Going for number 1 in draft

[BankTeller]

No of course not, there are very few guarantees in life. Given health though, I'd be more optimistic about Portland's chances then I've been in decades. It would likely take a couple seasons before they'd be ready to make a run, but that would likely be a hell of a core to build around. All three of those guys are scorers, so the forwards could be long athletic types who can focus on D, boards and filling a lane.

That said, I am pretty much 100% positive no one will be trading this year's #1 overall pick for Dame or anything else teams might cobble together. VW is likely to be one of the biggest product endorsers in the world over the next decade and the franchise that has his rights will benefit handsomely.

STOMP

You cut everything else I said out of your quote. That point I was making about Ant + Sharpe + Wemby not guaranteeing anything in the short term was more in response to a quote in which someone said “I’m old and I want to see us win, trade Dame + our pick for Wemby so we can win soon”.

Of course I think Ant + Sharpe + Wemby would set us up for an entire decade.

 

[BankTeller]

I do think there is a pretty good chance that it is Joe's strategy but he won't pull it off and at that point I think we'll use both of our draft picks, trade Dame and let Grant walk.

We'll just have to wait and see.

I think there’s a good chance of this as well. That’s why I’m against trading the pick.

I would not be against upgrading the roster though. I’d just much rather trade our NYK pick to CHI, then trading Ant + picks to get that upgrade than trading the lottery pick.

 

[Strenuus]

People will learn, won't they?

 

[STOMP]

You cut everything else I said out of your quote. That point I was making about Ant + Sharpe + Wemby not guaranteeing anything in the short term was more in response to a quote in which someone said “I’m old and I want to see us win, trade Dame + our pick for Wemby so we can win soon”.

Of course I think Ant + Sharpe + Wemby would set us up for an entire decade.

Sorry, not my intention to show you up here though I too think that VW + Grant + Sharpe + Ant would (given health) make them an over 500 team next year at least. They'd certainly be the most intriguing team in the league and prominently featured in all things NBA. Such a core would probably have to age a couple seasons to begin their true contention run, but again no one is going to trade VW as he's a sure marketing juggernaut... the franchise that lands his rights is going to increase in value massively. Sigh... I guess they're just going to have to win the lotto and become contenders next year with Dame still in PDX ;-)

STOMP

 

[Tince]

What you said in your post was “Drafting someone with the #5 pick is unlikely to help us win with Dame nor is it likely to give us a contender with Sharpe.”

I’m saying trading the pick is more unlikely to help win with Dame. The main point of your posts have been about how trading for the pick for an upgrade should be Plan B while my point was drafting someone with the pick should be Plan B. So I don’t actually think what I said was what you said or were trying to say.

I actually think drafting the right guy is more likely to help Dame win (eventually) than trading that pick + more picks for an upgrade. Dame understood it was better to keep the pick than overpaying for OG last summer, I’m betting he’d understand it’s better to keep the pick than giving up multiple picks for whoever is available.

The quote you provided is correct. I stand by the statement that the odds of the #5 pick giving us a contender with Dame or Sharpe are unlikely. That is simply based off the type of player drafted at #5. What you believe is my main point, is incorrect. I've been summarizing what all the public comments point towards what Cronin's Plan B will likely be. I'm willing to wager if the Blazers get the #5 pick they will trade it. I'm also willing to wager they will resign Grant. Does that mean it's 100% sure thing? Of course not.

I disagree that a 20 year old rookie drafted at #5 is more likely to help a 32 year old win during the remainder of his career than an experienced/proven player one would expect to get in exchange for the #5 pick. Are there scenarios where the #5 pick is a better than right away than they player they get in return for the #5 pick? Yes. Not saying it's impossible, just saying it's not likely.