DRAFTING A BACK-UP PG

[JasonStern]

I still don't get anointing Scoot as the PGOTF. If he develops, great. But Brogdon is levels superior to him in 2024. And - HOT TAKE - so is Simons at this point. Not saying a Brogdon/Simons back court is a long term solution. But I will say, as much as I am a Sharpe stan, it's a better back court right now than Scoot/Sharpe.

Decent chance Topic slides to 14. Been pretty vocal that the Blazers shouldn't pull the "why would we draft Chris Paul when we have Sebastian Telfair??" card. Not a knock on Scoot. But it's easier to balance a roster when you have talent available to trade.

Chaotic draft. No idea who, but some players are going to slide. It's why I really hope we can get a late 1st for 34+40.
"Noooes! Then we'd have to trade Thybulle to get under the salary cap!"
Thybulle is 27. He's on a cheap contract and is a productive player. But he's not on this timeline. Are you really willing to pass on a da Silva or Ware prospect for a 5ppg defensive specialist?

[HoopsFanAZ]

Sarr and/or Risacher will be available at 2. Who here trades Scoot to the Wizards?

[zzaj]

I still don't get anointing Scoot as the PGOTF. If he develops, great. But Brogdon is levels superior to him in 2024. And - HOT TAKE - so is Simons at this point. Not saying a Brogdon/Simons back court is a long term solution. But I will say, as much as I am a Sharpe stan, it's a better back court right now than Scoot/Sharpe.

Decent chance Topic slides to 14. Been pretty vocal that the Blazers shouldn't pull the "why would we draft Chris Paul when we have Sebastian Telfair??" card. Not a knock on Scoot. But it's easier to balance a roster when you have talent available to trade.

Chaotic draft. No idea who, but some players are going to slide. It's why I really hope we can get a late 1st for 34+40.
"Noooes! Then we'd have to trade Thybulle to get under the salary cap!"
Thybulle is 27. He's on a cheap contract and is a productive player. But he's not on this timeline. Are you really willing to pass on a da Silva or Ware prospect for a 5ppg defensive specialist?

Probably not going to be a HOF PG in this draft. But I suppose there might be...and if Shmitz thinks there is? Go for it Mike. Although, one could argue that a Chris Paul coming into the NBA of today would be very different than when he came in 20 years ago.

I agree about Matisse. He doesn't really fit in Portland other than being a kooky dude, and awesome lockeroom guy.

Simons is obviously pretty polarizing around here. But the question always looms...how many points would he put up on a Top 10 team? I've made it clear that IMO his best role would be off the bench on a good team, and therein lies the rub. Portland is not a good team, so he starts. Another option would be masking him with ballhandling, defensive-minded teammates.

[JasonStern]

I still don't get anointing Scoot as the PGOTF. If he develops, great. But Brogdon is levels superior to him in 2024. And - HOT TAKE - so is Simons at this point. Not saying a Brogdon/Simons back court is a long term solution. But I will say, as much as I am a Sharpe stan, it's a better back court right now than Scoot/Sharpe.

Decent chance Topic slides to 14. Been pretty vocal that the Blazers shouldn't pull the "why would we draft Chris Paul when we have Sebastian Telfair??" card. Not a knock on Scoot. But it's easier to balance a roster when you have talent available to trade.

Chaotic draft. No idea who, but some players are going to slide. It's why I really hope we can get a late 1st for 34+40.
"Noooes! Then we'd have to trade Thybulle to get under the salary cap!"
Thybulle is 27. He's on a cheap contract and is a productive player. But he's not on this timeline. Are you really willing to pass on a da Silva or Ware prospect for a 5ppg defensive specialist?

Probably not going to be a HOF PG in this draft. But I suppose there might be...and if Shmitz thinks there is? Go for it Mike. Although, one could argue that a Chris Paul coming into the NBA of today would be very different than when he came in 20 years ago.

I agree about Matisse. He doesn't really fit in Portland other than being a kooky dude, and awesome lockeroom guy.

Simons is obviously pretty polarizing around here. But the question always looms...how many points would he put up on a Top 10 team? I've made it clear that IMO his best role would be off the bench on a good team, and therein lies the rub. Portland is not a good team, so he starts. Another option would be masking him with ballhandling, defensive-minded teammates.

I love Thybulle. He just doesn't fit this rebuild timeline. Is on a reasonable contact. And is probably the easiest player to move for salary purposes.

I'm fine admitting Simons is a stopgap player. And if some enticing trade was offered, he should be shipped. But otherwise, you have a 25 year old smaller Jamal Crawford on a reasonable contract. As much as people want to complain, Simons and Ayton were arguably in the top 3 of players on this team last season. The whole "well, they aren't flawless, so because they have holes in their games - booo! Play Duop Reath!" posts just make my head hurt.

[HoopsFanAZ]

Sheppard is not a good defender right now; listening to and reading evals made that case to me … THOUGH he has elite hand-eye coordination and anticipation for steals and blocks and with SERIOUS hops. He’s a sneaky good athlete. If Schmitz sees him as preferable to Scoot and Simons — in a couple years and eventually — then trade both, now.

[BlazersBroncos]

I like the idea of drafting a big backup PG to groom and take over when Malcolm expires. I am out on the small PG’s. Look at who was getting minutes in the PO’s. It’s overwhelmingly big guards.

Ajay and Newton would be my two targets. Newton especially is being undervalued. Reminds me a lot of Dallas version of Exum.

[Blazers98]

I really hope we do not draft a PG at 7.
If Topic falls to 14, then fine.
2nd rounders are all about upside no mater the position IMO.

[Walton1one]

I don't know how you can actually know what Scoot's full potential is with both Brogdon & Simons on the roster? Scoot is a PG who needs the ball in his hands to be fully effective, having him play off the ball (as POR did LY at times) just hampers his development IMO. Specifically when he & Simons were on the floor together, at best half of that time Scoot was playing off ball\defering to Simons, not to mention repeating the whole undersized guards in the backcourt.

If POR wants to give Scoot the best chance to succeed, then they need to surround him with the right complementary pieces, a pick & roll center (preferably one who can pass) and guys who can consistently knock down outside shots. This roster right now, has very little of either.

[zzaj]

I don't know how you can actually know what Scoot's full potential is with both Brogdon & Simons on the roster? Scoot is a PG who needs the ball in his hands to be fully effective, having him play off the ball (as POR did LY at times) just hampers his development IMO. Specifically when he & Simons were on the floor together, at best half of that time Scoot was playing off ball\defering to Simons, not to mention repeating the whole undersized guards in the backcourt.

If POR wants to give Scoot the best chance to succeed, then they need to surround him with the right complementary pieces, a pick & roll center (preferably one who can pass) and guys who can consistently knock down outside shots. This roster right now, has very little of either.

I'll take that one step further that currently, Scoot, Simons, Sharpe, Grant and Ayton ALL need the ball in their hands to be their most effective selves. This is a major issue with the roster construction as it stands...

[Effigy]

BPA trumps everything. That said, we have enough pgs, so unless we're super high on McCain or Carter, Carrington, whoever, I would prefer a player at another position.