In an alternate universe...

by beam_us_up_scottie on Mar 10, 2009 7:27 PM PDT

I'm bored, and have nothing to do with my time other than posing hypothetical questions about the Blazers that will result in absolutely no productive outcome other than give one a stomach ache.

What would this Blazer team look like if we had picked the best player available at our pick in each draft since 2004?

2004 was the year the 1999 championship run team was officially blown up. Essentially Sheed left. We drafted Outlaw. We signed Pryzbilla (Only good move not directly KP related in this decade)

Then came the 2004 draft.

They told us things were going to change. Here's this flashy young point guard named Sebastian. He's Starbury's cousin. He had a documentary made about him. He's the future! We got him at 13- What a steal!

We could have picked Al Jefferson, Jameer Nelson, Kevin Martin or Anderson Varejao.

Grade: C-

eh... we got Roy out of Telfair so this draft doesn't sting that horribly. Jameer Nelson would have been great but there's no saying he would have developed into the guard he is now in Portland. Jefferson is Randolf without the attitude, and Martin plays SG. They probably would have been traded.

2005 draft was the one that hurt

We had the 3rd pick. We traded down to the 6th.

We picked up Webster- not a bad role player. He's shown flashes. He was going to have a break-out season this year untill he hurt his foot. Drafter way to high for the 6th pick. (Your 6th pick should not spend time in the D league) Jack wasn't a bad pickup for a late first rounder. But considering we could have had, this draft hurts:

Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Danny Granger, David Lee, or even Jose Calderon.

Grade: adfjkajdfjadsklfjasjfklasjf..... if only KP had been in charge.

2006 We had some redemption. KP did the work, Patterson took the credit, we ended up with Aldridge and Roy. we also picked up the rights to Sergio. The Pritchslap is invented.

Grade: A+++

2007: We won the lottery. I jumped up and down and screamed a whole lot. people become blazer fans again.Oden is picked. We buy Rudy from the Suns. we have a party. We also picked up Koponen. While I did excitedly tell my Finnish grandmother all about the first Finnish NBA prospect coming to Portland, I kind of wish we had nabbed Marc Gasol.

We could have had: Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol

Grade: INC

The pessimist says that Oden will never play a full season. I don't belive durant is the greatest thing since sliced bread though. And on a team with roy and Aldridge, He would have bolted for money and the limelight as soon as his contract ended.

2008: We got Jaybay. which is more than most folks expected.

Grade: A

So naturally if we had picked Williams or Paul, we most likely would not have been in position to draft Roy and Aldridge. There are also plenty of scenarios that have made our blazer team the way if is.

BUT In a perfect alternate Universe the 2008-09 Blazer's depth chart could look like:

Center: Pryzbilla, Marc Gasol

PF: Aldridge, Lee, Frye

SF: Durant, Outlaw, Batum

SG: Roy, Fernandez, Bayless

PG: Paul, Calderon, Rodriguez.

oh well.

I'm still happy. KP is still the man untill he trades Roy.

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Comments

I think I'd rather have Batum starting than Durant

Just not enough shots to feed all those shooters. Oden was the right choice.

by rmcdougall on Mar 10, 2009 7:34 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Exactly

There won't be clean officiating in the NBA until David Stern is forcibly removed by the US Congress in 2013 for fixing games.

by 123_G.O._RipCity on Mar 10, 2009 8:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Now the scary part (but plausible)

If Portland drafts Chris Paul, then Paul and Randolph might be good enough to make the playoffs. Portland isn’t in “rebuild mode” so they don’t make the trade for Brandon Roy. The success of selecting Chris Paul allows the old guard to stay in charge and KP never becomes the Blazers GM.

The Blazers have one of the best players in the league in Paul and continue to try and put solid veterans around him.

Portland Lineup:
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Darius Miles
SF: Travis Outlaw
PF: Z-Bo
C: Joel Przybilla

Bench:
Players that the Blazer old guard selected with about the #20 pick each year for the last three.

I’ll leave history alone.

by Salem Stephen on Mar 10, 2009 8:01 PM PDT reply actions

Darius at SG?

pre-microfracture maybe…..

"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy

by Honka Playboy on Mar 10, 2009 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah...

I was figuring in an alter-universe, freak accidents aren’t likely to occur.

by Salem Stephen on Mar 10, 2009 9:52 PM PDT up reply actions

And he won't over-do the strip cluuuubs or call his coach a ....

"The match in Los Angeles is a good opportunity to begin to demonstrate that we want to make war." Rudy Fernández (translated)

by G_dubs on Mar 11, 2009 12:50 AM PDT up reply actions

Actually, given what we traded for Roy

it’s not implausible that we still could’ve made that trade.

Theo was pretty useless except as a contract, and with Paul, Telfair would be even more expendable, so we could still have taken RLC (before he added the E) off of Ainge’s hands with the #7 pick and given them Bassy and cap relief. Admittedly, whether Nash and Patterson could figure out that they could pull this off is a little up in the air.

Lineup:
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Brandon Roy
SF: Darius Miles
PF: Z-Bo
C: Pryzbila

6th: Trout

Plus, we’d be looking at maybe getting someone like Rodney Carney in 2006 and Aaron Brooks or Wilson Chandler in 2007.

Now that would be a worthwhile debate, between that potential lineup and what we have now.

by Royster on Mar 10, 2009 10:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed

I am a firm believer that if we had drafted CP3, there is almost no way we would have wound up with The Magnificent 7. Pick your poison, but I’ll take Roy. So far, their credentials are dead even (minus a playoff appearance…not for long!), so I guess only time will tell.

GET WELL SOON RUDY, GREG and MARTY!!!

by PTBob on Mar 10, 2009 8:19 PM PDT reply actions

Chris Paul would have grown so frustrated playing with Zach

that he would have punched him in the balls.

by MiledAnimal on Mar 10, 2009 9:55 PM PDT reply actions

if he could find them.

oh wait, this is the alternate universe

"There are a few teams you have to watch out for in the fourth quarter."
"Yeah, but Portland definitely is not one of them."

-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters at the end of the third quarter with the Hornets leading 74-59. Portland later ends up winning 97-89.

"They don't mind him shooting that shot at all. Rudy Fernandez is not that great of a 3pt shooter."

-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters right after a Rudy Fernandez missed 3pter. Rudy Fernandez finished the game with three 3pters on six attempts.

by Tofu Anonymous on Mar 10, 2009 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Who cares?

Punching Z-Bo anywhere would be awesome.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Mar 11, 2009 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions

Batum, Oden and Bayless

Three years from now in addition to Webster, Roy and LA all peaking…….Man, unfair to the rest of the league.

Yes, I left Trout out of the equation. Batum/Webster is my SF tandem of choice.

Ingredients

Bayless/Blake
Roy/Rudy
Batum/Webster
LA/ (whoever we trade Trout, Sergio and Fry)
Oden/ Pryz

Mix in three years of experience

Bake until Dominant……..serve hot

okay, that was a bit cheesy. True, but cheesy, That is an extremely athletic starting 5

by hoopsdreams on Mar 10, 2009 10:47 PM PDT reply actions

#25

"Brian (Outlaw is Rejector) is now on the fan saying he put this on to see what would happen " - 123_G.O._RipCity

by Outlaw is Rejector on Mar 11, 2009 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions

I ~~like~~ love who we got. I couldn’t care less about anyone other than our 13 guys right now. (Ruffin and RLEC don’t count)

Want more aggressiveness? Try less Baylesslessness.

by prezofdeath on Mar 10, 2009 11:22 PM PDT reply actions

duuuuude

RUFFIN IS THE FUTURE!

"Brian (Outlaw is Rejector) is now on the fan saying he put this on to see what would happen " - 123_G.O._RipCity

by Outlaw is Rejector on Mar 11, 2009 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions

wow, i thought economic times were bleak

I’m flippin’ jumpin’ off a cliff tonight if Ruffin is the future.

And yes, I meant that I will do flips while jumping to my death. Heck, I’ll even put it on Youtube.

Want more aggressiveness? Try less Baylesslessness.

by prezofdeath on Mar 11, 2009 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions

RUFFIN!!!!

Seriously he has a big cranium.

"Brian (Outlaw is Rejector) is now on the fan saying he put this on to see what would happen " - 123_G.O._RipCity

by Outlaw is Rejector on Mar 11, 2009 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions

The Anti-Mbenga

by Norsktroll on Mar 11, 2009 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Do not disrespect Diddy.

He has a cult following from his Mavericks days and should be respected at all times. His head is perfectly formed like a Fabergé egg. Now leave him be and pick on the Cheik Sambs of the world.

by Se Hace La Vista Gorda on Mar 11, 2009 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions

The CP3 pick still haunts me

We could still have gotten Roy (we essentially traded Telfair for the pick that became Roy). We wouldn’t have Aldridge or Oden, but I’m pretty sure Pritchard would have gotten us something good… so, unless Oden becomes the once in a decade guy we hoped for (unlikely at this point I’d say), not taking Paul will haunt us for a very long time, much more so than Durant.

by jksnake99 on Mar 11, 2009 12:01 AM PDT reply actions

Is Nash / Patterson still in the front office?

Is Cheeks still coach?

Is KP still a scout?

I love alternative universe stuff.

"The match in Los Angeles is a good opportunity to begin to demonstrate that we want to make war." Rudy Fernández (translated)

by G_dubs on Mar 11, 2009 12:53 AM PDT reply actions

Would rather have Deron to pair with Roy

Tallest backcourt in the league.

Karma

by Sabonis4Ever on Mar 11, 2009 3:59 AM PDT reply actions

are you serios

durant=“the golden child”he’s everything and more,webster has done nothing in the nba.and as for the man looking out the window these days,in my opinion give him to all*star game 2011.if he still injury prone or brittle then he’s larue martin or of course the infamous bowie 2.0.

by fatty on Mar 11, 2009 8:46 AM PDT reply actions

also

you’re the forgetting the most important piece of your post,durant is only going to get better and better.he’s a monster waiting to happen.while the other guy other than looking out diner windows these days feeling sorry for himself,really have to redidcate himself physically and mentally.he has to look deep down and get through these damn injuries.until he does he’ll always hear the whispers of bust and bowie 2.0.like i said above,all star game 2011.by then any honest to themselves blazers fans will kow what oden really is.

by fatty on Mar 11, 2009 8:51 AM PDT reply actions