The Bottom-Line: Start Batum And....

[ABM]

...trade Felton for, I don't know, Rick Brunson.

That is all.

 

[KingSpeed]

Get Nash for anyone other than Aldridge.

 

[DUB]

...trade Felton for, I don't know, Rick Brunson.

That is all.

MVP

 

[MickZagger]

^ Hey those are sweet kicks!

 

[MickZagger]

I think we should either draft a point this offseason, or go after Ramon Sessions who will likely be available.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I think we should either draft a point this offseason, or go after Ramon Sessions who will likely be available.

Maybe he was before he totally outplayed Chris Paul last night. We left it too late.

 

[Blazinaway]

I think we should either draft a point this offseason, or go after Ramon Sessions who will likely be available.

with out track record of scouting/drafting PG's that would be a huge mistake IMO. In fact besides changing our coach which I would like to do I think out talent/scouting needs changes as well, and a "real GM" might be nice as well with all the likely changes coming.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I agree with starting Batum- at SG. I'd also like to see Williams play more.

 

[WillG]

More Batum, less Nate.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

I agree with starting Batum- at SG. I'd also like to see Williams play more.

 

[illmatic99]

I think we should either draft a point this offseason,

We will.

2004- Telfair
2005- Jack
2006- Sergio
2007- Koponen
2008- Bayless
2009- Patty
2010- Armon, and Elliot to an extent
2011- Nolan

ugh.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Jesus, if that isn't an indictment of everyone in our front office over the last 8 years......

 

[Sinobas]

Jesus, if that isn't an indictment of everyone in our front office over the last 8 years......

Many of those were late round picks though. But our drafting over the last 10 years has certainly not secured many good players for us. LA and Batum are the only rotational players we drafted.

Rich Cho, who supposedly wanted to tear this team apart, is probably laughing at us.

 

[Blazer4ever]

I say it over and over again - insert Armon Johnson to the rotation. Give him 15 minutes behind Felton and most of our problem is solved. Crawford shouldn't play PG and shouldn't play these many minutes, make him a half-time SG behind Wesley.
There was a time last year when Armon was considered a huge promise. I personaly haven't seen him lose all that credit, maybe disappointing two or three times but didn't lose all his credit with me at least. Give him some time, try him! we tried Nolan Smith as a 10th player, at least give Armon a chance as a 10th player. I honestly think he'll be a big surprise and even if he stinks it up at least we know for sure we can let him go. Him being a low-cost big-success investment for another team after we just didn't let him play and after me repeating this "Armon" chant in almost every post I write would be just painful.

 

[blue32]

Crawford behind Mathews? No thanks. Mathews has been terrible lately. His shot mechanics are just plain terrible.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Rich Cho, who supposedly wanted to tear this team apart, is probably laughing at us.

If he is, it's only because he has to get high to forget that he works for the Charlotte Bobcats.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

We will.
2004- Telfair (at 13 - LOTTERY PICK!)
2005- Jack (at 22)
2006- Sergio (at 27)
2007- Koponen (at 30)
2008- Bayless (at 11 - LOTTERY PICK!)
2009- Patty (at 55!!! that was actually a good pick)
2010- Armon, and Elliot to an extent (okay, let's focus on Elliot at 22)
2011- Nolan (at 21)
ugh.

Ugh indeed. But let's see if there were better PGs to be had after those players were picked (glossing over, for the sake of our sanity, that we traded down in 2005 to avoid having to draft D-Will or Chris Paul) (PGs in bold, better players overall listed)
2004:

14. Utah                Kris Humphries
15. Boston              Al Jefferson
17. Atlanta             Josh Smith
18. New Orleans         J.R. Smith
19. Miami               Dorell Wright
20. Denver              [B]Jameer Nelson[/B]
24. Boston              Delonte West
25. Boston              Tony Allen
26. Sacramento          Kevin Martin
27. Lakers              Sasha Vujacic
28. San Antonio         [B]Beno Udrih[/B]
30. Orlando             Anderson Varejao
37. Atlanta             [B]Royal Ivey[/B]
38. Chicago             [B]Chris Duhon[/B]
43. New York            Trevor Ariza
50. Dallas             [B] Vassilis Spanoulis[/B] (the Tracy McGrady of Greece!  Or so he informed Van Gundy...)

2005:

26. Detroit             Jason Maxiell
27. Portland            Linas Kleiza
28. San Antonio         Ian Mahinmi
30. New York            David Lee
33. New Orleans	        Brandon Bass
34. Utah                C.J. Miles
36. Milwaukee           Ersan Ilyasova
37. Lakers              Ronny Turiaf
40. Golden State        [B]Monta Ellis[/B] (okay, not really a PG, but I'd play him at there over Jack!)
45. Philadelphia        [B]Louis Williams[/B] (ditto)
56. Detroit             Amir Johnson
57. Phoenix             Marcin Gortat

2006:

30. Portland            Joel Freeland
32. Houston             Steve Novak
36. Minnesota           Craig Smith
42. Cleveland           [B]Daniel GIbson[/B] (I actually like Sergio better than Boobie, but the latter is at least still in the NBA)
47. Utah                Paul Milsap

2007:

31. Seattle             Carl Landry
35. Seattle             Glen Davis
37. Portland            Josh McRoberts
38. Philadelphia        Kyrylo Fesenko
48. LA Lakers           Marc Gasol
49. Chicago             Aaron Gray
52. Portland            Taurean Green (hey, you forgot one of our PGs.  Who we picked over...)
56. Milwaukee           [B]Ramon Sessions[/B] (wasn't this Nate's call?)

2008:

24  Seattle Serge Ibaka - PF  
25  Houston  Nicolas Batum - SF  
26  San Antonio  [B]George Hill[/B] - PG  
35 Clippers DeAndre Jordan Texas A&M - C
36 Portland Omer Asik Turkey - C
37 Milwaukee Luc Richard Mbah a Moute UCLA - SF
45 San Antonio [B]Goran Dragic [/B]Slovenia - PG

Crappy draft, that one.
2009: you can't fault Patty at 55, so I'll focus instead on Claver at 22:

25.	Thunder		[B]Rodrigue Beaubois[/B]	PG
26.	Bulls		Taj Gibson		PF
33.	Trail Blazers	Dante Cunningham	PF
37.	Spurs		DeJuan Blair		PF
39.	Pistons		Jonas Jerebko		SF
41.	Bucks		Jodie Meeks		SG
43.	Heat		Marcus Thornton		SG
44.	Pistons		Chase Budinger		SG
45.	Timberwolves	[B]Nick Calathes		[/B]PG (not in the NBA yet, but that's because he's with Panathanaikos, one of the best non-NBA teams)
46.	Cavaliers	Danny Green		SF
55.	Trail Blazers	Patrick Mills		PG

2010:

28 	Memphis Grizzlies 	[B]Greivis Vasquez [/B]G, 6-6, 210 Maryland 
34 	Portland Trail Blazers 	Armon Johnson G, 6-3, 195 Nevada 
39 	New York Knicks 	Landry Fields F, 6-7, 210 Stanford 
52 	Boston Celtics  	Luke Harangody F, 6-7, 240 Notre Dame 
55 	Utah Jazz  		Jeremy Evans F, 6-9, 190 Western Kentucky (wow, the Jazz have always killed in the second round)

Pretty sucky draft also.
2011:

22.	Nuggets		Kenneth Faried		PF
23.	Rockets		Nikola Mirotic		SF (THIS is the one we will regret most in a couple of years, I predict)
24.	Thunder		[B]Reggie Jackson		[/B]PG
25.	Celtics		Marshon Brooks		SG
28.	Bulls		[B]Norris Cole		[/B]PG (this hurts right now, although I'm not sure Nate would give him any more time than he has Nolan)
33.	Pistons		Kyle Singler		SF
38.	Rockets		Chandler Parsons	SF (grr....)
40.	Bucks		Jon Leuer		PF
41.	Lakers		[B]Darius Morris		[/B]PG (not getting minutes for the Lakers, but I still like him, and he's an ACTUAL POINT GUARD)
44.	Warriors	Charles Jenkins		PG
46.	Lakers		Andrew Goudelock	SG
49.	Grizzlies	Josh Selby		PG
51.	Trail Blazers	Jon Diebler		SG (why did we draft this guy instead of either of the following:
55.	Celtics		E'Twaun Moore		SG
60.	Kings		[B]Isaiah Thomas		[/B]PG (getting more minutes than the Jimmer)

Overall, I have to say, there's not that many obviously better PGs that we could have had. Except for Ramon Sessions, and I remember hearing that our front office wanted him over Taurean Green, but Nate interceded. Anyone else remember that?

 

[BBert]

Overall, I have to say, there's not that many obviously better PGs that we could have had. Except for Ramon Sessions, and I remember hearing that our front office wanted him over Taurean Green, but Nate interceded. Anyone else remember that?

That was the story at the time. Epic fail.

 

[illmatic99]

Taking out 05, the 09 draft was a disaster. There were so many PGs to be had with teams just giving up guys like Lawson, and we were too afraid to trade guys like Rudy to get them. Claver was taken at 22, but look at the five picks ahead of him.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I don't know what to say about Batum. When even a homer like Wheels noticed today that in the first half "he gave absolutely nothing", there is a problem. He had absolutely no focus and intensity in the first half and in the first half is when we lost that game. The guy needs to prove that he can be consistent with 25 minutes a game before he gets 35 minutes a game.

 

[jlprk]

I predict that Batum is definitely gone this summer. He doesn't have to beg for a trade like Rudy, so he has the luxury of just silently waiting this season out.

 

[Blaze01]

Buchanan has proven to be a HORRIBLE talent evaluator....

 

[MickZagger]

Maybe he was before he totally outplayed Chris Paul last night. We left it too late.

They have to make a decision between him and Irving. Its obvious who they're choosing.

 

[Nikolokolus]

They have to make a decision between him and Irving. Its obvious who they're choosing.

Nate would hate Sessions, his D is almost as bad as Sergio's was.

 

[MickZagger]

Nate would hate Sessions, his D is almost as bad as Sergio's was.

Nate would be an idiot then. He would be an upgrade over Felton.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Nate would be an idiot then. He would be an upgrade over Felton.

 

[crowTrobot]

Get Nash for anyone other than Aldridge.

batum for an extended nash. not for a rental.

 

[Nikolokolus]

batum for an extended nash. not for a rental.

I wouldn't call Nic untouchable in a trade by any means, but you only get Nash (even with an extension) if you think you're a piece away from a deep playoff push. You get dramatically younger and stockpile picks if you think it's time to blow it up and start over. I'd argue we're closer to the latter part of the spectrum than the former.

 

[crowTrobot]

I you only get Nash (even with an extension) if you think you're a piece away from a deep playoff push.

dunno what we'd end up with left on the bench, but i think our starting 5 would be contender material with nash right now. would start crawchuck at SG with him.

 

[Nikolokolus]

dunno what we'd end up with left on the bench, but i think our starting 5 would be contender material with nash right now. would start crawchuck at SG with him.

I guess it depends on how you define the term "contender." Are we talking about beating the Heat or Bulls in a seven game series? The Thunder? The Spurs (with a healthy Ginobli)? ... I dunno.