We got the #3 pick. Discuss the possibilities.

So the Blazers had built slowly, drafting many iconic players including arguably their greatest player. In addition to the many studs in their mid 20s you listed, Portland had just brought over a 25 year old Drazen Petrovic.

Buck was the final piece added to a team on the rise. A solid stud at a position of need.

There is precious little to compare then to now

STOMP

 

I agree any grand Sharpe/Jordan comparison is bad. Stomp said he wasn't comparing him to Jordan (though he kinda was), so we'll take him at his word.

And Sharpe played a lot less than Jordan as a rookie, for many reasons. There should be no comparison to Sharpe/Jordan or the '84 Bulls and the '23 Blazers as far as I'm concerned.

 

just a hunch, but i feel like this is what we'll do:

1. if CHA takes Scoot:

- We take Miller then figure out trades for Ant to see if we can open up the starting SG spot for Sharpe.

2. if CHA takes Miller

- We trade Scoot for the best wing available by adding either Ant/Nurk as salary fillers.

 

I think we trade Nurk and a pick for Draymond. That’s my gut.

 

I don't think there is much chance, at all, that the Blazer front office would have any discussion with the Warrior front office. Real bad blood there

 

Dame loves him. I still think it could happen.

 

Whatever you want to term the last decade, I'm for turning the page. The big dollars they rolled out for various players not named Lillard were entirely forgettable. They gave away assets, often to fill short term needs.

Here we are today. Capped out, pretty terrible with their arguably GOAT getting agitated at seeing the end of his career approaching without ever contending. Every team wants to win, some just make better decisions along the way on talent plus there are some unfortunate injuries that derail things too but no franchise is trying to stink. That Portland fans really really want to make Dame happy when he's sad doesn't change the basic facts. The Blazers aren't good. They need many personnel upgrades to contend. They don't need to rearrange the deck chairs, they need more and better deck chairs!!!

STOMP

 

I don't know what's going on with some people. I think they have gone insane with "win now."
They must have convinced themselves it's very unlikely the Blazers get a good/great player with the 3rd pick.
The Blazers haven't made an actual bad choice in the top 7 since Martell Webster in 2005.
Since then, it's been LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Greg Oden (no wrong pick between him and Durant), Damian Lillard, and Shaedon Sharpe.

 

My dream draft scenario right now.

Amen #3

Ideally, Charlotte goes Miller and Houston wants Scoot. Move down to #4 and swap #23 for #20 (Lively)

Anfernee, Nas and future assets for OG+GTJ (accepts PO).

 

I would take either player. The Blazer offense is ridiculously dumbed down. Dame will force-telegraph a pass to a covered Jeremi Grant when other players are open. Simons does the same thing. If you know nobody's going to pass to you, why move much on offense?
Whereas if you might get hit at any time by a pass from Scoot you'd want to be in a good position to receive one.
Scoot will look at all the options without pre-deciding where's he's passing. He will also push the pace and make the Blazers a full-court team.

 

It was the best record since two seasons before that when the team that He and Russ couldn't beat in the conference finals set the actual record for most wins in a season. I'm not making some crazy argument that Harden shouldn't be in the hall of fame or that he never should have been MVP. I was just saying that he has had some unbelievably good rosters around him and they for whatever reason haven't been able to get it done. Great player not a big time winner. If he had Stephs rosters' and coaches' around him he definitely would have a title or two but he has lost when he has had very impressive supporting casts.

Basically I stand by my statement that Harden and PatBev joining the roster that just went 22-60 isn't scary... Harden has not shown himself to be a big time winner, just a great ball player and PatBev is garbage. The Rockets would be better off giving all of the PT PatBev would take up to Keving Porter, Jalen Green and TyTy Washington. If Harden goes back to Houston with PatBev and we make the moves I think we'll make then I think we'll be better than Houston.

 

Working from bottom to top, word is that Gary is declining his player option. Rumor has it that Masai is asking way too much for OG. The perceived fall from pick 3 to 4 right now is worth a helluva lot more than 23 to 20. Other than that though...

 

I agree on the first part and most the second part.

The big hang up I'm not following is the "need more and better deck chairs!!!". Starting over would be getting worse deck chairs that MIGHT turn out to be better. Jaylen Brown or Bridges would be better deck chairs. They're not Covington, Bazemore, Aminu, Harkless, Powell, etc.

 

I don’t want any deck chairs. I want a new boat.

 

I would just like to see if Dame can get it done with a legit roster. A legit 1a or 2 that fits, Shae and Jerami as 3a and 3b... and then a C/5 that actually fits what the head coach is trying to run on both sides of the court and a legit bench the bench already has the wing you need in Matisse who is restricted... we just need a PG and a guy who can play 4 and 5 off of the bench along with one more wing who we might have if Nas can stay healthy. Obviously if the 1a is Embiid to Dame's 1b leading then we might be able to do Matisse, Jerami and another legit starter with a legit bench.

So I don't want any deck chairs but a new boat can still have Dame as the mast as long as there is a new hull. The deck is not enough, let alone the deck chairs.

 

I would ask for #20 and keep #23. If they want Scoot that much, they’ll have to give more in return than getting to move up 3 spots from #23 to #20.

 

The way Utah won the Gobert trade and the way Lakers won the Westbrook trade. These are the kind of moves we hope Cronin to accomplish.

Brooklyn I think is playing hard to get with Bridges. I think they're salivating at our #3

 

Dame has said he DOES NOT want to deal with more 19 year olds. That’s why people are quick to trade the pick