My Favorite Pick In Today's Draft: Pendergraph

by RipCitySam on Jun 26, 2009 12:24 AM PDT

Here's why:

"Sure, every player selected in the NBA draft will say that he’s happy just to get drafted. Yet, few of those individuals can truly say that were selected by their favorite team. Jeff Pendergraph can claim that distinction. The former ASU forward was initially selected by the Sacramento Kings, just to be immediately traded to his desired destination - the Portland Trail Blazers."

and

In interviews leading up to the draft, Pendergraph didn’t hide his attraction to the Trailblazers. “I really like Portland,” he said in a recent DevilsDigest.com interview, “because I know coach Nate McMillan (father of ASU guard Jamelle McMillan), they have a good team and everything about that atmosphere is cool.”

For one I like it when players are actually fans of the teams they are on, and I think it also helps with work ethic, mind not being soley on the money. Of course in the end he still has to be good, but hey, an upside that we don't know if the other players drafted have.

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I like Pendergraph too

He seems to have a little Bayless fire in him. But I must say that I like the Claver pick because I guessed it correctly. (Although I had him to Portland with the 33rd pick.)

by parkinglotj on Jun 26, 2009 12:39 AM PDT reply actions

He really is the new Frye (Same size, position, and attitude)

I wonder if we sign a vet PF to compete for the backup spot, its seems a little risky to hand it to a 2nd round pick that coming out of a weak draft. That said, I like everything I’ve heard about him and hope he works out.

"I don’t have the first clue who he is talking about, because all I worry about is Jerome." – Jerome James, on comments by coach Nate McMillan about Seattle SuperSonics players being selfish.

by Devenex on Jun 26, 2009 12:40 AM PDT reply actions

Could this wait until later in the season?

My guess is the Blazers won’t have 15 guys on the roster for the first time in a long time. They could choose to see how Pendergraph, and much more importantly Oden, develop over the first couple months of the season and then seek out veteran help if needed.

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Jun 26, 2009 12:44 AM PDT up reply actions

He's from the same state too.

by JordanLeDoux on Jun 26, 2009 12:50 AM PDT up reply actions

6'9"-6'10", 240 . . .

He’s built like more of a banger than Frye. His 66% FG led
the nation this year, which says he’s not going to float around
outside and brick 20 foot jumpers. He will be a good foil to
Smooth as he’s going to bang, set picks, go to the boards and
hustle. I liked Frye at times, but he couldn’t hit his top of the key
jumper last year to save his life. (he did have a nice game in Cleveland,
but cut his own throat by not shooting well)
Welcome to Jeff P – BANG !!!!!!

It's GO time !

by walkoff41 on Jun 26, 2009 1:50 AM PDT up reply actions

Exactly.

His game is not at all like Frye’s – he is a garbageman inside who will play tough and not use many possessions. I expect him to pull down rebounds and maybe get some putbacks.

by austinpwnz on Jun 26, 2009 2:20 AM PDT up reply actions

And I love the high shooting percentage

"Knowledge will get you from A to B. Creativity will get you anywhere." Einstein

by Garden of ODEN on Jun 26, 2009 2:25 AM PDT up reply actions

This hopefully means the end of pick and pop.

At least on the 2nd unit. Those 22 foot jumpers were irritating to say the least.

"I'm at the thingamajig talking the yakety-yak" - Kenny Smith

by blzrfan on Jun 26, 2009 2:24 AM PDT up reply actions

It's a risky play.

It can take over a game, but also shoot you right out of it.

At times when Roy and Aldridge ran it our offense looked completely unstoppable. Other times it made us look like some foolish highschool team who was trying to prove something to the cheerleaders of the rival school but failing miserably.

I really hope we cut down on the pick n’ pop and start playing more pick n’ roll with both Oden and Aldridge.

by Bskey on Jun 26, 2009 2:31 AM PDT up reply actions

are you saying JP

cant miss 20’? I have all the confidence that he can!

Life is exhausting when you are this stupid.

by jonestr on Jun 26, 2009 3:48 AM PDT up reply actions

I like Pendergraph.

I hate to sound like a broken record but I like Pendergraph. I just liked Blair more. Pendergraph was my choice for backup 4 after Blair.

I’m reeeeeeeeally hoping the kid proves me and other Blair enthusiasts wrong in the him vs. Blair department.

by Bskey on Jun 26, 2009 2:09 AM PDT reply actions

I feel the same way

But I’d say Pendergraph is lower-risk.

(that said I prefer both of ’em over Cunningham.)

by austinpwnz on Jun 26, 2009 2:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Not surprised about Blair

When has Pritchard ever taken anyone who was undersized for their position. One could argue that Rudy is a little undersized at the two. Girth not height, but KP has never picked anyone who doesn’t have the optimal height for the position. So the Blair pick or lack of it, never surprised me

by 8volumesthick on Jun 26, 2009 9:26 AM PDT up reply actions

The door is wide open

for him to play hard and become a favorite around here. I have high hopes.

by Kaboomm on Jun 26, 2009 7:17 AM PDT reply actions

The Graph

is gonna cost about 1/10th of what a Bass/McDyess/Camby-sort of backup role-playing banger. He should also be ready to start, having 4 years of college play under his belt.

His ceiling isn’t very high, but it doesn’t really need to be. He’s a harding-working, blue-collar, grind-it-out big who will get rebounds and put-backs. He could be like a PF version of the VanillaGorilla.

by ninjasocks on Jun 26, 2009 9:14 AM PDT reply actions

I, too, like Jeff Pendergraph, who was my third favorite power forward in the 2009 NBA Draft behind Taj ...

Gibson and none other than DeJuan Blair. No matter my several qualms with how the Portland Trail Blazers went about the 2009 NBA Draft, my belief is that Pendergraph will be a solid backup power forward during the next few years.

Pendergraph is an efficient low-post scorer, a decent man-to-man interior defender against opposing power forwards, and someone who seemingly knows his role on the court when he’s out there. So, aside from my negativity about everyone from Victor Claver to Dante Cunningham to Patty Mills, I like the Pendergraph pick.

Anyhow, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of contract Pendergraph receives from the Trail Blazers. As it is, anything beyond a two-year, minimum-level contract — which’d be worth a total of $1,219,783 (2009-2010: $457,588 & 2010-2011: $762,195) — would dip into either cap space or the mid-level exception.

After viewing contracts of a few high-end second-round draft picks signed the past couple of years, it seems fair to dip into either cap space or the mid-level exception to give Pendergraph an appropriate contract. As a result, a three-year, $2,470,500 contract (2009-2010: $762,500; 2010-2011: $823,500; 2011-2012: $884,500) — which includes maximum annual raises of 8% and the third season non-guaranteed if he’s waived before 7/1/2011 — is what I’d offer him.

by AK1984 on Jun 26, 2009 9:31 AM PDT reply actions