Event 2025 NBA DRAFT LOTTERY, COMBINE, AND DRAFT

We have time lol - rosters don't need final cuts until the end of October. So over 5 months.

 

Right but none of those are 'luck'... Just a bunch of dumb decisions.

We might have got "lucky" in the top4 and botched the pick. Who knows.

 

I just think it’s unfair to outright reject even the possibility that this was rigged.

Especially because the NBA has already shown that they will put the best interest of money and the profitability of the league above all else.

Case in point: the way they treated Morey about his tweets about Hong Kong.

I just see a league that has shown in the past that they will do shady shit.

 

Yeah I can't stand these tanking lineups we do at the end of every season. It was better this last year - but I hated when we benched Deni and Sharpe that one game at the end of the season to get a loss.

We shouldn't have had Ant Ayton Grant on this roster going back to the Dame trade. Then have the youth all give 100% and you'll happily take any wins or if they lose at least have a consolidation prize of a nice pick.

 

And it almost seems deliberate...

 

100%. I could even see keeping Ayton, just because I liked the way he and Scoot were working together. Maybe something could develop there...

But yeah, you're right on the money.

 

I'm thinking we will be stuck with Grant since his contract is such negative value.

I love the idea of trading for Reed Sheppard, maybe part of an Ant to Orlando deal. Maybe draft Queen type of player to get us some offense with height.

We might be able to build a decent roster of role players. Don't see how we'll get the star to win in the playoffs.

Will we hope one of Scoot/Sharpe becomes a star? Or 2026 draft? I do like some of the pieces Cronin has put together but just concerned we will ever be able to have upside to win more some day.

 

a lot of people were calling for an organic tank after dumping the vets

if playing the youngish guys, instead of Simaytrant resulting in 30+ wins, fine.

 

Examples?

 

Lesson is: don’t tank. All those hard tanks got nothing. POR was right to just try to win as many as possible. Humiliating your organization just to get a 4-10 is a bad move. Win win win. Always win. That is the path forward. Forget super stars and mvp votes. Battle in to the post season. Can you imagine how UTA die hard fans feel? All they did was lose and it got them nowhere.

 

Dallas should consider trading the pick to the Bucks for Greek Freak! They would be contenders for a championship for the next three seasons

 

Maybe Utah or Washington will straight swap with us since they're so regretful of their decisions to tank this season?

 

It got them *checks notes* the 5th pick in the draft.

We also didn't make the playoffs and *checks notes* we pick 11th.

 

1. The Spurs getting #2 and Harper is a pain in the @$$. I don’t like the Spurs at all. Never have. Respect to ownership and some players but have always strongly disliked Pop.
2. Dallas getting Flagg is serious irony. Congrats to their fans — though Nico isn’t off the hook that easy.
3. Not buying conspiracies in the modern day lottery. I just don’t.
4. Adapt and overcome. Clingan, Deni, Toumani are 3 I buy into. Sharpe? Yes, but he has to show it next season. Scoot looks like a starter. How good depends on how much “want to” that he has.

5. #11. Seriously? Getting to 6 was doable and they f’ed that up in the regular season. Okay. So be it. Then lose a coin flip to Houston, again. Coin flips are not good for Portland. And miss the lotto ball by 1 again — just close enough to lose on both Wemby and Flagg? That’s some 1st rate Greek tragedy … not really but the point is made.

Don’t trade the pick. Get a good player at 11. I have my 3 favorites for the pick as I’m sure others have theirs. If it becomes another Deni-deal, I get it. Otherwise, keep it simple, and take the pick. Make at least two trades — Grant and Ant.

 

Because Wemby is the most important star of this generation. And the Spurs are one of the most trustworthy organizations. Especially with big men.