POLL: Realistic Picks at #14???

[Butter]

Now that we have a good baseline for fan preferences for the #7, starting to see thoughts on the #14 pick in the other thread.

Throwing this up to get folks a chance to vote on the 2nd lottery pick

[JRoy]

Edey

[Butter]

Edey

Fixed

[JRoy]

I might take Edey with 7.

Pretty sure he will be a solid contributor from day one.

[JasonStern]

Doubt Salaun slides to 14, but he's my pick. Or Topic if he slides to 14 after his ACL tear. Blazers aren't winning any time soon. Might as well gamble on some high upside players. In before some rant about how we have Scoot, so drafting the best player available is dumb because fit is more important on a team lacking elite talent.

Edey is fine, but gives off strong bench player vibes. Probably the safe pick at 14. Some Nick Collison tier player. You can walk away from the draft happy with that, but it isn't going to move the franchise one way or another.

Strong feeling the Blazers walk away with some Martel Webster/Sergio Rodriguez level talent from this draft. Nice assets to have, but not anything that pushes Portland towards contending.

[Butter]

Doubt Salaun slides to 14, but he's my pick. Or Topic if he slides to 14 after his ACL tear. Blazers aren't winning any time soon. Might as well gamble on some high upside players. In before some rant about how we have Scoot, so drafting the best player available is dumb because fit is more important on a team lacking elite talent.

Edey is fine, but gives off strong bench player vibes. Probably the safe pick at 14. Some Nick Collison tier player. You can walk away from the draft happy with that, but it isn't going to move the franchise one way or another.

Strong feeling the Blazers walk away with some Martel Webster/Sergio Rodriguez level talent from this draft. Nice assets to have, but not anything that pushes Portland towards contending.

I agree with everything you're saying here. I think Salaun goes much earlier. I only added him because not many fans voted for him at #7, and I was interested to see if he would get more votes at #14.

I am really hoping the Blazers take a back up center at 14 if they don't take Clingan at 7. Either Edey, Missi or Ware. They need some size off their bench.

[Walton1one]

Salaun won't be there, all indications are top 10 and rising...

Shannon may go to prison, I don't think he should be a realistic option as long as that situation is unresolved...

Today, I would vote Other as none of those options left are overly appealing IMO...Think I will wait longer before casting actual vote.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

It would be hard not to take Edey if available. He was such a productive player. If it doesn't work out I can be fine with that since it's a risky pick but he also has the upside to be a game changer which many other prospects do not. We are in a spot we should be taking big swings.


Although I think I am still a Kyshawn George fan and wouldnt consider him too much of a reach here, especially if we end up going Clingan at 7. De Silva and Smith could be good picks too. Salaun as well but I don't think he will last this long.

[zzaj]

I chose "other". I think Da Silva will be the pick...at least I'm trying to will that into being.

In all seriousness though, that "other" is pretty massive. I like some of the big SG prospects projected later to go in that range.

[BlazersBroncos]

It would be hard not to take Edey if available. He was such a productive player. If it doesn't work out I can be fine with that since it's a risky pick but he also has the upside to be a game changer which many other prospects do not. We are in a spot we should be taking big swings.


Although I think I am still a Kyshawn George fan and wouldnt consider him too much of a reach here, especially if we end up going Clingan at 7. De Silva and Smith could be good picks too. Salaun as well but I don't think he will last this long.

I really hope we can use the SRP to move up for a late R1 and snag George (Who’s stock seems to have cooled w/ a poor combine). Furphy, Diadet or even Dunn would be my other choices.

[JasonStern]

It would be hard not to take Edey if available. He was such a productive player. If it doesn't work out I can be fine with that since it's a risky pick but he also has the upside to be a game changer which many other prospects do not. We are in a spot we should be taking big swings.


Although I think I am still a Kyshawn George fan and wouldnt consider him too much of a reach here, especially if we end up going Clingan at 7. De Silva and Smith could be good picks too. Salaun as well but I don't think he will last this long.

I really hope we can use the SRP to move up for a late R1 and snag George (Who’s stock seems to have cooled w/ a poor combine). Furphy, Diadet or even Dunn would be my other choices.

Yeah. Even if the Blazers don't move up much, I'm all for consolidating the two 2nds into a late 1st. I don't see a situation where taking on four rookies makes any sense. So, if you don't consolidate, you're looking at maybe stashing some random Euro player. Or, knowing current ownership, selling the pick outright.

[DusterBuster]

Strong feeling the Blazers walk away with some Martel Webster/Sergio Rodriguez level talent from this draft. Nice assets to have, but not anything that pushes Portland towards contending.

This exactly. I get the totally same vibe from this draft. Someone who will probably be fine on a bad team, but if he isn’t a bust, he’s likely trade fodder or let to walk.

[TBpup]

Yeah. Even if the Blazers don't move up much, I'm all for consolidating the two 2nds into a late 1st. I don't see a situation where taking on four rookies makes any sense. So, if you don't consolidate, you're looking at maybe stashing some random Euro player. Or, knowing current ownership, selling the pick outright.

I spoke to someone today who is around the team quite a bit and I brought up that exact scenario. He said, "No way" because it was cause another guaranteed contract which they don't want right now.

Much more likely they draft 1 or 2 (might trade away 1 2nd round pick) guys for the G-League or a 2-way contract.

[JasonStern]

Yeah. Even if the Blazers don't move up much, I'm all for consolidating the two 2nds into a late 1st. I don't see a situation where taking on four rookies makes any sense. So, if you don't consolidate, you're looking at maybe stashing some random Euro player. Or, knowing current ownership, selling the pick outright.

I spoke to someone today who is around the team quite a bit and I brought up that exact scenario. He said, "No way" because it was cause another guaranteed contract which they don't want right now.

Much more likely they draft 1 or 2 (might trade away 1 2nd round pick) guys for the G-League or a 2-way contract.

Time will tell. I wouldn't be surprised if they shotgun approach this draft. But I still suspect someone they like slides and they consolidate. And then either Thybulle or Timelord are straight up gifted to another team for tax considerations. Not the best use of assets, but you can't be this bad as a team while paying luxury tax.

[zzaj]

Yeah. Even if the Blazers don't move up much, I'm all for consolidating the two 2nds into a late 1st. I don't see a situation where taking on four rookies makes any sense. So, if you don't consolidate, you're looking at maybe stashing some random Euro player. Or, knowing current ownership, selling the pick outright.

I spoke to someone today who is around the team quite a bit and I brought up that exact scenario. He said, "No way" because it was cause another guaranteed contract which they don't want right now.

Much more likely they draft 1 or 2 (might trade away 1 2nd round pick) guys for the G-League or a 2-way contract.

Yeah, this...
As much as I like the late 1sts, since the team is on the cusp of the apron I REALLY doubt they would make a move like this. In some ways early seconds hold more value than late firsts.

[JasonStern]

Yeah. Even if the Blazers don't move up much, I'm all for consolidating the two 2nds into a late 1st. I don't see a situation where taking on four rookies makes any sense. So, if you don't consolidate, you're looking at maybe stashing some random Euro player. Or, knowing current ownership, selling the pick outright.

I spoke to someone today who is around the team quite a bit and I brought up that exact scenario. He said, "No way" because it was cause another guaranteed contract which they don't want right now.

Much more likely they draft 1 or 2 (might trade away 1 2nd round pick) guys for the G-League or a 2-way contract.

Yeah, this...
As much as I like the late 1sts, since the team is on the cusp of the apron I REALLY doubt they would make a move like this. In some ways early seconds hold more value than late firsts.

Again, players locked into rookie scale contracts are the cheapest means of production. If a rebuilding Blazers see someone they like in the draft slide (da Silva? KyShawn?), it would be foolish to pass on that opportunity to add two g-league/2-way players while holding on to Thybulle/Timelord. Depending on who is retained, the Blazers are already in a "need to drop player(s) to sign rookies", "need to cut salary to avoid the luxury tax" situation.

[Norm2953]

Most likely the pick at 40 will be a draft and stash type of player where the team retains his rights but he stays
in Europe for the 2024 season

Pick 34 which is the second pick in the second round will likely be one of the many juniors/seniors in this
draft.

[HoopsFanAZ]

Being a fan of picking Cody Williams, Salaun and Topic … and expecting all 3 gone by 14, then package 14 with other assets to move up and get 2 of the 3.

[Butter]

Being a fan of picking Cody Williams, Salaun and Topic … and expecting all 3 gone by 14, then package 14 with other assets to move up and get 2 of the 3.

This seems to be the big conundrum for this draft. Long term, will it be better to trade up and target BPA, OR to take the most players possible and increase the # of picks that might pan out.

[JasonStern]

Being a fan of picking Cody Williams, Salaun and Topic … and expecting all 3 gone by 14, then package 14 with other assets to move up and get 2 of the 3.

West is stacked and the Blazers are far away from competing. Good draft to gamble a bit.

Still hoping Topic falls to 14 after his ACL tear. Blazers are in the perfect situation to nurse a higher upside player back to health.

Still also hoping the Blazers consolidate 34, 40, and maybe a future 2nd to land da Silva, George, or Edey late in the 1st round. Or N'faly Dante at 40 because I'm a huge Ducks homer. I know a lot of people want to stash some Euros or sign some g-league/two-way players, but I haven't heard many names mentioned. Maybe Dadiet if he slides? Seems like the mid to late 1st round is where the value is.