RealGM

All things equal, Sarr would be the top pick for Portland for at 7-1 220lbs, he'd likely be
another LA for Portland.

I've seen different sizes for Rayan for is he 6-5 or has he grown some given he's the youngest
player on the team? Rayan might be a player by year 3, especially if he grows to 6-7

Goldbum wrote:Matas is so interesting because of the lack of transparency regarding his size. I've seen 6'11" and 6'7". If he's 6'10"+ he's a top 4 pick, if he's 6'7"-6'8" I don't know if he's even a lotto guy. I'm not so sure he's a better than Rupert unless he's a few inches taller.

Wow... that is quite the take.

I like Rupert, but they are not in the same universe as far as prospects go.

First couple of times I saw Rupert play, he reminded me of Bamby learning how to walk/run because it was so awkward.

Matas' best comp is Franz Wagner. I'm not ready to say Matas will be better than Franz, but I would say his floor is 75% of Franz.

tester551 wrote:

Goldbum wrote:Matas is so interesting because of the lack of transparency regarding his size. I've seen 6'11" and 6'7". If he's 6'10"+ he's a top 4 pick, if he's 6'7"-6'8" I don't know if he's even a lotto guy. I'm not so sure he's a better than Rupert unless he's a few inches taller.

Wow... that is quite the take.

I like Rupert, but they are not in the same universe as far as prospects go.

First couple of times I saw Rupert play, he reminded me of Bamby learning how to walk/run because it was so awkward.

Matas' best comp is Franz Wagner. I'm not ready to say Matas will be better than Franz, but I would say his floor is 75% of Franz.

. What is that comp based off? Being 6'10" and white? Franz could shoot the 3 and distribute, things that Matas hasn't shown yet.
I think there is another Magic who is closer to his comp, and that is Jonathan Isaac pre injury.

Waynearchetype wrote:

tester551 wrote:

Goldbum wrote:Matas is so interesting because of the lack of transparency regarding his size. I've seen 6'11" and 6'7". If he's 6'10"+ he's a top 4 pick, if he's 6'7"-6'8" I don't know if he's even a lotto guy. I'm not so sure he's a better than Rupert unless he's a few inches taller.

Wow... that is quite the take.

I like Rupert, but they are not in the same universe as far as prospects go.

First couple of times I saw Rupert play, he reminded me of Bamby learning how to walk/run because it was so awkward.

Matas' best comp is Franz Wagner. I'm not ready to say Matas will be better than Franz, but I would say his floor is 75% of Franz.

. What is that comp based off? Being 6'10" and white? Franz could shoot the 3 and distribute, things that Matas hasn't shown yet.
I think there is another Magic who is closer to his comp, and that is Jonathan Isaac pre injury.

Franz shot 32% from 3 in college with 2apg over 2 years.

The more I look at this draft the more I see...a waste of two potential lottery pics.

Holland will likely be #1, and he's fine if you're looking for a shorter Jerami Grant who shoots worse from 3. I'd still happily take him if the Blazers were to select #1...he would make Grant expendable.

Sarr is...fine, but looks pretty raw still. Won't be able to play C in the NBA. Doesn't look particularly long for his size. Seems to me like his ceiling would be 3rd or 4th best player on a good team.

Collier...it would be AMAZING (lol) if the Blazers picked a PG. Especially one who can't shoot from 3.

Risacher looks like he's got a natural shooting touch and BBIQ. I have a hard time believing he'll be able to guard any SFs in the NBA. Is he a better prospect than Camara?

Clingan looks like one in a long list of 'great in the NCAA, nothing in the NBA' Center types to me.

I like Matas, and hope he's the Blazer pick. Shows two way potential and a great connector piece on a team.

I actually like Kel'el Ware too...there is some potential there, but again...connector piece and not a ton of defensive upside.

Shannon jr. I've been following. He's a bucket in the Ant mold...

But overall? As always there will be some surprises, but not a great draft for hopefully 2 top 10 picks.

If we could get Buzelis or Risacher with our top 5 pick and Dunn at the and top 14 pick from GS that’d be a great draft. We can get our versatile 3 level scoring playmaker in Buzelis or a lights out shooter and defender with potential as a creator at the 3 with Risacher and an absolute defensive fiend at the forward spot with Dunn.

Ant
Sharpe
Buzelis or Risacher
Dunn
Ayton

That’d be a really good squad after 2 years.

Waynearchetype wrote:

tester551 wrote:

Goldbum wrote:Matas is so interesting because of the lack of transparency regarding his size. I've seen 6'11" and 6'7". If he's 6'10"+ he's a top 4 pick, if he's 6'7"-6'8" I don't know if he's even a lotto guy. I'm not so sure he's a better than Rupert unless he's a few inches taller.

Wow... that is quite the take.

I like Rupert, but they are not in the same universe as far as prospects go.

First couple of times I saw Rupert play, he reminded me of Bamby learning how to walk/run because it was so awkward.

Matas' best comp is Franz Wagner. I'm not ready to say Matas will be better than Franz, but I would say his floor is 75% of Franz.

. What is that comp based off? Being 6'10" and white? Franz could shoot the 3 and distribute, things that Matas hasn't shown yet.
I think there is another Magic who is closer to his comp, and that is Jonathan Isaac pre injury.

Watch the games he has a great shooting touch just hasn’t played in enough games yet. He can pass and create well off penetration like Wagner, his teammates just aren’t very good. It’s a shame he chose the g league over college as Scoot and others have shown g league is much poorer than college at developing.

Honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see him have a good season a catapult himself back into the #1 pick convo.

zzaj wrote:
Risacher looks like he's got a natural shooting touch and BBIQ. I have a hard time believing he'll be able to guard any SFs in the NBA. Is he a better prospect than Camara?

Because of his size? He’s a teen they always bulk up eventually look at Giannis rookie year he was like 200lbs flat.

30/30 teams would choose Risacher over Camara that’s just rose tinted glasses. Camara is a good defender but that’s it his ceiling is a role player.

Portland just needs to earn themselves a top 5 pick for one of Holland, Buzelis, Risacher, Sarr
will be there with whichever guard plays themself into the top 5.

Losing to the Wizards the other night is just what we need to do to earn that top 5 pick

Hoping for 2 forwards here as Grant doesn’t fit the timeline, Camara is a bench hustle guy and Kris has not shown anything.

Matas and then Cody Williams w/ the GSW pick would be a dream. Then we have the CHA SRP to use on a developmental C. (Like Holmes from Dayton a bit there)

Assuming we flip Brogdan for an EC and future pick we would go into 24/25 with -

G - Anfernee Simons / Scoot Henderson
G - Shadeon Sharpe / Anfernee Simons / Matisse Thybulle
F - Jerami Grant / Matisse Thybulle / Cody Williams
F - Matas Buzelis / Toumari Camara / Jabari Walker / Kris Murray
C - DeAndre Ayton / Robert Williams / DaRon Holmes

BlazersBroncos wrote:Hoping for 2 forwards here as Grant doesn’t fit the timeline, Camara is a bench hustle guy and Kris has not shown anything.

Matas and then Cody Williams w/ the GSW pick would be a dream. Then we have the CHA SRP to use on a developmental C. (Like Holmes from Dayton a bit there)

Assuming we flip Brogdan for an EC and future pick we would go into 24/25 with -

G - Anfernee Simons / Scoot Henderson
G - Shadeon Sharpe / Anfernee Simons / Matisse Thybulle
F - Jerami Grant / Matisse Thybulle / Cody Williams
F - Matas Buzelis / Toumari Camara / Jabari Walker / Kris Murray
C - DeAndre Ayton / Robert Williams / DaRon Holmes

Blazers can't keep Scoot of the bench in year two as well. that's going to cause problems.

DusterBuster wrote:

BlazersBroncos wrote:Hoping for 2 forwards here as Grant doesn’t fit the timeline, Camara is a bench hustle guy and Kris has not shown anything.

Matas and then Cody Williams w/ the GSW pick would be a dream. Then we have the CHA SRP to use on a developmental C. (Like Holmes from Dayton a bit there)

Assuming we flip Brogdan for an EC and future pick we would go into 24/25 with -

G - Anfernee Simons / Scoot Henderson
G - Shadeon Sharpe / Anfernee Simons / Matisse Thybulle
F - Jerami Grant / Matisse Thybulle / Cody Williams
F - Matas Buzelis / Toumari Camara / Jabari Walker / Kris Murray
C - DeAndre Ayton / Robert Williams / DaRon Holmes

Blazers can't keep Scoot of the bench in year two as well. that's going to cause problems.

Ya, I am hoping that Simons is a trooper and accepts a 30mpg 6th man role. I think he has the personality and maturity to do so.

BlazersBroncos wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:

BlazersBroncos wrote:Hoping for 2 forwards here as Grant doesn’t fit the timeline, Camara is a bench hustle guy and Kris has not shown anything.

Matas and then Cody Williams w/ the GSW pick would be a dream. Then we have the CHA SRP to use on a developmental C. (Like Holmes from Dayton a bit there)

Assuming we flip Brogdan for an EC and future pick we would go into 24/25 with -

G - Anfernee Simons / Scoot Henderson
G - Shadeon Sharpe / Anfernee Simons / Matisse Thybulle
F - Jerami Grant / Matisse Thybulle / Cody Williams
F - Matas Buzelis / Toumari Camara / Jabari Walker / Kris Murray
C - DeAndre Ayton / Robert Williams / DaRon Holmes

Blazers can't keep Scoot of the bench in year two as well. that's going to cause problems.

Ya, I am hoping that Simons is a trooper and accepts a 30mpg 6th man role. I think he has the personality and maturity to do so.

That's also not happening. The most likely scenario happening here is Sharpe at SF or Portland is going to have to pull a Kings and make a choice between two PG prospects (Fox and Haliburton)

I'd say it's incumbent on Scoot and Sharpe to earn their starting spots over Simons. I get that Shaedon has shown flashes of big-time potential, but on the whole he's not an effective enough player to be penciled in as a long-term starter without significant improvement. Scoot has an even longer way to go but it's still so early that we can't really say how he'll look 10 months from now. Simons -- oddly, considering his steady ascent since being an unheralded draftee -- has never had tremendous buzz around him, and we know he's imperfect, but he's a much better player than either celebrated prospect.

On the other hand, if Blazers brass are as horrified as we are at the prospect of committing to yet another tiny backcourt, then I'd agree with DusterBuster that it'll be time to pick a lead guard and move the other one.

I dunno, I guess I'm still adjusting to the rebuilding Blazers. I am not a fan of handing over the keys before it's earned, but I realize that NBA teams frequently do just that when bottoming out.

DusterBuster wrote:

BlazersBroncos wrote:Hoping for 2 forwards here as Grant doesn’t fit the timeline, Camara is a bench hustle guy and Kris has not shown anything.

Matas and then Cody Williams w/ the GSW pick would be a dream. Then we have the CHA SRP to use on a developmental C. (Like Holmes from Dayton a bit there)

Assuming we flip Brogdan for an EC and future pick we would go into 24/25 with -

G - Anfernee Simons / Scoot Henderson
G - Shadeon Sharpe / Anfernee Simons / Matisse Thybulle
F - Jerami Grant / Matisse Thybulle / Cody Williams
F - Matas Buzelis / Toumari Camara / Jabari Walker / Kris Murray
C - DeAndre Ayton / Robert Williams / DaRon Holmes

Blazers can't keep Scoot of the bench in year two as well. that's going to cause problems.

Whichever of Ant or Scoot should be 6th man will be 6th man long term. It doesn’t have to be a “problem”..

Pattycakes wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:

BlazersBroncos wrote:Hoping for 2 forwards here as Grant doesn’t fit the timeline, Camara is a bench hustle guy and Kris has not shown anything.

Matas and then Cody Williams w/ the GSW pick would be a dream. Then we have the CHA SRP to use on a developmental C. (Like Holmes from Dayton a bit there)

Assuming we flip Brogdan for an EC and future pick we would go into 24/25 with -

G - Anfernee Simons / Scoot Henderson
G - Shadeon Sharpe / Anfernee Simons / Matisse Thybulle
F - Jerami Grant / Matisse Thybulle / Cody Williams
F - Matas Buzelis / Toumari Camara / Jabari Walker / Kris Murray
C - DeAndre Ayton / Robert Williams / DaRon Holmes

Blazers can't keep Scoot of the bench in year two as well. that's going to cause problems.

Whichever of Ant or Scoot should be 6th man will be 6th man long term. It doesn’t have to be a “problem”..

Scoot wasn't drafted #3 overall to be a 6th man. His agent WILL have a problem with it and eventually will push for a trade to a team where he can have a bigger role. Additionally, there's no chance Ant - with making the jump he has this year - will accept coming off the bench.

So yes, it is a "problem" that they'll need to address at some point. The only way they won't have to trade one of the two is if they start Scoot and Ant at 1 and 2.

There will likely be a market for for either Scoot/Ant given the mediocrity in the 2024 draft

I do think Scoot's agent could push for a trade but Scoot is under control for the life of his rookie
deal and through RFA. He's got to prove on the court, he deserves to start at PG first over
Brogdon, for he's also behind Sharpe for right now, Portland's best guards are Brogdon and Ant.

There are reasons in the other thread, I proposed trading Scoot for Jeremy Sochan for the SAS
badly need a PG and Portland could use a Sochan, who moves into Portland's PF position

Norm2953 wrote:There will likely be a market for for either Scoot/Ant given the mediocrity in the 2024 draft

I do think Scoot's agent could push for a trade but Scoot is under control for the life of his rookie
deal and through RFA. He's got to prove on the court, he deserves to start at PG first over
Brogdon, for he's also behind Sharpe for right now, Portland's best guards are Brogdon and Ant.

There are reasons in the other thread, I proposed trading Scoot for Jeremy Sochan for the SAS
badly need a PG and Portland could use a Sochan, who moves into Portland's PF position

It does the Blazers no good to hold onto Scoot to be their 6th man the entirety of his rookie contract. That will only diminish his value. If they aren't going to start him, then trade him while he's still got some of the pre-draft glow. If you even go into next season at this time and he's still on the bench, the "B" word will be more and more prevalent and the Blazers will be looking at a Fultz level misstep.

Also, Brogdon should not be on this team after the deadline. In a rebuild, they need to maximize expendable assets. Brogdon is not a long-term player here and will have FRP value at the deadline to a contending team looking for a boost in depth.

In the same manner, the Blazers need to make a decision on what they're going to do with the Scoot and Ant situation sooner rather than later before one of the two players value diminishes.

If I'm Cronin, I'm selling Brogdon off to the highest bidder in January, then making the decision on the path forward with Scoot and Ant this summer. My gut says they're just going to keep going with the small backcourt. The Blazers have kind of forced themselves back into this same corner when they picked Scoot. I don't know if the value returned here for either player would be enough to justify a move, so the best they can hope for is that at least this version of Dame/CJ style guards will be better defensively (which they should be if for nothing else than Scoot).

I think Scoot/Ant/Sharpe is this teams starting 1-3 for the next 4 years.

DusterBuster wrote:

BlazersBroncos wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:
Blazers can't keep Scoot of the bench in year two as well. that's going to cause problems.

Ya, I am hoping that Simons is a trooper and accepts a 30mpg 6th man role. I think he has the personality and maturity to do so.

That's also not happening. The most likely scenario happening here is Sharpe at SF or Portland is going to have to pull a Kings and make a choice between two PG prospects (Fox and Haliburton)

I think they try the trio and unfortunately with no pressure to have to win it’ll be a while before that ultimate decision is made.

In the end however, he's still got to prove he' s earned the starting PG spot for nothing is given
until he's earned it.

Likely what the team needs is for Scoot to have a stretch of games where he shows he really belongs
for even if Brogdon is traded, Chauncey has to be fair to the rest of the team and play Ant and
Sharpe (when he returns) if he's up and down in his time on the court. Malcolm being a veteran
would understand why Scoot is playing ahead but perhaps not Ant or Shaedon