I thought this could spark some good debate, but is Scoot, or even Miller, that much better as a prospect as right outside the top 3? Scoot is the consensus second best talent in the draft but he plays Dame’s position. Is he that much better than the #4 guy that you come to a foregone conclusion that Dame has to be traded? If Scoot is available at #3, you could see if ORL is convinced that Scoot is their PG of the future and get at least #6 and #11. Rockets would be able to give us something like #4, #20, and their 2025 1st. So trading down to #4 or #6 could net us #20 and a 2025 1st or #11, in addition to #23. To me, Amen offers a lot of what Scoot brings minus the polished offensive game but plus facilitating ability. Ausar has all the physical gifts of Jaylen Brown + 0.5” and a higher vertical leap. I’ve heard Walker and Whitmore mentioned as well.
Yeah, not sure Scoot makes sense with Dame. I guess maybe if we are trading Simons, but Miller would be the better pick position wise. The Blazers will be looking for trades to bring in a star player. I think it's trade first, but if a good deal can't be made, draft whoever is at third.
To me, we still have to build for the future and we have to use other draft capital and whatever is on the roster like Nurk, Ant, or Little + 1sts to upgrade the roster. My rationale for Amen has been starting with Dame and Simons at PG/SG, then subbing in Sharpe so Dame plays with Sharpe and Grant, then subbing in Ant at PG and Amen at SF so Ant can play with two wing defenders and have Amen take the occasional ball handling duties. The starting wing and backup big will have to be found with the MLE or trade.
I was just assuming no trade will be made for a star. Raptors don’t seem like they’ll be a trade partner. Nets owe their picks and swaps to HOU still, it doesn’t quite make sense for them to trade him. KAT, no thanks. I wouldn’t be as upset with Brown, but that upcoming deal combined with Dame + Grants new deal just screams salary cap hell.
I'm fine exploring trade ideas of #3 if it makes us a contender, I just don't see that as realistic. So then: Draft BPA Figure out Dame Ant etc later If Scoot is available at #3 take him. See what happens in free agency, maybe Harden leaves Philly and Scoot can be part of an Embiid package. If not and Dame want to play with him trade Ant. If not and Dame wants to leave trade Dame. Similar strategy if Miller is at 3, but less need to trade anyone But don't have to worry about all that at the draft, step 1 is draft BPA I wouldn't trade down, unless another team overpays
I'm always open to trading. But, yes... Miller and, especially, Scoot are significantly better than the options below them. We traded away from Chris Paul (and Deron Williams) to get Webster. That was classic PatterNash and emblematic of the idiocy of the era. Trading down (or, worse yet, altogether out of the draft) will probably end up being just as bad.
Tell that to Boston who traded Fultz for Tatum. There are just so many instances where this hasn't turned out to be true. Of course, there are many instances where it was be true. I don't think the Thompson twins ceilings are any less than Brandon Miller's. Really no need to argue about it. We have one of the best draft talent evaluators in the league now.
Pick the best player available. The Blazers are the last team in the NBA that should be primarily looking for "fit" with the 3rd pick. This is very similar to the Michael Jordan dilemma. Back then, you needed a center, or so it was thought. Nowadays, you need a wing. If you don't think two ball-dominant guards can do well together, look at the 2017-18 Houston Rockets. That team paired Chris Paul and James Harden. The Paul/ Harden Rockets won a franchise-high 65 games, and ended up losing to the Warriors in 7 games in the Western Conference finals.
I think we could keep three and still get Siakim. Hopefully Cronin grows a pair these next three weeks. There's a fuckee and a fucker in every relationship. Gotta jump on first.
