Blazers 2023-2024 Thread

[squintsdd]

No. 7 pick! Pop that bubbly.

Had to laugh at ESPN's mock draft that has us picking ANOTHER PG.

What a time to be alive!

Should have been no worse than #5 pick by final standings. Only team popping any bubbly is Atlanta.

I hate the lottery for this reason. It hurts small market teams. When free agents refuse to go to small market teams, and those teams can't luck out in the lottery, they're left as bottom feeders for years on end

[alxtw]

I guess our horrible luck in the draft order couldn't have happen in a better year.

[droop10]

Yeah, I don't think any team is really jumping for joy with the lottery results. From what I've heard on pods, execs are essentially comparing the 1st overall pick this year to the equivalent of a 10th overall pick in a typical year. Of course a few diamonds in the rough will surely come out of it somewhere, but it's a complete crapshoot. If you're Atlanta, you're probably bummed that all your good fortune is wasted on this draft. Heck, it's even being said that the 1st overall pick in a trade this year would essentially net you a 4th or 5th starter on a team, so there's no value in it.

[pezsez1]

After a few days to think on this I actually wouldn't mind drafting another PG.

Whoever we get needs to be a valuable rotation piece. We're definitely lacking our stud forward of the future -- and this draft isn't likely to have one beyond the first couple of picks -- and we're set (for now) in our starting guard and center positions. So then I'm looking at the bench. Camara is likely a reserve 3 or 4, and Reath is a serviceable backup 5. We'll likely eventually trade Ant and Brog, leaving us with a hole on the reserve guard rotation. The backup PG position is vital.

[Duck07]

I think the wise thing to do this off-season and with the draft is to trade 2 of Grant, Simons and Brogdan going into the draft (or during) and to package 7+14 to move up. You can likely re-coup another 1st that's outside the lottery as part of jettisoning those players and while you aren't likely to get any 2025 1st round draft capital for those guys, getting 2026 and 2027 1st rounders will start adding onto the other picks acquired from last years moves and you can balance your roster minutes out.

Scoot, Delano Banton
Sharpe, Rupert
Camara, Thybulle
Walker, Murray
Ayton, RW3, Reath

There isn't anyone that isn't at risk of having their position taken on that roster but you've also opened the door to add a high lotto pick along with 3 other draft picks to compete for roster spots and G-League minutes. It's only going to be a watchable roster if the players make some massive internal strides next year AND they hit a home-run in this draft. I'm prepared for Lay an Egg for Cooper Flagg though.

[squintsdd]

I think the wise thing to do this off-season and with the draft is to trade 2 of Grant, Simons and Brogdan going into the draft (or during) and to package 7+14 to move up. You can likely re-coup another 1st that's outside the lottery as part of jettisoning those players and while you aren't likely to get any 2025 1st round draft capital for those guys, getting 2026 and 2027 1st rounders will start adding onto the other picks acquired from last years moves and you can balance your roster minutes out.

Scoot, Delano Banton
Sharpe, Rupert
Camara, Thybulle
Walker, Murray
Ayton, RW3, Reath

There isn't anyone that isn't at risk of having their position taken on that roster but you've also opened the door to add a high lotto pick along with 3 other draft picks to compete for roster spots and G-League minutes. It's only going to be a watchable roster if the players make some massive internal strides next year AND they hit a home-run in this draft. I'm prepared for Lay an Egg for Cooper Flagg though.

I'm not a fan of moving up on this year's draft. It's going to be one of the worst in recent history, possibly ever. If anything I want to see if they can find a sucker, maybe get a good young player they can build around, and package those picks with someone like Simons, and trade out of this draft altogether.

[Boom]

Cody Williams is probably my top want in this draft. I'd also be happy with Holland or Castle.

[73duck]

This roster is full of marginal young players. PDX is on a track to tank forever. I would trade anybody on the PDX roster Phoenix would want and a first for Devin Booker if they would do it. It would be better than dreadful year after year with the roster PDX has now.

[pezsez1]

Portland has been very fortunate to draft franchise players like Brandon Roy, LMA & Lillard without having to go deep into tank mode. And we've made just enough moves over the years to give them some decent pieces around the edges to mostly squeeze into the playoffs.

But we've also had some bad misses, overpaid on some rotation players who never panned out, and we're obviously not a FA destination and never will be.

This tank won't last forever, but it's necessary and we just have to deal with it. It's by far and away our best and fastest path back toward real and sustainable success. We need to get lucky in the draft, though. I still don't think we've drafted our next franchise cornerstone. People just need to embrace the tank and enjoy watching these young players grow.

[73duck]

> This tank won't last forever

Sometimes they seem to. Washington and Charlotte come to mind. Sacramento and Minnesota are competitive now but went through very long droughts. And they traded their way out.

[buckmarkduck]

Portland is well on its way to being the Clippers. A change in ownership can’t come soon enough.

[Boom]

We need to get lucky in the draft, though. I still don't think we've drafted our next franchise cornerstone.

Hopefully that happens in the 25 & 26 draft.

[Boom]

Blazers having a nice draft day so far. Picking up Clingan and Avdija for the rebuild. Looking forward to see what kind of value Cronin can get for Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton this season.

[squintsdd]

Blazers having a nice draft day so far. Picking up Clingan and Avdija for the rebuild. Looking forward to see what kind of value Cronin can get for Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton this season.

Rather they keep Ayton and trade Simons

[Duck07]

Blazers having a nice draft day so far. Picking up Clingan and Avdija for the rebuild. Looking forward to see what kind of value Cronin can get for Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton this season.

I don't think the team should be so quick to move off Ayton as I think having two 7 footers who are different types of players is a good thing for the multiple matchups they'll face. We knew Ayton wanted to play some 4 last year so in what should be another tank year, I say let it play out unless you get an offer you can't refuse for him.

Jerami Grant feels like the next move because the future looks like Scoot-Shaedon-Avdija-?-Clingan.