Another positional headscratcher for me...James Robinson over Sam Cassell...I MUST be missing something.
The trouble is, I could talk and talk and talk about NBA details from 1971 onward. You'd learn a lot because almost none of my memories are on the internet. For that much oral communication, you'd have to hang around me for weeks. Writing it here requires more work. This thread is so general, it's intimidating. I didn't even post to the specialized death threads of Walton and West, because I have thousands of words of personal memories of each. So this thread, covering practically all NBA history since the Blazers started, is over my head. If I'm going to spend my last years writing a book, I'd rather write my original theories about better systems--economic, legal, political, etc. I lack the energy.
I can certainly understand and respect that sir. I appreciate you even if I’ll never know what you know. I wish you nothing but positivity and mindfulness as you continue through your years.
Dang it! I better figure out how to get out of the doghouse then…. @SlyPokerDog, what do I have to do? Wait…if no more reach around, could I just turnaround and make it easier?
Well, sitting here drinking my coffee before my family wakes up (cat of course is already up with me), and trying to rack my brain of how to get @Strenuus and @JFizzleRaider back….. I know when I mess up, it is steak dinner for my wife. Sooooo for this blunder, pancakes anyone? I’ll put blueberries in them and add cinnamon?
That would have been crazy! I also look at 2017 where I remember yelling at my tv about trading up for Collins when I had such a hunch about Adebayo. I remember seeing him and just thinking…Ben Wallace. That really could have changed things too. Dame…I miss you Like a typical dog though you are tugging on the leash. Slow down, we’ll get to those years soon enough.
What was the trade in 1995 that landed us Gary Trent and sent the 8th pick Respert to Mil? What was your memory of that time? Upset with it, or ok? Was anyone scouting Finley or Thomas? Surely Barry was due to his father.
1996...What a draft year. I recall being sooo excited when they drafted J.O. I was just switching schools from Corbett to Hosford and I remember talking him up and everyone hated on him. AI, Marbury, Allen, Walker were THE guys and nobody wanted to hear about J.O. Well, I sure was excited. I thought it was cool having he and my fave player Cliff at the time both rocking headbands (if I remember) and as I chose Cliff's #3 as my favorite number when I was a child, I also then chose J.O's #5 as my second favorite number (still today).
What happened to the Blazers' draft capitol in the 90's? Also, did that era hurt them for not having many picks (one year even without any picks, and then two years with just a late round pick)?
2001...I was interested in the "what if" scenario of Collins over Boumtje-Boumtje, though I suppose nobody saw his heart condition coming which ended his career, but Collins would have been a good backup for 10 years (ended his career a Blazer anyways). Also, on the case of Boumtje-Boumtje I found this: "On January 21, 2004, when he was traded along with guard Jeff McInnis to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for small forward Darius Miles. He was waived soon afterwards, having never played a game for them. In July 2005, Boumtje-Boumtje was drafted in the 2005 AAPBL " from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruben_Boumtje-Boumtje . I had no clue about the AAPBL league or draft (at that time of my life I was a skateboarder and thought I was going to make it in our band), so I looked it up and found this: The All-American Professional Basketball League was a minor basketball league formed in 2005 by Worth Christie. Announced on January 23, 2005 the league viewed itself as a direct minor league outlet for the National Basketball Association (NBA). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-American_Professional_Basketball_League Ouch! that sucks for those that got hosed the $1,000. What a scam! Anyways, it looks like The Blazers affiliate was The Butte Bandits...anyone have any flare, or did it never make it that far? From the looks of things it was cancelled within days/weeks/months? And back to the Boumtje-Boumtje topic, IF they had taken Collins instead...would the Darius Miles trade have happened?
2002 is much more interesting, given that they took Qyntel Woods 2 spots ahead of Tayshaun Prince. And then in the second round, guys like Matt Barnes and Luis Scola were available when the Blazers took guys who never played.
I agree completely! These are the little details I am noticing that it isn't just the "big" names that were missed, but in the case of 2002, were Kammerichs and Scola both just crapshoots and just happened that Scola turned out to be Scola? Both from Argentina...both Forwards..so pretty odd. Same exact thing with Woods over Prince. Was it just bad scouting, or is it like @Whyachi is saying about agents too. Too many strange things.
Also, I know that 2nd round picks are a hot topic in itself, however I kind of see that by picking players that are not intended to actually play (maybe draft and stash, or just practice fodder?) and even in some cases of trading 2nd rounders or like last draft, gulp...selling 2nd rounders for cash considerations, etc. is really a HUGE downfall for a small organization like Portland.
I think it was more that the front office at the time was looking for "home runs". Qyntel was seen as a potential diamond in the rough, an undiscovered future superstar, whereas Prince was so skinny, he wasn't perceived as having a high ceiling. As to Kammerichs/Scola--I don't think anyone could have predicted that one would choose to stay in Europe his entire career.
Yeah, that makes sense. Another component to the draft...the unknown of a players potential or ceiling. Shoot, if Prince was too skinny then and they whiffed, they sure overcompensated for some of the recent players on the team...looking at you Butler III... As for Kammerichs, I did not know that he chose to stay in Europe. I guess that definitely does change things. I wonder if there should be like a clause in the draft that if you are selected by a team you have to (if team wants) honor at least 1 year. Would that be crazy?
I read a Tracy McGrady comp for Qyntel Woods... Blazer management caught wind of that scouting report. If the Blazers did send scouts, they must have been enamored watching an athletic 6'7" NBA framed Forward rampaging through the Mississippi community college circuit. "Qyntel could be the next Jerome Kersey!" (Kersey had also played for a small university in Virginia). Portland used a #21 FRP to draft Qyntel. The number of ballers who had a better career then Woods is off the charts. One of the biggest "whoops" in Blazers draft history. "What if" Portland drafted Duke big man Carlos Boozer ?? We watched the #35 2002 pick make the All-Rookie team, and wondered why Portland didn't grab Booze at #21 ?!? Sabonis was basically retired, Dale Davis was aging quickly, Sheed was yelling at refs to get double technicals.. just so he could hit the showers early. Portland needed another big man. The decision to go All-In on Zach Randolph and his Thug Life double doubles was influenced by terrible management. the 2004-2006 Jail Blazers tank lost a huge chuck of the fanbase. The "official attendance numbers" are entirely misleading. People in town would see me wearing my Blazers hat, and ask me what's wrong with the team.... >management decisions, the Blazers needed to be rescued. Portland got hella lucky after the tanking years with Jail Blazers 2.0. The 2006 NBA draft landed #2 pick LaMarcus Aldridge, and also the #6 pick Brandon Roy. Incredible talent & competitive edge. It was a moderately quick 3 year turnaround that re-vitalized this very patient Portland fanbase.
Great post! Lol about the Mississippi CC circuit...wow, yeah, what were they thinking? I remember watching college ball during those years. Zebo and Boozer were so fun to watch. I was also upset that we didn't draft Boozer, but I bet he would have been bullied out of that PDX team. Hearing stories of how some of those players used to scrap even in the locker room. I bet Sheed would have sent him home with his lunch pail...man, yeah that Jail Blazers era really was not a good idea. What was management thinking? I remember reading an article one day as I was washing dishes at the Polar King about Blazers missing the playoffs again, or some incident and just feeling so deflated. Thank goodness for 2006. No matter the opinion of LMA now, or even ROY in regards, they definitely need to go down as being Blazer greats for simply being...them...not wife beating, animal fighting, coked-out, drug smuggling, stealing, laundering, gambling, fart sniffing, fast food eating, lazy MF'ers.....Gosh Darnit I need a drink.
