Trade the Pick???

[DeBlazerRiddem]

POR could do worse.

I expect Shepherd and Salaun to bust. Dillingham probably too.

What about those 3 players screams "bust" to you?

The guards are tiny. Salaun is pretty raw.

Lots of players are raw at 18 but Salaun physically looks the part of an NBA forward and I think his shooting will end up being a strength. 80% free throw shooter is a great start and sign of things to come but I love his mechanics, he is quick, compact and high with his shot.

I take a shot on him having an OG Anunoby type development curve all day.

[JRoy]

What about those 3 players screams "bust" to you?

The guards are tiny. Salaun is pretty raw.

Lots of players are raw at 18 but Salaun physically looks the part of an NBA forward and I think his shooting will end up being a strength. 80% free throw shooter is a great start and sign of things to come but I love his mechanics, he is quick, compact and high with his shot.

I take a shot on him having an OG Anunoby type development curve all day.

That would be great. Is that likely in your opinion?

[DeBlazerRiddem]

The guards are tiny. Salaun is pretty raw.

Lots of players are raw at 18 but Salaun physically looks the part of an NBA forward and I think his shooting will end up being a strength. 80% free throw shooter is a great start and sign of things to come but I love his mechanics, he is quick, compact and high with his shot.

I take a shot on him having an OG Anunoby type development curve all day.

That would be great. Is that likely in your opinion?

Who knows, draft is such a crapshoot especially for players in euro or different leagues. Its still so early I'm just throwing darts at the wall half blind.

I'm having trouble buying Holland or Williams still so maybe I'm just reaching for any alternative. Salaun has a lower ceiling than those two but I think he's more likely to develop into a good 4th/5th option whereas if Holland or Williams do not reach the Jaylen Brown/Paul George caliber scorer they may not be very good role players. Well I think Williams will be a fine shooter and Holland can probably find a DeAndre Hunter type role somewhere.

I still have him behind Risacher though. Salaun might have some trouble defending quicker SFs and really is more suited to the PF position whereas Risacher could do both.

[JRoy]

I am not optimistic about Williams or Holland. I think Edey will be a better pro than either but I liked Tacko Fall too.

[Evil_Headband]

Bulls fan here. I'm curious what you think of the hypothetical trade of the #7 pick for the #11 pick plus your future first (or converted second) back. Also, how would your front office value getting back that future pick?

[Butter]

Bulls fan here. I'm curious what you think of the hypothetical trade of the #7 pick for the #11 pick plus your future first (or converted second) back. Also, how would your front office value getting back that future pick?

The Blazers only motivation to make a deal with the Bulls is to free up their future picks. Since the Blazers are not in a place to try to grab a star, I don't see a sense of urgency to make a trade with Chicago, especially to trade down in a weak draft.

[tester551]

Bulls fan here. I'm curious what you think of the hypothetical trade of the #7 pick for the #11 pick plus your future first (or converted second) back. Also, how would your front office value getting back that future pick?

The Blazers only motivation to make a deal with the Bulls is to free up their future picks. Since the Blazers are not in a place to try to grab a star, I don't see a sense of urgency to make a trade with Chicago, especially to trade down in a weak draft.

I don't agree with the valuation that you are placing on the pick owed to Chicago.

The pick is LP until '28 (which is a long time away). I guess anything is possible, but the Blazers have no intention on being bad that long. Id bet that they make the playoffs in either '27 or '28....
meaning the pick is worth #15 - 18 one of those two years.

The other consideration Portland has to make is that the debt may invalidate the pick swap with Milwaukee in '28. How bad would it suck if Portland finally makes the playoffs again & gets the #17 pick (which gets sent to Chicago), while the Bucks get the #8 pick? If the debt with Chicago is paid - the Blazers can make the swap and get the better pick.


Having said all that, the swap proposed by the Bulls fan would be highly dependent upon who is available at that point. If Sarr, Rishesaer, Holland, are all gone (and maybe Castle, & Buzelius) -> then yeah, I'll trade down.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

Wizards fan here... Are you guys interested in moving up to 2?

Would you consider a complete draft swap?

Our picks 2, 26, 51 for yours 7, 14, 34, 40 ?

[Norm2953]

Wizards fan here... Are you guys interested in moving up to 2?

Would you consider a complete draft swap?

Our picks 2, 26, 51 for yours 7, 14, 34, 40 ?

Your board has discussed this. I don't know if Portland values Clingan enough to trade up for
and if Sarr were there at 2, the Wizards would take him.

I do think Portland would take him at 7 for he's a relatively safe pick, which protects the team
if they decide to allow Ayton to enter free agency after the 2026 season.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Wizards fan here... Are you guys interested in moving up to 2?

Would you consider a complete draft swap?

Our picks 2, 26, 51 for yours 7, 14, 34, 40 ?

Oh tough decision. Ok I accept immediately. Happy with Risacher or Sarr.

[BlazersBroncos]

Wizards fan here... Are you guys interested in moving up to 2?

Would you consider a complete draft swap?

Our picks 2, 26, 51 for yours 7, 14, 34, 40 ?

Oh tough decision. Ok I accept immediately. Happy with Risacher or Sarr.

Ya I do that for sure.

Another scenario - if Clingan is there at 7 and OKC sees him as the big they need I wonder if we could get some pretty good value on a trade-down -

7 for 12, 2025 MIA FRP (LP / UNP), Osumane Dieng

Granted I am still quite high on Dieng.

I think w/ 12 and 14 there is a good chance we could come out w/ one of Salun or Cody + Edey.

[DusterBuster]

Wizards fan here... Are you guys interested in moving up to 2?

Would you consider a complete draft swap?

Our picks 2, 26, 51 for yours 7, 14, 34, 40 ?

I think the Blazers would jump at that. Some rumbling they really like Clingan (from the guy who worked with the Blazers assistant GM for years at Draft Express), so I think the Blazers would consider packaging 7 and 14 up to get him, regardless of what team that comes from.

[Norm2953]

Given Portland's history with bigs, team doctors would totaly have to be on board with Clingan before they traded up for him. Protects the team at center in case they can dump Ayton onto another team for some value

[zzaj]

Wizards fan here... Are you guys interested in moving up to 2?

Would you consider a complete draft swap?

Our picks 2, 26, 51 for yours 7, 14, 34, 40 ?

It may be unpopular, but that's a "no" from me.

IMHO, the real value of this draft actually starts around the 7th pick and continues through the teens. 7 and 14 are just about perfect for the Blazers. I think they actually did themselves a favor by falling to 7.

I go either Salaun or Knecht at 7 and Da Silva at 14 and call it a day. All 3 of those players will be good to very good NBA players, with Salaun having significant upside. I'd include Castle in there, but he's insisting on playing PG...so no-go.

I just don't believe in the star ceilings of Sarr, Risarcher, Clingan, Buzelis, Sheppard, Topic, or Dillingham.

[JasonStern]

Bulls fan here. I'm curious what you think of the hypothetical trade of the #7 pick for the #11 pick plus your future first (or converted second) back. Also, how would your front office value getting back that future pick?

I'd do this. The drop between #7 and #11 isn't so significant to not value being restriction free when it comes to picks in future trades.

[Norm2953]

This all depends on how the draft shapes up after all the workouts have ended.

If we're looking at all the guards sitting down at 7, we trade down. We trade up if
there are guys sitting there at 2,3 that the coaching staff and management feels
would help this team.

I don't trade down to 11 just to remove the restrictions on future picks for there is
plenty of time before that flexibility really matters

[JasonStern]

I don't trade down to 11 just to remove the restrictions on future picks for there is
plenty of time before that flexibility really matters

Nah. If ever a time to rip the band-aid off, this would be the time. The gap between 7 and 11 in this draft is not a future 1st. That said, Chicago would have to really like someone at 7 to consider such a trade.

[Norm2953]

I don't trade down to 11 just to remove the restrictions on future picks for there is
plenty of time before that flexibility really matters

Nah. If ever a time to rip the band-aid off, this would be the time. The gap between 7 and 11 in this draft is not a future 1st. That said, Chicago would have to really like someone at 7 to consider such a trade.

Actually its being said, there seems to be a gap between the top 9/10 picks, followed by a large group of players from
12 to well into the second round. Picking at 7 allows you to draft one of Holland, Knecht, Castle, Dillingham instead of
Walter and McCain

Granted none of these guys would be top 10 picks in a good draft, these guys will end up being solid rotation players

[TBpup]

Wizards fan here... Are you guys interested in moving up to 2?

Would you consider a complete draft swap?

Our picks 2, 26, 51 for yours 7, 14, 34, 40 ?

Interesting. 2 Lottery picks for 1 higher Lottery pick and a late 1st. You keep #51 and we keep #34 and I'd strongly consider that.

[TBpup]

Wizards fan here... Are you guys interested in moving up to 2?

Would you consider a complete draft swap?

Our picks 2, 26, 51 for yours 7, 14, 34, 40 ?

It may be unpopular, but that's a "no" from me.

IMHO, the real value of this draft actually starts around the 7th pick and continues through the teens. 7 and 14 are just about perfect for the Blazers. I think they actually did themselves a favor by falling to 7.

I go either Salaun or Knecht at 7 and Da Silva at 14 and call it a day. All 3 of those players will be good to very good NBA players, with Salaun having significant upside. I'd include Castle in there, but he's insisting on playing PG...so no-go.

I just don't believe in the star ceilings of Sarr, Risarcher, Clingan, Buzelis, Sheppard, Topic, or Dillingham.

Totally get where you are coming from as D69 has me convinced that Salaun could be a steal if he doesn't go in the top-10.