Keeping our pick? This might be a Lottery year

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Make the pick for the Future.....or trade it for 'now'?

  • One last attempt

  • Build for the future....one player won't make enough of a difference

  • Get bad enough to where the pick makes an immediate impact

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JDC said:
I think the only notable weakness that sticks out to me about Duren (considering his role/skillset) is his footwork and extension when he has his back to the basket or he has a body between him and the rim. His touch when he faces the basket isn't bad but it really falls off when he's having to turn and find the rim.

It's not a huge issue as I really don't project him to be a post player. But as a big in the playoffs, I think we've seen that its still pretty important to be able to beat a switch more than just as an offensive rebounder. Harder to stay on the floor if you're not at the level where you're dictating the lineup the other team has to put on the floor.
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Agree and I think Watford does ok in those area facing up and backing down. His handle and touch are impressive for a young player. His footwork and start/stop are good imo.
 
Pinwheel1 said:
Thank you for doing that. I trust you more than most and I have a small bet with 3 of my closest college friends. I like kicking their asses and I need all the input I get can since I have not watched many non-Pac12 games this year until these last two weeks.
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Of course! I apologize in advance if my picks suck haha. Been riding a hot streak for three years and don't know when it'll end.
 
There are a lot of guys in this draft who could be great Billups guys. After the three PFs of whom only Chet strikes me as not so much of a Billups guy, you have about twenty good prospects that project as multidimensional offensive players who can switch well onto other positions than the ones they've been slotted into. If we were committed to a rebuild around Ant and whoever we could get for Dame there would be some tough decisions to make when it came time to draft with what really looks to be both of our two lottery picks. However, Cronin has said very clearly that the team is committed to building a contender around Dame now. So unless one of those two top prospect PFs that are Billups guys are available, I don't think anyone else is really someone who will immediately help to build a contender around Dame.

So it's not worth really getting too deep into it until May 17th but I doubt we keep either pick unless Paolo or Jabari are there or our front office (whoever the fuck that might be) falls in love with another prospect or decides against Cronin's plan of action to stick with Dame. I actually think that despite the fact that "this might be a lottery year" and a double lottery year at that, we might see our team not "keeping our pick"s at all by draft day and instead using our picks, plus possibly taking the conditions off of the pick we owe Chicago for next year by trading that late second rounder we have to them so we can trade the lottery picks we have this year and future firsts for a star caliber player with some picks and the contracts of Bledsoe and Hart and then some picks and the TPE to pick up another starting caliber player.

For instance if Toronto liked the player available at our top pick we might see the first of our two lotto picks, our 2025 first and 2027 first going to Toronto for Siakam. Then we might see our second lotto pick and our 2029 first going to Detroit for Grant. I know most see both of those guys as PFs but both are very adept at playing either forward spot and would be like a very supercharged version of Moe and Chief.

So we don't use either pick for ourselves and come away with a rotation of something like Dame, Ant, Grant, Siakam, Nurk, Nas, Winslow, a free agent big and whoever pops out of all of our returning young guys and our early second rounder. Honestly that first seven with one quality big added to them is a championship rotation.
 
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Since we would like the Blazes to get the best pick possible, along with getting 2 Lottery picks, why not go all the way. IF...the Blazers where to get into the Top-3, and Detroit were to drop out of the Top-4, there might be a scenario where the Blazers could get Grant (still not a huge fan) and still have 2 Lottery picks.

Cunningham wants Banchero. If Portland got say #3 and Detroit fell to #5 (as long as the other team not moving in front of them is NOP), could the Blazers get Grant for a swap of Lottery picks since Chet and Smith would likely be gone. We trade the #3 for the #5 and Grant. Or, to make it more interesting, what if we traded the #3 for Grant and the Pistons unprotected pick next year in what is supposed to be a deeper Draft? They would get #3 and #5 this year, and we would get around #9 (Duren, Mathurin, etc), Grant, and a Lottery pick next year.

A bit of a risk, but next year's Draft is supposed to be very good. Of course a lot would have to fall into place for Portland, but it was an interesting discussion someone proposed last night.
 
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illmatic99 said:
I don't care for some of their comps but love the interface and the thorough nature of this. Always a good resource.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/

It's live.
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They have Baylor's Jeremy Sochan #9--I haven't seen him in the lottery in any other mock I've looked at. You were mentioning yesterday that the Blazers need to find a Scottie Barnes-type player; could he be that?
 
PtldPlatypus said:
They have Baylor's Jeremy Sochan #9--I haven't seen him in the lottery in any other mock I've looked at. You were mentioning yesterday that the Blazers need to find a Scottie Barnes-type player; could he be that?
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I have no idea why he's ranked so much higher than Agbaji or Eason tbh. Need to read more about him. I dont see him as a high level prospect like Barnes from what i have seen.

Mock drafts tend to be an exercise in group think. I like when some sources deviate from the norm.
 
Sochan is long and super live body. Great defender and has range out to 3 point land. Interesting prospect.
 
As others have said mentioned him I have watched more and more Jalen Duren highlights and have become obsessed with drafting this kid. Right now, even in his raw form, he would be a menace and contributor both offensively down low with lobs and dunks, rebounding (offensively and defensively) and the defensive end with rim protection and moving his feet. With some polishing this kid could be a Bam or Dwight Howard kind of player. And dude is still 18. I have a feeling his stock is going to rise if he participates in the combine.
 
Boise Blazer said:
As others have said mentioned him I have watched more and more Jalen Duren highlights and have become obsessed with drafting this kid. Right now, even in his raw form, he would be a menace and contributor both offensively down low with lobs and dunks, rebounding (offensively and defensively) and the defensive end with rim protection and moving his feet. With some polishing this kid could be a Bam or Dwight Howard kind of player. And dude is still 18. I have a feeling his stock is going to rise if he participates in the combine.
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this guy is kinda dorky but makes great scouting vids. Put this out on Sunday.

 
illmatic99 said:
this guy is kinda dorky but makes great scouting vids. Put this out on Sunday.

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Yeah he does make great videos. I wish he would make more on the 2022 draft but those will probably be coming as time passes.
 
blazerfan11 said:
Yeah he does make great videos. I wish he would make more on the 2022 draft but those will probably be coming as time passes.
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It's lofty praise for Duren. He says JD has DPOY potential. He's the youngest player projected to go in the first round, I dunno how to project his potential.

On one hand, his stats compare very favorably to guys like Bam and Oden in their first years of college. On the other, he just looks so raw to me.
 
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illmatic99 said:
It's lofty praise for Duren. He says JD has DPOY potential. He's the youngest player projected to go in the first round, I dunno how to project his potential.

On one hand, his stats compare very favorably to guys like Bam and Oden in their first years of college. On the other, he just looks so raw to me.
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The little I have now watched of him, kind of reminds me a little of Onyeka Okungwu on Atlanta. Looks slightly bigger. Although, we'll see once he gets officially measured at the combine.
 
illmatic99 said:
It's lofty praise for Duren. He says JD has DPOY potential.
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Funny you should mention that. I was thinking earlier today, Duren is reminiscent of Ben Wallace, in terms of length, physicality, build, and rawness. Whether or not he can be that level of defender was my biggest question.

In addition to the Pistons coaching connections at Memphis, I imagine Billups would love to have a big that plays like his old anchor in the middle.
 
Is Jalen Duren better than Mitchell Robinson? Robinson was drafted in the 2nd round. I've seen some opinions that his age is the main reason Jalen Duren might be picked in the top 10. That there are other guys in the draft who are similar, just don't have the same "potential.".
 
blazerfan11 said:
Is Jalen Duren better than Mitchell Robinson? Robinson was drafted in the 2nd round. I've seen some opinions that his age is the main reason Jalen Duren might be picked in the top 10. That there are other guys in the draft who are similar, just don't have the same "potential.".
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I think they're a bit different stylistically
 
handiman said:
Funny you should mention that. I was thinking earlier today, Duren is reminiscent of Ben Wallace, in terms of length, physicality, build, and rawness. Whether or not he can be that level of defender was my biggest question.

In addition to the Pistons coaching connections at Memphis, I imagine Billups would love to have a big that plays like his old anchor in the middle.
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Forgot that Sheed was asst coach in Memphis behind Penny. Great reminder. Chaunceys got an inside connection for scouting
 
7th in draft order and closing in on Sac... if they can stop kinging it up. I honestly think that if we sit Hart after this next game against the Nets that we will be able to drop enough games to get to the 6th spot which would be nice and then we can all be on pins and needles on May 17th.
 
The Kings don't have a lot of opportunities for wins left. The easier games they do have, are all on the road.
After games at home against BOS and PHX, they have a stretch on the road of Indiana, Orlando, Miami, and then two against Houston.

After that, it is all pretty tough games. They need to win 2-3 of those road games, (not a very King like thing to do) to pass the Blazers in wins and allow for the accidental Portland victory.

Indiana seems too far away.
 
TBpup said:
The Kings don't have a lot of opportunities for wins left. The easier games they do have, are all on the road.
After games at home against BOS and PHX, they have a stretch on the road of Indiana, Orlando, Miami, and then two against Houston.

After that, it is all pretty tough games. They need to win 2-3 of those road games, (not a very King like thing to do) to pass the Blazers in wins and allow for the accidental Portland victory.

Indiana seems too far away.
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It's just frustrating seeing a team with De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Harrison Barnes, Davion Mitchell, Richaun Holmes, Justin Holiday, et al, continue to lose at the same rate our 4th stringers do. Those guys are legit players; they should be able to win a couple games, dangit!
 
PtldPlatypus said:
It's just frustrating seeing a team with De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Harrison Barnes, Davion Mitchell, Richaun Holmes, Justin Holiday, et al, continue to lose at the same rate our 4th stringers do. Those guys are legit players; they should be able to win a couple games, dangit!
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Certainly talent there, but they are woefully lacking in a closer.... and have been for years.

Kinging it is definitely a thing.
 
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