Running list of prospects meeting/working out with Portland

Leave out the outlier centers -- Embiid, Jokic -- for the purposes of a lottery pick. If a guy isn't elite, a lower lottery pick is still risky.

Duren's reported (non-combine) measurements: 6’9.5” w/o shoes, 7’5.25” wingspan, 250 lbs ... really nice.

Centers who can hedge and slide their feet then get back to defend the hoop ... cover ground to defend the corner 3 ... have value. If he can do that with his size and musculature (holy crap), okay. A possible pick especially if trading down? [I wanted the Blazers to go after Robert Williams in trade before he blew up. Pritchard, too. RW is valuable even without the scoring that Duren can do.] Nurkic gets signed regardless of the pick or trade (unless it's Ayton). Nurkic has too much value not to sign him on a < $20 million yearly deal ($14-16 for 3-4 years ... okay!) Would Duren be a back-up C in the short-term? Yes. This would be plenty for him as Nurkic isn't a 30-minute center so far. At such a young age, could Duren be Portland's Bam or Ayton? Maybe. The raw tools are there. Nice to hear him in an interview -- intelligent, well spoken.

Fixing the forwards for Portland is a must-do. Get Duren, too? Okay.

EDITED: [one more comment] Quickly rewatching Mark Williams of Duke -- who is not in the same class athletically with Duren. Long, tall ... good college center. Remarks about being "heavy" footed look accurate. Hops aren't a problem with ht/length but more of an old school center. Duren gets up pretty quickly and again.

 

Back on track!

GOSH

 

You dont want the pseudo forum police calling others idiots for expressing bball opinions?

 

It was in another thread a few weeks ago. Posts were deleted.

 

Foot speed. Watching him guard on the perimeter is delightful

 

Challenge accepted

 

His timing, instincts and athleticism indicates he can

 

Totally

 

How about thinking outside the box and putting him at PF? He is more than athletic enough to guard perimeter players and can obviously guard on the box. He has a decent stroke, so he can add that, but pairing him with Dame, Ant and a shooting 3 and D guy at the 3 could be intriguing. If not this year, next

 

Get up big man!!

 

^^^^His waist is above that kid's head, and that is after he reached the height of his jump. He is on the way back down. Add a couple inches higher for the zenith of that jump.

 

After watching his interview and workout I am warming up to him. I mean, how many guys are built like he is at 18? Any of his scouting reports say if he could guard 3 through 5?

 

He is able to guard out in space pretty well. No big outside of maybe prime AD, is stopping the elite, quick, PG's, but he moves his feet quite well.

 

No prospect has Durens mix of athleticism, power, and measurables. I believe in Billups’ ability to develop players, so I would love to have Duren. If 7 is too high, trade down, pick up more assets, and take him. Honestly the only other prospect I want as much as Duren is maybe Daniels.

 

Savior that this forum deserves? No, not condescending at all. Good grief man.

STOMP

 

His tape is outstanding for all the reasons you and others note. Once I heard him speak, my last box was checked. Dude is bright and comes off as humble/realistic.

Portland's forwards have been well below average for a while, no doubt. But in the draft you take the best of whats before you especially if you're as talent poor as Portland who I see in a big rebuild. Personally I'd have a hard time passing on Duren if I'm Detroit, so maybe one of the forwards slides down to them. I see him as the #5 prospect in this draft

STOMP

 

Actually, I can see Nurkic being one of the better passers on the high-low to Duren. Let the young guy do the running around for position and have Nurk throw it in to him. Nurk knows how much it sucks when he has a mismatch and nobody throws him the ball.