Besides an interest in the player from POR perspective, I think it is important to factor, is that player even available? and if they are, what reason would they be available.
Could a guy like Devin Booker (28) work if PHX does in fact blow it up this season? It could work, but I debate whther Booker would want to come here (I doubt it) or if Joe would rather get a younger player on a better contract. Booker is paid thru the 27/28 season - The next (3) years? $53\$57\$61 million I think the cost (acquisition) and salary may be a little too rich for POR
Interestingly, HOU has PHX 27', PHX 29' via (2) most favorable b\t PHX\DAL\HOU and swap rights in 27' with BRK on their pick. Sure looks like a Durant to HOU deal could be brewing this summer, and if they do that would they pivot around Booker, or offload him as well for assets? My guess would be the latter and POR could overpay to get him (Sharpe, 25/29(best)/31 1st + ?), add that to picks back from HOU and a young player or two and PHX would be well positioned into a rebuild.
But I don't think it would be Booker
Here is a breakdown of some players Schmitz spoke glowingly about that could fit the profile. I am sure I am missing a few, and I will add if I find more, but a couple COULD make sense if Cronin does cash his chips in (picks, young players). These are the ones that stood out to me the most.
Tyrese Haliburton - 24
RJ Barrett - 24
Zion Williamson - 24
RJ BarrettSchmitz viewed him as a future star, "Potential to be one of the most dynamic scorers in the NBA"
https://www.espn.co.uk/video/clip/_/id/26949424Schmitz: While I won't go so far as to say Barrett should be in the conversation for No. 2 overall, anyone who doesn't see him as the third-best prospect is wildly overthinking this...On top of that, I love Barrett's productivity, confidence and winning mentality, and I do believe he's being slept on as a potential All-Star regular. But I personally see Morant as the more special talent. Barrett doesn't have the same off-the-dribble, shot-making prowess of those aforementioned stars...
I think RJ versus Ja is certainly a conversation. Personally, I think Ja has a little bit more upside just in terms of his explosiveness combined with his feel for the game. RJ is going to be a really, really good player. I think he’s going to be an all-star caliber player.
Tyrese HaliburtonTyrese Haliburton has been arguably the NBA's best rookie so far and he showed exactly why last night against Denver. His basketball instincts are off the charts. More on his background and why I considered him a top-5 prospect leading up to the 2020 draft
While he might not be a shifty shot-creator or a run-and-jump athlete, there's a case that he's closer to a top-three player in this class than a mid-lottery selection.
Sure, he will never be as powerful as Georgia's Anthony Edwards or as creative as LaMelo Ball, but based on what he showed at Impact, he's stronger and starting to look more comfortable shooting off the dribble when under duress. Overanalyzing Haliburton's unorthodox game could lead scouts to miss some of the factors that make him such an impactful player on and off the court.
"If we're talking about who is the best all-around basketball player, just top to bottom, who has the fewest weaknesses in this draft? To me, it's Tyrese Haliburton," Schmitz told Van Pelt. "He can shoot it, he can pass out of the pick and roll, he can pass in transition. He can defend off the ball with the best of them. He's a brilliant basketball mind."
So to me, this is a kid that checks pretty much every box. He impacts the game all over the floor. He reminds me a bit of what we hoped Lonzo Ball would be coming out of UCLA. Now he's a better shooter, he's got a little bit more personality to his game. But as I'm looking at the top of this draft and I'm looking at guys who have a lot of question marks, I left that Vegas trip watching Tyrese Haliburton thinking, man, maybe we need to think about this kid a little higher in this draft because he checks pretty much every box."
Zion WilliamsonCalled him the best NBA prospect since Anthony Davis. Could he see him playing the 5 to close out games. Called him a point center
I think Zion is the best player and the best prospect in this draft. He’s kind of the epitome of positionless basketball in this new era that we’re seeing... It’s going to be important for Zion’s body to hold up, there’s no question about that.
Health permitting, I'm confident that Zion will be an MVP candidate and viewed as one of the best players in the league.
I've always thought Williamson's playmaking ability is one of the underrated aspects of his game. As he taps more and more into that vision and has better spacing around him, I think he can develop into a shot-creator and an occasional triple-double threat down the line. Far and away the most unique prospect I've evaluated, Williamson has no ceiling if he can improve his shooting and stay healthy.
https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/26949061Here is a wildcard, that I did not know Schmitz liked so much. Schmitz sure seems to like Daniels a LOT, could POR chase him, maybe, is he a star though, IMO no, but maybe they think he can be or that they think they have one already in Simons\Ayton?
Dyson Daniels (his brother is a projected lotto pick in 26' BTW)Such an impressive prospect both on and off the court. Now up to 6-7 barefoot with very few holes in his game on both ends.
“Dyson Daniels, remember the name,” Schmitz told ESPN’s ‘NBA Today’ on Tuesday.
“He is incredibly impressive on both ends of the floor. I think he is one of the most complete prospects. He’s 6’8 in shoes with a 6’11 wingspan, defends multiple positions, can play 1-through-4 and then the IQ, the vision.
“He plays that unselfish style and can see over the top in the half-court offensively. He is a big guard.”
He brings a rare combination of discipline, awareness and intensity on and off the ball that you rarely see from 19-year-olds, consistently fighting over screens, denying off the ball and mirroring smaller players with quick hip turns and excellent feet.
He's not a high-level shot creator at this stage but has a lot of the same tricks similar players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton did at the same stage with the way they manipulate defenses with savvy and pace, seeing over the top of defenses thanks to their excellent size.
While Daniels' numbers don't jump off the page and there are some things to question regarding his at-times-robotic style of play and lack of shiftiness with the ball, this type of multipositional wing who can slide between point guard and power forward seamlessly, and is brimming with versatility and basketball instincts, is very difficult to come by in today's NBA.
As a bonus, wonder why POR liked Kris Murray so much? Schmitz loved his twin brother
Keegan MurrayMurray reminds me in some ways of a forward version of Tyrese Haliburton. Some will question his NBA upside because he doesn't have the type of game that pops in a mixtape, but he has incredible touch, stellar all-around instincts and the type of basketball nervous system that lends itself to success. Murray isn't your typical 21-year-old prospect whom some executives might view as having a high floor, but his ability to consistently improve and stay even-keel in times of turmoil or success gives him a higher upside than his age and simple game might suggest on the surface.
Reminded yet again that Keegan Murray should be considered an elite prospect. Productive, plays a coveted position, severely underrated as a creator. Most complete player in this class.
Schmitz wrote that Murray plays "one of the most coveted positions in the NBA," praising his ability to play as a "jumbo small forward, modern 4, and small-ball 5."
While he wouldn't put him ahead of Smith Jr., Schmitz thinks the gap between the two players isn't as vast as one may presume.
"You could make the argument that (Murray) is nearly as versatile of a shooter (as Smith Jr.) while impacting the game in a few more areas given his ability to put pressure on the rim, rebound and make plays off the ball defensively."
He also wrote that Murray could fit seamlessly in Portland alongside guards Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons.
Note what all these players share in common? Positionless players can bounce b\t 2-3-4 or 3-4-5, sounds familiar to Camara & Deni
Scout on Bryce McGowans, whom POR picked up on a 2-way this year...When McGowens gets going, it's easy to compare him to guards like Dejounte Murray of the San Antonio Spurs and Bones Hyland of the Denver Nuggets. He shoots it from well beyond the NBA line like Hyland, mixing in step-backs and hesitations to get into his pull-up. He's also capable of playing off hang dribbles to get into the paint, striding into slow-down floaters, unraveling his 6-9 wingspan into finesse finishes with either hand.
If McGowens can prove he's a better shooter than his 25% 3-point clip suggests (81% on free throws), take better shots, flash some semblance of point guard potential and show he's a willing defender, he'll have no shortage of suitors, even in the lottery. If the struggles against top-tier teams continue, his naysayers will view him as a volume scorer who needs time before he can help an NBA team. -- Mike Schmitz
Also, Sidy Cissiko, now on a 2-way as wellOne of the most talented prospects I saw abroad: French guard Sidy Cissoko. Powerful at 6-6 with long arms, the 17-year-old Baskonia product can get his own or create for others. Needs to improve defense, decision making + body language, but lots to like.
French-Senegalese guard Sidy Cissoko is the most talented of the bunch, standing 6-6 with long arms, big hands, a strong 196-pound frame and the ability to create offense for both himself and his teammates. He's a powerful downhill driver who has already finished several poster dunks this season, while also showcasing impressive shot-making potential despite his 29% 3-point clip. Although he can make most pick-and-roll reads when he's going right, Cissoko -- who plays point guard full time for Iraurgi in Spain's second division -- needs to improve his decision-making and handle to play on the ball full time at the highest level. His defensive energy and body language also need major work, and making strides in those areas will be crucial for him to maximize his potential as a top-10 pick. The 17-year-old is under contract with Baskonia in the Basque Region and could earn minutes in the ACB next season.
