Totally for that scenario btw.. Im not in team tank, I want to see the bully ball work, I wanna see us upset playoff teams, I wanna see chauncy take the next step as a coach here... The roster is so young it's better for our progression to be competitive, no question. But I mean I'm pretty sure Simons is gonna need to score like 32 points per game like hes tracy mcgrady in '03 for the Blazers to hold the 6th seed.. but ill keep my fingers crossed
Interested to see what Alex Karaban is gonna do in his Sophomore season at UConn after being so solid as a freshman in the national championship run(3 blocks in the championship game) -- He's 6'8 and clear as day a 3-and-d specialist. Lights out shooter. Wonder what kind of blocks and steals numbers he puts up too, I'm more of an eye-test guy n i watch the games, but as I understand these advanced metrics they like players like Karaban who drill 3's and also collect steals and blocks..
There's also an insane sleeper to keep an eye out for... Ulrich Chomche from Cameroon(appears to be the best prospect from Cameroon since Joel Embiid...) and he's born 12/30/05 so he'd easily be the youngest player in the field, if he was born 2 days later he wouldnt be eligible for this draft.. 6'11 and 234lbs with a 7'4 wingspan and he can shoot 3's and flashes really nice body control and according to Jonathan Givony shows ability to defend smaller players out on the perimeter, and he's quite strong for his age, wide frame. seems mobile n like hes a solid passer n like hes got a good feel for the game, solid touch on offense.. Seems good to me..Dont really see what there is to complain about with him at this stage..N if this draft is weak --- give this kid a promise, he's not really supposed to be in this draft, but stash him in the g-league... I know Joakim Noah was working with him at one point in these NBA africa camps n he raves about this kid.. (I'm a little rusty still knocking the cobwebs off from the offseason) I really dont think that Rayan Rupert for example is a better longterm project than Chomche. tbh. but maybe im wrong.. we'll see... Chomche seems better and far more fluid than Charles Bassey who had some injury issues n is more limited to pure 5 duties, n Bassey has managed to stick with the Spurs.
I'm a believer in the Rylan Griffen Sophomore Breakout campaign too.. Even though he averaged 6ppg and shot 36% from the field as a freshman. This is a skinny player who's tall and is slippery with the ball in his hands and he's got potential to affect the game in many ways, he's got solid catch and shoot potential it appears. N he's crazy explosive can do all sorts of dunk contest type of stuff. In a 'down year' for draft talent, players like this seem to be worth keeping an eye on.. He was like 180lbs last season and they say he grew an inch and is now 190. This kid has the quickness to be able to guard some PG's, SGs and SF's. He's got a knack for getting steals and when he gets blocks theyre usually spectacular, fun player to watch. Grant Nelson is playing for Alabama (they had a mass exodus of x-fers too) alongside Griffen this season, thats a fun 1-2 inside-out scoring punch if you ask me. Alabama has an interesting freshman named Jarin Stevenson who grew to like 6'11 and has a chance to be selected in the next few drafts. they just landed Aiden Sherrell a few weeks ago one of the best bigman recruits in 2024, so if Griffen doesnt make it to the draft this year he'll have another crazy productive big who can shoot like Nelson to work with Jr. year --- But im hoping Griffen makes it this season.
To be fair, Ant averaging 32ppg and this team making the 6th seed would do as much for the team, if not more, than for this team to suck enough to have a top 3 pick. A dude entering year 6 averaging, say, 30/3/6, with two stupid cheap years left on his deal--how much do those guys go for on the open market? He would likely get at least a lottery pick in the '24 draft and 1-2 more picks and another young player.
I think its far more realistic his scoring upticks to the mid-20's instead of near 30.. but one of the silver linings of these "Ant scoring a ton" scenarios is the offensive rebounding with Ayton and Williams must be working, cuz for Ant's scoring to really uptick hard --- they've gotta get him as many free open 3's as possible and the easiest ones to be found are after offensive boards n tip outs.. But yeah his trade value would explode, I'd think it stands to reason Ant will be one of the better 4th quarter scorers in the league.. n thats why they were smart to avoid the Tyler Herro trades cuz Herro and Simons woulda stepped on each others toes.. Too many chefs ruin the stew scenario, n other teams look to rip you off when you cause a foolish amount of "overlap" n need to undo it. But i mean, the west is about to be brutal... This is about to be a trial by fire.. Theres nowhere to hide outwest anymore, this freak of nature Wembanyama is on the Spurs now, Holmgrens healthy, Suns finally have a settled roster and Beal, theres only put-up or shut-up. But Ant is sneaky n picks his spots well n can jab step n create his wrinkles, so I wanna see him really navigate this best he can n find a rhythm..
@bxb thanks for all your write ups. Haven't read them all yet, but always appreciate people doing deep dives on prospects, and giving their thoughts, versus me just googling a quick scouting report on draft day!
You got it! Everything starts to happen so fast once the season tips off I figure I might as well point out a few of my favorites beforehand. 247 sports has Layden Blocker (that video has his name wrong its Layden but that video is from the state championship game so its good footage) ranked 58th in this class which I think is very low.. All Blocker has to do is hit his 3's and his stock will soar because hes extremely explosive and has lots of burst and speed and he's like 6'2" so he could gain NBA draft hype in a hurry cuz he's got the physical profile to be a plus defender as well as a PG who can get downhill n dunk it on your head. Unsure of what kind of role he's gonna have right away. Arkansas has a lot of moving parts ---- basically players to monitor for this draft at every position.. El Ellis, Tremon Mark, Trevon Brazille, Baye Fall are all varying degrees of relevant, n I feel like Blockers talents have been sort of marginalized n overlooked with all the stuff they've got going on. Hoping we see a lot of a 3 guard look with Blocker-Ellis-Mark then Brazile at PF with Fall at C..(Not even mentioning Davonte Davis who got voted SEC Preseason 2nd team) and they have some good 5th year seniors too. I've wondered for some time if Blocker is exactly the type of guard whos ranked below Bronny James who can outperform him.. Their different but I still wonder..Bronny's much more of a combo or a SG, thats why they wanted him at USC next to a PG like Isaiah Collier, while Blocker isnt a pure PG/floor general by any stretch but he's much more of a PG than Bronny.. n really Blocker has a wicked fast 1st step.. n draws tons of FT's getting downhill, you want the ball in his hands, once he gets a step on his defender the help defense is in a REALLY precarious situation that needs to be dealt with FAST or its 2 points..their very different.. N I wonder how these players measure out too.. If Blocker is really 6'3 thats gonna help him.. I think its a bit distasteful n a headline grab these mocks even have Bronny's name on them after what happened to him this summer.. Let the kid get healthy first! put some other player whos father isnt a billionaire name up there please! Is that too much to ask? Blocker played PG with Matas Buzelis at Sunrise Christian in Kansas btw.. If we could land Buzelis with the lotto pick and then Blocker with some 2rp that'd be cool. Blocker profiles as type of project most any team would want to get big reps in the g-league to develop if ya ask me, if that 3pt shooting is consistent he's good-to-go n an NBA player. Cuz make no mistake, lots of the guards you see projected in the 1st rd are NOT athletic like Blocker.. But this also goes back to why Scoota woulda been a top pick in this draft with ease too.. This is another one of the reasons you see A.J. Johnsons name floating around these mocks and why he got the NBL contract even though hes 6'5 and 160lbs -- Its known theres a lack of these explosive guards, with electric 1st steps in this class, so the athletes like Blocker n Johnson have a whole lot to gain if they show proficency n make their 3's. This is also why Elmarko Jackson is projected as a lottery pick by many, (I like Jackson).. N really why Buzelis should pretty much be a lock for the top10. Its also why Elliot Cadeau whos got a bursty 1st step reclassed up to try and get his name in this draft.
What I’ll say is, I love the team Schmitz is constructing at the moment. Taller guys, longer wingspans. Hoping for more of the same this draft.
@bxb have you already done a writeup on Bobi Klintman yet? Would be interested to know your thoughts. Between 6’8 and 6’9 w/o shoes and it’s safe to assume his wingspan is well over 7’0 and standing reach around 10’11. For me, he’s kind of the size of GG Jackson, but he moves better on the perimeter. This was a scouting report posted just a few days ago: https://www.youtube.com/live/qAM56t1YeXI?si=R8lRTQIe_KW7KZnh
Well I'm a bit biased towards Klintmann tbh and I had him higher than Kris Murray on my board before he withdrew his name.. I root for Wake Forest in the ACC and was monitoring his progress in last years draft. But also he runs very well, he's very fluid for that size, so if that 3pt shot which is a little funky but looks good on the release out of his hand is falling, hes a good running mate with Scoot and Simons on the break.. He's got a solid frame and he can grab boards, he's got good tools its just a matter of putting them all together --- very good in transition too.. I think he made a good choice going to a more professional setting. So before I go any further --- This french player whos 6'9" Tidjane Salaun, he moves very well too like a SF.. but he's like 2 1/2 years younger than klintman. something to be monitored as well, I have a good feeling about him too. and also.. I mean.. We're talking about the Blazers here who currently have guys like Jabari Walker, Thybulle, Kris Murray and Camara --- but those guys dont factor into taking a player like Klintman or some of the higher ranked combo forwards in this draft --- Klintman is an obvious upgrade here.. Clear as day.. but there's gonna be some other solid options on the board too.. But with Klintmann i'm gonna hold back a bit --- cuz now he's facing pros and much older competition lets see how he does once the games get rolling.. seems like he should be a featured player for that teams offense n take lots of 3s.
Melvin Ajinca is more of a player who i think is worthy of a big writeup now cuz he's got 6 games in this season and i've seen him 2 summers on these fiba teams.. Firstly I'll just say right off the bat my initial impression of Ajinca (who's name I recognized cuz his uncle was a 1st rd pick and played 9 seasons) was "looks like Taurean Prince" "lefty" "long arms, defensive potetntial" just very basic stuff but I remember thinking right away he sort of looks like Taurean Prince.. This was also a team, 2 summers ago, with a very hyped Rayan Rupert and an unheralded Bilal Coulibaly.. I was on a different forum dropping posts with some dude from serbia going over this particular fiba tournament closely.. N honestly I was dead on the money about all 3 of them somehow.. not to talk too much smack, but thats just how it happened..well I wasnt dead on the money with Ajinca, I only thought he looked like he could be decent if he made his 3's. Ajinca was starting infront of Coulibaly too. Coulibaly, I knew somehow he looked like a better version of Dante Exum but more like a swingman version.. n Rupert was just very raw n a bit more out of control looking while Coulibaly was smooth in the way that Dante Exum got major points for looking smooth.. but also Coulibaly was really better at using his length, it was apparent Coulibaly is just one of those dudes that u dont wanna jump with he's vicious, n he had some hops to him Exum was really more just downhill n long strider but not vertically explosive.. But somewhere near that 1st rd fringe does seem appropriate for Ajinca you ask me.. Cuz he's strengthened up, kid is tough, he's got long arms.. n their gonna let him shoot a ton of 3's right now hes at 36% thru 6 games.. classic 3-n-d.. Turns 20 right around the draft.. Its very unlikely his stock will deteriorate deep into the 2nd rd if his 3pt shooting stays decent.. Cuz the sell with him is he's sorta a bit more polished than 20 y/o. Could be an interesting fit for the Blazers
I haven't read this entire thread, so if I'm repeating something that's been said it is by mistake. My take on this draft is that I normally hope Portland takes the BPA because they've had so many needs every year. This year is a little different and that's because of one thing...Wemby. We are gonna face him 3, 4, maybe more every year for the foreseeable future. If there is one thing this draft is deep in it's the long, lean forward. So, I'm hoping they lean towards guys who could match up (notice I didn't say stop) with Wemby. Not just guys assigned to him, but guys who have the length to have a chance to bother him from off the ball, in a help situation. And depth of that type of player is very important, too. For my money, defense is one of the things I refuse to grade a guy at based on stats. Way too many variables. I trust my eyes and the opinion of a few posters on here. One of the most important traits I'll be looking for when I'm watching college games will be guys who fit that mold. To be honest, all I've seen for a lot of the prospects is their offensive highlights. This might be the year to disregard (unless a prospect just drops like crazy) BPA and focus our picks on getting guys who fit that specific mold.
I don't want the team to tank, want them to play hard, learn/develop and win as many games as they can with the youngsters getting experience. IMO we are just not that good and won't need to tank, if they "surprise" to the upside then I am totally happy with that!
4-star freshman Freddie Dillone (Tennessee) is underrated rn! This kid is a scoring guard sorta like Anfernee Simons, where hes dangerous on the catch and the dribble, Dillone gets a hothand u keep feeding him the ball -- like Simons... I think Dillone's got a chance to go 1-and-done and be a first rd pick in 2024 as he's 6'5" a good 3pt shooter and very creative with the ball. If the Blazers are losing lots of games by wide-margins, this is the type of player (who maybe could be nabbed with the warriors 1rp) who can instantly add a boost to any offense. One of the most fun freshman to watch play offense in the nation. I'd be shocked if he doesnt score a lot of points right away in college, seems overqualified for that task IMO.. Tennessee also has a handful of other players worth monitoring --- particularly interested to see if defensive dynamo Jahmai Mashak's offense has made progress. We should see a lot more of 3-n-d 5man Jonas Aidoo who's got a solid frame n good athleticism n shoots 3s with a lot of rotation on the ball, his jumpshot looks good out of his hands plus he blocks shots at 6'11 with a 7'4" wingspan -- Aidoo is an obvious future pro. Tennessee's PF's with Tobe Awaka and then the 2 freshman JP Estrella and Cade Phillips, some of those guys will be pros in some form, not gonna say NBA players but they aren't just amateurs. So that team is loaded and Dillone should be the focal point of the offense, so he's under the radar even though he's very talented.. Cuz thats the type of dumb stuff that goes on preseason, espn's preseason rankings, the ap preseason rankings are always trash IMO, n its stuff like this they overlook, n they overrate the returning players n underrate the high impact 4-star recruits cuz they arent 5-stars not because its an objective opinion.. (neway im ranting lemme cut this off)
Jared McCain(5-star freshman at Duke) is worthy of a post before the games tip off ---- Cuz WHAT POSITION IS HE EVEN??? I keep seeing Jared McCain listed at -------- -POINT GUARD these days..... Which is news to me(and i follow this stuff...)! Traditionally, for years, McCain has been listed at Shooting Guard, even though he's 6'2"... The kid is an absolute marksman, dead eye shooter off the dribble and the catch... Not just a shooter but he's a scorer(who does most of his damage with the jumper) There have been some short SG's drafted in the lottery --- Ben Gordon went #3 in 2004, he was generously listed at 6'3", but really Gordon had this insanely reliable floater that helped him score in the paint over the trees.. Malik Monk isnt very tall for a SG, he went in the lottery, 11th in 2017 ---- Monk can jump out of the damn gym though, n challenges defenders twice his size IN HALFCOURT OFFENSe, Monk can get downhill and yam it on your head... Jared McCain sure cant, he aint that guy.. So how did McCain go from SG to PG? Cuz for my money... He's whats called... A combo guard.. Well part of it is hope... They are trying to mold McCain into a more versatile player who appeals to all the teams... The thing is... IMHO... McCain already makes sense for the Blazers... They dont really need him to play PG, he'd just be a guard off the bench who can shoot.... Brogdon is 6'5" Simons is 6'4" and however tall Scoota is, he plays like he's 6'4 ---- So we have a solid group of guards to add a 6'2" dead-eye marksman if they are out to add 3pt firepower.. Though to me Duke has ANOTHER 5-star combo guard, who makes even more sense for the Blazers -- Caleb Foster.. Everyone, the headline chasers, are gonna be talking about Tyrese Proctor, but for the Blazers i've got my eyes on these 2 freshman shooters, Foster and McCain..
and one more thing... Kentucky's whole roster grew an inch taller apparently in their press release like a few weeks ago... seems fishy if u ask me.. Robert Dillingham from 6'2 to 6'3" Justin Edwards from 6'7" to 6'8" Adou Thiero from 6'6" to 6'8"! (this kid is actually still growing so it might be true) Antonio Reeves a 5th year senior was listed at 6'5" last season, now 6'6" Ogonna Onyenso Kingsley from 6'11 to 7' Also DJ Wagner is listed at 6'4! when he's usually listed at 6'3".. as a Kentucky fan... lemme be the first to call BS on this.. Coach Cal probably realized they cant hide the heights n manipulate the medias headlines/writeups due to the changes in the NBA Combines rules n the stripping of the power of agents to avoid testing.. So coach cal probably decided to just fluff up everyones measurements during the season so maybe they can catch hype n perform -- n then by the time they "measure small" at the NBA combine, they'll have enough momentum n made their point where it'll seem inconsequential. I sense a sort of "fake it til you make it" strategy being employed..
there's also some players who get underrated because they were injured last season.. 6'6" Sophomore now at Syracuse -- Chance Westry.. Would have really loved to have seen what that Auburn team coulda done with him last year cuz Johni Broome was so good. This is one of those 6'6" swiss-army-knife combo guards whos got a little spencer dinwiddie, a little shake milton, a little edmond sumner, even a little will barton to his game, though hes not an electric athlete the way barton once was.. But he's really like got an interesting blend of skills, he can handle the ball and pass it, and hes an energetic defender, n high bbiq player -- profiles as a player I'd like to have on a young team like the blazers. N honestly he coulda had a big impact last season n gained hype but a knee injury ruined all that. So I'm rooting for him. Westry can shoot it from 3 too.. so if he does that his stock will go up quickly cuz he brings a lot to the table.. He's got glue player written all over him.. I think he can stick for a while in the league, n so a young team like the blazers might be a good spot for him to carve a niche off the bench tbh, he's reliable n trustworthy, consistent, scrappy, things like that -- almost like having a 2nd PG on the floor, and he's 6'6" with long arms... Syracuse has another big-time x-fer whos more commonly seen on mock drafts too, J.J. Starling whos a 6'4" scoring guard some have him projected in the 40's on their mocks currently.. then they have Judah Mintz vieing for a draft spot too, so thats a very serious backcourt. and Westry can dribble circles around most of these SF's they'll have defending him.. Plus we'll see if Benny Williams has made big progress, once thought to be a very high upside player.. and they have 7'4" NaHeem McCleod(not draftable but still a fun player to watch) x-ferring in from FSU -- so Syracuse is gonna be quite the spectacle.. Hope they can get all these new peices settled in quickly cuz man was the ACC BRUTAL to watch last season, so many overrated teams playing on ESPN while the lesser conference games on ESPN3 were 10x better n more competitive.
