likely to stick with it subbornly, to the detriment of our growth. Think "We've got Sebastian Telfair so we don't need Chris Paul".

    This is why I get a sick feeling in my stomach when I see things like "Neil Olshey has fallen in love with Austin Rivers and will take him at 6". Rivers is just flashy enough that you could think he'll amount to something, but the only thing he does is score (inefficiently). So you have to build your team around him. But he's not good enough. And then you realize a couple of years later and ship him out and suddenly you're shitty for five straight years. You know, like the Sacramento Kings, who KEEP doing it (first Kevin Martin, then Tyreke Evans...)

    (Contrast this with the Pistons with Darko. They fucked up royally, but it wasn't at a pivotal moment for the franchise, so Darko could fade into irrelevance without taking the franchise with him.)

    Jesus Christ, let this draft come already!
     
    Rastapopoulos, Jun 25, 2012
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  2. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    Great post. I think this is not only a really important draft, but a really important off season as well. I am going to give the benefit of the doubt to the Blazers until they screw it up (Smith over Faried)
     
    Mediocre Man, Jun 25, 2012
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  3. Blazinaway

    Blazinaway Well-Known Member

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    lets hope us getting the #6 in the drawing is the beginning of a change of fortune! I think we are due
     
    Blazinaway, Jun 25, 2012
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  4. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    Well, we already lost out on the coin flip for #5, so............
     
    Mediocre Man, Jun 25, 2012
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  5. Blazinaway

    Blazinaway Well-Known Member

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    that's your old "dark side" gettin out! lol seriously though not losing the pick entirely this year vastly overshadows whehter it was 5 or 6
     
    Blazinaway, Jun 25, 2012
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  6. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    I agree. Just having some post meds fun


    Speaking of which, I will have to up the dosage if Rivers or Soup Juggler are picked at #6 for us. Same goes for either Leonard or Zeller anywhere in the lottery
     
    Mediocre Man, Jun 25, 2012
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  7. Blazinaway

    Blazinaway Well-Known Member

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    keepem handy!
     
    Blazinaway, Jun 25, 2012
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  8. crandc

    crandc Well-Known Member

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    Exactly, I said something similar, lost in the mammoth draft thread, that this is the team's first really significant draft since 2006.

    At this point, I just have to hope/trust that all the work the Blazers' brain trust is putting into this draft results in good choices. No, make that best possible choices.
     
    crandc, Jun 25, 2012
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  9. Blaze01

    Blaze01 JBB JustBBall Member

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    Man, I totally disagree about Rivers....

    I have to ask, why does Lillard get a pass for being a 4yr college player...and then Rivers gets blasted for his play as a freshman at a big time college where he was asked to do more than a freshman probably should, at age 19?

    Lillard is one year younger than guys like Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook are right now...I mean think about that...Rivers is THREE years younger than Lillard...

    So we over criticize Rivers and a vast majority of the players in this draft who are 2-3 years younger than a guy like Lillard is and whom many of have played in big time conferences and played in a lot of big time games, which Lillard really hasn't in his career....

    Can Rivers not improve? He has 3 years on Lillard....

    I mean I don't see Lillard stepping into the NBA and dominating as a rookie, especially as a PG....if he can even MAKE that transition and not fall by the wayside like so many other scoring guard into NBA PG experiments....does anyone really think\see Lillard coming in and dominating out of the gate?

    I think the fact that Rivers is 3 years younger, and that he played at a big time college in big time games and was a highly (Top 2) regarded recruit coming out of HS...weighs far more positvely on his future as an NBA player than a guy who put up inflated numbers vs sub par competition as a 4th year junior....Lillard is one of the older players in this draft...he shoud look better than other players now, the question is will he look better 3 years from now?
     
    Blaze01, Jun 25, 2012
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  10. Tortimer

    Tortimer Well-Known Member

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    I also disagree about Rivers. I would take a chance on Rivers but not at 6. I would try and trade our 11 and something to move up to 8 or 9 to get Rivers. I'm not real high on Lillard at 6 either. I would hope one of the other guys like Roberson or Drummand would fall to 6.
     
    Tortimer, Jun 25, 2012
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  11. Eastoff

    Eastoff But it was a beginning.

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    hahaha
     
    Eastoff, Jun 25, 2012
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  12. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    I watched Rivers play several times and was not impressed at all. Take away one game where he hit a couple of big shots and I think he's a second round pick.

    If we draft him, I think we say good-by to the franchise with another loser on the bench collecting first round salary taking up a roster spot that is better used elsewhere.
     
    BLAZER PROPHET, Jun 25, 2012
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  13. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    Now, as to the real reason for the thread....

    I agree we have to hit it good with our #6 pick- be it a trade or if we keep it.
     
    BLAZER PROPHET, Jun 25, 2012
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  14. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    BPA all the way!

    If we take Lillard over Waiters or even Drummond I'm going to flip.

    I'm putting my faith into the new management. Don't do anything stupid!

    And please, lets try to muck up Houston's attempt at getting these two high picks kthnxbye.
     
    Fez Hammersticks, Jun 25, 2012
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  15. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    Maybe in the minds that matter, Lillard is BPA?

    I mean most of the mocks have him up there like he would be
     
    Mediocre Man, Jun 25, 2012
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  16. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    It's so simple. Spend #6 on a big man, not a guard. The risk is much lower.
     
    jlprk, Jun 25, 2012
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  17. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Wages of Wins ranks Austin Rivers as second most overrated player in the draft (after Harrison Barnes):

    Basically Rivers is worse at EVERYTHING than the average of the top 100 DraftExpress ranked college shooting guards. He should be a flyer in the second round, not a lottery player.
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2012
    Rastapopoulos, Jun 25, 2012
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  18. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Rastapopoulos, Jun 27, 2012
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  19. Blaze01

    Blaze01 JBB JustBBall Member

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    This is why you are not a GM. He will be a top 10 pick in the NBA....

    He was inefficient last year, as an 18yr old freshman BTW....but you have to look a little more than just the stats, but at the dynamics of the team that he was on, and the role he was thrust into (go to scorer)....Very few players are going to be efficient when they are given the ball (often with a short timeframe) to score and the opposing defense knowing and scheming to stop it....
     
    Blaze01, Jun 27, 2012
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  20. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    I think that's entirely possible. But that doesn't mean he should be. Every year (literally EVERY year) there are busts in the top ten.

    Find me a player with comparably inefficient stats in college who got better in the pros. Go on.
     
    Rastapopoulos, Jun 27, 2012
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