An "A" draft for Portland? Maybe not.

[MarAzul]

No doubt the guards are good to go, but then, that position wasn't all that bad off before the draft.

They needed a Center. They still do, I am not sure they have one on the team. I like Leonard, but hey! This kid plays like a stretch IV, possible even the best shooter on the team, but I saw zero progress in his learning to play center last season. I would also conclude this kid is not stupid, so who the hell is working to make a center of him? He deserves an F for last year and Leonard deserves a new mentor next season.

Bottom line, this team still doesn't make the playoffs.

Still have the chance to fix it, you say?

Please tell me Who the center is that PDX can acquire one way or the other that could make this team competitive enough to potentially win a first round series? If they trade Aldridge to get it done, my faith drops farther.

 

[magnifier661]

The reason why the draft was an "a" wasn't about addressing need for the pick. It was getting the best player available.

We still have 11 mil, assets and manageable contracts to address the center position.

Let's grade them when all free agency and trades are over. Preseason is when the final grade can be given.

 

[RR7]

kind of all over the place in that post. We didn't get an a for our draft because we still need a C, Leonard hasn't developed how you'd like, we won't make the playoffs with the lineup we have RIGHT NOW, andyou're unsure about free agency. Ok.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

kind of all over the place in that post. We didn't get an a for our draft because we still need a C, Leonard hasn't developed how you'd like, we won't make the playoffs with the lineup we have RIGHT NOW, andyou're unsure about free agency. Ok.

If you've been in the OT section lately, you'll know that MarAzul's posting style is pretty spastic.

 

[BBert]

Who said our grade was an A? I'll give it a B. To be an A, we would have had to trade up for one of Oladipo/McClemore/Len/Noel. I think the Blazers did great with what they had available to draft. But face it, we got the 10th best player in a weak draft. Not exactly an A.

 

[MarAzul]

The reason why the draft was an "a" wasn't about addressing need for the pick. It was getting the best player available.

We still have 11 mil, assets and manageable contracts to address the center position.

Let's grade them when all free agency and trades are over. Preseason is when the final grade can be given.

And a loyal fan you are Mags. But I don't see an answer to my question. We can wait an see but I can't put a name down for the player that will take the 11 million
and then make this team 2nd round plausible.

 

[craigehlo]

Please tell me Who the center is that PDX can acquire one way or the other that could make this team competitive enough to potentially win a first round series?

There quite a few targets via free agency or trade that are better defensively than what we rolled with last year. I'm also a believer that Jeff Withey will probably supplant Meyers in the depth chart unless he makes some huge improvement this summer.

Nikola Pekovic
Tiago Splitter
Marcin Gortat
DeAndre Jordan
Al Jefferson
Jermaine O'Neal
Samuel Dalembert

 

[BBert]

I don't understand this thread. Our draft was not an "A" because we can't fix our center position in free agency?

 

[MarAzul]

There quite a few targets via free agency or trade that are better defensively than what we rolled with last year. I'm also a believer that Jeff Withey will probably supplant Meyers in the depth chart unless he makes some huge improvement this summer.

Nikola Pekovic
Tiago Splitter
Marcin Gortat
DeAndre Jordan
Al Jefferson
Jermaine O'Neal
Samuel Dalembert

Shoot! I had hope I had overlooked someone. Well, Splitter might do the trick. Long shot though

 

[magnifier661]

And a loyal fan you are Mags. But I don't see an answer to my question. We can wait an see but I can't put a name down for the player that will take the 11 million
and then make this team 2nd round plausible.

Why would the center addressing effect our grade? Are you assuming we should have picked the best center available? I would have only been happy with Len. All other centers I wouldn't want.

 

[MarAzul]

Why would the center addressing effect our grade? Are you assuming we should have picked the best center available? I would have only been happy with Len. All other centers I wouldn't want.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...raft_how_would_you_grade_the_trail_blaze.html

51% of this poll went with the "A". I don't agree. We still need a Center (I need to keep this real simple)

 

[magnifier661]

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...raft_how_would_you_grade_the_trail_blaze.html

51% of this poll went with the "A". I don't agree. We still need a Center (I need to keep this real simple)

Let me ask again. Are you saying we should have drafted Adams; since he was the next center available instead of CJ?

 

[RR7]

If you've been in the OT section lately, you'll know that MarAzul's posting style is pretty spastic.

I think he's putting it into google translate, and then re-translating back to English?

 

[MarAzul]

Let me ask again. Are you saying we should have drafted Adams; since he was the next center available instead of CJ?

I have no idea whether Adams can play. I am really glad we did not get Noel too. I have seen the top two guy we did get play, and I don't think they make us any better than we were.
So C for the draft not A.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...raft_how_would_you_grade_the_trail_blaze.html

51% of this poll went with the "A". I don't agree. We still need a Center (I need to keep this real simple)

http://sportstwo.com/threads/239548-Grade-The-Draft

 

[MarAzul]

http://sportstwo.com/threads/239548-Grade-The-Draft

Ok, Looks like Maxiep called it about right.

 

[THE HCP]

What the fuck is happening to S2! Who the fuck is this guy and what the fuck is this thread about?
The only centers we could of drafted are worse than what already have!
We picked the best player available!


Sent from HCPs Baller-Ass iPhone 5...FAMS!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

What the fuck is happening to S2! Who the fuck is this guy and what the fuck is this thread about?
The only centers we could of drafted are worse than what already have!
We picked the best player available!


Sent from HCPs Baller-Ass iPhone 5...FAMS!

I've met Marzy a couple of times and he's a nice guy. He has posted on Oregonlive for years and it takes a while to get over the style of posting they do over there. At O-live you don't properly validate your point of view until you insult the other person's point of view first. "I'm right because you're stupid!" People with limited forum experience think that's the way all forums work. (Hell, there's even some here that think that's how S2 works, lol.) Give him some time to let him know that we're a little more mellow here and that even if we don't all agree that's okay and actually leads to better discussion.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Ok, Looks like Maxiep called it about right.

Actually it looks like you and Maxiep agree with each other.

 

[THE HCP]

Thanks for the info, I'll take it easy on him!


Sent from HCPs Baller-Ass iPhone 5...FAMS!

 

[magnifier661]

Thanks for the info, I'll take it easy on him!


Sent from HCPs Baller-Ass iPhone 5...FAMS!

At least he wouldn't consider being a traitor and work for the lakers!

 

[Further]

1) agree with HCP, the centers in the draft were not better talents than McCollum, and certainly didn't look capable of actually helping this year.

2) the list that craigehlo posted is a good start, bu there may be more options depending on risks we are willing to take or money and players we are willing to deal. Bynum and Pao Gasol are possibilities, not sure how realistic, but I wouldn't count them out yet.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

No doubt the guards are good to go, but then, that position wasn't all that bad off before the draft.

They needed a Center. They still do, I am not sure they have one on the team. I like Leonard, but hey! This kid plays like a stretch IV, possible even the best shooter on the team, but I saw zero progress in his learning to play center last season. I would also conclude this kid is not stupid, so who the hell is working to make a center of him? He deserves an F for last year and Leonard deserves a new mentor next season.

Bottom line, this team still doesn't make the playoffs.

Still have the chance to fix it, you say?

Please tell me Who the center is that PDX can acquire one way or the other that could make this team competitive enough to potentially win a first round series? If they trade Aldridge to get it done, my faith drops farther.

Geeze, we got 3 legitimate first round picks (per the mock drafts) and you're bitching and moaning about it????

Are you related to Canzano?

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

not possible meyers is the best shooter on the Team. not. possible.

 

[donkiez]

Even if you could address C in this draft, C is a big project position. Noel, Len or Adams all are a few years away from contributing much of anything on the regular. That doesn't really fit into our current plan. Given your criteria I'm not sure an A would have been possible in this draft. Best player available is almost always the way to go in any draft, in this case BPA also fills one of our two major needs for us, how is that not a win?

 

[MarAzul]

not possible meyers is the best shooter on the Team. not. possible.

umm, well last year only Hickson did it with a higher percentage and he has no where near the range.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/stats/2012

 

[MarAzul]

1) agree with HCP, the centers in the draft were not better talents than McCollum, and certainly didn't look capable of actually helping this year.

2) the list that craigehlo posted is a good start, bu there may be more options depending on risks we are willing to take or money and players we are willing to deal. Bynum and Pao Gasol are possibilities, not sure how realistic, but I wouldn't count them out yet.

No! No LaCurs!

 

[jlprk]

We drafted in the opposite order of Positions Most Needed. We needed, in order, C, PF, PG. We drafted, in order, a starting-quality undersized SG, a Rudy-quality catch-and-shoot SG, and a Pendergraph-quality C. Those optimistic quality estimates are future, not present.

Olshey drafted by best player available, not by position most needed. The next 3 weeks will determine whether he gets a center. He may not even want to complete this team for another year, to keep our 2014 protected-top-12 pick.

When grading a draft, you consider 1) did the GM use BPA or position most needed philosophy, 2) was he lazy or did he pursue trades, e..g trade up, 3) will he compensate for draft weaknesses with summer FA signings, 4) is he keeping the team crappy on purpose waiting for future needle-movers.

 

[julius]

drafting based on need has got Portland Martel Webster instead of Chris Paul, Sam Bowie instead of Michael Jordan and Luke Babbitt instead of a talented player.

 

[MarAzul]

We drafted in the opposite order of Positions Most Needed. We needed, in order, C, PF, PG. We drafted, in order, a starting-quality undersized SG, a Rudy-quality catch-and-shoot SG, and a Pendergraph-quality C. Those optimistic quality estimates are future, not present.

Olshey drafted by best player available, not by position most needed. The next 3 weeks will determine whether he gets a center. He may not even want to complete this team for another year, to keep our 2014 protected-top-12 pick.

When grading a draft, you consider 1) did the GM use BPA or position most needed philosophy, 2) was he lazy or did he pursue trades, e..g trade up, 3) will he compensate for draft weaknesses with summer FA signings, 4) is he keeping the team crappy on purpose waiting for future needle-movers.

Really! Geez you know lots a stuff.