2019 NBA Draft Thread (1 Viewer)

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I am always of the mind set in the draft, take BPA at the area we are drafting at.

Its harder than that though, no ones saying pick the worst player available. Grading them out though there will be 15-20ish players who all probably grade out about the same from 15 to early in the 2nd round.

 

[James lamphear]

These draft picks is not for next year these guys are replacement for Turner Leonard Harkless contract expiring next year. Yes you have continued make your roster better with veteran but you also have to look for the future. Yes we are in little bit of salary cap bind but add when you can. Now we got Hood Kanter Aminu Curry UFA and Layman RFA this year. We could bring back Aminu and we could bring back Layman. Now between Hood Curry or Kanter who do we bring back I think Olshey will bring back Kanter due to Nurk won't be back until All Star break. Simons will get a crack at Curry rotation minutes and possibly Trent getting Hoods minutes. I feel that Aminu won't be back next year I think he going be Davis casualty by Olshey. I do think Layman will back and another player can take Hood minutes. I think Kanter will take a discount for at least for one year. This is my opinion.

 

[CupWizier]

Its harder than though, no ones saying pick the worst player available. Grading them out though there will be 15-20ish players who all probably grade out about the same from 15 to early in the 2nd round.

I agree it's not easy, but that's why teams have portfolios of every player imaginable and then do interviews and personal workouts to help narrow it down. We have such a small amount of info compared to what the NBA teams have and when a player never played college or didn't play over seas then it's much more difficult to assess that player.

 

[James lamphear]

Supposed that the Blazers only going hold 3 or 4 workouts in Portland.

 

[oldmangrouch]

There's a time to swing for the fences. When the pitch is 3 feet outside of the strike zone is not that time. This is a top heavy draft with a plethora of bad pitches waiting for an over-confident GM to take a wild hack.

If the pick isn't moved in a trade, I hope they can find a guy like Cam Johnson who will never be a star, but who knows how to play and has a skill the team can use.

 

[BonesJones]

There's a time to swing for the fences. When the pitch is 3 feet outside of the strike zone is not that time. This is a top heavy draft with a plethora of bad pitches waiting for an over-confident GM to take a wild hack.

If the pick isn't moved in a trade, I hope they can find a guy like Cam Johnson who will never be a star, but who knows how to play and has a skill the team can use.

Siakam was thought of as a late 2nd round pick and was thought of as a reach by Toronto at 27 three years ago. He didnt even appear to have Bazelys upside at the time. He was, as you would put it "a bad pitch".

Three years later, he won them Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Youre advocating for a Brice Johnson type, who was drafted 2 picks before him, and is now out of the league.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Siakam was thought of as a late 2nd round pick and was thought of as a reach by Toronto at 27 three years ago. He didnt even appear to have Bazelys upside at the time. He was, as you would put it "a bad pitch".

Three years later, he won them Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Youre advocating for a Brice Johnson type, who was drafted 2 picks before him, and is now out of the league.

To be fair there are a lot of guys who havent made it in the NBA, who fill both the “high-upside” and “low-upside” types.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Siakam was thought of as a late 2nd round pick and was thought of as a reach by Toronto at 27 three years ago. He didnt even appear to have Bazelys upside at the time. He was, as you would put it "a bad pitch".

Three years later, he won them Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Youre advocating for a Brice Johnson type, who was drafted 2 picks before him, and is now out of the league.

That seems rather harsh about Cam Johnson. Do you really expect him to crater?

 

[GhostOfPGA]

Bazley is my dude, well McDaniels too.

They have modern NBA written all over theM.

 

[BonesJones]

That seems rather harsh about Cam Johnson. Do you really expect him to crater?

Not really but he seems like another Justin Jackson type. Does that make a difference in the long-run? Nope.

A guy like Bazley increases our chances of winning a championship in the next 5 years more than Cam Johnson.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Not really but he seems like another Justin Jackson type. Does that make a difference in the long-run? Nope.

A guy like Bazley increases our chances of winning a championship in the next 5 years more than Cam Johnson.

Guess we will just have to agree to disagree. I see Bazley as more likely to be the next Darius Miles, while Johnson is over-looked because of his age.

 

[hoopsjock]

Guess we will just have to agree to disagree. I see Bazley as more likely to be the next Darius Miles, while Johnson is over-looked because of his age.

I may be wrong, so sorry if I am, but isn't one of your criticisms of Olshey that he only brings in value type role players and doesn't swing for the fences?

 

[oldmangrouch]

I may be wrong, so sorry if I am, but isn't one of your criticisms of Olshey that he only brings in value type role players and doesn't swing for the fences?

I appreciate his dumpster diving ability - building depth with team friendly deals is a good thing. I do believe, however, that he is not good at making high impact moves. The latter is mostly about trades.

When talking about draft picks, the discussion is complicated by the issue of time frame. A long term project is out of sync with where the Blazers are on the success cycle. I see our window of success as being the next 3 seasons or so. (YMMV) We don't need a 5 or 10 year plan....we need a plan to put a better supporting cast around Dame now.

Obvious disclaimer: compared to a lot of posters here, I am a borderline ignoramous about the players in the draft. I may be completely wrong about Cam Johnson or the other guys I have mentioned. Maybe no one available at 25 is good enough to help the team in the short run, so we have nothing to lose by going for a long-term project.

 

[BonesJones]

I appreciate his dumpster diving ability - building depth with team friendly deals is a good thing. I do believe, however, that he is not good at making high impact moves. The latter is mostly about trades.

When talking about draft picks, the discussion is complicated by the issue of time frame. A long term project is out of sync with where the Blazers are on the success cycle. I see our window of success as being the next 3 seasons or so. (YMMV) We don't need a 5 or 10 year plan....we need a plan to put a better supporting cast around Dame now.

Obvious disclaimer: compared to a lot of posters here, I am a borderline ignoramous about the players in the draft. I may be completely wrong about Cam Johnson or the other guys I have mentioned. Maybe no one available at 25 is good enough to help the team in the short run, so we have nothing to lose by going for a long-term project.

Exactly. 25th pick is low risk. Id rather have a high reward than little to no reward.

 

[Labinot41]

To me Bazley's strengths are exactly what Portland needs. Like if I went to a lab and created a player for Portland this summer that was actually attainable, Bazley is what would come out. He was just under 6'8" without shoes, 7'0" wingspan, 8'11" standing reach, with 3.6% body fat (all amazing for a SF). He's super athletic! Think a taller version of Anfernee Simons. In video I've watched he is often bringing the ball up the court indicating that he could potentially have some playmaking and point forward capabilities. His jumper was a little slow and his form needed improvement but it looks like he's corrected that a little bit during his year off. He has all the defensive tools to be an absolute monster on defense. He's also pretty solid on the boards. There definitely needed to be an improvement in getting his body stronger which also looks like he focused on this past year because he looks a lot bigger and stronger. He hasn't really played against great competition but he can get to the rim pretty easily against lower competition and finish with both hands, but obviously that's hard to tell how it will translate into the pros. He's a decent passer too.

It's probably a little before your time but he reminds me a bit of a non-headcase Lamar Odom.

Edit: I do realize that I just described the most amazing basketball player ever, ha ha. A little bit might have to do with him not playing college makes it so his game can't be picked apart as much but him sitting out the year and being an unknown is also why he isn't considered a lottery pick either.

Damn i would start him straight over Aminu or Harkless. Thank you !

 

[Driew]

To me Bazley's strengths are exactly what Portland needs. Like if I went to a lab and created a player for Portland this summer that was actually attainable, Bazley is what would come out. He was just under 6'8" without shoes, 7'0" wingspan, 8'11" standing reach, with 3.6% body fat (all amazing for a SF). He's super athletic! Think a taller version of Anfernee Simons. In video I've watched he is often bringing the ball up the court indicating that he could potentially have some playmaking and point forward capabilities. His jumper was a little slow and his form needed improvement but it looks like he's corrected that a little bit during his year off. He has all the defensive tools to be an absolute monster on defense. He's also pretty solid on the boards. There definitely needed to be an improvement in getting his body stronger which also looks like he focused on this past year because he looks a lot bigger and stronger. He hasn't really played against great competition but he can get to the rim pretty easily against lower competition and finish with both hands, but obviously that's hard to tell how it will translate into the pros. He's a decent passer too.

It's probably a little before your time but he reminds me a bit of a non-headcase Lamar Odom.

Edit: I do realize that I just described the most amazing basketball player ever, ha ha. A little bit might have to do with him not playing college makes it so his game can't be picked apart as much but him sitting out the year and being an unknown is also why he isn't considered a lottery pick either.

I really would like Bazley if we got him--he'd have a redshirt year like Simons did and from what we've seen in Simons it'd be a good bet. These players that would normally be top 18 picks if they played in college fall to us because of lack of game tape. We'd be set up well to let Trent, Simons, and Bazley be our bench squad the year after next season--when our big contracts to Turner, Meyers, and Harkless expire.

 

[James lamphear]

Bazley has all the makeup to be really good player. But to me he has to go to the right team. I think we are one of the right team due to our makeup of our team. There others teams out there might be good fit for him.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

One of the interesting aspects of the "position/BPA" argument of drafting is the fact that situational fit factors in significantly to how good a player will become. It's conceivable that a player that might be perceived as better/more talented/higher potential might end up in a situation where he might be somewhat marginalized because of the existing roster construction.

 

[Sarni]

One of the interesting aspects of the "position/BPA" argument of drafting is the fact that situational fit factors in significantly to how good a player will become. It's conceivable that a player that might be perceived as better/more talented/higher potential might end up in a situation where he might be somewhat marginalized because of the existing roster construction.

Exactly, that's why I don't agree with BPA approach. Let's take Atlanta as an example - if best player available where they are drafting is a point guard, that would get in the way with Trae Young and one of them would not have enough space to develop. If they got a wing, they would immediately get plenty of time which would help their development.

Fit is as important as talent IMO. In Portland's situation getting a super talented point guard now would not give that player opportunity to truly do what they should be doing, for example.

 

[PCmor7]

In Portland's situation getting a super talented point guard now would not give that player opportunity to truly do what they should be doing, for example.

Um, we just did this last year. Seems to be working out fine.

 

[PCmor7]

If you have two guys who are exceptionally close in talent, then, fine, take the guy at the position where you have the greatest need.

If not, you always should take the better prospect.

You don't know what's going to happen with injuries or other things. This league is, more often than not, won by stars. Even when role players like Robert Horry or Steve Kerr win, it's usually because stars have put them in position to be the hero.

The way the game currently is played, positions are less and less important. Of course, in five years, someone might have come up with a counter to positionless basketball that puts teams that don't play a true center at a huge disadvantage.

You usually win with talent. So you accumulate talent. You can figure the rest out later.

What I don't want to see the Blazers do is draft the next Dante Cunningham who fills a decent role off the bench for a couple of years and then is replaced by another guy who does the exact same thing for a couple of years off the bench while Bazley gets drafted a few picks later and, after a couple of years or getting stronger and learning, becomes a guy who is killing the league for the next eight to ten years.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

If you have two guys who are exceptionally close in talent, then, fine, take the guy at the position where you have the greatest need.

If not, you always should take the better prospect.

You don't know what's going to happen with injuries or other things. This league is, more often than not, won by stars. Even when role players like Robert Horry or Steve Kerr win, it's usually because stars have put them in position to be the hero.

The way the game currently is played, positions are less and less important. Of course, in five years, someone might have come up with a counter to positionless basketball that puts teams that don't play a true center at a huge disadvantage.

You usually win with talent. So you accumulate talent. You can figure the rest out later.

What I don't want to see the Blazers do is draft the next Dante Cunningham who fills a decent role off the bench for a couple of years and then is replaced by another guy who does the exact same thing for a couple of years off the bench while Bazley gets drafted a few picks later and, after a couple of years or getting stronger and learning, becomes a guy who is killing the league for the next eight to ten years.

Bazley could very well get drafted and be Dante Cunningham career wise though. No one makes 1st round pick and thinks oh this guy's probably just going to be a borderline nba role player, they pick guys hoping they pan out. Some do, some don't. I mean were all high on Bazley but he could be a bust or never amount to what we think his potential is. It's what makes the draft, challenging, and fun, you just never know.

 

[tester551]

Bazley could very well get drafted and be Dante Cunningham career wise though. No one makes 1st round pick and thinks oh this guy's probably just going to be a borderline nba role player, they pick guys hoping they pan out. Some do, some don't. I mean were all high on Bazley but he could be a bust or never amount to what we think his potential is. It's what makes the draft, challenging, and fun, you just never know.

Very true. However, you have to account for potential and the floor.

Potential: Bazley >>> Cunningham
Floor: Cunningham >> Bazley

Cunningham was the equivalent to a bunt. You may get to first base if you're lucky. Bazley, you're at least swinging at the pitch. You may strike out, but you also may get a double or triple.

 

[PCmor7]

If anyone should understand picking the BPA should almost always be the way to go, it should be Blazer fans.

How many titles do you think the Blazers would have won had they drafted Jordan the year after drafting Drexler. This wasn't Oden v Durant, where two guys were considered comparable talents. This was the Blazers needing a center and having a fantastic two guard already. So they passed on one of the five greatest players in NBA history.

Does anyone think moving Clyde to the 3 most of the time would have been a problem? We ended up finding a playable center on an NBA championship contender in the bargain basement.

 

[James lamphear]

There really no sure bets in the draft. To me as much I like him to be on this team I still think we can pick him up in the early 2 round if we want to buy in. The reason I still think he 2rd round is not a lot information on him due he didn't play last year. So far not a lot teams bring him in for workouts I Philly San Antonio Orlando the next one Detroit. This could teams not interested or it could be his agent trying to direct to teams that they is best for there client.

 

[PCmor7]

Bazley could very well get drafted and be Dante Cunningham career wise though. No one makes 1st round pick and thinks oh this guy's probably just going to be a borderline nba role player, they pick guys hoping they pan out. Some do, some don't. I mean were all high on Bazley but he could be a bust or never amount to what we think his potential is. It's what makes the draft, challenging, and fun, you just never know.

Absolutely. But if you tell me that Bazley and Cunningham's ceilings are remotely close, I'd have to question your eye for talent and knowledge of growth and upside.

Hopefully, the Blazers aren't going to draft in the lottery for a long time. So, if you have a chance to get a guy at 25 who might have gone in the top 10, you grab him. If he turns out to be Dante Cunningham or Grant Williams, he turns out to be Dante Cunningham or Grant Williams, just like Dante Cunningham and Grant Williams did. So you don't lose anything betting on his floor, because it's the same. It's his ceiling that is astronomically higher.

 

[tester551]

There really no sure bets in the draft. To me as much I like him to be on this team I still think we can pick him up in the early 2 round if we want to buy in. The reason I still think he 2rd round is not a lot information on him due he didn't play last year. So far not a lot teams bring him in for workouts I Philly San Antonio Orlando the next one Detroit. This could teams not interested or it could be his agent trying to direct to teams that they is best for there client.

I haven't seen any information that he's worked out for Philly. I'm sure his agent has an idea of where what teams he's willing to work out for... Apparently you need a pick in the late teens.
Detroit - Pick #15
Orlando - Pick #16
San Antonio - Pick #19

I'd expect Boston #14, #20, & #22, Indiana #18, and Brooklyn #17 to be his next stops.

 

[James lamphear]

I haven't seen any information that he's worked out for Philly. I'm sure his agent has an idea of where what teams he's willing to work out for... Apparently you need a pick in the late teens.
Detroit - Pick #15
Orlando - Pick #16
San Antonio - Pick #19

I'd expect Boston #14, #20, & #22, Indiana #18, and Brooklyn #17 to be his next stops.

I read some yesterday that he worked out for Philly.

 

[hoopsjock]

One of the interesting aspects of the "position/BPA" argument of drafting is the fact that situational fit factors in significantly to how good a player will become. It's conceivable that a player that might be perceived as better/more talented/higher potential might end up in a situation where he might be somewhat marginalized because of the existing roster construction.

This is always fun to think about with Donovan Mitchell. Would he be the same player had we taken him at 10 instead of Collins? Maybe he would've been so good in practice that it made CJ expendable though. It's tough to know.

 

[James lamphear]

I haven't seen any information that he's worked out for Philly. I'm sure his agent has an idea of where what teams he's willing to work out for... Apparently you need a pick in the late teens.
Detroit - Pick #15
Orlando - Pick #16
San Antonio - Pick #19

I'd expect Boston #14, #20, & #22, Indiana #18, and Brooklyn #17 to be his next stops.

They watch him at pro day in southern California with other players but not physically went to Philly to workout my correction.