Should the Blazers Even Want Their First-round Pick?

I think we've moved on from historic trends and moved on to Olshey's eye for talent.

 

I haven't paid much attention to college ball/the draft this year. I usually am far more into it. So, this question is legit, as I really don't know:

But where are you seeing that it's a "deep" draft?

I mean, everything I've seen on the draft (and again, truly, I admit I haven't done much research this year) is that there are more "definite" guys at the top (well, top-3), and then there's a lot of guys on-par with each other, but generally nothing great. Everyone was saying last year's draft was weak, which it was in the sense there was one guy everyone had as the consensus #1. But then there was a lot of quality behind that. And the few things I have read have called this upcoming draft weaker, and one of the weakest drafts in recent history (I dunno about this, as we've had some bad ones).

So, honestly, please do enlighten me. I am really interested, as I just haven't had a ton of time to look into this draft. So, this is my cheat and I'll let others compile the evidence/research (yeah, just call me HCP).

 

summary: we don't need a lottery pick. :MARIS61:

 

Well it's either a lottery pick or nothing :MARIS61:

 

We say this every year and every year we are spurned or the other team matches. Matthews is our only decent free agent signing in a long time and the only reason we got him is because we front loaded his contract and the Jazz were tied up and couldn't afford him. Those type situations don't come along often.

Remember the RLEC and how we were certain we could over pay for someone if need be. That really worked out great. This is small market ball, you build through the draft and trades.

 

Andre Miller was an OK FA signing. Didn't get the Blazers over the hump, but ended up OK in terms of being on a playoff team.

Hickson has been a solid FA signing as well. The Blazers haven't had much cap space to sign a FA since the Miller signing, FWIW.

 

RLEC was a victim of imaginary cap space.

 

Not a big deal if we lose the pick. Would rather give Olshey as much ammo as possible going into this offseason though.

If he thinks cap space would be better than the pick, we could probably trade it to Charlotte to end our obligation and get considerations back. Taking Freeland's contract maybe?

 

I said "relatively" deep.

I didn't mean it was a DEEEEEP draft, ie, with top tier talent spilling all the way down to the bottom of the lottery. Sorry if it came across that way.

What I meant was that this looks to be a pretty average draft in many respects, with the exception of a lack of grade A prime quality at the top.

There are quotes from front office people in lottery teams that are preparing to try to trade OUT of the top 5 this year (of course depending on trades, workouts, etc. that may change plans and minds, but that gives you the idea that the top is the part of this draft that is considered weak).

For some reason I am unable to copy/paste anything into sportstwo right now. So you will have to go to the sports sites and draft sites and read the articles yourself.

There is a good overview on dimemag.com "tracking this years draft class".

 

Can you give us some of these quotes from these front office types? Just curious.