Something I've been saying since our season ended and our off-season began. He's one player I think will be a 'riser' during workouts. He probably wont be there at #22.
Re: Cahd Ford's draft blog Um..(cough)...excuse me, sir... http://sportstwo.com/threads/157824...-season/page2?highlight=brianfromwa pondexter post 50 http://sportstwo.com/threads/158966-Blazers-hold-draft-workout?highlight=brianfromwa pondexter post 11 I haven't watched a ton---maybe 6 times...and listened to some on the radio. I've seen him play the last 4 years, and he's improved steadily (not like Roy's explosion his senior year). He's a little bit like Travis circa 2006 on the offensive end--he's pretty good in transition, can hit the 15-footer, but don't trust him outside. He also has the size and mentality to beast on the offensive boards. But he's heady and a stud athlete on the D end, and that's where he's going to make his NBA money from. If you're looking for a Travis replacement as a reserve gunner (I'm not, but I understand the thinking) then Pondexter isn't it. He's not going to be a great shooter or distributor, but he'll give you more from the reserve 3/4 than Dante did, just b/c he has better handles and can attack the hoop more.
bradley didn't show any pg skills at texas and wore down as the shorter college season went along. he also didn't really finish well at the rim and became very reliant on jumpers that fell less and less often as the season progressed. also, while he was a good defender, i think him getting that reputation very early on led to him definitely being overrated on that side of the ball at the end of the year. he could potentially be a very good "pg" next to roy playing lockdown defense and being able to hit jumpers but watching him a lot this year i'm not very confident at all that he'll reach that potential and i think he's at least a couple of years away from really contributing.
I think the team needs to either look for a backcourt player or a center...and I don't see any SF prospects that could possibly be around #22 that look too good to pass up...though I am intrigued by Gordon Hayward... If you could use Rudy to trade up to get a guy like Greg Monroe, maybe Cole Aldirch or Ekpe Udoh then they should certainly consider it....Solomon Alabi is possibly another player to look at....down the road...you hope that Oden stays healthy but I think you have to take precautions and have a back up big in the wings waiting when Camby and (likely) Przybilla are gone two years from now...start grooming one now... If they don't go for a big, then they need to look for a scoring guard to back up or potentially down the road play alongside Roy...I just can't see Rudy coming back, and there are some intriguing guards out there to take a look at....guys like Willie Warren, Eric Bledsoe, James Anderson, Avery Bradley, Xavier Henry...maybe Elliot Williams and Quincy Pondexter.... I'd rather see the team try to identify an "immediate impact" scorer off the bench via free agency...be that at SG or SF...guys like Anthony Morrow, Al Harrington, Wesley Matthews, Mike Miller, Luke Ridnour or Randy Foye
Well all I can say right now is who not to draft. Greg Monroe. The guy has motor issues. I saw him play several times this year and he seemed disinterested at best. He definitly has skills. No motor to back them up though.
If we trade up I like Donatas Motiejunas -- He's polished on the offensive end, athletic, and has range out to the three point line. At nearly 7'2" in shoes, he really intrigues me.
Monroe is a great passer and has a pretty decent handle for a big man, but oof, his athleticism is definitely more rec league than big leauge ... I think he'll be modestly useful if he lands in the right spot, but he's going to be a major liability in pick and roll situations and I don't see him being able to finish over some of the more athletic, springy forwards and centers he's going to face in the NBA. Hopefully he goes to Utah like most mocks predict.
Re: Cahd Ford's draft blog Weren't you disappointed we didn't draft Blair? (I was too). Blair definitely fits the description of a high-motor guy, that would never become a core / franchise player. Also, are there any players drafted after our 2nd rounders that look to be high-impact at this point, that we passed on?
monroe is going to be one of the best players from this draft but he isn't really a good fit for the blazers since they already have aldridge.
Re: Cahd Ford's draft blog But Blair was probably the most talented guy available at that pick (at least among US college players...I don't know enough about international prospects to comment on them). I don't want to speak for Ed, but as someone who shares the same philosophy on drafting, I'm not against a high motor...I just don't want it to be a bigger selection criterion than talent/skills. A high upside/risky motor guy at least gives you the chance for an impact player. A low upside/high motor guy essentially ensures low impact (but also a higher "floor"...less total wash-out risk). Since I think serviceable NBA players aren't that hard to find, I'd rather gamble on a guy who might be tremendous or might be a total disappointment (whereupon, the team can cut ties) than safely select a guy who's likely to be the sort of player who's generally available for parts of the MLE. A high talent, high motor guy (as we could label Blair)? Sure, sign me up! I also like eternal happiness and beautiful things.
All I know is every year since Pritch became GM that I have been thrown for a loop on who we were gonna draft. I am sure that will be the same this year.
Re: Cahd Ford's draft blog I agree with your post, except the last line. Maybe that is where our opinions differ. I don't consider Blair a "high talent" guy. He is an undersized (for the NBA), high motor, workhorse. Having said that, I would have loved to draft him, or would love to draft a similar player this year considering where we are projected to pick.
Re: Cahd Ford's draft blog Who did you feel was more talented than Blair at that point in the draft? His size isn't good, but he was expected to be a potentially high level rebounder and solid post scorer. For a pick in the 20s, that's pretty good. He was thought a possible top-ten pick until injury concerns caused him to tumble massively.
Re: Cahd Ford's draft blog By solid post scorer, do you mean he can get his own shot in the post? If you do, I don't know what you are talking about. Blair cannot create his own shot in any way and he most likely will never be able to. For a post player, ability to create shots in the post (post moves) is what offensive talent means. Blair doesn't have that. He also doesn't have defensive talent. He does have extraordinary rebounding talent and the other things that come with that (put backs, receiving passes right next to the rim).
Re: Cahd Ford's draft blog Sorry, I used the wrong term. I meant solid inside scorer. And by that I mean, efficiently generate points near the hoop. And he is doing that, which is part of why his PER is very high for rookie. Are you contesting that he was, at least arguably, the most talented player left when Portland made its first-round selection? If so, what player was clearly more talented?
Re: Cahd Ford's draft blog On behalf of the pro-Blair people you were ripping on last draft day, we accept your apology.
Re: Cahd Ford's draft blog I wasn't ripping the pro-Blair people. I was pro-Blair and I'm not self-flagellating. I was gently admonishing the "I disagree with the pick, therefore KP mailed it in" people. Not that I remember who they were.
