Nolan Smith?

[Rastapopoulos]

I wish the Blazers could have got another pick and got Mirotic. Then we'd've had the high floor AND the high ceiling, and we could say for five years, "it's too early to judge the 2011 draft!"

 

[Pinwheel1]

I'm still in shock over last night's draft. I just don't understand the Nolan Smith pick. Not only was he picked early, but he doesn't appear to fit the needs of the team. Is he a true PG who can run an offense? No. Is he a bullseye shooter than can spread the floor? No. In terms of our back court, those are the qualities we desperately need.

Smith reminds me of a Wesley Matthews type of guy. Blue collar/carry my lunch pail to work type of guy. Does a lot of things pretty well, but nothing more than above average. If we didn't already have Wesley Matthews then this would be a decent pick I guess. But we do, and if you feel like I do (that Smith is a huge long shot to be a PG) then this just looks like a disaster. Are we EVER going to try and balance out our roster? How can this franchise be so clueless?

Well I wanted a Monta Ellis type at PG. I think we need a scorer at that position. So the more I see the more I like. I also like this:

“On a day when you’re gonna reach your dream, the best way to feel comfortable about your situation that night is to be in the gym,” said Smith, who declared for the draft without hiring an agent after Duke won the national championship in 2010 but pulled his name out to return to school for his senior season.
“That’s where you’ve been your whole life up until the draft, and that’s where you should be on draft day,” he added. “I didn’t want to take a day off.”

 

[Kaydow]

Well I wanted a Monta Ellis type at PG. I think we need a scorer at that position. So the more I see the more I like. I also like this:

“On a day when you’re gonna reach your dream, the best way to feel comfortable about your situation that night is to be in the gym,” said Smith, who declared for the draft without hiring an agent after Duke won the national championship in 2010 but pulled his name out to return to school for his senior season.
“That’s where you’ve been your whole life up until the draft, and that’s where you should be on draft day,” he added. “I didn’t want to take a day off.”

Like I said, you HOPE he projects into a Wesley Matthews. A guy who wills himself to be a better-than-average player. We don't need two over-achieving
SG's, even if Roy is done. If he isn't, you have at least 4 SGs on your roster. Nolan Smith is not a PG people. Anymore than Bayless was.

In a different scenario, I could be happy with Smith. But he doesn't give us anything we don't already have, and we still have some GAPING holes in our roster. Fail. Fail. Fail.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Good (old) read about Smith and his late father.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?id=3196773

 

[B-Roy]

Like I said, you HOPE he projects into a Wesley Matthews. A guy who wills himself to be a better-than-average player. We don't need two over-achieving
SG's, even if Roy is done. If he isn't, you have at least 4 SGs on your roster. Nolan Smith is not a PG people. Anymore than Bayless was.

In a different scenario, I could be happy with Smith. But he doesn't give us anything we don't already have, and we still have some GAPING holes in our roster. Fail. Fail. Fail.

This, this this.

But since the Blazers have already committed, they might as well see what they have...

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Nolan Smith is not a PG people. Anymore than Bayless was.
.

I couldnt disagree more. Did you watch Duke play the last few years?

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

The more I read the more I like this guy.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...tml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

Drafted too high, but he will be better than either Mills or Johnson


Poor value, good player

Well stated.

I think it's safe to say in this weak draft class that when we take our "draft goggles" off and realize that outside of Irving, none of these guys like Kemba, Nolan Smith, Morris, Cole, Reggie Jackson, Selby, etc. will likely ever be able to hold Andre Miller's or Felton's jock straps as they were all backup PGs or starters on horrible teams given this weak group of prospects this year. So getting any of them was just a matter of finding someone who could beat out Patty or Armon for that backup role for us, and finding the guy who was the least amount of risk of being that solid backup type of guy. I think they did that with Smith (and who would know better than a guy who knows this stuff better than any GM out there in Buchanon?).

 

[jwhoops11]

Nolan Smith is:

3 year starter for one of the best if not the best college basketball programs

Starting Guard on a national championship team

2011 ACC player of the Year

2011 First team All American

20 years ago this type of solid, if not outstanding, college basketball player would have been an absolute steal this low in the draft. But now we all get excited about potential, the younger the better. Problem is at 21 potential has a lot higher chance to bust then it does to be reached. I'm thrilled to draft a guy who is a piece to the puzzle, someone accomplished, mature and a winner. I think he'll fit in well, do what's asked of him and be a nice contributor to the team. Will he be star, probably not, but ask any fan that remembers the team from '89-90 how important Danny Young was to that squad. Nolan Smith can be Danny Young.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Hahahaha....Fail

At Basketball Prospectus, @kpelton says Nolan Smith ranks dead last among 1st round picks in terms of projected warp

 

[PapaG]

Player 'A'

6'1" in shoes
5'11" barefoot
184 lbs.
6'3.5" wingspan
max vert - 39"
Bench press - 7 reps

2011 stats playing for an elite program
23.5 ppg
5.4 rpg
4.5 apg
43% FG
33% 3ptFG
81% FT
1.9 spg
3.4 FTA/game

This team that drafted this player in the lottery was given an "A+" by Ben Golliver, and is called a PG.

Player B

6'3.5" with shoes
6'1.5" barefoot
188 lbs.
6'5.5" wingspan
34" max vertical
Benchpress - 9 reps

2011 stats playing for an elite program

20.6 ppg
4.5 rpg
5.1 apg
46% FG
35% 3pt FG
81% FT
1.2 spg
6 FTA/game

The team that drafted this player in the low-20s is being widely panned for drafting him too high. This player is not considered a PG. Ben Golliver gives this team a "C", and other sites are giving this team a failing grade.

 

[B-Roy]

^ Because college stats are clearly the most important factor when drafting prospects.

 

[PapaG]

^ Because college stats are clearly the most important factor when drafting prospects.

Everybody seems to be wanting Faried because of his college stats. Or, is it because he is undersized, has limited offensive skills, and didn't really defend in college? Without his college stats, Faried wouldn't even be on anybody's radar.

Plus, production does matter quite a bit, since it is a great way to see how players stack up against a similar talent pool. Would Jimmer Fredette have been a lottery pick out of HS? Brandon Roy? Dwyane Wade? Chris Paul? Deron Williams? Adam Morrison?

I'll take your post to mean that you don't really have a gripe, other than for griping.

Why not give Smith a chance to prove himself? All of this whining about wasting value and such seems irrelevant. It's Paul Allen's money, and maybe the team did try to move down, but couldn't.

 

[B-Roy]

Everybody seems to be wanting Faried because of his college stats. Or, is it because he is undersized, has limited offensive skills, and didn't really defend in college? Without his college stats, Faried wouldn't even be on anybody's radar.

Plus, production does matter quite a bit, since it is a great way to see how players stack up against a similar talent pool. Would Jimmer Fredette have been a lottery pick out of HS? Brandon Roy? Dwyane Wade? Chris Paul? Deron Williams? Adam Morrison?

I'll take your post to mean that you don't really have a gripe, other than for griping.

Why not give Smith a chance to prove himself? All of this whining about wasting value and such seems irrelevant. It's Paul Allen's money, and maybe the team did try to move down, but couldn't.

I didn't say it didn't matter. I said it wasn't the most important factor, and since that's the ONLY factor you seemed to take into account, that's what I was responding to.

 

[PapaG]

Look at Faried's draft measurements.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kenneth-Faried-5325/

Without his stats at Morehead State, he'd be an absolute nobody in terms of the NBA.

Yet stats don't matter...

 

[PapaG]

I didn't say it didn't matter. I said it wasn't the most important factor, and since that's the ONLY factor you seemed to take into account, that's what I was responding to.

Did you read the physical measurements that I posted, and combine results?

How are those college stats?

Measurements and stats. Not sure how you missed the measurements, since they are the ONLY factor, either.

Measurements, stats, workouts, interviews, watch video. What other factors are there?

 

[jwhoops11]

Everybody seems to be wanting Faried because of his college stats. Or, is it because he is undersized, has limited offensive skills, and didn't really defend in college? Without his college stats, Faried wouldn't even be on anybody's radar.

Plus, production does matter quite a bit, since it is a great way to see how players stack up against a similar talent pool. Would Jimmer Fredette have been a lottery pick out of HS? Brandon Roy? Dwyane Wade? Chris Paul? Deron Williams? Adam Morrison?
.

This is actually a really good point. Stats actually do matter to me when judging a college player, IF they played in a major conference against top flight competition, and their is a body of work to show they are improving. Nolan Smith produced against the best college players in the nation, over a 4 year period. That does mean something to me and should to NBA scouts.

 

[PapaG]

Smith has a nice crossover. Looks like he can at least create some offense for himself.



[video=youtube;9vkTNlAsdPQ]

 

[B-Roy]

Measurements, stats, workouts, interviews, watch video. What other factors are there?

Skillset isn't measured by stats and measurements. Certain skills translate better to the NBA than others, and you can't tell by looking at stats or measurements.

The one hope I have is that Nolan Smith moves somewhat like Darren Collison, so hopefully he can prove me wrong, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Spud147]

If nothing else he sure won't ever be a locker room cancer. He sounds like a great guy and he spent 4 years in college in a program with outstanding coaching. I think he'll turn out to have a very high basketball IQ and a gym rat who's going to spend off seasons continuing to work on improving his game.

He may not have the athletic ability people wanted but I bet the Blazers will be able to play him right away next season and he's probably not going to make a ton of mistakes or hurt the team when he's in there. That's all I could ask from a bench player. Just go out there and maintain the lead while the starters rest. At the 22nd pick what more could you want?!?

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=nolan

 

[PapaG]

[video=youtube;NiWk56MzXIg]

 

[B-Roy]

Also, I see you conveniently left off turnovers. Smith averaged 3.2, Kemba averaged 2.3.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't think there's any debate that Nolan Smith is/was a great college player ... it's whether or not he can be a great NBA player.

 

[PapaG]

Skillset isn't measured by stats and measurements. Certain skills translate better to the NBA than others, and you can't tell by looking at stats or measurements.

The one hope I have is that Nolan Smith moves somewhat like Darren Collison, so hopefully he can prove me wrong, but I'm not holding my breath.

Have you ever watched Smith play? Seriously, have you?

Plus, I added that workouts and video also matter. Are you having trouble reading for comprehension today?

 

[PapaG]

I don't think there's any debate that Nolan Smith is/was a great college player ... it's whether or not he can be a great NBA player.

I sure hope that nobody expects him to be a great NBA player. That's a ridiculous expectation for him.

 

[B-Roy]

Have you ever watched Smith play? Seriously, have you?

Plus, I added that workouts and video also matter. Are you having trouble reading for comprehension today?

You added it after I questioned you. And yes, I saw his NCAA games and videos.

I also find it convenient you leave off many of the stats that favor Walker over Smith. PER is another stat where Walker's 29.58 bested Smith's 26.35.

 

[PapaG]

Also, I see you conveniently left off turnovers. Smith averaged 3.2, Kemba averaged 2.3.

My bad. I really didn't even consider it, and I should have. Walker is a lottery pick and is being hailed as a great pick; Smith was picked 21st and is getting killed by "fans" of his new team.

I'd hope Walker is a better player than Smith, since he was drafted far before Smith.

Stats don't matter anyhow.

 

[B-Roy]

My bad. I really didn't even consider it, and I should have. Walker is a lottery pick and is being hailed as a great pick; Smith was picked 21st and is getting killed by "fans" of his new team.

I don't think he's getting killed as a player. At least for me, it's disappointing because I think there were bigger needs to be addressed, and because he's not a great value where he was picked.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I sure hope that nobody expects him to be a great NBA player. That's a ridiculous expectation for him.

How about adequate? I'm not so sure about that either.

 

[RR7]

I don't think he's getting killed as a player. At least for me, it's disappointing because I think there were bigger needs to be addressed, and because he's not a great value where he was picked.

Two needs most saw we had were a backup 4 and a backup 1. We addressed one of those.