At #43, Blazers select Rayan Rupert (4 Viewers)

[Cugel]

Murray would not stand out even at Summer league. Rupert is better at every metric. Buh bye Kris.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Year 3 and racking up more DNPs than garbage time…

Is he not an NBA talent?

 

[HansenYang]

Year 3 and racking up more DNPs than garbage time…

Is he not an NBA talent?

The answer is obvious... No.

 

[Pinwheel1]

The answer is obvious... No.

Until we actually see him play in real games, as a role player, this year, with other rotational players, I don't think the answer is so obvious.

 

[PCmor7]

Yeah, I really don't get it. Playing with Murray the last couple of summer leagues, Rupert looked like the better player, but once they got into the regular season Murray has stayed in the rotation no matter how badly he's looked at time and Rupert's never really gotten an opportunity.

It's probably more a matter that there've been more minutes available at the 3 and 4 for the Blazers since they arrived than there have been at the 2 and 3. I mean, maybe the coaches see something different from Rupert and Murray in practices than they've shown in games, and maybe part of it is that Rupert is 21 and Murray is 25.

 

[Everything Beagle]

It may take weeks to untangle all the ways Coach Billups was gaming our lineup to satisfy gambling needs. Murray versus Rupert might be one of those.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Yeah, I really don't get it. Playing with Murray the last couple of summer leagues, Rupert looked like the better player, but once they got into the regular season Murray has stayed in the rotation no matter how badly he's looked at time and Rupert's never really gotten an opportunity.

It's probably more a matter that there've been more minutes available at the 3 and 4 for the Blazers since they arrived than there have been at the 2 and 3. I mean, maybe the coaches see something different from Rupert and Murray in practices than they've shown in games, and maybe part of it is that Rupert is 21 and Murray is 25.

Yeah, I have always thought that Rupert was more of a poor man's Thybulle. And both are more of a 2/3 than a 3/2. (Size-wise)
Thybulle has gotten better each year, but if he were to play himself into a bigger contract this year, he may be gone next year. Rupert also needs to get better each year so he can be ready to provide those small minutes each game

 

[HoopsFanAZ]

1. For his draft position, I liked the pick of Kris Murray ... and I still do because he's a versatile defender who makes good basketball plays. Gotta hit those 3's at 37% or above or he gets beat out by someone who does. He has a shorter runway.

2. Rupert was taking a shot with a guy who has a number of skills not yet at a productive NBA level. His physical profile, defensive focus and skills, and rep as a worker makes keeping him around a low risk move. IMHO, he has a higher ceiling than Thybulle who is who he is.

3. By the end of his time at UW, I became a fan of Thybulle as an elite off-ball defender and master thief on D; he's a decent to good overall defender. He is capable of corner 3's. He gets injured and misses too much time and should already be a Dallas Maverick. It was a good shot by the Blazers, but hoping that he and Time Lord will stay healthy ... well, it's still just a hope. They both still have value for playoff teams and have reasonable, expiring contracts.