Examining the 2007 draft

[ebott]

For those whose memory does not extend two years, it was said at the time that Durant would eventually win scoring titles and Oden would eventually win championships.

So far neither had done either, but at least in his rookie year Oden's team is making the playoffs. Durant's is not close.

I guess it depends on whether you prefer flashy numbers or team success. KP opted for team success and surely the Blazers have been more successful than OKC, unless your name is Mixum, in which case won-loss record does not count.

But most of that success is due to Roy and Aldridge. I'd say Rudy, Przybilla and Travis have also been responsible for more wins than Oden this year. I'm saying there's like half a dozen games games we've won because of Oden. So if we didn't have him, we probably aren't in the thick of things in the playoff race.

So saying that Blazers > Thunder equates to Oden > Durant is false.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

For those whose memory does not extend two years, it was said at the time that Durant would eventually win scoring titles and Oden would eventually win championships.

So far neither had done either, but at least in his rookie year Oden's team is making the playoffs. Durant's is not close.

I guess it depends on whether you prefer flashy numbers or team success. KP opted for team success and surely the Blazers have been more successful than OKC, unless your name is Mixum, in which case won-loss record does not count.

If Portland had picked Durant, do you think that the Oden-led Sonics would have a better record than the Roy-Durant-Aldridge Blazers? I think not...

 

[MrJayremmie]

For those whose memory does not extend two years, it was said at the time that Durant would eventually win scoring titles and Oden would eventually win championships.

So far neither had done either, but at least in his rookie year Oden's team is making the playoffs. Durant's is not close.

I guess it depends on whether you prefer flashy numbers or team success. KP opted for team success and surely the Blazers have been more successful than OKC, unless your name is Mixum, in which case won-loss record does not count.

While what you say I partly agree with, If you look at it another way, I feel that Oden instead of Durant on OKC would actually make them a worse team, and KD on our team gives us a few more wins (doesn't make us a contender).

At least this is what I think.

 

[crandc]

While what you say I partly agree with, If you look at it another way, I feel that Oden instead of Durant on OKC would actually make them a worse team, and KD on our team gives us a few more wins (doesn't make us a contender).

At least this is what I think.

Another scorer might have given the Blazers a few more wins this year - no alternate universe, so we can't measuer Durant's scoring vs. Oden's rebounds/defense.

But KP did not draft for this year. He drafted for the next 5 or 7 or 10 years.

 

[Stevenson]

I don't get the answers here at all. I said 10. The question was - knowing what we know today, where would Greg be drafted? I can't imagine any GM drafting a guy who has had major knee surgery and so many other assorted other ailments that he is a part-time player at best at this point.

No way.

Don't get me wrong. I like Greg. But there is no doubt he is injury prone, at least to date.

 

[MrJayremmie]

Another scorer might have given the Blazers a few more wins this year - no alternate universe, so we can't measuer Durant's scoring vs. Oden's rebounds/defense.

But KP did not draft for this year. He drafted for the next 5 or 7 or 10 years.

I didn't say he didn't. I just also think that Durant can also win titles if placed on the right team. I think that we would have a few more wins this year w/ KD, and that for the future he is the "safer" pick as a sure fire great player, in my eyes. But I think Greg's style of basketball and the fact that he can be a dominant center in the future gives him the higher reward, but also the greater risk.

What they will both do in the future is obviously up for debate, though.

I don't get the answers here at all. I said 10. The question was - knowing what we know today, where would Greg be drafted? I can't imagine any GM drafting a guy who has had major knee surgery and so many other assorted other ailments that he is a part-time player at best at this point.

No way.

Don't get me wrong. I like Greg. But there is no doubt he is injury prone, at least to date.

IDK, man. That really wasn't a good/deep draft. I don't think Oden would slide past 2, as he has shown great flashes this year.

 

[mook]

The thing to remember about a mental exercise like this is that you have to remember you are seeing things from the snapshot of one moment in time, and that can really color things. Take Zach Randolph, for exmaple:

He was drafted at the 19th pick.

After his first season, he seemed like a fantastic steal for the Blazers, and could've gone as high as #2 (after Gasol) if they re-did the draft at that time.

Then he had the microfracture surgery, and at that point you probably would've taken 6 or 7 guys in the draft before him.

After the scandals, the disaster in New York, and yet more injuries, and the absurd contract, there are probably 29 guys in that 2001 draft you'd rather pay to have on your team. (Even Paul Allen, the guy with the deepest pockets in NBA, thought so.)

Hakeem was a bad #1 pick around 1994, although he looked like a great #1 pick in 1988. By 1997, he didn't look so bad again.

Draft day was Oden's high water mark so far. At this point, he'd likely be picked second. Two years from now though? Boy, that's a pretty tough call to make.

 

[xflavioVC15x]

If people knew what they know now about Oden there is no way in hell he would still be #1. Whats with all this hype talk. Oden's Hype is over only Portland fans believe that he will actually dominate in his career and just the things Durant is doing it's just too insane

 

[oldmangrouch]

Durant would have been the "safe" pick. Oden seemed to have the higher ceiling.....but having seen the depths of the basement floor, there is no way he would go #1 now.

 

[Denny Crane]

The thing to remember about a mental exercise like this is that you have to remember you are seeing things from the snapshot of one moment in time, and that can really color things. Take Zach Randolph, for exmaple:

He was drafted at the 19th pick.

After his first season, he seemed like a fantastic steal for the Blazers, and could've gone as high as #2 (after Gasol) if they re-did the draft at that time.

Then he had the microfracture surgery, and at that point you probably would've taken 6 or 7 guys in the draft before him.

After the scandals, the disaster in New York, and yet more injuries, and the absurd contract, there are probably 29 guys in that 2001 draft you'd rather pay to have on your team. (Even Paul Allen, the guy with the deepest pockets in NBA, thought so.)

Hakeem was a bad #1 pick around 1994, although he looked like a great #1 pick in 1988. By 1997, he didn't look so bad again.

Draft day was Oden's high water mark so far. At this point, he'd likely be picked second. Two years from now though? Boy, that's a pretty tough call to make.

With 20-20 hindsight, I'd draft Hakeem over Jordan again. And I'm a bulls fan/jordan fan.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

We thought we were getting a young Mutombo...

We got Dale Davis with injuries...