With the previous draft history of Chad Buchanan and company does ANYONE in thier right mind think that POR will strike gold in a 2012 draft, that yes, allegedly looks to be strong? I sure as hell don't...... Cunningham, Claver, Mills, Babbitt, Williams, Johnson, Diebler and Smith? The Blazers haven't had a good draft since 2008! (Bayless & Batum)...and they traded away Bayless.... Seriously, I don't know how Chad Buchanan keeps his job, 3 straight years of ineptitude running an NBA draft SHOULD get you fired.... So, yeah if he is still the head scout\GM...POR chances of striking gold in a rich 2012 draft look pretty slim to me....
Smith is the only guy on that list that Buchanan was in charge of picking. The rest were all KP specials.
You never know.... But IMHO Nolan Smith will be a very solid player. Hardly a bad draft. It was strange how it went down, but I like the pick Williams has not even played yet
outside of what MM said, you have to also consider the depth of the drafts at the time. Not they're great stars in the making, but how many players passed over were better players, and how many other teams also passed over those players?
Tyler Zeller is also an intriguing prospect. He's a very annoying defender. Though, Freeland is the better player and prospect but Zeller would be a nice alternative if we can't bring Joel over. [video=youtube;jTvagMFzcJk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTvagMFzcJk[/video]
For those of you old enough to remember "Gunsmoke".....Festus replaced Chester, who walked as if he had a wooden leg. This Festus replaces Oden? It's karma!!!
I completely disagree, Chad Buchanan has been the head scout for several years now, and based on the last 3 years, ANYONE would have to question his ability to accurately discern NBA talent.... I don't by the b.s. that Pritchard was in charge of a draft that it was well known (and proven true) that he was being fired...... Sorry but the guy is a horrible judge of talent, I've listened to him in interviews....and I don't even care for his philosophy... First of all, it is irrelevant what other teams did, you don't get a positive review b\c other GM's screwed up as well, you get judged based on your own record....sorry but that is just a weak cop out.... Second of all, POR missed out on a LOT of better talent....Look at those 6 player, or heck 7 (since Diebler is in europe and will probably NEVER wear a Blazer uniform)....Outside of Cunningham who was a serviceable bench player, POR has gotten literally NOTHING out of those other players...Claver may NEVER come over, Mills is gone, Johnson is a complete bust, Babbitt is looking like a bigger bust & Williams has yet to see the court... Who did we miss out on 2009 - Taj Gibson, Dejuan Blair, Jonas Jerebko, Omri Casspi, Marcus Thornton, Chase Budinger, Rodrique Beaubois...or not being able to trade up 1-2 spots to get Darren Collison or Eric Maynor 2010 - Eric Bledsoe, Avery Bradley, Damion James, Greives Vasquez, Landry Fields...and I'd rather have Hassan Whiteside & Lance Stephenson as well 2011 - We will see, but I think POR erred by not taking Faried...and I would have taken Reggie Jackson, Marshon Brooks, Jordan Hamilton or JaJuan Johnson over Nolan Smith, and Diebler was a complete waste of a pick...they would have been better off taking a flyer jamie Skeen, Vernon MAcklin, David Lighty or Jacob Pullen....
I'm friends with his brother, i remember him always practicing at beaumont middle school... he really did always have a basketball in his hands... in fact i don't remember one time where he didn't have one haha hope he goes to a good team.... it'd be awesome to get either him or terrance jones as hometown heroes.... even though we are pretty stacked at SF and PF
Jeff Withey a legit 7 footer for Kansas is playing out of his mind lately. Another solid player to add to the list of players coming out this year. He was a block away from a triple-double tonight in a rivalry game against KSU.
Jeremy Lamb is my guy right now Probably more Kevin Martin than Brandon Roy, but this kid is skilled, good size at 6-5 (although only 185), reportedly a wingspan up to 4 inches longer than his height, and can really stick the pull up jumper
No Whitey's, er Withey's at center. I like him too though down in the draft. I also like Mason Plumleee down in the lower part of round one
FWIW, Pizza guy says Marshall is the best pure PG to come out of college basketball in several years, but says Myck Kabongo will be the best PG from the draft...Assuming he enters this year
Pssh, I could have told you that, and I don't even deliver pizzas. Just stayed at a H.I. express. But seriously, it's incredible for a player in college like Marshall to average over 9.5 assists a game. In the last 13 years, it's been done twice. Him and Machado this season.
