With the #7 pick, the Portland Trail Blazers select....

[illmatic99]

Man... I still just have a hard time seeing that team as a true contender. I don't know. Would we really be better off than maybe hitting big with the 7th pick?

In this draft.... Ya. Collins without Trae gets you an efficient 20/10. And while Grant is meh... He does have size and versatility that we deaperately lack. They're exactly what playoff teams need.

I think that's a 50 win team easily if healthy. And good mix of skills, especially defensively. Even with Denver and the Clips getting healthier next yr, i think that roster could get home court if Billups could make it work.

 

[wizenheimer]

Man... I still just have a hard time seeing that team as a true contender. I don't know. Would we really be better off than maybe hitting big with the 7th pick?

obviously if the Blazers could land somebody at the level of Giannis or Kawhi with the 7th pick keeping it would be the better route. But the chances of that are small. And neither player really started their ascension till their 4th or 5th seasons

but looking at the teams contending right now, I have to think that

Dame
Simons/Hart
Grant/Winslow
Collins/Watford
Nurkic

is a contender, especially if they can solve the 'only-one-ball' problem. It would not be the defensive team that Boston is, but the offense could be really hard to stop

 

[RR7]

In this draft.... Ya. Collins without Trae gets you an efficient 20/10. And while Grant is meh... He does have size and versatility that we deaperately lack. They're exactly what playoff teams need.

I think that's a 50 win team easily if healthy. And good mix of skills, especially defensively. Even with Denver and the Clips getting healthier next yr, i think that roster could get home court if Billups could make it work.

It's a starting lineup plus 6th man where you can easily get 20 points out of any of them and it's not some big game from them. I like that lineup ablot.

 

[Blazinaway]

obviously if the Blazers could land somebody at the level of Giannis or Kawhi with the 7th pick keeping it would be the better route. But the chances of that are small. And neither player really started their ascension till their 4th or 5th seasons

but looking at the teams contending right now, I have to think that

Dame
Simons/Hart
Grant/Winslow
Collins/Watford
Nurkic

is a contender, especially if they can solve the 'only-one-ball' problem. It would not be the defensive team that Boston is, but the offense could be really hard to stop

It may be about as good as we can do/hope for. At least Collins is young at 24 and would have good value whatever if we decided to trade Dame in a yr or so. Did you forget about Nas, some nice D and flexibility there if he could ever stay healthy.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

If Atlanta would consider that, I would do it.

The move 16 + TPE for Grant.

Dame/Ant/Grant/Collins/Nurk

with Hart/Little/Winslow off the bench.

Still have MLE to fill the rest of the roster, that is super enticing.

Gosh that looks familiar...

I mean, add Grant, Collins and Bamba (for example) to our existing roster, and you're looking at:

Dame/Ant
Ant/Hart
Grant/Nas
Collins/Winslow
Nurk/Bamba

I'm sorry, but if they're able to play together cohesively, and healthy Dame is what we perceive healthy Dame might be, that's a dangerous roster.

 

[STOMP]

Dame/Ant/Grant/Collins/Nurk

with Hart/Little/Winslow off the bench.

Still have MLE to fill the rest of the roster, that is super enticing.

Grant is decent defensively, everyone else in your starting lineup is not. I see this as a very mediocre mix of talents that would predictably lose in the 1st round.

Not enticed

STOMP

 

[wizenheimer]

Grant is decent defensively, everyone else in your starting lineup is not. I see this as a very mediocre mix of talents that would predictably lose in the 1st round.

Not enticed

STOMP

I think you might be underrating Collins on defense, and I really think you are significantly underrating the talent of that team

Collins has consistently been rated as 1-2 points better than his team in defensive rating and has consistently been the 2nd best defender in the starting unit. He wouldn't have done that as a bad defender. That's not to say he's a good defender but it is an indication he is at least average on defense, maybe a bit better.

He's been on the floor a lot with Trae Young, Kevin Heuter, Bogdonovic, Gallinari, and Lou Williams so there are likely too many holes in the Hawk defense for any player to look good

if it's an issue, than simply make Simons the 6th man & start Hart. A starting unit of Hart-Grant-Collins-Nurkic will be the best defensive starting unit Dame has played with since the Aldridge team. Use the MLE (likely the tax MLE) on somebody like Jalen Smith or Bamba or Javale McGee if you're still worried about defense

 

[STOMP]

I grew up in Winston Salem and am a big Wake fan. Pretty sure I've watched more Collins then most here and am very comfortable with my assessment of him and the guys currently on the Blazers. Of course some will disagree with me, I knew that when I posted my thoughts. Whatever...

STOMP

 

[wizenheimer]

I grew up in Winston Salem and am a big Wake fan. Pretty sure I've watched more Collins then most here and am very comfortable with my assessment of him and the guys currently on the Blazers. Of course some will disagree with me, I knew that when I posted my thoughts. Whatever...

STOMP

ok

I've watched some basketball too and my take is that if a team of Dame-CJ-Harkless-Aminu-Nurkic can be the 8th best defense in the league, a team with Dame-Hart-Grant-Collins-Nurkic can be good enough on defense to be be a good playoff team and possibly a contender

 

[Phatguysrule]

Man... I still just have a hard time seeing that team as a true contender. I don't know. Would we really be better off than maybe hitting big with the 7th pick?

We'd be better off than missing with the 7 pick, that's for sure.

But it sounds like Cronin is a gambler , so maybe he'd want to go with #7...

 

[Phatguysrule]

obviously if the Blazers could land somebody at the level of Giannis or Kawhi with the 7th pick keeping it would be the better route. But the chances of that are small. And neither player really started their ascension till their 4th or 5th seasons

but looking at the teams contending right now, I have to think that

Dame
Simons/Hart
Grant/Winslow
Collins/Watford
Nurkic

is a contender, especially if they can solve the 'only-one-ball' problem. It would not be the defensive team that Boston is, but the offense could be really hard to stop

Yeah, that looks like a top 10 defense, top 5 offense to me... Assuming Billups has good coaching chops...

If we can swing that, sign me up.

 

[Natebishop3]

ok

I've watched some basketball too and my take is that if a team of Dame-CJ-Harkless-Aminu-Nurkic can be the 8th best defense in the league, a team with Dame-Hart-Grant-Collins-Nurkic can be good enough on defense to be be a good playoff team and possibly a contender

That was years ago though. The league has actually changed quite a bit in the last six or so seasons.

 

[wizenheimer]

That was years ago though. The league has actually changed quite a bit in the last six or so seasons.

it was 4 years ago, and it's relative

a defensive comparison based upon the science of talking out of my colon:

Dame = Dame
Hart >>> CJ
Harkless = Grant
Aminu >> Collins
Nurkic = Nurkic

bench = bench?

Billups >>> Stotts

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Mediocre Man]

Mathurin is tantalizing

 

[Pinwheel1]

Mathurin is tantalizing

I agree, Mathurin is tantalizing. And so is the video above of Sochan. That 3 pt shot might have been uncontested but
it still was effortless. It won't take long for him to be at the very least.......a very good 3 and D player. Emphasis on the D.

The more I watch, the more I feel good about the 7th pick. And If I feel that way I am guessing so do GMs around the league, who might want to trade with us for the pick. But I am not sure I want to.

 

[illmatic99]

i like his hair.

 

[blazerkor]

I agree, Mathurin is tantalizing. And so is the video above of Sochan. That 3 pt shot might have been uncontested but
it still was effortless. It won't take long for him to be at the very least.......a very good 3 and D player. Emphasis on the D.

The more I watch, the more I feel good about the 7th pick. And If I feel that way I am guessing so do GMs around the league, who might want to trade with us for the pick. But I am not sure I want to.

It's not just D with Sochan he plays with the same furor on both ends, he flies around on offense, he gets offensive boards, he finishes in the paint and he makes the right pass. I'm a fan of his and would love to get him. I would love it if we could trade back to 13 and 15, have Sochan still available to take at 13 and trade 15 for Grant even if we had to throw in future second rounders to get Detroit to give him up.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

It's not just D with Sochan he plays with the same furor on both ends, he flies around on offense, he gets offensive boards, he finishes in the paint and he makes the right pass. I'm a fan of his and would love to get him. I would love it if we could trade back to 13 and 15, have Sochan still available to take at 13 and trade 15 for Grant even if we had to throw in future second rounders to get Detroit to give him up.

I'm very much doubting Sochan will be there at 13.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

I don’t believe that he will ever be Al All Star. Absolutely ZERO defense and can’t hit his free throws in the 4th quarter. CJ is simply not All Star caliber. Ant will be an All Star before CJ ever will be.

my opinion of course - I’m not a CJ hater by any means…but he’s never been “great.”

CJ averaged 24 ppg & 6apg in reg season for Pelicans. Those are All Star numbers.

 

[Scalma]

I would be ok with Sochan at 7. Super interesting

 

[BigGameDamian]

Mathurin is tantalizing

I wouldn’t be disappointed if the Blazers picked him.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

I would be ok with Sochan at 7. Super interesting

View attachment 47558

At what point do we prefer him to Murray? Murray is obviously way more polished and perhaps a bit more well rounded, but Sochan gives us skill sets we just don't have on this team. I'd prefer his skillet to Murray's.

 

[Natebishop3]

God I wish we had the pelicans pick.

 

[blazerkor]

I'm very much doubting Sochan will be there at 13.

That's ESPN's big board. They got Mark Williams at 15, TyTy Washington at 16, Tari Eason at 17 and Sochan at 18. I'm not sure he'll be there at 13 but I sure as shit can't be sure he won't.

 

[Scalma]

At what point do we prefer him to Murray? Murray is obviously way more polished and perhaps a bit more well rounded, but Sochan gives us skill sets we just don't have on this team. I'd prefer his skillet to Murray's.

I don’t think we’ll have to worry about it. Pretty sure Murray will be gone by 7.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Here's a good example of Sochan's strengths and weaknesses. North Carolina knocked Baylor out of the NCAA tournament. BUT: although they were up by 25 with 10 minutes left, the Bears forced overtime. And Sochan is everywhere. Now, he looks clumsy at times (and a vital 3 pointer is BANKED in, clearly not intentionally), but holy shit, the work he puts in! He's everywhere, and he's just WILLING his team on. He really is a Draymond-like player. Watch:

 

[tykendo]

I wouldn’t be disappointed if the Blazers picked him.

No, but at #7, he sure as hell better be a lot better than Boris Diaw.

 

[tykendo]

View attachment 47559
That's ESPN's big board. They got Mark Williams at 15, TyTy Washington at 16, Tari Eason at 17 and Sochan at 18. I'm not sure he'll be there at 13 but I sure as shit can't be sure he won't.

I think Mathurin will be the guy that everyone wishes they would have drafted. I like him more than Johnny Davis.

 

[tykendo]

I don’t think we’ll have to worry about it. Pretty sure Murray will be gone by 7.

Who really knows where each player is going. But i think where Chetster goes, will really change what teams do. I don't see why Detroit would take Murray, when they have Bey & Stewart already. I could see Detroit fall in love with Duren. They have the time frame to develop him. I think , if, the Blazers can acquire John Collins from the Hawks for the #7, they will trade the pick. In NO WAY do i think they trade the #7 for Grant. That's flat out dumb. I think if Murray falls to them, they draft him and keep him. I also think they may fall for Mathurin's huge upside, and NBA ready skillset. Griffin's injury sitch should make them, say no to him. I like Sochan as well. Bottom line is, the Draft is a crapshoot. Chetster said "He" will be the Best in the NBA in 2 months. We'll see. While he does have skills, i think his highside is Poor Ol' Zingus. His bottom might be journeyman bigman.