Groupthink 2024 Mock Draft: Pick #7 (PORTLAND!)

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Who should Portland take at #7?

  • Total voters
    53
  • Poll closed .
AmirIcon said:
- He's 18.
- He contributed mightily in the playoffs of a very competitive league.

I like his chances though it might take some time.
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I have no problem with Salaun. Just think there are way too many steps that have to go absolutely right for him to become decent in the NBA.

Would love it at 14.

At 7, I want a sure thing.
 
illmatic99 said:
I have no problem with Salaun. Just think there are way too many steps that have to go absolutely right for him to become decent in the NBA.

Would love it at 14.

At 7, I want a sure thing.
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Unfortunately you wanting a sure thing is the one thing this draft does not offer, anywhere. Which is why I've been saying if a team is convicted on a player, take him. Don't think you can get him lower. Take your guy and hope. For Portland fans, in Schmitz we hope.
 
illmatic99 said:
I have no problem with Salaun. Just think there are way too many steps that have to go absolutely right for him to become decent in the NBA.

Would love it at 14.

At 7, I want a sure thing.
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There are sure things in this draft, but they're things like "will have a ten-year career playing 10 mpg off the bench"
 
illmatic99 said:
i am almost 100% certain you have never watched a single full game of Knecht at Tennessee or Pat at Notre Dame with this comment.

as you were.
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Did you watch him when he was not a couple of years older than everyone he was playing against?

I didn't, because Northeast Colorado junior college games aren't televised in my area. :)
 
Ed O said:
Did you watch him when he was not a couple of years older than everyone he was playing against?

I didn't, because Northeast Colorado junior college games aren't televised in my area.
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Well clearly you're just a basketball lightweight.
 
As the draft gets closer I would be ok with Holland/Saluan/Williams at 7. I dont think Clingan falls to us but i would be ok with him too. If we could use Ant or Brogdon to get someone at 10ish pick for one of these 4 that would be great. Ant needs to go, need to start brining in some defense.
 
illmatic99 said:
At 7, I want a sure thing.
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This is the wrong draft for that. All the picks are about 10 spots worse than other years so we effectively have pick 17 and 24.

We should be open to either upside gamble or more likely valuable role player. Should take whoever has the best long term value. Just don't want a Knecht or Edey type that at best is a big stretch to be a good NBA role player.
 
oldfisherman said:
I can't decide.

They all look like $3 bills, that cost $10.
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If we could use our $3 to buy a $2 stock I'd jump at it.

Seems like no team wants to give up future picks for this draft.

Never know if a team will ultimately want to.reach on draft day so hopefully Joe is ready to trade out of this draft if that opportunity does arise.
 
SharpesTriumph said:
If we could use our $3 to buy a $2 stock I'd jump at it.

Seems like no team wants to give up future picks for this draft.

Never know if a team will ultimately want to.reach on draft day so hopefully Joe is ready to trade out of this draft if that opportunity does arise.
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Nobody is going to be giving anything of serious value to a team to trade out of this draft. And if you trust your scouting, the +10 picks thing is hogwash as well. Within reason (ie. don't go trading our unprotected '25 pick) this is the draft to go get your guys.
 
Ive heard that Holland is a mix of Brown & Butler. Take him at 7
 
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Hoopguru said:
Ive heard that Holland is a mix of Brown & Butler. Take him at 7
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If we stay at 7:

take Clinghan if he slips
or
take Holland

one of the two will be available

or trade back with Memphis or Utah if we know that they and Spurs don’t want Holland - get another second rounder out of one of them
 
Years back the Blazers had a good draft night, trading a pick and players and getting Brandon Roy and then trading again for #2 LaMarcus Aldridge*

If only we could have such a night again

Nabbing Clinghan and Risacher ;)

*The following trades involving drafted players were made on the day of the draft.

 
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Salaun. NBA body and probably still growing/filling out. Like his juumper
 
DRAFT NIGHT

Portland trades Grant and the 14th & 34th picks to the San Antonio Spurs for #4 selection and Tre Jones PG, Zach Collins PF, and Sochan, F

[Spurs still have #8 and #34 and have acquired combo-forward Jeremy Grant with four years remaining on his contract. A PG will fall to San Antonio at 8th]

ESPN TRADE MACHINE APPROVED

With the 4th pick of the 2024 NBA draft, the Portland Trailblazers select Donovan Clinghan of the University of Connecticut.
It’s not over!

With the 7th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Portland Trailblazers select Matas Buzelis of G League Ignite

Roster:

Ayton / Clinghan / Reath / Williams III
Buzelis / Collins / Walker
Sochan/ Camara / Murray
Simons / Sharpe / Brogdan / Rupert
Scoot / Banton / Tre Jones

what are we missing? who gets demoted or cut?

Players that we can move at the deadline:

Williams III
Brogdan
Simons
Ayton
Walker / Murray / Rupert / Jones / Reath / Collins

Core for the Rebuild:

Scoot
Sharp
Buzelis
Sochan
Clinghan
Camara
 
Samuel said:
I don’t mind moving up a couple of spots from 14 using our seconds; it’s the ‘trading up with our best players’ thing that I’m not cool with.
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Our best players are paid at or above their competence and they aren't good enough to make us good... with the potential exceptions of Ayton and Simons, they're too old to be valuable if/when our core grows up enough for us to be good again.

I know that leaves basically Grant and Brogdon, but the bottom line is that they are just taking up salary cap space and minutes and we're be better off, IMO, getting value for them now.

I'm not a huge fan of this draft, although I'm fascinated and excited to see who we get of course, and am not sure trading Grant and Brogdon for picks in this draft makes the most sense, but I'm in favor of getting value now than holding and hoping we can get something down the road.
 
TBpup said:
Williams seems like the 'safer' upside pick, but there is something intriguing about Salaun's potential and since Cronin seems to be a big 'swing for the fences' guy, I'll go with Salaun.
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I think I would rather go with the safer pick since Williams plays a position of need. However, taking Salaun would not disappoint me. I can at least see the logic. At the very least he looks like he would be an excellent defender with size., similar to how I feel about Holland, but at a different position.
 
Ed O said:
Our best players are paid at or above their competence and they aren't good enough to make us good... with the potential exceptions of Ayton and Simons, they're too old to be valuable if/when our core grows up enough for us to be good again.
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Oh, let me be clear—just because they're our best players doesn't make them super valuable necessarily. But we're already overcapitalized in this particular draft, which is risky/inconsistent at the top end. The reason people keep proposing these inane 'trade up a couple of spots with Anfernee Simons or Jerami Grant!' scenarios is because we've had nothing to talk about except this meh draft for months now.

It could very well be that the Blazers get value at 7 and 14, that'd be awesome. But dumping your already limited assets on guys who are 'maybe' marginally a tick better? Eh.

If you're going to get anything back for these expensive vets, look elsewhere. We're already full up on the 2024 draft, IMO.

The one trade up scenario that makes sense, in my opinion, is moving up a few spots from 14 with one of the two seconds or another fringe asset, as the Blazers will likely be on the outside of the block of wings available in that range at 14.
 
Pinwheel1 said:
I think I would rather go with the safer pick since Williams plays a position of need. However, taking Salaun would not disappoint me. I can at least see the logic. At the very least he looks like he would be an excellent defender with size., similar to how I feel about Holland, but at a different position.
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I want both. We have Tou at the three. We don't have a four penciled in as a starting 4 which Salaun would project to be. I'd be happy with getting both.
 
AmirIcon said:
I want both. We have Tou at the three. We don't have a four penciled in as a starting 4 which Salaun would project to be. I'd be happy with getting both.
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Yeah I would love to get both as well.
I do wonder though if Camara will end up being our backup 4. He is listed at 226 lbs with a 7+ wing.
His ball-handling skills seem to be closer to a PF than a wing, but he can guard either IMO
 
Pinwheel1 said:
Yeah I would love to get both as well.
I do wonder though if Camara will end up being our backup 4. He is listed at 226 lbs with a 7+ wing.
His ball-handling skills seem to be closer to a PF than a wing, but he can guard either IMO
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I think he's more of a 3 than a 4 and I think the goal is to have plus size at each position. He can play some 4 in a pinch though.
 
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AmirIcon said:
I think he's more of a 3 than a 4 and I think the goal is to have plus size at each position. He can play some 4 in a pinch though.
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I guess it will depend on who he is on the floor with. Especially at the opposite forward. In crunch time you have to have 3 players who can put the ball on the floor. Or in the playoffs when the pressure is dialed up.
 
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