Ben Golliver suggests on Talkin Ball the Blazers might target Victor Oladipo..

[PtldPlatypus]

No Zeller.
No Olynyk.
No MCW.

What do you purpose the Blazers do?

Based on the OHM's "no" list and nbadraft.net's mock, we'd be looking at McCollum or GR3.

 

[illmatic99]

2) Oladipo would be fine, but would be redundant with Mathews. If Blazers get Oladipo, Wes would be on the trade block.

Oladipo is pretty athletic. And he's more of a slasher. Wessy's a deadeye 3pt shooter. I don't really see the redundancy outside of the fact that both their ball handling isn't that great.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I did not watch MCW so I can't say one way or the other. But I think #12 is fair for Zeller. He does have skills and a good basketball IQ. I would take a chance on him at 12. Granted I would prefer a defensive minded center to go along with Leonard, but again Zeller does have skills. IMO he will be in the league for 10 years unless he gets hurt. So he would have some trade value if we find something better.

Regardless we will need a veteran C for next year.

 

[santeesioux]

Isn't Oladipo a really good defender? Could sure use one of those off the bench, and eventually next to Lillard.

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

What do you purpose the Blazers do?

Trade up for Shabazz/Oladipo.

Glenn Robinson III, Rudy Gobert, Archie Goodwin, Kentavious Caldwell.

Hard to say before workouts, interviews, measurements, etc.

I'm being a little too critical of those 3 guys most likely, as at 12 I think Zeller would have the best value of the group, but I think MCW does absolutely nothing for us, and he won't have much trade value because he won't find much PT behind Lillard, and his absolutely horrendous shooting #'s won't help his PG prospects - and Syracuse. Olynyk I've made very clear that I don't think he'll amount to much - especially since we already have LMA and possibly Hickson.

Archie, Rudy are a little bit of reaches at that point though, but workouts can change the landscape of the draft (and if Zeller doesn't declare, Oladipo may not declare either). So.. Long way to go.

 

[MickZagger]

No Zeller.
No Olynyk.
No MCW.

You forgot, no Oladipo either. Glad your not a gm

 

[BigGameDamian]

You forgot, no Oladipo either. Glad your not a gm

Why no Oladipo? If he can make Wes Mathews expendable and play just as well if not better that's a HUGE plus for the Blazers. Wes Mathews has a very attractive trading contract. Again I will ask, Are the Blazers building a popular team amongst the fan base or are they building a team to win a championship?


[video=youtube;RNc45FTenhg]

 

[MickZagger]

Why no Oladipo? If he can make Wes Mathews expendable and play just as well if not better that's a HUGE plus for the Blazers. Wes Mathews has a very attractive trading contract. Again I will ask, Are the Blazers building a popular team amongst the fan base or are they building a team to win a championship?

I love Oladipo. Huskerman said in his past posts that he doesn't like Oladipo. Now I guess he's changing his tune

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

I love Oladipo. Huskerman said in his past posts that he doesn't like Oladipo. Now I guess he's changing his tune

So you're telling me you'd take Oladipo #1 overall and would compare him to MJ and Dwyane Wade? You don't think thats overrating him a little bit?

Never did I say I didn't like him. I said he was overrated, of which is true. You can't compare him to Wade or Jordan (and it has happened repeatedly).

Don't try and put words in my mouth.

I hope you don't do anything important in this world, seeing as how your comprehension sucks an Oden-sized amount of cock.

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

19/13/5/3 (Bill Walton in his best seasons)

If Kelly O comes remotely close to those numbers, I'll eat my shorts.

Laughable comparing him to Bill Walton, at his peak. Convenient how he left out the whole defensive side of things as well as how despite leading the Zags to the #1 ranking, they still lost in the tourney fairly early.

Kelly O didn't get the credit he deserved at the beginning of the year, but he is getting more than enough credit now. Same as Victor Oladipo at Indiana, who is probably on my short list of most overrated players to go along with Kelly and Zeller.

^ That is exactly what I said. Please show me where it says "I don't like Oladipo" or even "Oladipo will be a bad player". I simply say he is overrated, and follow up that by saying "Oladipo is starting to get mentions as the number 1 pick, as well as what has been previously stated. (The MJ/Wade comparisons)".

With those comparisons, Oladipo is overrated and at #12, would be a great pick.

I'm sure this has nothing to do with you (apparently) holding onto some emotional attachment to my previous posts on Olynyk not being good enough to make LMA expendable and doubt he amounts to the hype he has garnered up to this point. Solid player, but nothing special. I don't remember if you were one of the people telling me I was stupid for saying Zeller was overrated, but that could've been Fez. Looks like that was an accurate assessment...

 

[MickZagger]

Wait so the mock draft sites have Oladipo going #1 and are comparing him to Jordan and Wade? Yeah , that's what I thought.

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

"Some wild comparisons such as Dwyane Wade and even Jordan have been thrown out for Oladipo. But those are unfair for a player who will be a role player, not a star at the next level." NBAdraft.net. Guess I'm not the only one who has seen/heard the comparisons.

And mockdraft sites also had Zeller at #1 to begin the year, lmao.

You're making this too easy for me, bud.

Still didn't say where I said Oladipo is bad, I'm still waiting for you to conjure that one up.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I agree that Oladiop will be a role player. Likely a damn good one.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I agree that Oladiop will be a role player. Likely a damn good one.

Depends on what we are defining as role player. Is Batum one? Probably is right now but people think he will be much more than that.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Depends on what we are defining as role player. Is Batum one? Probably is right now but people think he will be much more than that.

Yes, Batum is a role player and always will be.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Yes, Batum is a role player and always will be.

Ok, I think I got a clearer picture of what you determine as role player. See for me when I think of role player I think of Eric Maynor, I think of Bruce Bowen, I think of Mike Miller, I think of Tony Allen, etc. Oladipo (and Batum) already are or will be above that.

A role player doesn't have a chance at an All-Star game (unless they are a Center and all the other are hurt). Even as a 1-time All-Star.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Ok, I think I got a clearer picture of what you determine as role player. See for me when I think of role player I think of Eric Maynor, I think of Bruce Bowen, I think of Mike Miller, I think of Tony Allen, etc. Oladipo (and Batum) already are or will be above that.

A role player doesn't have a chance at an All-Star game (unless they are a Center and all the other are hurt). Even as a 1-time All-Star.

I agree. Neither Batum nor Oladipo are likely to make the All-Star team in their respective careers.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Ok, I think I got a clearer picture of what you determine as role player. See for me when I think of role player I think of Eric Maynor, I think of Bruce Bowen, I think of Mike Miller, I think of Tony Allen, etc. Oladipo (and Batum) already are or will be above that.

A role player doesn't have a chance at an All-Star game (unless they are a Center and all the other are hurt). Even as a 1-time All-Star.

What do you determine Batum to be?

 

[VanillaGorilla]

If Nic were on the Heat, he'd play the same role as Battier or Miller.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Draft Oladipo or GRob. Put Batum at SG and make Mathews expandable so you have another valuable trade chip.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

If Nic were on the Heat, he'd play the same role as Battier or Miller.

Possibly. However if Miller was on the Blazers he would not play the same role as Batum does.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

What do you determine Batum to be?

More than a role player. That doesn't mean you are automatically an All-Star if you are more then a role player but it also means it doesn't go just from scrub, to role player to all-star to super-star imo.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Possibly. However if Miller was on the Blazers he would not play the same role as Batum does.

Agreed.

More than a role player. That doesn't mean you are automatically an All-Star if you are more then a role player but it also means it doesn't go just from scrub, to role player to all-star to super-star imo.

I was wondering if you have your own term for in between role player and all star!

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I was wondering if you have your own term for in between role player and all star!

I could coin a term but not sure what that could accomplish. I will just say that my eyes and mind say that players like Batum, Thompson, Hayward, Milsap, Lawson, etc are much more then players like Miller, Maynor, Diaw, Posey, Ariza, etc.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I was wondering if you have your own term for in between role player and all star!

I would use the term "solid starter", which I would define as a player who would start on more than half the teams in the league. IMO, Batum fits that criterion, whereas Battier does not. I think Oladipo is more likely to reach "solid starter" status than to never surpass "role player".

 

[KeepOnRollin]

If Nic were on the Heat, he'd play the same role as Battier or Miller.

Using the Heat as an example is a little disingenuous though. Since they have a big 3 even Luol Deng would be a role player on the Heat. And he is a guy who did make the All-Star game.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I could coin a term but not sure what that could accomplish. I will just say that my eyes and mind say that players like Batum, Thompson, Hayward, Milsap, Lawson, etc are much more then players like Miller, Maynor, Diaw, Posey, Ariza, etc.

I've got to agree with you, I think I just see them as role players with different (larger) roles.

 

[RoyToy]

It all comes down to what role they play on a championship contending team

On a championship contending team Nic is certainly closer to being a role player than anything else given his passive nature. He seems content to sit back and let the big boys play.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I've got to agree with you, I think I just see them as role players with different (larger) roles.

For you to feel that way though you would have to think that someone like Marreese Speights could become Paul Millsap with just a different (larger) role.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Oladipo is pretty athletic. And he's more of a slasher. Wessy's a deadeye 3pt shooter. I don't really see the redundancy outside of the fact that both their ball handling isn't that great.

I don't think of Mathews as a deadeye 3pt shooter. When the 3pt competition came around I didn't hear anyone calling for Wes Mathews.