Event 2018 NBA Draft

https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/5/12/17347818/2018-nba-draft-gary-trent-jr-duke-trail-blazers

2018 NBA Draft Profile: Gary Trent Jr.

Duke shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. could provide valuable floor spacing for the Trail Blazers’ offense.

 

Meh. There's 7-8 guys I like more than him

 

Better graphics than @HCP could make with 1/100th of the resources!!!

 

After weighing all the variables - age/skill-set/etc - I'm starting to settle on a prospect.

With where we are picking, I think we'd be remiss if we didn't take a chance and swing for the fences.

I like Chandler Hutchison and Jontay Porter, but my prospect at #24:



My darkhorse: Sagaba Konate
My pipedream: Mo Bamba
My underrated: Robert Williams
Undrafted FA/SPL Invite: Tai Odiase

Super value second round buys: Bonzie Colson and Ethan Happ​

 

"A distinct shot-blocker. There has been no one to come out of college in the past seven or eight years who can so carefully, and yet so forcefully, block shots at the rim like Konate. Physically, he's going to impress. Has a great chance to surprise at the combine in a lot of the athletic drills because of where he's from: playing for Bob Huggins in that Press Virginia scheme could work out well for Konate. He's not an offensive option, so a ceiling is absolutely above him in terms of where he could get picked, but Konate is such a specimen on defense that he could become a high-level rim protector for a decade in the NBA. With him, it's all about acing the drills. Otherwise, he could return to college and be the frontrunner for national defensive player of the year."​

 

@Fez Von Savage Why the focus on back-up centers...?

 

Exactly... haha

 

For those of you who don't know much about McDaniels (grew up in Seattle), here is a good write up on him.

https://www.thestepien.com/2018/05/14/scouting-jalen-mcdaniels-combo-big-sleeper/

 

Can't use this pick. We have to trade it in a package for an upgrade

 

Chandler Hutchison will be a stud. We could definitely afford to get a Jimmy Butler type of steal.

 

Jimmy Butler was actually good on college though...

 

We could technically do both in order to avoid the front end of the "No trading your #1 pick in consecutive years" rule. Draft the player and then trade him. Maybe combine the best player available at 24 , last year's pick at 26, next year's #1, and certain players players for an upgrade? That ends up being 3 young players, plus a vet or two.

 

Why? You are not getting a good player for a no. 24 pick and scrubs. Attaching a pick like this to CJ will not increase his value by much.

I prefer a 1% chance that we luck into someone like Jimmy Butler than a 100% chance that we get someone mediocre and stay average.

 

Attaching a pick to a player we
Want to get rid of

 

How does it make us better?

Again, I prefer to have that 1% chance we get better through being lucky. Over the last few years several players who would have a good impact for us were drafted 24th or lower including Butler, Green, Jokic, Gobert, Capela. All of those would change this team and make it borderline contender. Even players like Crowder, Middleton, Barton, Richardson etc. who were all second rounders would have a big impact.

Trading picks along with bad contracts to create cap space makes sense if you can actually do anything with that cap space. We won’t be able to sign free agents other than MLE for the next two years and in 2020 we have pretty much everybody expiring.

We might get below the tax line and be able to pay full MLE to somebody but that probably won’t get us anyone great either.

Hell, even last year Kuzma, Anunoby were selected around that pick. This would be enough to justify not selling a bad contract for an attached pick.

 

Which is why he got drafted 30th...? He was no better than Hutchison is now.

 

Finally the lottery is upon us. That one moment that can change the future of the NBA. Hopefully after tonight it opens up shop for trades.

 

FTFY.

 

If the PHI/BOS/LAL 1st Round Pick ends up in the top 3, will four people stand up there because that one pick could go to two different teams?

 

I'm interested in where Phx lands... After they strike out on PG13, Lebron and Kahwi a CJ for their pick and Josh Jackson deal would be interesting...