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

[blazerkor]

No way can the Blazers afford both. And I don't think Blazers fans understand how much they're going to hate Randle. Knicks fans want him gone for a reason.

Trading 7 for another lotto pick + Grant is fine. They should be shooting for Ayton and Bridges. I would rather have Collins than Randle.

I'm actually a Randle fan. He has the ability to be a secondary facilitator that we've been saying Dame needs in a forward for a while now. He hit's open threes. He showed the season before last and his season with AD that he can be very good and versatile on defense.

I honestly think Grant and Randle would be great together but Randle's contract becomes pretty punitive after this season. I also wonder if it would hurt negotiations with Grant because Grant needs to average about 25M per season on his next deal and Randle is well above that.

My first pick is 7 for Wood and 17 then 17 and probably a little more for Grant. The thing is that none of Grant, Wood or Collins has the ability to facilitate that Randle does. I think we can be successful without that though now that we have an offense that actually requires players to move when they don't have the ball and calls for the ball moving as well.

If we go into next season with Dame, Ant, Grant, Wood, Nurk, Hart, Nas, Justise and a legit backup C we'll be able to make the playoffs and have a good showing... we might even be a contender if Ant can be better on both ends than CJ, if Dame really is the best he's ever been and Grant and Wood take on the roles we need from them. I see that starting lineup as having an obvious first option but the other four guys are all the second option, which is nice from guys on that level.

 

[LayneStaley]

Collins and Grant and no one will bitch about the 7th pick. On the other hand though I think NY should give us a pick to take Julius.

 

[STOMP]

Now we can go Dame/Simons with Hart, Grant, Randle, and Nurk.

With the proper scheme, that is a very good defensive team.

What sort of defensive scheme can cover for 3 mediocre to poor defenders? To be clear, I feel Grant and Hart are both pretty good but I'm being generous calling any of the other 3 starters or Ant mediocre.

STOMP

 

[Predator]

if the Blazers can Parley the #7 into Grant and Randle they did well as long as trading the pick is the gauge

same way if was 7 + EBEC + filler for Collins and Grant

or for Grant and Christian Wood

again, if the Pistons won't accept a 16th or 17th pick for Grant they can fuck off

Yes but in 5 years you’ll retcon it and say, “well we could’ve had Randle + (insert list of all these really good players that could’ve been drafted at 11) instead of Grant”. I’d rather take at least one swing in this draft.

 

[Predator]

Why is everyone obsessed with DeAndre Ayton.
Paying a big man 30 million is not a recipe for a championship.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Why is everyone obsessed with DeAndre Ayton.
Paying a big man 30 million is not a recipe for a championship.

To an extent, I'm with you. But at 23 years old and he's a center who won't get played off the floor -- I'd be most ecstatic to get him. Lavine, not so much.

 

[LayneStaley]

I’d take John Collins out of all these “rumors”, might as well go full circle on those 3 wasted 1st rounders. That’s my defining Olshey moment.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

As I outlined within another thread:

Before the draft starts:
Portland trades #7, Nasir Little and Bledsoe to
Detroit for #5 and Grant

draft night blockbuster:
Portland trades #5 and #36 to
New York for Randal and #11

Assuming deals are in place for re-signing Nurkic and Ant.

will Phoenix take Nurk, #11 and 2025 Buck’s #1
For Ayton in a sign & trade?

Dame
Ant
Grant
Randal
Ayton

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

To an extent, I'm with you. But at 23 years old and he's a center who won't get played off the floor -- I'd be most ecstatic to get him. Lavine, not so much.

He won’t get played off the floor? 17 minutes in a game 7. Hmmm

Not opposed to him in theory but am opposed to him at the price he thinks he should get.

He may not get played off but he isn’t really a difference maker either IMO.

 

[LayneStaley]

Julius Randle sucks.

Watching him and Nurk lumber around letting dudes do layup drills all game would make me puke.

 

[LayneStaley]

I love this time of year. Ayton, Lavine, Randle, Wood, Grant, Collins, the glass is half full for this board. Only thing better is the epic meltdown thread surely awaiting.

 

[Predator]

To an extent, I'm with you. But at 23 years old and he's a center who won't get played off the floor -- I'd be most ecstatic to get him. Lavine, not so much.

Personally I saw him get played off the floor against the Mavs when Luka, Dinwiddie and Jalen Brunson started cooking him in the PnR.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

7/EB to NY for Randle/11
11/36/JW to HOU for Wood/17
17/Nas to DET for Grant

Dame/Ant
Ant/Hart
Grant/Ingles
Randle/Wood
Nurk/Wood

 

[Sheldon Shape]

He won’t get played off the floor? 17 minutes in a game 7. Hmmm

Not opposed to him in theory but am opposed to him at the price he thinks he should get.

He may not get played off but he isn’t really a difference maker either IMO.

17 minutes was because he got into it with the coach. He's literally the best mid-range shooting center and is as mobile as you can get. Short of Embiid or Jokic, there aren't many better options than Ayton.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

I'm actually a Randle fan. He has the ability to be a secondary facilitator that we've been saying Dame needs in a forward for a while now. He hit's open threes. He showed the season before last and his season with AD that he can be very good and versatile on defense.

I honestly think Grant and Randle would be great together but Randle's contract becomes pretty punitive after this season. I also wonder if it would hurt negotiations with Grant because Grant needs to average about 25M per season on his next deal and Randle is well above that.

My first pick is 7 for Wood and 17 then 17 and probably a little more for Grant. The thing is that none of Grant, Wood or Collins has the ability to facilitate that Randle does. I think we can be successful without that though now that we have an offense that actually requires players to move when they don't have the ball and calls for the ball moving as well.

If we go into next season with Dame, Ant, Grant, Wood, Nurk, Hart, Nas, Justise and a legit backup C we'll be able to make the playoffs and have a good showing... we might even be a contender if Ant can be better on both ends than CJ, if Dame really is the best he's ever been and Grant and Wood take on the roles we need from them. I see that starting lineup as having an obvious first option but the other four guys are all the second option, which is nice from guys on that level.

I wish you'd stop talking about Wood. He's an undesirable.

 

[wizenheimer]

View attachment 47597 7/EB to NY for Randle/11
11/36/JW to HOU for Wood/17
17/Nas to DET for Grant

Dame/Ant
Ant/Hart
Grant/Ingles
Randle/Wood
Nurk/Wood

Randle and Wood? seems like a bad fit

obviously Blazers let Nurkic walk?

 

[TBpup]

What if the Blazers could trade #7, Bledsoe, and Keon Johnson for Julius Randle and #11.
Then trade #11 and TPE for Jeremi Grant...

Dame/Simons
Simons/Hart
Grant/Hart
Randle/Grant
Nurk

Still have Little and change to fill out the roster or help make salaries work...

Who thinks the players relegated to the #4 and #5 options out of the starting 5, are going to be happy?

 

[Phatguysrule]

Who thinks the players relegated to the #4 and #5 options out of the starting 5, are going to be happy?

Welcome to being on a talented team. Dame wants a title. If we want to give him that we're going to have to have a talented lineup.

 

[blazerfan11]

View attachment 47597 7/EB to NY for Randle/11
11/36/JW to HOU for Wood/17
17/Nas to DET for Grant

Dame/Ant
Ant/Hart
Grant/Ingles
Randle/Wood
Nurk/Wood

Who's playing defense in that lineup?
It smells a lot like the team that started last season. They'll play great at home and wither on the road.
It'll be every man for himself.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Who's playing defense in that lineup?
It smells a lot like the team that started last season. They'll play great at home and wither on the road.

Hart(sg), Randle (pf), Grant(sf) and Nurk are all solid defenders or at least long for their position.

 

[blazerfan11]

Welcome to being on a talented team. Dame wants a title. If we want to give him that we're going to have to have a talented lineup.

Hart(sg), Randle (pf), Grant(sf) and Nurk are all solid defenders or at least long for their position.

Covington and Powell were good defenders too. When they felt like it.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Covington and Powell were good defenders too. When they felt like it.

That wasn't a balanced team and Dame wasn't right.

The team above is far more talented, longer, stronger, more athletic, and we'll balanced. Oh, and Dame will be healthy.

 

[blazerfan11]

That wasn't a balanced team and Dame wasn't right.

The team above is far more talented, longer, stronger, more athletic, and we'll balanced. Oh, and Dame will be healthy.

Yes, Dame will be healthy. So why have 5 starters who all want the ball, none of them notable defensive players?

 

[blazerfan11]

That wasn't a balanced team and Dame wasn't right.

The team above is far more talented, longer, stronger, more athletic, and we'll balanced. Oh, and Dame will be healthy.

It's not balanced defensively. It'll be bottom half of the league.

 

[Phatguysrule]

It's not balanced defensively. It'll be bottom half of the league.

Highly doubtful, unless Billups can't coach.

That team could easily be top 10 defensively and top 5 offensively.

 

[blazerfan11]

Highly doubtful, unless Billups can't coach.

Billups has nothing to do with it.
Who's the guy who's going to dive for loose balls or defend a guy at the 3-point line then run to the hoop for a rebound? Nobody in that starting lineup.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Yes, Dame will be healthy. So why have 5 starters who all want the ball, none of them notable defensive players?

Randle is a good defender when he's held accountable. Things have just gone bad in NY this season.
Grant is also a very capable defender with potential to be very good.

These guys just need a good leader and a good system. We've got the leader, hopefully Billups can coach.

 

[Phatguysrule]

I don't understand why the Blazers would trash

Billups has nothing to do with it.
Who's the guy who's going to dive for loose balls or defend a guy at the 3-point line then run to the hoop for a rebound? Nobody in that starting lineup.

Well, let me know when 2 all defensive players are available that we can get and I'll sign up to that plan.

 

[JDC]

Couple clips of why I'm higher on AJ Griffin. Already projects as a pretty wonderful off ball wing, but his flexibility and creativity with the ball stand out to me for a guy that age and size.

Lost a lot of development time being injured in high school, and who knows about the knee, but his high end outcomes are really interesting to me if he can stay healthy, get some of his pop back and start trusting his knee again.

 

[blazerfan11]

Well, let me know when 2 all defensive players are available that we can get and I'll sign up to that plan.

The offense looks good on paper. I don't trust Randle and Grant together on defense. If we obtained one of them, and they play next to a SF/PF who plays defense on every possession I believe Grants/Randles effort on defense will be greater.