I guess Lebron's not Signing with Portland

[DusterBuster]

I screamed when we picked Oden over Durant. I just kept thinking about Bowie and Jordan the whole time... It was a terrible pick. Oden was clearly a 45 year old man when he was 19. It was stupid then and it's stupid now that people defend that pick over what was obviously a sure thing.

This is some revisionist history about a sure thing and obvious pick, Case.

God, it wasn't even that long ago. They called it the freaking Oden Draft.

[Wizenheimer]

The medical staff is at fault with Oden.

maybe...but I sure seem to remember an article that came out here...sometime around 2009-10. In the story it said that Portland's medical staff had flagged 3 different draft prospects. A couple of players had amber flags and a 3rd one had a red flag. There were not many specifics although I seem to recall one of the amber flags maybe being for a wrist, and another being about a "structural anomaly". It was never certain who the flags were about but it seemed pretty solid conjecture that two of them were Brandon Roy and Greg Oden. One leg being shorter then the other sure fits the structural anomaly category. And Nic Batum has been plagued by a chronically injured wrist on his shooting hand his whole career

in all three cases supposedly, according to that story, the Blazer front office decided to disregard the doctor's evaluations and roll the dice on the risky players

maybe I'm remembering this all wrong...does anybody else remember a story like that?

[PDX MM]

Yeah I remember a story about that. Concerns over Roy's knees were there while he was still in college and the reason he slipped out of the top 5. I remember on draft day the dudes on tv talking about how is career would be shorter than most because of those knees, I just think it happened a lot fast than anyone thought.

As for Oden I do remember there being a lot of rumors about bad knees, bad hip, bad wrist but nothing ever official. Pre draft KD couldn't bench 175 lbs and probably barely weighted over 200. The concerns about his strength and what position he would play were real. One thing about each player was clear, Oden had the raw strength that hadn't been seen since Shaq and that KD could score from pretty much anywhere at will. Hindsight is always 20/20 for a reason. At the time of the draft lottery and I found out we had won the #1 pick the first thought that popped into my head was "we are getting Oden!!" and I am sure I wasn't the only one.

I think the third red flag player was DeJuan Blair who had worse knees coming of of college than Roy did.

[JasonStern]

I mean, what was really a better result this year...Portland getting swept in the playoffs and the 24th pick?...or Denver missing the playoffs and 14th pick

anytime the choice is winning your division versus turning a late 1st to a mid 1st, you win the division. the rafters need more than retired jerseys from players that played 40 years ago. even after winning the division this year, the Blazers still have won it less than OKC, Utah, and Denver.

[Waynearchetype]

Do we get a banner for being the only 3 seed to ever get swept by the 6th seed?

[Wizenheimer]

I mean, what was really a better result this year...Portland getting swept in the playoffs and the 24th pick?...or Denver missing the playoffs and 14th pick

anytime the choice is winning your division versus turning a late 1st to a mid 1st, you win the division. the rafters need more than retired jerseys from players that played 40 years ago. even after winning the division this year, the Blazers still have won it less than OKC, Utah, and Denver.

nobody remembers division championships because they are so meaningless. Hell, Houston won the Western Conference regular season championship and all anybody will remember is them losing game 7, at home, to the Warriors

Portland finished 4th in the division in 2012 and 6 weeks later drafted Lillard. What is going to mean more to the franchise, drafting Lillard in 2012 or winning the division in 2018? Hell, Portland won the division in 2015 and were promptly beat in the playoffs 4-1 by Memphis. Nobody gives a crap that Portland won the division that year...in fact, it just adds to the negative

[JasonStern]

I mean, what was really a better result this year...Portland getting swept in the playoffs and the 24th pick?...or Denver missing the playoffs and 14th pick

anytime the choice is winning your division versus turning a late 1st to a mid 1st, you win the division. the rafters need more than retired jerseys from players that played 40 years ago. even after winning the division this year, the Blazers still have won it less than OKC, Utah, and Denver.

nobody remembers division championships because they are so meaningless. Hell, Houston won the Western Conference regular season championship and all anybody will remember is them losing game 7, at home, to the Warriors

Portland finished 4th in the division in 2012 and 6 weeks later drafted Lillard. What is going to mean more to the franchise, drafting Lillard in 2012 or winning the division in 2018? Hell, Portland won the division in 2015 and were promptly beat in the playoffs 4-1 by Memphis. Nobody gives a crap that Portland won the division that year...in fact, it just adds to the negative

and if Lillard caliber players were typical with the 14th pick, missing the playoffs would make sense. but looking at http://www.82games.com/nbadraftpicks.htm :

Average Career Stats by draft pick number

Pick # Gms Min Pts Reb Ast Rtg Star Solid RoleP DeepB Bust DNP
14 20 312 21.1 8.8 3.0 1.9 13.7 25% 20% 25% 10% 20%
24 20 350 20.6 7.9 3.0 2.1 13.0 15% 25% 20% 35% 5%

...the odds finding a game changing player at #14 aren't that much higher than finding a game changing player at #24.

the one argument you could make is that, by winning the division, Olshey and Allen might think the team is closer to contending than it actually is, and thus make franchise crippling contract extensions and free agent signings.

FWIW, I care about winning the division. but my expectations for Blazers success have been beaten down over the course of my life.

[Wizenheimer]

and if Lillard caliber players were typical with the 14th pick, missing the playoffs would make sense. but looking at http://www.82games.com/nbadraftpicks.htm :

Average Career Stats by draft pick number

Pick # Gms Min Pts Reb Ast Rtg Star Solid RoleP DeepB Bust DNP
14 20 312 21.1 8.8 3.0 1.9 13.7 25% 20% 25% 10% 20%
24 20 350 20.6 7.9 3.0 2.1 13.0 15% 25% 20% 35% 5%

...the odds finding a game changing player at #14 aren't that much higher than finding a game changing player at #24.

I don't care about averages in this case. Somehow, someway, Portland needs a home run or at least a double:

15 Robin Lopez
22 Courtney Lee
24 Serge Ibaka
25 Nicolas Batum
26 George Hill
35 DeAndre Jordan
45 Goran Dragic

17 Jrue Holiday
18 Ty Lawson
19 Jeff Teague
26 Taj Gibson
27 DeMarre Carroll
42 Patrick Beverley

14 Patrick Patterson
15 Larry Sanders
18 Eric Bledsoe
19 Avery Bradley
33 Hassan Whiteside

14 Marcus Morris
15 Kawhi Leonard
16 Nikola Vucevic
19 Tobias Harris
23 Nikola Mirotic
24 Reggie Jackson
30 Jimmy Butler
39 Khris Middleton

15 Giannis Antetokounmpo
17 Dennis Schroder
20 Tony Snell
27 Rudy Gobert

14 T.J. Warren
16 Jusuf Nurkic
19 Gary Harris
23 Rodney Hood
25 Clint Capela
27 Bogdan Bogdanovic
41 Nikola Jokic

17 of those players were available at 24; but 21 other were only available at 14. I'd prefer a shot at somebody like that, no matter the odds against it. I can't believe any Blazer fan is celebrating the division title at this point

the one argument you could make is that, by winning the division, Olshey and Allen might think the team is closer to contending than it actually is, and thus make franchise crippling contract extensions and free agent signings.

honestly, I think it probably cuts in the other direction. They won the division but their pathetic performance in the playoffs made it clear that winning the division was a hollow accomplishment. And what that collapse did was make it harder for Olshey to retreat behind his buzzwords and pablum. Nobody will buy that crap at this point, his Teflon is scorched, and his roster is poorly constructed.

[Case2012]

Not to me. I did not want Oden, I thought he'd be a bust because of his knees, and like I said, the whole Jordan/ Bowie thing was in my head the whole draft. 2 or 3 weeks later I was in the Plaid on 21st and Powell and I saw the Oregonian headline about Oden needing microfracture and I just shook my head like, not again...

[The Sebastian Express]

The only injury concerns that Oden had coming into the draft was his injured wrist which was recovering nicely since he had played with it in college. I recall no worries about his knee, only vague reports about one leg being longer than the other. There wa no comparison to Bowie at all, who had a significant injury history. Also IIRC ODen's micro-fracture announcement didn't come until early September, and he definitely played in Summer League until tonsil issues forced him out.

[JasonStern]

I can't believe any Blazer fan is celebrating the division title at this point

look at the team's talent, cap situation, lack of young prospects, etc., then look at both how stacked the western conference is and how many other teams are on an upward trajectory. it's not like they're giving us anything else to celebrate.

[Revived]

Anyone feel like the whole Oden/Durant thing will repeat itself again this draft with Ayton/Doncic? Doncic won't be quite as good as KD but still...

Ayton and Oden even look similar physically and facially.

[PDXKnight]

Anyone feel like the whole Oden/Durant thing will repeat itself again this draft with Ayton/Doncic? Doncic won't be quite as good as KD but still...

Ayton and Oden even look similar physically and facially.

I think bagley is a better prospect than doncic personally

[Revived]

Anyone feel like the whole Oden/Durant thing will repeat itself again this draft with Ayton/Doncic? Doncic won't be quite as good as KD but still...

Ayton and Oden even look similar physically and facially.

I think bagley is a better prospect than doncic personally

I disagree but looks like Sacramento may agree with you.

[Wickzki]

I remember watching Durant in his early collegiate games. I was sold on him the very first time that I watched him play. To me he was the prototype player for the future of the NBA. Shooter, awesome defender (in college), long, athletic.

I cried and screamed at the TV when we picked Oden. People around me told me to shut up that I didn't know what I was talking about. I never even had to say I told them so.

They had more info than me. Yet they picked the cripple.

[JasonStern]

I remember watching Durant in his early collegiate games. I was sold on him the very first time that I watched him play. To me he was the prototype player for the future of the NBA. Shooter, awesome defender (in college), long, athletic.

I cried and screamed at the TV when we picked Oden. People around me told me to shut up that I didn't know what I was talking about. I never even had to say I told them so.

They had more info than me. Yet they picked the cripple.

so who is the surefire hall of fame player and who is the injury prone bust in today's draft?

[monopoman]

I remember watching Durant in his early collegiate games. I was sold on him the very first time that I watched him play. To me he was the prototype player for the future of the NBA. Shooter, awesome defender (in college), long, athletic.

I cried and screamed at the TV when we picked Oden. People around me told me to shut up that I didn't know what I was talking about. I never even had to say I told them so.

They had more info than me. Yet they picked the cripple.

so who is the surefire hall of fame player and who is the injury prone bust in today's draft?

Yep, I bet he was going ballistic when in 2011 we drafted Nolan Smith at 21 over Jimmy Butler at 30. There was also that huge error next year where Draymond Green went 35th and we drafted Meyers Leonard at 11.

Damn this team could have Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green we might be as good as GSW is now if we picked those two up!

[DusterBuster]

I remember watching Durant in his early collegiate games. I was sold on him the very first time that I watched him play. To me he was the prototype player for the future of the NBA. Shooter, awesome defender (in college), long, athletic.

I cried and screamed at the TV when we picked Oden. People around me told me to shut up that I didn't know what I was talking about. I never even had to say I told them so.

They had more info than me. Yet they picked the cripple.

so who is the surefire hall of fame player and who is the injury prone bust in today's draft?

Yep, I bet he was going ballistic when in 2011 we drafted Nolan Smith at 21 over Jimmy Butler at 30. There was also that huge error next year where Draymond Green went 35th and we drafted Meyers Leonard at 11.

Damn this team could have Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green we might be as good as GSW is now if we picked those two up!

I don't remember any losing it over specifically not drafting Jimmy Butler... I do remember a general irritation with taking Smith at all though since he was generally thought of to be a 2nd round level player. Turns out he wasn't even a 3rd round level talent.

That was probably one of the worst Blazer picks ever.

[JasonStern]

I don't remember any losing it over specifically not drafting Jimmy Butler... I do remember a general irritation with taking Smith at all though since he was generally thought of to be a 2nd round level player. Turns out he wasn't even a 3rd round level talent.

That was probably one of the worst Blazer picks ever.

that, and rumors were the Blazers were interested in Faried. the Blazers board then fell in love with Faried. but supposedly as part of the Raymound Fatton trade, the Blazers had a handshake deal not to draft Faried. Smith then not only turned out to not be an NBA level player, but kind of a dick towards fans, at least in media interviews.

[DusterBuster]

I don't remember any losing it over specifically not drafting Jimmy Butler... I do remember a general irritation with taking Smith at all though since he was generally thought of to be a 2nd round level player. Turns out he wasn't even a 3rd round level talent.

That was probably one of the worst Blazer picks ever.

that, and rumors were the Blazers were interested in Faried. the Blazers board then fell in love with Faried. but supposedly as part of the Raymound Fatton trade, the Blazers had a handshake deal not to draft Faried. Smith then not only turned out to not be an NBA level player, but kind of a dick towards fans, at least in media interviews.

Yep, that's what I remember too. I don't remember Smith being a dick to fans, but I also didn't really pay close attention to Nolan cause well... he was a horsecrap player.