Blazers Blunders/Curses

[JasonStern]

We hear about the usual ones, but we never hear about drafting Mychal Thompson #1 over Larry Bird. I mean, the Blazers did get 7 seasons averaging 16.7ppg and 8.9ppg - 8 total seasons if you count a season missed because the Blazers drafted a big. And when the Blazers did trade him, they got Steve Johnson, who averaged 14.0ppg/6.0rpg over 3 seasons. But the Blazers lost him for nothing in the expansion draft.

So, what are some of the other obscure ones nobody mentions? Especially the older ones, as I doubt the younger posters realize things like the Blazers taking LaRue Martin #1 over Bob McAdoo and Julius Erving. Heck, I bet some of the younger posters don't realize we traded Jermaine O'Neal for an aging Dale Davis. O'Neal blowing up then put Paul Allen in an overvalue your youth mindset that had ripples regarding future trades.

In before the replies ignore the "obscure" request, and we get Bowie over Jordan, Oden over Durant, etc. And I'll save Wizenheimer linking to:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/executives/olshene99x.html

[Norm2953]

In my mind, the biggest blunder Portland ever made was to trade Moses Malone in the pre draft
maneuvering for Mychal Thompson.

That 1976-77 team would have had Bill, Luke and MM on their front line and almost certainly led to
multiple championships but Portland traded away a 21 year Moses Malone because of Larry Weinberg
not wanting to pay for such a team. There was no need for the breakup of Portland's one championship
team.

One can excuse draft blunders for the draft has always been a crap shoot unless there is a Victor in the
draft.

[JasonStern]

One can excuse draft blunders for the draft has always been a crap shoot unless there is a Victor in the
draft.

Exactly. But some were pretty apparent, and even with a Wemby in the draft, teams passed. Most recently Dončić. Nearly every single person on RealGM knew he was the #1 player in that draft. I can forgive Phoenix for picking Ayton - 20ppg/10rpg big, consensus first team all-American, Pac-12 player of the year. Nobody outside of the Sacramento board, which was empty, could justify that.

Same with Jordan sliding. Hakeem is justifiable. But Bowie? Everyone at the time knew Jordan was better.

Same with Bird. The reason Bird slipped in the draft was because he said he was going to sit out a year and stay in college. It wasn't that he was talent evaluated lower. The league even made some rule where you can't do that.

[Norm2953]

The 2005 draft when Portland had the third pick and was in place to draft either CP3 or Deron Williams
can be mentioned for they ended up trading down for additional picks to six to draft Martell.

[BigPuma]

The 2005 draft when Portland had the third pick and was in place to draft either CP3 or Deron Williams
can be mentioned for they ended up trading down for additional picks to six to draft Martell.

The initial blunder came in the 2004 draft when the blazers took sebastian telfair way earlier than expected. Having telfair on the roster as a high pick is what motivated the trade out of the #3 in 2005 draft. (if my memory is correct)

[Norm2953]

The 2005 draft when Portland had the third pick and was in place to draft either CP3 or Deron Williams
can be mentioned for they ended up trading down for additional picks to six to draft Martell.

The initial blunder came in the 2004 draft when the blazers took sebastian telfair way earlier than expected. Having telfair on the roster as a high pick is what motivated the trade out of the #3 in 2005 draft. (if my memory is correct)

It was but it's interesting there are parallels to the 2024 draft for we've all seen some mocks that place
Topic to Portland at 7 as the BPA and bring up Telfair (Scoot) precluding such a pick. Seems nuts to me for
nobody puts Topic as anywhere close to a HOF caliber PG in either Williams or CP3. If he were such a player,
he'd go either first or second in a bad 2024 draft

[JasonStern]

The 2005 draft when Portland had the third pick and was in place to draft either CP3 or Deron Williams
can be mentioned for they ended up trading down for additional picks to six to draft Martell.

Yeah, that's a good one. The Blazers always had a thing for Washington basketball players. It worked out with Brandon Roy. But players like Webster and Elleby...

[Case2012]

I feel like we're going to pass on Edey (he's going to have a 30 ppg and 13 rpg season at some point in his career) because of Ayton and Dillingham( also probably going to have a 30 ppg Isiah thomas type career) because of scoot. I think Salaun is going to be way to raw and never amount to anything other than a bench player who might not see a second contract and we'll take him at 14, at 7 Holland could be a legit 2 way star or end up as a Hollis Jefferson/MKG type guy. Risachart has star quality and should go one over Sarr. I think SA will probably take Topic and Dillingham and have a 50/50 shot at having their next dynasty set up for a decade.

[Wizenheimer]

I feel like we're going to pass on Edey (he's going to have a 30 ppg and 13 rpg season at some point in his career) .

lol, wut?.... neither Jokic or Embiid have done that, and they have won the last 4 MVP's

[Wizenheimer]

one of the darkest days in Blazer history:

June 1, 2012--->Neil Olshey --->hired as general manager

[elias808]

I feel like we're going to pass on Edey (he's going to have a 30 ppg and 13 rpg season at some point in his career) because of Ayton and Dillingham( also probably going to have a 30 ppg Isiah thomas type career) because of scoot. I think Salaun is going to be way to raw and never amount to anything other than a bench player who might not see a second contract and we'll take him at 14, at 7 Holland could be a legit 2 way star or end up as a Hollis Jefferson/MKG type guy. Risachart has star quality and should go one over Sarr. I think SA will probably take Topic and Dillingham and have a 50/50 shot at having their next dynasty set up for a decade.

…did you forget the green font?

[Case2012]

No. I think dillingham is as gifted a scorer as I've ever seen. Comparing him to Isaiah Thomas isn't crazy. Edey put up 25 a game in college and scoring is actually easier in the NBA. If he lands on a team that thinks he can be effective as a drop coverage center and feed him on pnr and post ups I think he can be 30 ppg player in his prime. A 7'5 guy in shoes with a 7'11 wingspan at 300 lbs grabbing 13 boards a game isn't a crazy idea, he averaged 12 in college. He had a per of almost 40. People are really split on him obviously but I'm a believer and time will tell.

I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of SA drafting both and wemby playing pf. Absolutely worth the pick to try it.

[JasonStern]

Dražen Petrović. RIP. Moved for two 2nd round picks that ended up busts. I know he wasn't happy with his role, but his presence might have put the 1992 team over the top.

[PDXKnight]

Dražen Petrović. RIP. Moved for two 2nd round picks that ended up busts. I know he wasn't happy with his role, but his presence might have put the 1992 team over the top.

And he might still be alive today