Why draft picks will always have value

[Natebishop3]

For those of you who say you'd rather be in the playoffs than have some mid-range draft pick -

We had a mid-to-late draft pick last season (#23) and guess what it yielded?

Mason Plumlee.

The only guy who is actually performing in the playoffs right now. The guy who had 17 points off 5-7 shooting, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and a block last night.

So don't automatically assume that a draft pick = young player that can't/won't contribute. That pick is an asset, and it could be used to acquire a rotation player.

 

[Orion Bailey]

For those of you who say you'd rather be in the playoffs than have some mid-range draft pick -

We had a mid-to-late draft pick last season (#23) and guess what it yielded?

Mason Plumlee.

The only guy who is actually performing in the playoffs right now. The guy who had 17 points off 5-7 shooting, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and a block last night.

So don't automatically assume that a draft pick = young player that can't/won't contribute. That pick is an asset, and it could be used to acquire a rotation player.

My question to you is this...

Do you think the Playoffs have no value to this young team? If so, please explain your thoughts that this experience is meaningless compared to the draft pick?

Otherwise your just beating a dead horse that we have all argued about for basically the whole season....

 

[Natebishop3]

My question to you is this...

Do you think the Playoffs have no value to this young team? If so, please explain your thoughts that this experience is meaningless compared to the draft pick?

Otherwise your just beating a dead horse that we have all argued about for basically the whole season....

That value is worthless if half of those players are gone next season.

Hendo
Harkless
Crabbe
Leonard

Dame already had experience.
CJ had experience.
Aminu had experience.

That experience is negligible if the roster changes significantly next season. And our two best players have been to the playoffs, how are they doing right now? I honestly think "getting playoff experience" is one of the most overrated ideas among fans.

 

[Orion Bailey]

That value is worthless if half of those players are gone next season.

Hendo
Harkless
Crabbe
Leonard

Dame already had experience.
CJ had experience.
Aminu had experience.

That experience is negligible if the roster changes significantly next season. And our two best players have been to the playoffs, how are they doing right now? I honestly think "getting playoff experience" is one of the most overrated ideas among fans.

Did you meet with NO and he said that those guys wont be resigned?

Your statement is based off of an if and that doesn't cut it. So if the bulk of the team is back next season then what?

 

[tester551]

That pick is an asset, and it could be used to acquire a rotation player.

That's exactly why we don't have the pick. That "rotation player" (aka - Afflalo) blew up in our face.

 

[Strenuus]

Nope. Playoffs > Pick.

Oh wait, I mean...

Not.
Swayed.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Nope. Playoffs > Pick.

Oh wait, I mean...

Not.
Swayed.

Check your in box yo!

 

[santeesioux]

I don't see how showing our young players how to get blown out and swept in four games is more valuable than a draft pick.

 

[Natebishop3]

Nope. Playoffs > Pick.

Oh wait, I mean...

Not.
Swayed.

Yeah, but you also said that LaMarcus wasn't leaving, so your credibility hasn't regenerated yet

 

[Natebishop3]

Did you meet with NO and he said that those guys wont be resigned?

Your statement is based off of an if and that doesn't cut it. So if the bulk of the team is back next season then what?

But you ignored the fact that our guys with the playoff experience are the ones playing like crap, so why is it so valuable?

 

[Orion Bailey]

I don't see how showing our young players how to get blown out and swept in four games is more valuable than a draft pick.

Sometimes you need to sniff the agony of defeat in order to figure out how to win. This happens all the time. Very rare for a bunch of new guys with no experience to get to the finals. It usually takes a year or two of early exits to get the experience enough to know what to do the next time around.

Personally, I don't see how people think the playoffs aren't a worthy experience.

 

[Orion Bailey]

But you ignored the fact that our guys with the playoff experience are the ones playing like crap, so why is it so valuable?

I didnt ignore, I dismissed. BEcuase alot of their game is predicated on the rest of the team. Poor screening, off the ball movement, etc. Our youngs are deers caught in the headlights and you cant expect Dame and CJ to overcome all that by themselves. They were keyed in on because everyone else sucked...

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

It will be valuable if we win one game. If we are swept in blowouts of every game, i think you cross that line where it might be more detrimental than positive.

 

[Orion Bailey]

It will be valuable if we win one game. If we are swept in blowouts of every game, i think you cross that line where it might be more detrimental than positive.

The pick or the experience?

 

[santeesioux]

Yeah, getting swept is just teaching them how to be losers, which isn't good either.

 

[Natebishop3]

Sometimes you need to sniff the agony of defeat in order to figure out how to win. This happens all the time. Very rare for a bunch of new guys with no experience to get to the finals. It usually takes a year or two of early exits to get the experience enough to know what to do the next time around.

Personally, I don't see how people think the playoffs aren't a worthy experience.

The only thing worthy about this experience is that it has horribly exposed our team's deficiencies. I think Neil has a pretty clear picture of our strengths and weaknesses. As far as the players go, I'm not sure how you can quantify or qualify the value because each person learns differently, and we have no way of knowing how these guys internalize this experience.

This is Dame's 4th playoff series, and I don't see any tangible benefit manifesting in his play. His defense has been mediocre. His shooting has been horrible. He has been forcing things. He has made mental errors. Where exactly is the benefits that we should be seeing from all his playoff experience?

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

The pick or the experience?

The experience. Getting blown out repeatedly im not sure it will help much. It could, but im skeptical. If the young guys get a taste of playoff victory, i think it would make the experience much much more valuable.

Ive been a big proponent of keeping the pick most of the year (in hopes of pulling another plumlee like deal), but im on board with the guys getting the experience if they can taste even a game of playoff success.

Harkless, cj, aminu, crabbe, plumlee, dame as the official leader now could all learn from it as integral pieces of our team in this series. Its less important for davis, henderson imo.

 

[Orion Bailey]

The only thing worthy about this experience is that it has horribly exposed our team's deficiencies. I think Neil has a pretty clear picture of our strengths and weaknesses. As far as the players go, I'm not sure how you can quantify or qualify the value because each person learns differently, and we have no way of knowing how these guys internalize this experience.

This is Dame's 4th playoff series, and I don't see any tangible benefit manifesting in his play. His defense has been mediocre. His shooting has been horrible. He has been forcing things. He has made mental errors. Where exactly is the benefits that we should be seeing from all his playoff experience?

I addressed Dames play as being reliant on the teammates. If they arent hitting shots opening things up then Dame is focused on and will play horrible because of that.

This one your not gonna sway me on.

The experience, like all experience for people in a new position is the best thing innitially to get going on the correct path. If not,k then they need to move on and this is for NO to decide, but I think the playoffs will give him a better idea than if we didnt make the playoffs. So therefore valuable in my opinion, for NO to have as much info like this as possible ot make the best decisions in the off season.

 

[Natebishop3]

I addressed Dames play as being reliant on the teammates. If they arent hitting shots opening things up then Dame is focused on and will play horrible because of that.

This one your not gonna sway me on.

The experience, like all experience for people in a new position is the best thing innitially to get going on the correct path. If not,k then they need to move on and this is for NO to decide, but I think the playoffs will give him a better idea than if we didnt make the playoffs. So therefore valuable in my opinion, for NO to have as much info like this as possible ot make the best decisions in the off season.

Sure, I can see your argument, but Dame isn't trusting his teammates. He's forcing things. He's playing exactly like a guy who is experiencing his first playoff series. I love the guy, but he's trying to do too much.

 

[Tunchi]

For those of you who say you'd rather be in the playoffs than have some mid-range draft pick -

We had a mid-to-late draft pick last season (#23) and guess what it yielded?

Mason Plumlee.

The only guy who is actually performing in the playoffs right now. The guy who had 17 points off 5-7 shooting, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and a block last night.

So don't automatically assume that a draft pick = young player that can't/won't contribute. That pick is an asset, and it could be used to acquire a rotation player.

Would you be shocked if I agreed??

 

[Tunchi]

My question to you is this...

Do you think the Playoffs have no value to this young team? If so, please explain your thoughts that this experience is meaningless compared to the draft pick?

Otherwise your just beating a dead horse that we have all argued about for basically the whole season....

Half this team will not even be on the team in a year or so

But hey this is what ya wanted and look what's happening in the playoffs

 

[Pinwheel1]

Yeah, getting swept is just teaching them how to be losers, which isn't good either.

This is an insane theory.

For those of you who say you'd rather be in the playoffs than have some mid-range draft pick -

We had a mid-to-late draft pick last season (#23) and guess what it yielded?

Mason Plumlee.

The only guy who is actually performing in the playoffs right now. The guy who had 17 points off 5-7 shooting, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and a block last night.

So don't automatically assume that a draft pick = young player that can't/won't contribute. That pick is an asset, and it could be used to acquire a rotation player.

I think Neil can always find rotational players. He can find one this year in free agency. The problem is we need something better than just a rotational player in order to take the next step.

 

[e_blazer]

And we're off to the races again on the pick or playoffs question. Of course picks have value. Would this year's lost pick be of more value than next year's? Maybe, if we assume next year's Blazers are likely to finish with a better record than this year's. Would this year's lost pick be of more value than the future first round pick that Olshey picked up as a part of eating Varajao's contract? Hard to say, but I'm betting that Olshey has enough assets to make a deal this summer one way or another.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Half this team will not even be on the team in a year or so

But hey this is what ya wanted and look what's happening in the playoffs

And you had this given to you form NO as gospel? Come on. Stop with the absolutes, unless its an absolute. Your post is pure hypothesis. Lets discuss in actuality please?

 

[Natebishop3]

And we're off to the races again on the pick or playoffs question. Of course picks have value. Would this year's lost pick be of more value than next year's? Maybe, if we assume next year's Blazers are likely to finish with a better record than this year's. Would this year's lost pick be of more value than the future first round pick that Olshey picked up as a part of eating Varajao's contract? Hard to say, but I'm betting that Olshey has enough assets to make a deal this summer one way or another.

Welp, the chickens are coming home to roost. This was the fear that many of us had. Make the playoffs, get plastered by a significantly better team, and lose the pick with nothing to show for it. Obviously the series isn't over, and there's always a chance we could come back, but I just thought it was interesting that Plumlee is one of the only guys performing and we literally got him for a non-lottery draft pick last year.

 

[e_blazer]

Welp, the chickens are coming home to roost. This was the fear that many of us had. Make the playoffs, get plastered by a significantly better team, and lose the pick with nothing to show for it. Obviously the series isn't over, and there's always a chance we could come back, but I just thought it was interesting that Plumlee is one of the only guys performing and we literally got him for a non-lottery draft pick last year.

And this is pretty much what I expected when I hoped for making the playoffs. Guys are getting a taste of what the playoffs are like and are probably not enjoying getting their butts kicked. Hopefully, they'll start hitting some shots at home and they'll get to enjoy some success. If not, it's just going to make them hungrier and work harder to get ready for another shot next year. In the meantime, Olshey has a pick that he can use in trade this summer if he wants, and he'll have a a pick next year that he likely would have had to give to Denver if the Blazers had missed the playoffs this year. I don't see the loss of this year's pick as a significant factor in the team's chances to improve next season.

 

[Natebishop3]

And this is pretty much what I expected when I hoped for making the playoffs. Guys are getting a taste of what the playoffs are like and are probably not enjoying getting their butts kicked. Hopefully, they'll start hitting some shots at home and they'll get to enjoy some success. If not, it's just going to make them hungrier and work harder to get ready for another shot next year. In the meantime, Olshey has a pick that he can use in trade this summer if he wants, and he'll have a a pick next year that he likely would have had to give to Denver if the Blazers had missed the playoffs this year. I don't see the loss of this year's pick as a significant factor in the team's chances to improve next season.

Really the point of the thread is to point out that Mason Plumlee has been a big positive in the playoffs, and he was acquired with a pick. Not so much to harp specifically on the argument over whether playoffs or pick are better. I just saw people arguing about how much a rookie would help us right now, and I just thought it was funny because last year's pick is helping us quite a bit right now.

 

[Tunchi]

Welp, the chickens are coming home to roost. This was the fear that many of us had. Make the playoffs, get plastered by a significantly better team, and lose the pick with nothing to show for it. Obviously the series isn't over, and there's always a chance we could come back, but I just thought it was interesting that Plumlee is one of the only guys performing and we literally got him for a non-lottery draft pick last year.

I KNOW right lol

"BUT OUR PICK WOULD HAVE NO VALUE!!"

I been trying to tell these folks that for months but hey this is what they wanted

 

[Orion Bailey]

Welp, the chickens are coming home to roost. This was the fear that many of us had. Make the playoffs, get plastered by a significantly better team, and lose the pick with nothing to show for it. Obviously the series isn't over, and there's always a chance we could come back, but I just thought it was interesting that Plumlee is one of the only guys performing and we literally got him for a non-lottery draft pick last year.

That's your opinion. You have no clue how this playoff experience is going to play out. Fear all you want, but its illfounded, because its simply an assumption that its nothing, or the ones who can benefit wont be here next year....

 

[Strenuus]

Yeah, but you also said that LaMarcus wasn't leaving, so your credibility hasn't regenerated yet

Y'all know that was just a shot in the dark. I never backed it up... I just went with a gut feel. That doesn't hurt my credibility to say that I'm not swayed. What does that have to do with credibility?

Ironic that someone with no credibility would like it, though. That's the funny part.