The 2012 NBA Draft: 6th & 11th picks, and some random 2nds.

[Case2012]

Damian Lillard at 6 AND Kendall Marshall at 11.

Kahn is that you...

seriously though..BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA

BPA? That's what I said. You could easily play lillard at the 2 in the current NBA, and what better PG could you have finding him than Marshall? Okay, In my perfect world we cement our back court for years with Beal and Lillard. That would take immense pressure off of Aldridge, and would let him play as a third option, which we all know he wants. Lillard and Marshall is very intriguing.

[Village Idiot]

I think that if this franchise is ever going to be anything more than a 1st round exit caliber team, we need to swing for the fences.

At #6 Drummond
At #11 Perry Jones or Terrence Jones

And use our cap-space on a PG

[Butter]

The Blazers need some KP style wheelin' and dealin' this year. There is no way they need four players from this draft, 6, 11, 40, and 41. They're going to have to move up, move down, trade for veteran players, something.

The rankings haven't sorted themselves out yet, so maybe that'll help clarify things eventually. I just feel like this is the most important off-season for the Blazers since the Brandon Roy/LMA draft. They need a solid GM BADLY.

[King d]

I would love to draft Harrison Barnes. As much as I'm personally not a fan of his I'd accept if the team drafted Kendall Marshall with the 11. Re-sign Batum to play 2/3 and make Matthews your long-term sixth man backing up Batum and Barnes. Good chance there you have the best perimeter defense in the NBA inside three years.

Barnes is an average defender even at the college level

[King d]

[ In my perfect world we cement our back court for years with Beal and Lillard. That would take immense pressure off of Aldridge, and would let him play as a third option, which we all know he wants. Lillard and Marshall is very intriguing.

Lamarcus 3rd option behind Lillard and Beal? you are out of your mind... LMA is a 1st option allstar caliber player, maybe a 2nd option if you pair him with another SUPERSTAR, not two unproven rookies

[sabi]

Also we must use one second rounder on jae crowded so that we can finally have that togh banging undersized pf who do so well in the league. Think faried or Blair or milsap etc

[Downtown]

There could be a number of players that might be surprises in the top half of the second round.

Crowder is definitely one if he falls. Kris Joseph as mentioned. Then there's a few pointguard prospects that might be worth looking at such as Scott Machado, Maalik Wayans, or Casper Ware. Could Kyle O'Quinn sink a little? Robert Sacre has been in the second round in all the mock drafts.

Would a team like Memphis, whose owner has stated he will be looking to somehow stay under the luxury tax be willing to give up their #25 pick for a couple second rounders and draft overseas players and stash them to help try and solve cap concerns?

I think the Blazers could end up with a player that could make the roster, albeit as a bench player, with their lower picks.

[Jsun947]

What about

New Orleans #10
For
Portland #11, 2nd round picks, Shawne Williams, #3 million

Type deal?

Swap picks + incentive to free up Shawne Williams cap space from us.

[Downtown]

As for their two lottery picks, man that's a tough one, evidenced by the discussions on these boards.

I share the concerns with Drummond but the Blazers are going to be torn if he is still on board with the top five being Davis, Gillchrist, Robinson, Beal, and Barnes in whatever order. That is when the old saying about high risk/high reward rears it's head. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes. Hopefully the pre draft workouts make things clearer and easier in their decision.

As for not being a good move to pick one of the pointguards at #6, I won't go that far since I recall when Seattle(yes they were still Seattle then) drafted Westbrook and no one thought he was worthy of going #4. They simply said he was the player they wanted and didn't care about rankings. So if either Lillard or Marshall wow them and they feel one of them is their guy then I wouldn't dismiss passing them because they aren't ranked at #6.

To be honest I don't have certain players that I feel are a must based on where the rankings currently are. Just like a Dion Waiters has shot up from the mid twenties to mentioned as a lottery pick I suspect by draft day the names will be shuffled around a fair bit and we could be talking about someone we haven't yet discussed.

[Jsun947]

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/And ... port-3931/

He is a really, really bad basketball player. Thabeet might be more refined.

[Walton'sBeard!]

I'm sorry, but I remember watching Thabeet in college and there is no comparison to Drummond. As goofy and awkward as Thabeet looked in Portland, he looked even worse in college. He got his stats by being tall and athletic and that's it.

Drummond has weaknesses, but they are different weaknesses. Drummond has skills and moves well. But damn that FT% is inexcusable.

EDIT: I doubt it matters anyway. Unless he has AWFUL workouts I doubt he will slide all the way to #6.

[Jsun947]

Drummond only converted on 32% of his shots from the post this year.

He only made 2 jump shots the entire season.

He shot 18% from the FT line his last 10 games.

Thabeet averaged 10/8 his sophomore year in college. Similar to Drummond's freshman year.

How is their offensive skills much different?

[Wizenheimer]

I think that if this franchise is ever going to be anything more than a 1st round exit caliber team, we need to swing for the fences.

At #6 Drummond
At #11 Perry Jones or Terrence Jones

And use our cap-space on a PG

look at the teams still playing:

* Spurs have Parker, Ginobli, Jackson, Diaw

* OKC has Westbrook, Harden, Durant

* Miami has Wade, Lebron, Chalmers

* Boston has Rondo, Pierce, Allen

all those teams have at least 3 players who can handle the ball well, initiate offense, and also score (and it doesn't hurt that there are a bunch of all-stars there)

Portland has none

So, for me, "swinging for the fences" does not include investing the best draft pick in a low BBIQ big who shoots 29% from the FT line and has questions about his attitude.

Yes, Portland needs some size. But most of all, Portland needs ball-handlers and scorers. If Portland keeps that 6th pick, the home run would be getting a player like Eric Gordon or Stephen Curry or Evan Turner or James Harden, not a player like Deandre Jordan

[Jsun947]

Id have hopeful optimism for Drummond if his attitude and work ethic was more comparable to Durant rather then Eddy Curry.

[Jsun947]

I agree wiz

[Jsun947]

Let's stop pretending drummond will ever be a shaq type center.

[Walton'sBeard!]

Drummond only converted on 32% of his shots from the post this year.

He only made 2 jump shots the entire season.

This doesn't make sense. He had a FGM of 53%. Where did those baskets come from if he only shot 32% from the post AND only made two jumpshots?

What I have seen of Drummond is a guy that HAS a jumpshot. The problem is he relies on it too much instead of trying to impose his will in the paint.

Overall, I think we agree that neither of us are crazy about Drummond, but at #6 I think he is worth the risk. I would not trade up for him.

[ph1sh55]

...dunks?

[mojomarc]

Overall, I think we agree that neither of us are crazy about Drummond, but at #6 I think he is worth the risk. I would not trade up for him.

This is where I am, although if he were available at #5 I might trade up a spot if it were cheap. It all depends on which primary ball-handler type we projected would still be around by #11. If Lillard were going to be around then and that's who I'm set with (and I agree Wiz--we need some serious primary ball-handling mojo and no one in the draft seems better at that than Lillard), then I take the risk on Drummond and hope his pure athleticism can somehow be channeled into a productive player.

Yes, I know he is a horrid foul shooter and he is a very inefficient player due to his low BBIQ. But I also remember Andrew Bynum shooting 40% from the field and 29% from the line as a rookie, and Drummond is at least as athletic as Bynum is. At #6, you don't expect to make an immediate impact like you do at #1-3, so you draft for upside. Like I said earlier, it's hard to argue with upside for a 6'11" 275lb guy who moves like that, especially since he can't get much worse in terms of BBIQ.

[SinceClyde]

I'd like to go over the 5 teams in front of the blazers to determine who they might pick because of needs...

1. Hornets: Anthony Davis (obvious)
2. Bobcats: MKG or Robinson...they could upgrade at either position and those are the next two best players.
3. Wizards: Same as bobcats...BPA so whoever of MKG or Robinson the cats don't take, wizards take.
4. Cavs: I think their biggest need is SG, but you can easily make that same argument for SF. I'd say they go with Beal. If not, will they reach for Barnes?
5. Kings: This is probably where any other team would take Drummond on pure potential alone, but why take Drummond if you have Cousins? Unless they want twin towers of Drummond and Cousins...seems silly but I could see it.
6. I'd take Drummond if he was available. Barnes would probably be next bpa. Outside of that, I think the quality of players are about equal. Sullinger could go 6-11. Lamb, Henson, Lillard? All could range from 6-11.

Two things I'm illustrating.
One, I think Drummond could drop to us and I think it would be painful his rookie season, more than any other lottery pick. BUT the reward would be great.

Second, I don't see the purpose of trading both our picks for a better pick. Not clear enough talent from 6-11. The exception is if the other team offers a starting PG with their top 3. If trading up is something we talk about, it needs to be about the current NBA player we get with that pick, not necessarily the pick itself.