What I found intersting is he says he gets most info from his agent and that with Ptd, it looks like they will go big and small with the two picks (either big at 6 and small at 11 or visa versa). I wonder why agent says that when Olshey has been saying that position doesn't matter, it's BPA.
6. Robinson 11. PJIII Everyone will bitch that our three best players are PF's but Neil is collecting assets!
It seems to me that the 3 top centers in this draft are all about equal. So that is why I doubt we take one at #6. There will be one at #11. I still would rather take another guard at 11 though.
Positions be damned, I just want the Blazers to draft the most talented guys available to them. Sort out the gaps and overlaps with trades and free agency
I think I said in another thread the only thing that would spoil this draft for me is a Rivers-Leonard or Rivers-Zeller draft ... I was wrong.
If Olshey keeps to his word and goes BPA over reaching for need... 6) Rivers 11) Lamb This assumes that some version of Beal/MKG/Robinson/Barnes goes #2-5...If one of those guys is there at #6 (or POR trades up), all bets are off... POR takes Rivers at #6 - highest BPA player on the board (maybe Waiters here, but I think they like Rivers more) Waiters goes #7 to GS (West loves the guy), Lillard goes #8 to TOR, Drummond goes #9 to DET, New Orleans with no Lillard\Waiters\Rivers left on the board, I think will go big ...that being Zeller So at #11, POR has a probable short list of Leonard who has major personality red flags IMO, P.Jones (does he have a meniscus injury or not?), Lamb, Ross, Henson or Harkless to choose from...I think it would be one of those guys.... Henson could be a possibility but he is not the best talent of the group, but he is a need (same for Leonard)......If Jones' knee is just a draft day smokescreen or checks out with POR, I could see them going with him at #11, but I think they go with BPA and out of the remainder of guys (Lamb\Ross\Harkless) that is Lamb...darkhorse would be Ross who has looked real good...
not to be flip, but do we really want a guy whose "red flags" were "checked out" and approved by our training department?
rivers is not bpa at 6 imo. give him a different last name and he doesn't make the top 10 of most draft boards. the guy is fools gold at 6, 11 i'm fine with but not 6.
When you are choosing 18-20 year old kids, part of your evaluation has to be based on what thier potential could be and if you think they can reach it..... as an example Lillard's production\stats are very good...but he is a 4th year junior, 3 years older that Rivers is right now and played in a weaker conference which certainly enhanced his stats...If you judge them both on thier stats\ability right now and don't take into account what thier potential growth is you would be making a huge mistake.... What will Rivers look like 3 years from now when he is 22 years old, after 3 years under NBA coaching? Of Course when judging potential with young guys you certainly need to accurately gauge thier willingess to work to better thier games, thier desire to be the best player they can be and thier overall confidence in thier abilities...which Rivers has in spades (as does Lillard to some extent)....
I actually agree with most of this. It is what makes the nba draft so difficult these days. It is almost like college football recruiting when you have to project how hard a player will work to reach his potential. Lot of guess work. I would not take Rivers at #6, but I agree with your point. At 11 he is a good bet.
Leonard sure came across like a headcase in that interview... [video=youtube;SUroGQZQj-g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUroGQZQj-g&feature=related[/video] Big white stiff!!
