With the 7th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, The Portland Trailblazers select. . .

If they do, let's hope they get it right.

 

If we could somehow walk away with Williams, I’d be okay with Clingan. But I’d love to end up with some combination of Williams/Holland/Buzelis/Saluan.

 

Funny, I'd rather have Clingan than any of those.

 

agree....I want the Blazers to roll the dice on finding a high-level 33-36 min/game starter. One of those wings could b that guy. I don't believe there's any way Clingan or Edey can be that guy

 

Talk about damning with faint praise:

 

Yes thats how I view it as well. Clingan or Edey are backups, and also very difficult to have on the team as the whole offense+defense basically has to be redesigned for minutes they play.

I don't think the Blazers have to swing for a home run, but they should at least try to get a double. So no we don't have to hope for a superstar or allstar or such in this weak draft. But we want someone that if they hit their potential could at least be a starter. In that regard I suppose I prefer Dalton Knecht over the centers as at least he might have upside as a 5th starter. Although he's probably my third least favorite player.

I'd prefer we take a short guard over the centers even if that means we have all of Scoot/Ant/Brogdon/rookie crazy logjam at PG.

 

This is why I'd rather take Knecht if we're looking for someone to have a high floor. I'd love to end up with Knecht and then one of the wings who are projects.

 

I guess the one positive for getting Edey would be the entertainment value of some behemoth 7'4 guy out on the court. Now I don't think he could start but it would be something off the bench. We're going to have such a horrible team next season would that make the games more entertaining? Ha Seung Jin is a good comparison, provided some fun on those horrific Blazers rosters John Nash put together. Edey and Jin are very similarly sized at 7'3-7'4 300-305lbs, although Edey has much better touch.

 

Clingan blocked 2.5 shots per game this last season on a loaded team. That is good, but I wouldn't call that elite. Clingan ranked 8th in the NCAA this last season in BPG. Guard Ryan Dunn averaged just 0.2 less blocks per game.

By comparison, Walker Kessler blocked 4.6 shots per game at Auburn. That seems much more 'elite' status that Clingan.

 

Fifth starters are a fuckton easier to get than genuinely good shotblocking seven-footers. Just watch Hartenstein get PAID this offseason.

 

OK, then there must be some reason (other than the shittiness of the draft) that every draft analyst ranks Clingan highly, and no draft analyst did with Kessler. Presumably Kessler was seen as a one-trick pony and Clingan isn't.

(Also, I don't doubt Kessler was more effective, but wouldn't per-minute comparisons be more accurate?)

 

Just be honest: large, plodding white centers are unsexy, however much they contribute to winning. Nobody paid to watch Mark Eaton.

 

Thanks for the posts with quotes and the different point of view favoring Clingan. No one needs echo chambers of agreement.

With Clingan, I do see the drop center, turn them away of a Prz (after he dropped bulk that caused him injuries). Even Kobe thought twice and turned around. (A thing of beauty!) The screens of Prz — laying serious wood like Alonzo Mourning. So if Clingan develops free throws … and eventually some shorter midrange, his strengths can come through as a starting center in today’s game.

With Edey, he’s not fast. He does play 30 minutes per game. He does have pretty good feet. He’s not a plodding, heavy-footed center … And how many centers can really guard smaller players on the perimeter? If other guys are gone at 14 … and the Blazers don’t see the wisdom and foresight of taking Furphy … take Edey? Just considering the possibilities and questioning my forgone conclusions.

 

IMO, Kessler was a much better NBA prospect coming out of college than Clingan. I went back and re-watched film of a few games to remember.

The only advantage that Clingan has is his passing ability... although I think some of that is based on the system UConn ran.

 

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Anyone like either fake trade? Are the Grizz already giving up on Marcus Smart?

 

I'm more interested in FG% at the rim when a center is in the game than blocks. Some centers give up easy buckets going for blocks.

Teams average about 30 attempts per game. If you have someone that can reduce that percentage by just 15%, that's like blocking over 3 shots per game (assuming they play 3 quarters). So someone that blocks 2 shots and reduces FG% 15% is having more impact than someone who blocks 5 shots and doesn't actually reduce the overall FG%.

 

Yeah.. I saw that comparison.
They are similar, but I still stand by that Kessler is the better prospect coming out of college.

Any comparison to Gobert is delusional.

 

"Donovan Clingan is even taller than Rudy Gobert"