Running list of prospects meeting/working out with Portland

glad to see this happening

STOMP

 

You don't spend the real estate of a lottery pick on the least important position in basketball.

 

because he feels a few years away from actually contributing.

 

I really enjoy others embracing my mindset on avoiding drafting centers in the lottery. been beating this drum for a few months.

 

There's a finite amount of resources. If he was an Embiid, Ayton or Jokic like prospect, sure you could make that argument. But he's not.

The bulk of our resources need to go into small and power forwards. If they can make big upgrades like Ayton, that would be good too.

 

unless they're white...

 

Ok. I guess my opinion is to get the best guys, period because it’s not like we are winning anything anyway in the next couple of years

 

Duren is good, but not great at these things...
How is he better than Mark Williams? IMO, he's not. I also don't think he's any better than Kessler.

 

Not apples to apples comparisons as none of those guys combines the size/length and athleticism Duren has. I see him as both a premier shotblocker/rebounder with enough bulk to bang with the true Bigs and being quick enough to switch out onto smaller players. A much higher ceiling is why he's going higher.

STOMP

 

Zach Collins and Meyers Leonard are waiving hello.

 

And if we use the pick…it’s gotta be on a wing.

 

If Portland is to use the pick and they value a PG or Center prospect on a higher tier with more potential, you'd be for the lessor player?

Good grief, they are no where close to competing. Hindsight on the draft reveals mistake after mistake where teams place their current needs above taking the best available talent probably because the GM wants to win more now so he doesn't get fired. Portland fans should lower their hopes for 2022-3 and look to the future. Get the BPA and figure it out down the line.

STOMP

 

I agree about a wing, but Duren has a chance to be really good

 

I agree with the BPA approach.
However, Duren has not shown anything to suggest that he's the BPA when looking at the Mark Williams, Daniels, Eason, Mathurin tier of players.

 

Considering Duren as BPA at 7 is laughable.

 

This is so much applying the same logic that made the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers pass on Michael Jordan.
"We need this position not that position."

 

maybe Portland is working out Duren because they are considering trading down in the draft?

 

Laughable? Duren could certainly be the best combination of defense and rebounding available at the 7th pick.
Are you thinking that's impossible or unlikely?

 

I was thinking that before. Certainly possible.

 

Who says we're working him out for the 7th pick? If we're planning on trading back to 9 and 25 or for 12 and some package of future firsts we could flip for some impact vet, then this would make a lot of sense. If the team sees this guy as having the highest ceiling in the draft then we'd be dumb not to consider taking him.