Keeping our pick? This might be a Lottery year

I'm coming around on Jalen Duren. He's probably my favorite outside the top 5 guys at this point.

I have my issues with him (physicality, consistent motor, defensive rebounding) but he looks like he'll be pretty versatile defensively and a really good finisher with some passing skill offensively. Reminds me of a bigger Robert Williams with more polish.

Has chance to drop to 8-10 as well with a lot of teams at the top having already invested in the center position.

 

Just did a glance of nbadraft using the wayback machine to see who they had ranked #1 on or around Feb 14 of each yr because I apparently have too much time on my hands.

2021: Suggs; Cunningham ranked 4th.
2020: Edwards
2019: Zion
2018: Ayton
2017: Fultz
2016: Simmons
2015: Okafor; Towns ranked 4th
2014: Embiid; Wiggins ranked 3rd
2013: Ben McLemore (!!); Cody Zeller 2nd; Anthony Bennet ranked 5th; Giannis unranked in top 60.
2012: Davis; Dame ranked 21st

They've predicted fairly well in most of these drafts of late.

(Griffin ahead of Banchero is... bold.)

This is their mock as of today:

 

Yeah it's interesting.

The numbers around the rim look great (44 dunks, 78.3% around the rim) but he definitely feels like he should be more dominant there. Still 18 years old though and has put on 20lbs in just over year so I think he's still learning how to use his frame.

Memphis also doesn't have a great pnr playmaker and pretty poor spacing.

 

If we have picks 8 & 9 and come out of the draft with TyTy Washington and Max Christie, when Murray, Agbaji and Sharpe are still hypothetically available, I would really question who made that decision. Not sure about Sharpe's defense, but the other two are as solid of two-way players as there is in the draft.

 

"Por @ MIL - schedule loss if I've ever seen one."
Safe to say, you negative people probably won't be scheduling any more losses until the game is over.

 

One more game to the All-Star break, and then Cronin & Co need to do something to institute tanking procedures.

 

I'm enjoying how Portland is playing and am generally rooting to wins during the games

but I'm also aware of the big picture and know that every win reduces the chances the Blazers get a high draft pick as well as getting 2 lottery picks

 

its twisting me like a pretzel…

 

I’m going with rooting for wins if it’s close, but being happily content if it’s not

 

Whoever said that said it before Giannis was out.

 

I, for one, am definitely looking forward to the parade for that massive, sans-Giannis win!

 

Question for everyone (in bold):

Say we get picks #10 and #12, are you inclined to trade one or both picks at all? We still have the TPE. Not a lot of guys I can think of that fits the TPE (around $20m if I’m not mistaken?). One guy that I would be very interested in though would be very risky. But Jonathan Isaac makes something like $17.5m the next 3 seasons, so he would fit the TPE. I know he hasn’t played since tearing his ACL in the bubble, but from a lot of Orlando-related content I’ve seen, the Magic are just being over-precautious of him while they are tanking. Obviously, he’d have to pass all physicals to make the trade happen, but would you consider doing Isaac for #12 and #40? I think the Magic especially do this if they fall out of the top 3. Their own pick and #12 and their own 2nd likely gets them any player they want by draft night.

Imo, Isaac is better than any forward outside of the top 3 in this year’s draft. A healthy Isaac locks up one of your starting forward spots for the future. That’s a high risk high reward trade I look at on draft night.

Regarding forwards in the draft outside of the top 3, Eason screams Chauncey-system guy, I’m getting to a point where I’d almost be surprised if he’s not a Blazer. With #10, I think you’re likely to land him.

 

They have us drafting a PG and a SG, so they're probably right.

 

He still has the buyout market to improve!

 

Not this one.

"they’re the champs, they’re not gonna need Giannis to beat the blazers lol."

Monday at 5:06 PMReport
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Wizard Mentor likes this.

 

Jalen Duren would be a dope little project for Billups. Athletic freak, could be another Nas but at C/PF. Cronin definitely seems like a high ceiling type so I could see that were they in position to pick him.