with the 3rd pick...

by chrischa on Jun 17, 2008 10:24 AM PDT

I was just reading Chad Ford's mock draft version 5.0 and came across something interesting under the 3rd pick which belongs to Minnesota:

The skinny: The Timberwolves remain the most difficult team at the top of the draft to peg.

As of Sunday, the word out of Minnesota was that the team will draft O.J. Mayo or Michael Beasley -- whichever is on the board. Though Mayo doesn't fit a need, he likely would be the best player available (if Beasley is gone), and that appears to be swaying Minnesota in his direction.

A lot of trade talk surrounds this pick. The Knicks, Clippers, Bucks and Trail Blazers all have tried to maneuver to get this pick. The Bucks may have the best chance if they offer Yi Jianlian or Charlie Villanueva as part of a package.

The other wild card appears to be Italian prospect Danilo Gallinari, of whom Minnesota thinks highly. Sources say the Wolves will get a workout with him this week.

Now this may be nothing, but it sure shocked the heck out of me when I saw the Blazers as one of the teams trying to get this pick. D. Rose will be off the board (either 1 to Chicago or 2 to Miami), we don't need Beasley nor does he fit our culture in my opinion (feel free to argue this in the comments), and OJ mayo--although I love his game--would be quite a surprise pick by KP. The 3rd pick is way too high for any of the names we've been kicking around here, unless attaining #3 would just be part of another move to net us something bigger...We're not going to get a close look at any of the prospects this high on the board workout wise, but I'm sure KP has books as thick as the bible on everyone we could think of. Maybe I'm just taking this too far though, after all, its just a rumor. Not even a rumor, just a brief mention. But I really think KP is up to something and I know that come June 26 I'll be in front of my TV with the radio on, my laptop in one hand and a fist full of popcorn in the other.

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Bayless maybe?

If we did get the #3, could it be to snag Bayless out from under Seattle/OKC? I don’t know his game well, but I keep reading he would be a great fit for us, so maybe that is the angle here. Of course if Beasley is on the board, I’d have to think KP would take him and then look to trade.

by douglast on Jun 17, 2008 10:52 AM PDT reply actions

I've also read that although Seattle

is high on Bayless, they are open to trading the pick as well. Seattle is kind of an interesting topic though because of the whole Sam Presti/San Antonio connection with KP and the (don’t know how much longer this will last) NW rivalry. I’m trying to think of the last time Seattle and Portland made a trade…anyway, its entirely possible KP would just use (insert 3rd pick) as a trade chip to go after something bigger but I’m just wondering what or who he has in mind at the end of all this. What I would give to be a fly on the wall at one of his staff meetings.

And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Oden when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

by chrischa on Jun 17, 2008 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions

Trades with Seattle

1976-09-02

We sent LaRue Martin to the Sonics for the always embarrassing “future considerations”. On the same day we acquired Herm Gilliam for cash.

1977-11-11

We sent Wally Walker to the Sonics for 1978 first round pick (#7-Ron Brewer) and 1979 second round pick (#40-Andrew Fields)

1987-11-10

Sonics agreed not to exercise their right of first refusal over free agent Maurice Lucas  and the Blazers relinquished their 1990 second round pick (#53-Abdul Shamsid-Deen)

"Rudy Fernández ha confirmado hoy que la próxima temporada jugará en el Portland Trail Blazers"

by $chonzarelli on Jun 18, 2008 8:12 AM PDT up reply actions

wierd cunt n paste result...sorry

1987 -11-10
.....free agent Maurice Lucus….we gave them 1990 second round pick #53-Abdul Shamsid-Deen.

"Rudy Fernández ha confirmado hoy que la próxima temporada jugará en el Portland Trail Blazers"

by $chonzarelli on Jun 18, 2008 8:15 AM PDT up reply actions

CRAP!!!! MAJOR TYPO!!!! SORRY DAVE!!!!

please fix…...it’s a bad one. :(

"Rudy Fernández ha confirmado hoy que la próxima temporada jugará en el Portland Trail Blazers"

by $chonzarelli on Jun 18, 2008 8:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Too late...

...you just alerted the whole worldwide web…

by Dr Dave on Jun 18, 2008 8:36 AM PDT up reply actions

Lol

OMG…that was /is great.

I remember an email that supervisor at my company sent to his team. It went like this

“Please fill out your timesheet before the end of your shift” Unfortunately he had mispelled the word “Shift” by leaving the “F” out. One of his female employees asked me if he intended for her to “fill out the timesheet while in the bathroom?”

It was classic

"My favorite relative was Uncle Caveman. Us kids would visit him in his cave. He would eat one of us from time to time. It wasn't till years later that we realized Uncle Caveman was a bear"

Jack Handy

by 92wastheyear on Jun 18, 2008 11:59 AM PDT up reply actions

Easily

my best typo ever….....no comparison….not even close.

"Rudy Fernández ha confirmado hoy que la próxima temporada jugará en el Portland Trail Blazers"

by $chonzarelli on Jun 18, 2008 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions

I had one of those experiences.

Only she was into caramel sauce, not paste.

by timg56 on Jun 18, 2008 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions

lol

"My favorite relative was Uncle Caveman. Us kids would visit him in his cave. He would eat one of us from time to time. It wasn't till years later that we realized Uncle Caveman was a bear"

Jack Handy

by 92wastheyear on Jun 18, 2008 7:56 PM PDT up reply actions

mine was butterscotch.

"We play for one thing and one thing only, and that's championships." - The Devil Spawned

by ratbastird on Jun 23, 2008 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

This pick might go to Miami

Chad Ford can’t mention it in this mock draft because this trade would not happen until Miami is literally on the clock and Rose off the board. But if this happens word from South Beach has been for weeks that they might look to trade down (just one, two or three spots probably) cause Riley can’t warm for Beasley but needs another guard to complement Wade. Hell, even Wade trade rumors were swirling because Beasley doesn’t seem to be the pick they want.

That said I think this draft is so deep that I can’t begin to grasp what KP could do if he managed to get the #3 for a package he deems worth it. At least I’m not surprised that the Blazers come up in all kinds of trade rumors. If Mayo is still there just picking him up would be amazing. A year ago everybody and their brother thought that he was the main guy to watch in this draft. I remember Bill Simmons’ draft diary where he wrote that Mayo might just as well buy a house in Sacramento after they picked Spencer Hawes because he thought that (A) Mayo would be the #1 and (B) the Kings would suck big time. Well, he was wrong, but Mayo still might become a major star in this league.

by Norsktroll on Jun 17, 2008 11:09 AM PDT reply actions

I'd be surprised if

KP hasn’t talked to every single team and asked them what they wanted for their pick. If nothing else, it would give him a barometer on how other teams might value their picks.

In the end, I expect Minny will trade down to get K-Love, just like in our Mock Draft did. It might not be with the same team, but I think K-McHale loves him some K-Love.

IMO, KP will likely trade out of the first round this year. There are plenty of teams that are trying to re-tool their rosters, and we’ve got plenty of different pieces to make those things happen. That’s why we love KP; he’ll Prich-slap them and they’ll end up saying Thank You, Sir!

by Steve The Hedge on Jun 17, 2008 11:51 AM PDT reply actions

I agree

I would be ever so angry if KP had not called every single GM to ask what it would take to get their pick. He wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t ask.

"lowest common denominator - every time I think you hit rock bottom you sink it deeper into the shale" -- bow4meow

by tominhawaii on Jun 18, 2008 4:55 AM PDT up reply actions

#3

If the Blazers get the #3, they are going for Bayless or Mayo. Since Bayless is faster and a better penetrator, and since Mayo has character questions, I strongly believe the #3 would be Bayless in that situation. But if Miami takes Mayo with #2, we could happily grab Beasley! Doubt it – Minnesota would be very pleased with Beasley. Overall, I do not expect that to be the trade that will be made.

by section309 on Jun 17, 2008 12:39 PM PDT reply actions

If we get three

we’re going for Rose.

"We play for one thing and one thing only, and that's championships." - The Devil Spawned

by ratbastird on Jun 23, 2008 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree with this

And it may also be true if we get the #5. If we can move up that high with only giving up some of our assets we can try to get Chicago to swap for the others. Wouldn’t it be better for Chicago to have Jarrett Jack, Travis Outlaw and the #3 instead of Rose?

by danielfarrell on Jun 23, 2008 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions

I saw that too

And thought the same thing Chrischa..
I would assume it would be Bayless but it could be a random like Gallinari. That would be interesting. Never know what to expect from Pritch.
What I DO know is that if he really likes a player, he will go get him. End of story. And for that, he should be commended.

by RememberRastaMonsta! on Jun 17, 2008 3:01 PM PDT reply actions

Mayo

It’s going to be Mayo, he’s too much of a talent to pass up. I think Bayless is a half a tier below.

by rmcdougall on Jun 17, 2008 8:34 PM PDT reply actions

This may be a less likely scenario

Especially since it might be a bit of a buyer’s market concerning the lottery picks….
It could very well be that we are targeting someone like Bayless, but there are two other directions this could go if we get that third pick. One possibility is to grab a player like Bayless’s with that 3rd pick, and then repackage him with some of our other assets to get a veteran player we might have in mind (Maybe some combination of Bayless+ players+picks might land us the #1 or #2 pick.

The other scenario I would be curious about is if we move up to #3 or #4, include a player we don’t have long-term plans for like Jarret Jack in order to help move up, and then actually trade back down to a obtain a pick somewhere between 4-12, and end up picking up a different veteran player more suitable to our roster needs in the process.

Can I buy you a fish sandwich?

by silkybrown on Jun 17, 2008 10:06 PM PDT reply actions

hmmmm

"In KP we trust" every Blazer fan ever

by ptwnblzr on Jun 20, 2008 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Possibility

This may happen because it’s a KP draft this year. GM’s, including KP have repeatedly noted that its deep, but equally important, that there’s not a lot of separation in the 3 – 15 second tier after Rose and Beasely. Teams drafting early as a result, may very well give up the early pick if they can get two in the top 15, for example, if only because getting two good players as opposed to one that is only a little better makes some sense – particularly for teams like Minnesota, Memphis, the Knicks, and the like, that have more than one hole to fill. However, for this to happen, they need a team that actually wants to target a specific player to fill a single need. Portland, at PG, seems to have that condition. Many teams don’t. And, of course, teams with a lot of needs may also take a combination of one or more vets and a top 15 pick as well. I don’t really know if it would be Bayless or Mayo. And, as silky commented, I don’t know if we’d then trade the pick/player for a vet. I’m not sure about that, because I haven’t heard anything yet that seems to indicate that their are any good PG’s on the market that would be better than the pick might be. There’s talk of Barbosa and Gordon – but neither fill the PG role. And, if you really think that PG is the key spot left, then I’d be a little surprised if we traded up, and didn’t stay with a player that could play in that spot. In any case, we ended up with 3 #1’s last year. Two, Fernandez and Oden were keepers, and Barrett wrote a nice piece today on Koponen – the forgotten 3rd. He played opposite Blake yesterday, and seemed to show well. Mac’s bringing him in for a stint this summer to evaluate his PG skills and potential. Barrett may be biased, but his perspective would lead us to believe that the kid would be drafted higher than the last pick of the 1st as he was last year – if he were on the board this year. Like most – I’ll be glued to the tube on this one – because my bet is that KP does a dance. Question is, what kind and with who?

by Eben Calder on Jun 18, 2008 9:49 AM PDT reply actions

Can I buy you a fish sandwich

is by far the best signature on BE.

Hubie Brown is my Idol.

by BigCelPhone on Jun 18, 2008 4:55 PM PDT reply actions

Reiterated today

I don’t know if Mr. Ford is just recycling his info, but he mentioned this again today in his chat. I agree with the previous post that the #3 would have to be Mayo.

Minny can’t come close to matching Raef’s salary, so you gotta figure this would require #13, Outlaw AND something else (Webster or Frye?).

Sure would help our logjam….

by kennetha on Jun 19, 2008 4:20 PM PDT reply actions