Merged: The Draft Thread For Stuff About The Draft Including Thoughts About The Draft

I would bite on that.

 

I would ask that they take Leonard. And that is where talks would break down...

 

Ojeleye is an intriguing prospect - on the offensive end. Finished #2 in win/shares - 42% from three on 5 apg.

He's the prototypical modern smallball PF -- his defense (average length) will he an issue checking bigs in the NBA though.

A PJ Tucker/Dante Cunningham type of role.

 

Moving up 5 spots to #10 brings a couple of interesting players into play that are projected to be gone @ #15.

A 75-80% Rudy Gay @ $14 million is a better value than Crabbe @ $18.5 million. And would clear cap space the following two seasons. Plus I believe we need more savvy vets that can still play, with fewer projects.

I probably would keep Napier and trade #26, but would not make it a deal breaker.

Make it happen NO.

 

What's your guys realistic draft pipedream? (Realistic because nobody will ever trade the 1st pick for 20th and 26th)
-- Here's mine --
-- Cap Dump & Trade Up: Trade picks 15, 20, 2018 1st / and players Harkless, Turner, Napier / to SAC for 8th pick
-- Small Cap Dump for 2nd Rounders: Trade Aminu and Davis / to WAS for 52nd pick, 2018 2nd Round Pick
-- Trade Down: Trade 26th, Ezeli / to ORL for 33rd, 35th
-- Cap Dump: Trade players Crabbe and Leonard / and pick POR 2020 1st (Top 17 Protected) to BKN for 2018 IND 2nd

-- Finish with 8th, 33rd, 35th, 52nd picks --

-- I want us to shed salary, and get out of the 15th to 26th range. That means trying to trade up, or trade down, while trying to shed salary in the process.

These selections are based off DXs draft range for each player:
Draft SF Johnathan Isaac 8th Overall
Draft SG Hamidou Diallo 33rd Overall
Draft PF Johnathan Motley 35th Overall
Draft G P.J. Dozier 52nd Overall

Go into free agency with:
Mainstays (~$55M Total): Lillard, Nurkic, McCollum, Vonleh
Rookies (~$5M Total): Isaac, Diallo, Motley, Dozier
Resulting Cap Space: $42M

Lillard / ?
McCollum / ?
? / Isaac
? / Vonleh
Nurkic / ?

What grade would you give the Blazers draft if they did this?

 

If we were to trade up with SAC, I'd either want their 2nd rounder (34th) and 10th, or I'd want to get 8th.

You get to 8th and keep the 26th pick, it gives you a chance to try to trade up to 4th-6th by packaging 8th, 26th, and a future 1st. That puts Tatum and maybe Jackson into play.

 

i would definitely do this trade. i think the kings would like ac, bazz, leonard, and 15th pick for gay, koufos and 10th pick. then with the 10th pick we should trade that pick with the 20th pick to get t-wolves pick (6th) then use that pick to get isaac and the 26th pick to get diallo
lillard/turner
cj/diallo/pat
harkless/gay
vonleh/aminu
nurkic/koufos/davis

 

For Semi, he's going to have to change his mentality out on the court. He doesn't compete at a very high level right now and doesn't have the size or skill to get away with that if he wants to last in the NBA.

 

I'm interested in people's thoughts on Sindarius Thornwell. A do-it-all kind of guy who shot 39% from 3. 6'5" SG with a ridiculous 30.6 PER.

 

I'd give it an A for sure. Haven't really dug into Diallo yet, but at 33 the reward probably outweighs the risk.

Highly doubt that's the approach they take though. I expect Neil to play on both sides of the fence on draft night like has during his entire run here. Try and package picks/players for a more established player (hopefully starting level) and draft a couple guys as well.

 

What do you think of DJ Wilson? I think he could be one of the sleepers of this draft. I see an athletic 3-and-D PF when I watch him.

 

I think Ojeleye is more of a SF than a PF. I think he could be a 38-40% 3pt shooter, and that will be what determines his NBA career. I could see him in a Wes Matthews type role at SF, shooting 3s, defending, and posting up smaller SFs. Imagine Crabbe defending Ojeleye in the post... Ojeleye would beast him.

 

Damn, DJ Wilson is so fucking quick for a big man... That backcut and dunk at 18:06... And this dude can shoot?? I want DJ Wilson man. That dude has all-star potential if he puts on muscle and stays healthy.

 

I like Thornwell.

He plays hard and a pretty fun player to watch at times, but he was pretty bad offensively his first 3 years and seems to rely a lot on bully ball to get his points. I don't trust he has nba range yet either. Shoots a flat/hard ball with wonky rotation and almost all off his attempts are toeing the college line.

 

Yeah, I just don't see many starting level players being available via trade. The guys available will be guards and centers, not forwards. Mike Conley, Eric Bledsoe, Marc Gasol, Brook Lopez, Kyle O'Quinn, etc.

We need two-way forwards at that, which eliminates almost all of the dudes who would possible be available. The only way to get the right forwards in my opinion is free agency.

 

I like his size and his movement--definitely has some defensive potential because of that--and I think there is some skill potential hiding in there with him, but he's pretty soft and passive most of the time and not sure he really wants it enough. From all accounts, he's a guy that's had to be pushed his entire career at Michigan and has emerged a bit this year but still has a ways to go.

Basically, the mix of ok talent and shaky intangibles makes him a pretty easy guy for me to pass on.

 

The more he makes the harder it is to find the fact that he wanted to trade all 3 picks for Giles.

 

Still hope we keep all three picks and go after Jordan Bell. Having a local connection to the Blazers would be awesome.

(And no I don't care about Gonzaga players.... I keeed Bones. I keeeeed!)

 

If that's the only problems with him and he falls to the 2nd then you have to go and get him.

You can teach a mindset and push someone to be better, but you can't teach 6'11, agile, athletic, with touch.

 

with bird stepping down KP will likely be gunning for sactowns lottery pics or pic. KP loved deal making during the draft and now he holds the reins in Indiana.