Event 2025 NBA DRAFT LOTTERY, COMBINE, AND DRAFT

[PtldPlatypus]

Where does this leave Scooter?

Being the second coming of Markelle Fultz.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Where does this leave Scooter?

Counting his money. Or, best case scenario, being Nate McMillan to Harper's Gary Payton.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[ant]

Where does this leave Scooter?

Backing up Harper, and hopefully adding a shot and better feel for the game so we have an amazing guard rotation.

 

[Blazinaway]

Even if we miss out on Flagg, I’d be so excited to pair Harper and Shaedon, with Deni at the 3. There are so many riches in the upcoming draft, just keep losing!

More I read/study this draft and listen to others starting to think it's a good draft at the top 8-12 (give or take for now) and then drops off quite a bit - we'll see how that looks/changes in a few months.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

 

[THE HCP]

@PtldPlatypus I’m not sure who Nic is, but I have the same amount of followers as him……what if I told you the 4 advanced NBA scouts I’ve talked to in the past few weeks said It’s a no brainer that Flagg is going #1. Just curious your thoughts. Harper is damn good though.

 

[BankTeller]

We really need a top 4 pick in this draft!

ugh

I disagree. I think we are just fine with say, the 6th or 7th pick in the draft.

What we REALLY need is a SECOND 1st rounder this year. I feel like it absolutely needs to happen. But I’m also setting myself up for disappointment.

 

[BankTeller]

I’d like to see us go after some shot creators in the 2nd round of this draft. We have got the roster much better as far as length and defense in the past couple years. Our second unit needs shot creation and shooters.

I find myself thinking the same thing. I really see the vision of what the team is trying to build with the length and switch-ability. The two guys we’ve put our hopes into are taking a bit to develop, and I’m fine with that.

Having a guy who can come in and light it up though would do wonders for this team. I imagine that if we ever end up using Deni as a 6M for good with his hustle and energy, pairing him with shot makers would also be like Manu running those Spurs bench units.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

This is always likely to be the case, because Flagg's dominance is defensive and he's a bit of a project offensively, so he's kind of harder to sell to the fanbase of a shitty team. He's a player that any great team would love to have because he's sort of a role-player on steroids. Basically he's a lot like Evan Mobley, who is clearly a better player than Cade Cunningham (who is a lot like Dylan Harper) or Jalen Green, but a lot harder to sell as your new Franchise Player.

But I bet you if you pressed them most scouts would (currently) say that Flagg is going to be the best player down the road.

What would be super funny is if Flagg decided to stay in college more than one year, AKA Tim Duncan-ing.

 

[cheesehoff]

Flagg and project do not belong in the same paragraph! He's 17 years old and the gtg on a very good college team. He scores on all three levels. He has very good handles and he's smart beyond his years.
Several NBA players that practiced against Flagg over the off-season made comments about him being ready for the league. He was going heads up against the best and holding his ground.
I think the closest comp for Flagg is KD. For Harper it's Cade Cunningham. I'd rather take a shot at a KDesque type player every time.
What's maybe most impressive about Flagg is his aggression. He wants to posterize anyone in the way. He goes after blocking shots like every basket is life or death. He dives for loose balls and loves contact on both ends of the court. With his tools he could be a perennial all-defense guy for a long time.
Some of you will say I'm over-blowing the kid's potential. Whatever. Nobody has come along with his combination of size, tools, instincts and smarts since KD or LaBlah.
Did I mention he's only 17!? (He would actually be a young high school senior.)

 

[KingSpeed]

Flagg and project do not belong in the same paragraph! He's 17 years old and the gtg on a very good college team. He scores on all three levels. He has very good handles and he's smart beyond his years.
Several NBA players that practiced against Flagg over the off-season made comments about him being ready for the league. He was going heads up against the best and holding his ground.
I think the closest comp for Flagg is KD. For Harper it's Cade Cunningham. I'd rather take a shot at a KDesque type player every time.
What's maybe most impressive about Flagg is his aggression. He wants to posterize anyone in the way. He goes after blocking shots like every basket is life or death. He dives for loose balls and loves contact on both ends of the court. With his tools he could be a perennial all-defense guy for a long time.
Some of you will say I'm over-blowing the kid's potential. Whatever. Nobody has come along with his combination of size, tools, instincts and smarts since KD or LaBlah.
Did I mention he's only 17!? (He would actually be a young high school senior.)

Huh? Wembanyama had better combination of size, tools, instincts and smarts than either of those guys coming into the league. Wembanyama is going to be the GOAT and he was drafted just last year!

 

[cheesehoff]

Huh? Wembanyama had better combination of size, tools, instincts and smarts than either of those guys coming into the league. Wembanyama is going to be the GOAT and he was drafted just last year!

Yeah, I kind of blew it!

 

[JDC]

Coop has looked like the clear #1 guy in this class the last couple games.

Excited for conference play to get a clearer picture on these guys

 

[tlongII]

It will be a fun March Madness and a fun Summer League coming up!

 

[illmatic99]

i think dylan harper is a mix between Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham.

if he's there and we don't hold the #1 pick (Flagg), i think this is an obvious pick.

 

[Hoopguru]

Not many #1 picks have won the whole enchilada with the team that drafted them, in the last 20 years.
NBA Draft Lottery WinnersRealGMhttps://basketball.realgm.com

 

[Phatguysrule]

Not many #1 picks have won the whole enchilada with the team that drafted them, in the last 20 years.
NBA Draft Lottery WinnersRealGMhttps://basketball.realgm.com

You have to get great players in order to keep them. The only way Portland has really ever gotten great players is via the draft or by trading players they've drafted.

The exception might be with Trader Bob. But the league has made lopsided trades like that against the rules.

While a number one pick would be great, it's not the main goal. The main goal is getting as many cracks at the top 5 as you can during the rebuild. Until you have too much talent to get a pick that high.

Then you have to switch to development and team building.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

You have to get great players in order to keep them. The only way Portland has really ever gotten great players is via the draft or by trading players they've drafted.

The exception might be with Trader Bob. But the league has made lopsided trades like that against the rules.

While a number one pick would be great, it's not the main goal. The main goal is getting as many cracks at the top 5 as you can during the rebuild. Until you have too much talent to get a pick that high.

Then you have to switch to development and team building.

Seems like, unfortunately, the Blazers already have too much talent to get a top-5 pick. If only they would offload the vets...

 

[Rastapopoulos]

i think dylan harper is a mix between Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham.

What a polite way of saying "surprisingly unathletic"

 

[Phatguysrule]

Seems like, unfortunately, the Blazers already have too much talent to get a top-5 pick. If only they would offload the vets...

Yeah, you can't get as many cracks at the top five as possible (or as good of cracks) if you don't offload your middling vets.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Seems like, unfortunately, the Blazers already have too much talent to get a top-5 pick. If only they would offload the vets...

I think 6th is obtainable. The Nets and the Pelicans are the wild cards.

NO should pass us now that they are healthier. Unless they make some huge trades in an attempt to tank.

The Nets are tied with us now, but they look to be trying to tank now.

My guess is if we end up 6th we have a decent chance to move into the top 3. That is doable.

 

[Cugel]

Seems like, unfortunately, the Blazers already have too much talent to get a top-5 pick. If only they would offload the vets...

Does ownership and/or front office grasp this? Most likely explanation is , imho, Jody just wants a team to make money; wins and losses are immaterial. You don't have to own a restaurant and try to get Michelin stars when an Outback Steakhouse will also make you money. These days, if the owner doesn't want to win a championship the team ain't winning one. Jody doesn't fucking care one iota. There is simply no fucking way she lays awake a night thinking about what a parade through POR would mean. She has a million other assets to worry about so why would POR be at the top of the list? The Blazers are just a chain restaurant: they make money for the owner.

 

[Hoopguru]

Does ownership and/or front office grasp this? Most likely explanation is , imho, Jody just wants a team to make money; wins and losses are immaterial. You don't have to own a restaurant and try to get Michelin stars when an Outback Steakhouse will also make you money. These days, if the owner doesn't want to win a championship the team ain't winning one. Jody doesn't fucking care one iota. There is simply no fucking way she lays awake a night thinking about what a parade through POR would mean. She has a million other assets to worry about so why would POR be at the top of the list? The Blazers are just a chain restaurant: they make money for the owner.

agree...the team is a wholly owned subsidiary managed by Jody and Vulcans/Bert.

 

[THE HCP]

Watched that Duke game the other night. Flagg had 42. Very impressed.

 

[THE HCP]

 

[THE HCP]

We really need to start losing more! NBADraft.net has us picking a PG named Booger at #7 ……. Sigh

 

[THE HCP]

Not good

 

[Pinwheel1]

Does ownership and/or front office grasp this? Most likely explanation is , imho, Jody just wants a team to make money; wins and losses are immaterial. You don't have to own a restaurant and try to get Michelin stars when an Outback Steakhouse will also make you money. These days, if the owner doesn't want to win a championship the team ain't winning one. Jody doesn't fucking care one iota. There is simply no fucking way she lays awake a night thinking about what a parade through POR would mean. She has a million other assets to worry about so why would POR be at the top of the list? The Blazers are just a chain restaurant: they make money for the owner.

I think they grasped it last year or they would not have intentionally tanked....... ending up tied with the 3rd worst record. Not that it helped us based on the low odds for everyone. It is called a lottery for a reason. Nothing is assured when we are talking about 14% being the best odds.

I assume they will try to trade Grant (who has been out this month with a boo-boo to his face) and Thybulle (who has been out the whole season with an owie to his ankle)
Maybe Williams as well as many teams need a "cheap" center"

 

[MickZagger]

What a polite way of saying "surprisingly unathletic"

Yet I’d way rather have all 3 than Scoot..