With the 7th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, The Portland Trailblazers select. . .

Fact is most were hoping for a better pick than the 7th pick.

 

It’s going to be Clingan & Knicht either way.

 

Sharpe is the only name I remember from pre draft that year. I felt like we were going to take him if he were still there based solely on what I'd read in here.

 

There were some Keegan Murray, Ben Mathurin, Dyson Daniels, Duren chatter with that pick

 

I just looked at close to 10 mock drafts from that year. The latest Sharpe went in any of them was 9. Half of them had Sharpe going to us. Some of them had Sharpe top 5 for prospects in that draft. Even in one where they had us take Daniels it said Sharpe could be the pick because of how much homework Portland had done on Sharpe.

I remember it not being a surprise. I wanted Mathurin or Banchero at the time but when both were picked before we picked I was all in on Sharpe.

 

A bunch. Go read the thread.
Anyway. Doesn’t matter. We got Sharpe and certainly now most are happy with that pick. I know I am.
Great kid. Lots of upside.
Go Blazers! Let’s get another solid piece or two this year and next. By 2026-27 this team might be something special.

 

SI had him at 11 going to the Knicks.
Draft ally had him at 14.
BR had him going to us. That is on June 23 2022.

 

Si also said

 

Sharpe was heavily debated here and not at all a surprise pick. Our front office was rumored to be very high on him.

 

Interesting thought.
Let’s compare this draft?
What player hasn’t been “Heavily Debated Here”.
I’m just kidding.
I get your point.

 

Could you link the thread? I want to read but it but am having trouble using the search function.

I let out a "Hell Yeaaah!" when Sharpe was announced, by the way. My girlfriend, who doesn't care about sports, thinks I'm weird.

 

Type in draft thread 2022.
About four versions will pop up.

 

I knew Banchero and Smith were not going to be available. I was not high in Ivey with Dame in town. I wanted Murray, then Duren and then Sharpe. I expected Sac to take Murray unfortunately. Can’t say I was disappointed when Portland took Sharpe over Duren. I really liked both players and Portland had a need at both spots.

 

If a guard had weak interior defense, but averaged 25ppg on 66 TS%, and averaged 8 assists per game, people he'd probably the the #1 overall pick.

Yet Zach Edey brings that offensively, is a very good rebounder, good shot blocker, interior defender, but people are writing him off because he won't be good at guarding the perimeter. "The game has changed" they keep saying, but isn't the goal still to put the ball in the hoop? Wouldn't we let Shaq fall to the 2nd round under this logic?

 

After day 1 of the combine when Edey tore it up I said I had no problem with him at 14. For all the reasons you mentioned and more. In the title game he completely dominated Clingan who some say could go from 1-7. I take a forward at 7 and if the Blazers like Edey, absolutely take him at 14. He plays day one. Number 7 probably needs a couple years.

 

sure...but then perimeter shooting excellence plus great play-making ability coupled with dribble-drive skills almost always translate extremely well to the NBA. A guard averaging 25ppg with .660 TS% and 8 assists is some kind of super-hybrid of Stephen Curry + Haliburton. That's generational talent

Zach Edey is not generational talent. Unlike the the hypothetical guard, he's not the #1 pick for actual basketball reasons. He may not even be a lottery pick. That doesn't men he won't be a good NBA player. Mock drafts miss on players more often than real drafts do, and real drafts miss all the time. But it sure looks like NBA front offices are not valuing Edey nearly as high as you are. They may be valuing Clingan a lot higher than Edey; but that's because they are valuing the defense Clingan brings over the offense Edey brings. And on video, Clingan looks a lot more mobile than Edey, or at least a lot more reactive

c'mon now...that's part of it but he's being rated lower for more reasons than just that, and I'm guessing you know that

well, the reality is the game HAS changed; and it has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. Drop-coverage C's aren't exactly obsolete, but they have become an anachronism. It's too easy for opponents to game them off the floor. With a rare exception or two, those traditional C's have become situational part-timers logging 20-25 minutes a game, at best

now, about Shaq: I watched some games when Shaq played at LSU. Your notion he couldn't guard the perimeter is malarkey. He was extremely mobile in college. Of course he was at least 100 pounds lighter than when he dominated the NBA. And again, Shaq was pretty obviously a generational talent as a big man, entering the NBA when big men could dominate. Edey is not Shaq and 2024 is not 1992

 

Why do you assume that the post play won't translate? Who is the last player to dominate in the post like Edey, in college or in the NBA? You don't think Edey, and his size will be able to get the same shots off in the NBA?

As for Shaq, I'm not talking about college Shaq, but 30 year old Shaq, when he was still a dominant big man. Shaq himself even dupped Zach Zacquille O'Neal.

So Zach might end up giving up open jumpers. Will opposing players hit 66% of those jumpers? What about his rebounding, his interior defense?

I remember when the prevailing theory was "you can't win small", then the Warriors come along and people think everyone has to play that way, then Jokic comes along and people remember big men can play etc. It's the same game, and the highest % shot is still at the rim.

 

Also, Clingan is supposedly more mobile than Edey, but I can't tell that by watching their videos, nor was that reflect at any combine event.

 

Who best will compliment Scoot and Sharpe in two years? I say we need a wing; Risacher would be my target. Trading up to #3 with Houston might get it done.

 

no, I don't. He won't get the same shots; he won't get as many easy shots; and he sure as shit won't be facing a bunch of smaller C's, game after game, that would never make an NBA roster.