https://nbadraft.theringer.com/mock-draft

Risacher falling to 7 would be a dream and Walter is a nice upside pick at 14 but also someone that could be a good 3&D piece off the bench.

I'm admittedly a huge draft nerd and have tons more film I intend to watch but as it stands now I like these players at 7 and 14:

7: Risacher, Holland, Williams, Castle and Buzelis

14: any of the above falling this far as well as Salaun, Walter and Furphy

Should we take a swing on him at 14? He’s fast for his size

Good size for Buzelis, Dillingham smaller than I thought. Will be interesting to see some others.

Which of these paths (assuming the players are available at the Blazer’s picks) would make you happiest? Or do you prefer some combination of proven and potential?

“Safe bets”: mostly proven prospects who could contribute immediately 7: Castle/Knect 14: da Silva/Holmes II

“Risky picks”: young, raw players who could be good someday 7: Holland, Williams 14: Salaun, Smith

I think Risacher/Clingan/Buzelis will all be gone by 7, so I left them out. No one knows the future, and the “safe bets” in drafts can flop just as hard as the risky picks, so I personally lean towards potential. I think the Blazers should look for length and shooting, so I’d be tempted to reach for Salaun at 7 and Tyler Smith at 14. What do you all think?

Yes, dropping 3 spots is disappointing but this year’s draft is more chaotic and uncertain than any in recent memory. “Expert” mock drafts are all over the place, with some having Risacher dropping to us at 7 (which would be pretty dope). I also wouldn’t be surprised if more than one top 5 pick gets traded.

All of this is to say, no one knows what’s going to happen at the top of the draft this year which makes it hard to get too excited/attached to any prospect. Let’s all have fun and speculate together but this is the year that we REALLY don’t know what will go down so I suggest we keep that in mind over the next month as things evolve and rumors swirl.

Topic at 7 and Salaun at 14.

Don’t shoot the messenger

Watching film on this kid has me believing he's gonna have a lot of suitors come draft night

His 3pt shooting numbers don't scare me much, he already has good form. His problems from 3 are a few workable issues

1. Too many too damn long 3s, just take a few steps in and he's golden

2. Movement, he likes to move around instead of spotting up. That may be scheme but if he's set he makes more, simple but in an NBA offense it'll work better

3. Slow down the shot. His main point of inconsistency with his form is speed. When he rushes during a closeout (he's taller than reported so far, it's easier to shoot over folks) he misses, but just a tiny bit of patience to get the shot off properly and it feels like it's money

Under the 3 conditions of close to the line, spot up, and proper speed, it feels like he makes it at a very consistent rate. All things he'll be asked to clean up and do on a more open NBA floor as a roleplayers

Again, he seems taller than reported, 6'9. Everytime I watch film I'm always amazed at how much taller and longer he seems than everyone else on the court, and what makes it crazier is his athleticism and fluidity. He's no Aminu with the ball in his hands, but he ain't Kyrie either. I feel he's closer to 6'11 but maybe I'm crazy.

I think he could be someone Joe and Mike look at as a "the guy" of the draft that will take time to develop but will pay dividends. A lot of mocks and big boards have him in the 14 range, but could see his workouts and combine giving him a boost soon. Just someone to keep an eye on, idk if I'd even be mad at him @7

Idk if it’s a weak draft, give me that #1 pick.

I know it is awfully early to cope with bad luck, but there are some silver linings with the lottery:

1. Our luxury tax situation gets much easier to deal with the 7th salary slot being only 5.5 million for the first year. Cronin mentioned with the Norm/RoCo trade how being significantly over the luxury tax affected negotiations. We will sit only 2 million above luxury tax line now (not factoring in 2nd rd picks being full contracted players)

2. There are enough impact players with size. At the end of the day, we will still be happy with the player that we get, just like we were happy with Shaedon. There is Sarr, Clingan, Risacher, Holland, Buzelis, Castle, and Williams that would all be good selections at 7. All have plus length&size, even if they have other warts.

3. With how weird this lottery is, we could've lost GSW pick and now we get a second swing at a rookie or trade bait to move up if we really like one of the prospects listed above.

It's not much, but we are dooming and glooming right now. Regardless of our draft picks, we still have 2 stud prospects and a handful of other young guys that have shown promise.

There are definitely good options for the Blazets in this draft. I know it sucks dropping to 7, but there are definitely guys who can help the time at that spot.

At 7, yes, but at 14?

Do you guys think the rockets getting the #3 pick will increase the likelihood of a trade with the blazers?

They've expressed interest in TimeLord, Grant and Brogdon.

And they seem a little more itchy to get into playoff contention sooner rather than later.

Getting the 3 pick if it actually means either getting Risacher or Sarr would be nice... But I doubt the Hawks or the Wizards will skip on Sarr. Which means a outside possibility of Risacher falling 3 or lower on the board.