https://ripcityproject.com/posts/tr...rtland-move-up-2024-nba-draft-donovan-clingan I'd rather take a talent at 7 then Edey at 14 for the price of Clingan. Hoping this rumour is false.
I think there is a good chance it is false. Sure these 3 teams could be looking to move up, but are they really telling people who they want to move up for? That would be pretty stupid. "There's chatter around the league that teams such as Portland, Memphis and Chicago might look to move up to draft Clingan earlier than this... Clingan brings size, length, defensive prowess, nonstop intensity and passing ability along with a back-to-back national championship pedigree. He has plenty of room for growth alongside the Blazers' core at just 20 years old."
Kinda depends what we'd give up for him. But he has the chance to be a transformative player, even if not an exciting one. Comparisons with Walker Kessler and (the about to be very rich) Isaiah Hartenstein seem appropriate, and getting a genuine contributor out of a draft like this should probably be regarded as a very solid move. I seem to recall a large percentage of this board really hating the idea of drafting Chet Holmgren. Clingan is definitely not as mobile or as versatile as Holmgren, but he's also taller and not a walking stick-insect. And he's still very young, despite being a 2-time national champion. Comparisons to Zach Collins are probably forthcoming: Collins had two main flaws: (1) constantly injured, and (2) drafted instead of Bam Adebayo. But if he'd've stayed healthy he'd've been a very solid player.
I hope this rumor is true, IF.. The Blazers have identified 3 players they realy want, and they fit our needs and compliment the skill sets of the choosen core group. Pick 14 has about the same chance of landing a rotation player as picks in the second round. Hoping one of your top 3 players drops to 7, is a long shot. I am all in for trading 7&14 to move up to 3. It greatly increases the odds we land someone decent out of this first round. Otherwise, last years tank could turn into a total waste.
I’m totally fine with consolidating two fairly unexciting picks and a player we don’t want back next year for the 3 if it gives us a guarantee we get one of the guys we want.
If they can throw in a second-rounder for this draft, I'd be golden, because frankly I'm more excited for the second-round players in this draft than the top of the draft. I honestly believe that more than one player from this second round will be better in the long run than at least one player in the top seven.
Remember when Olshey moved up to 10 for Collins?.....sorry to ruin your day . Kinda reminds me of that trade. There was some decent starters picked after that in that year.
I guess it depends on the cost of moving up, right? I am not as confident as some that Clingan will develop into a good shooter (this has been kicked around in other threads) and without a perimeter jumper, I just wonder what his place is in the NBA. I suspect some in the media (and some fans) give him extra credit for being on back-to-back NCAA championships, but that won't necessarily get you on the court. But he's big and he's young and he's evidently skilled in just about everything other than shooting, so if he became a passable perimeter shooter, he would presumably be worth a top-7 pick. Giving up (much) value to move up? That strikes me as a bad gamble.
I would not want to give away 14 to move up for him. But if he is considered to be a good defender (in the NBA) and he continues to shoots 65% from the paint, I think teams can wait on his perimeter shooting. This clip at least gives hope that he can improve....at least from mid range. https://www.instagram.com/draftexpress/reel/C7rhPlFMZ7q/
If it's Houston trading #3, I honestly doubt if we have what they want. I doubt they want TWO other LOWER draft picks when their reason for trading it is that they want a rotation player to compete NOW. And they don't have players with a large enough salary to parcel with their pick so we can give them Grant or Ant or Brogdon (and who knows if Timelord will play again).
Can we stop with the Brook Lopez stuff! Clingan can’t even hit free throws at this point. He has no touch. Lopez has always shown touch. Stop the madness!
That slow release on the 3 gives me serious Meyers Leonard, I can a shoot these, but only if I'm wide open because I have to gather and think vibes.
Most players should not be shooting 3s unless they are wide open, so the slow release for centers never bothered me because they usually are wide open.
