Poll o' the day: Playoffs or Pick?

[Rastapopoulos]

Would you rather get into the playoffs or miss them and move up in the lottery to get the #3 pick? (I'm talking specifically about now, not any other year with a better draft.)

 

[hoopsjock]

Would you rather get into the playoffs or miss them and move up in the lottery to get the #3 pick? (I'm talking specifically about now, not any other year with a better draft.)

Depends on the playoff format.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Depends on the playoff format.

Explain.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

We could move up to #4 too.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

We could move up to #4 too.

Explain.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If you pick the pick, you have to say whom you want to pick (and it can't be Anthony Edwards, because he'll definitely be gone by then).

 

[kjironman1]

Screw the playoffs take the pick!

 

[Scalma]

Either one is fine tbh.

 

[e_blazer]

I really don’t get the thinking of skipping the playoffs. I could be talked into that viewpoint if Nurk and Collins weren’t going to be available, but with those two guys it’s a whole new team. Depth is now great and defense should improve dramatically.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I don't think we have a wing to be able to contend so id rather have the guatanteed 3rd pick if that were possible.

Although just missing the playoffs means we get something like the 13th pick instead of 17th. I'd rather make the playoffs.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Toppin or Okongwu.

 

[Scalma]

I really don’t get the thinking of skipping the playoffs. I could be talked into that viewpoint if Nurk and Collins weren’t going to be available, but with those two guys it’s a whole new team. Depth is now great and defense should improve dramatically.

If there’s a play in tournament I think Portland makes it. They have the experience Memphis and some of the other bubble teams don’t, and the depth will be huge in the front court. 48 minutes of Nurk and Whiteside? Sign me up.

 

[e_blazer]

If there’s a play in tournament I think Portland makes it. They have the experience Memphis and some of the other bubble teams don’t, and the depth will be huge in the front court. 48 minutes of Nurk and Whiteside? Sign me up.

Collins and Melo is pretty nice too.

 

[Scalma]

Collins and Melo is pretty nice too.

yeah Collins is actually the perfect guy to put next to Melo as he’s a more agile defender than Whiteside and can cover more floor. I wonder if Stotts would try Melo out more at SF.

 

[riverman]

pic doesn't interest me this draft at all...playoffs. I like the idea of scouting the G league more than the draft for roster filler...Hoard was a pleasant surprise I'd like to see stick with the Blazers over another rookie project.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

yeah Collins is actually the perfect guy to put next to Melo as he’s a more agile defender than Whiteside and can cover more floor. I wonder if Stotts would try Melo out more at SF.

Melo at his peak was probably best at PF, now he's way to slow. Maybe for a few minutes against bench units.

 

[BonesJones]

Explain.

The lottery is done through 4 picks now, not 3.

 

[hoopsjock]

Explain.

If there's a play-in tournament and there is say one game to determine who gets the 8th seed and play the Lakers then I'd say I'd probably rather have the #3 pick.

If they seed the top-16 regardless of conference and most of the regular season gets finished and the Blazers move up to 14th or something where we play Toronto or Denver or whatever then I'd like the playoff option.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Explain.

Starting last year, the lottery selects 4 picks, not 3.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

The lottery is done through 4 picks now, not 3.

Huh. I guess I missed that.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Now I look at the standings, I guess I was fooling myself about how likely it was that we could make it in. We're four losses behind Memphis (and even two losses behind Orlando) and practically tied with Sacramento (who, we probably forget, were red hot) and New Orleans. Getting Nurk and Collins back would probably break our stride at first rather than immediately help, too.

 

[illmatic99]

this shit draft, or a healthy (- Hood) and rested blazer team? gimme playoffs all day

 

[PtldPlatypus]

If it were just the 14 pick, then I'd definitely want the playoffs. But in the non-existent hypothetical in which we'd definitely receive a #3 pick, yeah, I'd take that.

 

[oldmangrouch]

If you can't find a useful player with the #3 pick, even in a weak draft, it's time to look for a new GM.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If you can't find a useful player with the #3 pick, even in a weak draft, it's time to look for a new GM.

Examples of top 3 picks in recent drafts:
Evan Turner (2010)
Derrick Williams (2011)
MKG (2012)
Anthony Bennett (2013)
Jabari Parker (2014)
Jahlil Okafor (2015)
2016 were pretty good, but Dragan Bender was #4
Markelle Fultz (2017)
Marvin Bagley (2018)

And none of those were supposed to be as weak as this one.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Examples of top 3 picks in recent drafts:
Evan Turner (2010)
Derrick Williams (2011)
MKG (2012)
Anthony Bennett (2013)
Jabari Parker (2014)
Jahlil Okafor (2015)
2016 were pretty good, but Dragan Bender was #4
Markelle Fultz (2017)
Marvin Bagley (2018)

And none of those were supposed to be as weak as this one.

And what was the job status 3 years later of the GM's who made those picks?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

And what was the job status 3 years later of the GM's who made those picks?

GMs get fired for stupid reasons and retained for stupid reasons. Owners aren't known for their cool rationality. Especially if it was the owner who pushed for that pick, as often happens.

 

[BonesJones]

Now I look at the standings, I guess I was fooling myself about how likely it was that we could make it in. We're four losses behind Memphis (and even two losses behind Orlando) and practically tied with Sacramento (who, we probably forget, were red hot) and New Orleans. Getting Nurk and Collins back would probably break our stride at first rather than immediately help, too.

Break our stride...? How would replacing Caleb Swanigan and Mario Hezonja with Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins break our stride?

 

[HailBlazers]

Screw the playoffs take the pick!

With Zach and Nurk we can beat the Fakers!