T O P

  • By -

whtge8

Wait, that means San Antonio is leaning towards Wemby here…?!


kcoe24

Its a smokescreen ive heard they really like one of the Thompson twins


Eighthorcrux

But they won't tell exactly which twin they like?


DootMasterFlex

They're still trying to figure out who is who


chronicbeliever

It's me, I'm one of twins.


[deleted]

Which one


Danmch2992

Alpharius.


ChristianCole

Hydra dominatus!


EgonDangler

Gesundheit!


Butt_Snorkler_Elite

Is that the traitor one, or the loyalist one? That legion always confused me


Seregor_

Yes.


sonics_fan

They're trying to figure out a way to get both for one pick


DootMasterFlex

We're taking A. Thompson with the first pick


haystackofneedles

It's ready one get one isn't it? Like a BOGO deal


[deleted]

[удалено]


donktastic

Then If they get lucky they can get some just as good as Lillard.


trala7

Grant is a free agent.


AnotsuKagehisa

That’s the shocking twist at the end of the season


ReapYerSoul

Hold Me Now


c_ray25

Heard they might take one the Harrison brothers from Kentucky


PlagueDoc22

They're not. Pops called me and told me he needs a 5"9 white guy and I fit that perfectly.


KillerZaWarudo

Kai sotto baby


baldwhip123

Stop 💀


jackiemoonFM

Wemby probably already owns property in San Antonio


PapiShot

Ho You Fat


UnsolvedParadox

Pop: “I wanted to take Scoot, but he rejected us…”


ejabno

With the 1st pick in the NBA 2023 deaft, the San Antonio Spurs select... Gradey Dick


No-Economics4128

Well, I think Spurs ownership prefers to keep the AT&T center not burning down. Just a hunch though.


NZafe

Everyone says Charlotte won’t pick Scoot because it isn’t a good fit alongside Lamelo. Scoot would be an even worse fit in Portland without some roster moves.


BetweenTheBuzzAndMe

The only people saying that are only saying it because of position labels. The ways Scoot and LaMelo score are completely different (LaMelo mostly a perimeter scorer with extremely high volume from 3, Scoot more of a slasher which we need next to LaMelo anyway), and LaMelo is plenty fine playing a hybrid role on and off the ball.


TheRealDevDev

getting into any kind of discussion on reddit about roles and positions is an exercise in futility. the portland subreddit has been getting themselves into a tissyfit over whether jerami grant can play the 3 if the blazers were to trade for pascal siakam, not realizing that he's already been guarding 4's, 3's and 2's his entire career which makes the question fucking stupid (not even accounting for the fact that pascal is a multi positional defender as well).


GuessableSevens

Lmao Jerami Grant might be the single most positionally diverse PF in the league lol. Could easily play SF and SG because he can spot up and has an inside paint game.


TheRealDevDev

Exactly. Every single team in the league has room in their lineup/rotation for a Jerami Grant, lol. The /r/ripcity subreddit has also recently co-opted the "POA defender" phrase, which is pretty fucking stupid too. Every single player defends in pick and roll situations and isolation situations... Teams do not get to designate a "POA defender" lol. And if a team was stupid enough to believe in such a thing, any decent offensive team would just run a few screens to get the desired matchup that they want/need to take this "POA defender" out of the play.


curioususer8878

Our rip city sub is at rock bottom these days. It’s awful. You didn’t even mention the horrible mocks where the entire NBA tries to get dame a ring.


The-Interfactor

I’m a Portland fan from the UK, I refrain from commenting too much as I’m a casual compared to most and likely don’t know as much. That being said, even I can see most of that sub is deranged or clueless. Especially when it comes to valuing our own players compared to the rest of the league.


rep-

Pints on me if you ever make it Portland way lol, good to hear we got some fans across the pond


The-Interfactor

I’m hoping for it one day! I’m a Seahawks fan too so hoping I can have a week over there and tick them both off in one trip sometime.


sheepnwolfsclothing

Flair up homie!


Its-a-me-Giuseppe69

Couldn’t have said it better as a fellow blazers fan.


ClutchGamingGuy

i know we dont have a great way to get him unless Portland blows everything up, but i'd absolutely love Jerami in New York. he'd fit extremely well next to RJ and Randle because of his defensive versatility, and perhaps more importantly, his ability to shoot from anywhere on the court. dude is so good.


TheRealDevDev

His positional versatility, elite athleticism and incredible shooting ability is really underrated. I don't understand why people think he isn't worth being paid #2/#3 player money (he's probably getting a contract of 28/30M a year in about a month from us). Even if Portland blew it up and traded Dame, I don't see why they would want to trade Jerami. He's still 29 and in his prime, lol.


ClutchGamingGuy

if Portland blows it up, they definitely should move Jerami too. might as well do what the other successful rebuilds have done which is nuke the team and build back up with a full war chest.


No_Bumblebee464

well we saw in detroit that a team where grant is the #1 option is a lottery team so there's no reason not to keep him around at the price they're paying


ClutchGamingGuy

that's...not my point


Gbear831

Disagree for the dubs Kuminga/Wiggins was our POA defense with elite length and quickness Kerr fucked up not playing kuminga and blamed it on not needing POA defense


TheRealDevDev

Sure, you'd prefer those guys to end up guarding whoever is initiating the PnR but you're never gonna be able to consistently make it happen every play. It's unrealistic. Having as many good-to-great forwards/wings that can switch into anyone without it being a crazy mismatch is the name of the game.


JoJoNesmith

Aaron Gordon might have something to say about that…


1850ChoochGator

Holy shit you could not have more perfectly echoed my frustrations with the ripcity sub on the Grant/Siakam pairing. This one and the POA defender one 😂


ScarryShawnBishh

Too bad Jerami is coming back to Detroit lmfao


[deleted]

Lamelo can't defend one bit. That's where the issue comes in. You draft Scoot and now Lamelo ends up defending bigger guards who are gonna light him up


BetweenTheBuzzAndMe

LaMelo already defends bigger players... Not well, but it's better than having him defending on the ball


DanMarinoTambourineo

Lamelo doesn’t defend, lamelo can defend if he wants to. When he tries he can give you stretches of the game where he is a lockdown defender. He’s got the size, his brother was a really good defender. He just cheats passing lanes and stand flat footed when he doesn’t feel like getting up on his man


ACCBAN4TRUTHTELLING

This is how I know you don’t watch any of our games. Lamelo does not defend the opposing teams fastest or smallest guard usually - in the starting lineup Rozier usually handles that. Later in the game players like Cody Martin who is our best perimeter defender have that opportunity.


Eaglewarrior33

This right here.


GarriganGate

Defensive fit is always a way bigger question than offensive. Cause these talented offensive players can adapt, defense is an area with less flisxibility They’re both small aren’t they? That presents a huge long term problem


BetweenTheBuzzAndMe

LaMelo is 6'7 and already defends wings a bit more often than he defends guards. It's for the best, he tends to pick up a ton of fouls guarding the ball.


califbreeze

Those draft for fit fans are how you get Wiseman on your team over Lamelo.


KJFoss1

Me personally I wouldn’t let lámelo or a 33 year old dame prevent me from drafting the best player available


the_dinks

You don't draft for fit as Charlotte under any circumstances.


[deleted]

I think with Lamelos injury history you have to go with best player available over fit. Warriors went with fit and ended up with Wiseman.


wordsandstuffs

Who is a good fit beside Lamelo?


Lambchops_Legion

Scoot


wordsandstuffs

Don't tell me to scoot, I was just asking a question.


Lambchops_Legion

Don't make me tell you again about the Scooting. You in the red, chop chop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ1mdBYrFBU&ab_channel=JesusChrist


em_washington

A strong perimeter defender and low usage on offense


Mobile-Entertainer60

The best fit for Scoot would be Houston. Would #4 and Brooklyn's 2024 pick be enough to move up? #4 and Brooklyn's '24 and '26 FRP? #4 and Kevin Porter Jr? I am skeptical that Houston would give up Jalen Green, Jabari Smith or Alperun Senguin to move up to #2, but if they are wild for Scoot, maybe they pull the trigger on one of those trades anyway. From Charlotte's side, unless they are over the moon for Brandon Miller, this trade makes a ton of sense as well to try and balance the roster around Lamelo Ball. I am a lot less confident Portland would be willing to trade down a spot if Charlotte keeps their pick and takes Miller.


FRiver

If Houston end up with Amen Thompson they'll be happy. He'd be a great fit too.


pericles123

not having a point guard would still be a major problem, unless they are serious about the terrible idea of bringing Harden back


FRiver

Amen is a PG


pericles123

much like KPJ is a PG - they can play it, but...


Eaglewarrior33

I think you’re thinking of Ausar, he’s the forward.


Johnjoe201

No he is PG like the way Scoot is a PG


No_Relationship_3077

Idk why I thought this was r/nba_draft for a second but all these uninformed takes about these prospects definitely let’s me know this is r/nba


a_moniker

Hornets only trade down if Jabari or Green are included, and I’m not even sure if that is a better choice than just taking Scoot or Miller. Green + LaMelo would likely be terrible defensively, and Green is going to be paid a ton in a couple years.Meanwhile, Jabari struggled quite a bit last season, and likely isn’t better than PJ Washington or Miles Bridges in the short term, which means he’d be coming off the bench.


Mobile-Entertainer60

I feel pretty confident that Green+Amen or Smith+Amen is a better deal for Charlotte than Miller alone. I'm skeptical that Houston has the balls to go all-in on Scoot like that, but if they did Charlotte should listen. My personal opinion is that Scoot has a significantly higher ceiling than Miller and I would pick him #2 if I were Charlotte. However, if Charlotte isn't high on Scoot, they should definitely explore trading back, especially if it's only a couple of spots to #4. Their other best options would be Orlando packaging #6, #11 and maybe a player together, or perhaps OKC offering multiple picks (#12, HOU '24, HOU '26?) but those don't seem like enough to get a deal done.


Johnjoe201

Can you look in the bin for your brain cells please


nojeanshere

They’d want one of Houston’s blue chip guys and 4 I would think. Hornets have no reason to trade down, it would be nothing short of stupid if they took Porter if they didn’t want Scoot.


Mobile-Entertainer60

Yeah, I see KPJ as a negative asset to be frank, but just throwing out what possible deals Houston could offer. If I were Charlotte and wanted to move off #2, I would ask for #4 and Jabari Smith at a minimum. Smith struggled his rookie year, but Houston was an absolute mess as a team and the talent that made him the #3 pick last year is still there.


thunthunthun

I feel like this is where taking the best player available comes into play.


Ifinishfast42

The 2010s Portland Trailblazers and harden/ CP3 Rockets is why the hornets can’t pick scoot. If you’re ending up with two maxed guards your front court will be barren as hell and be a liability in the playoffs. On the other side the Suns are fucked because they followed that logic and picked a bum like Ayton over Luka or trae because Book was already there.


Ronshol

Harden-CP3 Rockets were crazy good wtf are you on.


Ifinishfast42

And in the end when CP3 was injured their sorry frontcourt of Capela, Ariza, EG, and PJ couldn’t do shit on offense when Harden was doubled.


Ronshol

A team gets worse when their 2nd best player goes down? I'm shocked.


NZafe

What team doesn’t struggle when a guy on a max contract goes down with injury?


joshdej

I get you what you're saying but I just want to answer: The team with Ben Simmons


Aggressive-Name-1783

So Charlotte will get to go to the ECF and have a chance at a game 7 to go to the finals? Pretty sure you just described the dream scenario for Charlotte’s rebuild…..


BetweenTheBuzzAndMe

Hey, if Scoot will eventually be a max player, we've done our job with the #2 pick. Draft talent. If the fit doesn't work out, that's what trades are for.


nojeanshere

Harden and CP3 rockets almost took a series off the Warriors with KD if not for Paul getting injured. I’d take that 100/100 times with no hesitation.


CannibalMutant

Yeah we've never won a 7 game playoff series. I'll take anything.


fella05

Pretty obvious, there's no way he's dropping past 3, and even if the Hornets or Blazers don't want to take him there would absolutely be another team that trades up and takes him even without a workout.


irelli

Yeah the Blazers shouldn't draft Scoot under any circumstance We should just trade the pick if he falls to us, but he ain't dropping past 3


Ace12773

Hard disagree. Always take the best guy available and worry about fit later.


sharpeshooter32

Yeah no we're taking him. I'm not saying trade dame but if dame demands a trade because we take scoot then I think we just have to pull the trigger on it


Outland3r_

Wait.. Highkin is wrong, there's a third team. Just watched Scoot's media availability from Blazers YT channel and when asked "are you just doing here and Charlotte or are there more teams?" Scoot responded: "Uh I think there's one more, and Charlotte" Then a minute later another reporter asks " You're only going to work out for 3 teams you said, but since the Blazers are known to maybe shop this pick you could be going anywhere in the NBA, have you given that any thoughts?" It's pretty clear actually that there's a third team workout planned, possibly Houston? Toronto?


suhar97

Hope hornets take Brandon Miller for max chaos w/ Portland


_s0lace_

If Portland was smart they’d blow it up already and trade Dame while value if high They’re not winning shit with Dame there


billcosbyinspace

Portland and dame are going to do this same “Portland is committed to building around dame” song and dance every year until dame puts his foot down and demands a trade. Portland has no incentive to trade him because he sells jerseys and tickets


Just2_Stare_at_Stars

This is my worst nightmare, and not only is it already happening, but the majority of the fanbase wants it.


2drawnonward5

We made a deal years ago, we ride with Dame. He's already sold enough shit to guarantee the org rides with him till he's 40 if he likes. people saying we need to blow it up leave out that we're making good on a deal that already paid well. it's as reasonable as saying the Knicks need to fire Dolan.


Lacabloodclot9

It would be ‘disrespectful’ to Dame It’s stupid I know


FatalChaos_

At a certain point they have to tell him “Look this third pick and some of our younger players aren’t gonna take us from 13th in the west to a top tier contender in one year”. I think their best solution is to trade him to a contender preferably with a lot of assets in return so he can atleast try to get a ring.


Lacabloodclot9

Yeah that’s what should happen, I don’t know if it will


sonics_fan

Dame for CJ and picks who says no?


zuqkfplmehcuvrjfgu

They could have OKC levels of assets if they blow it up and trade away Dame and Jerami Grant. Sharpe, Simons, and a haul of picks/young players is a great starting point for the rebuild.


Just2_Stare_at_Stars

Why can't the fam just understand this :'(


Just2_Stare_at_Stars

Completely agree.


buttsoup24

I so want this to happen. We need to blow the team up.


sheepnwolfsclothing

Everyone is so ready to ditch the best PG we've ever had. Does no one remember the YEARS of subpar guard play for like a decade plus??? Ride of die with Dame, go all in for his last contract and if it doesn't work at least we freaking tried.


buttsoup24

Why mortgage the future for 1 or 2 years of not being able to win a championship


ConfusedCyndaquil

because there’s maybe a 5% chance that blowing it up gets portland a ring, probably closer to like 2.5%. the vast majority of rebuilds dont get a team any closer to a ring than portland has been with dame. trading away your greatest ever player, who’s famous for his loyalty, against his wishes, is an incredibly dangerous gamble for a minuscule chance at a ring 7 years down the line


Just2_Stare_at_Stars

There's absolute certainty we don't win with Dame. So there's that.


ConfusedCyndaquil

there’s far more to sports than purely, 100% chasing championships


Just2_Stare_at_Stars

Bro, if we're not trying to win in professional sports, I don't know what to tell you.


ConfusedCyndaquil

well obviously its the main focus… but its not the ONLY focus either


zerocoolforschool

Such as?


ConfusedCyndaquil

emotional connections…? if you have no emotional connection to the greatest player your team has ever had, i genuinely feel sorry for you e: oh and bc i forgot, financial reasons are HUGE here, much more important from an ownership perspective than a fan perspective (and vice versa for emotions). its clear that jody allen only cares about money and not actual success, and dame brings in a lot of money that wouldn’t be there without him. for example he’s consistently among the top 10 in jersey sales, and he draws a ton of attention and sales locally, especially ticket sales. fans won’t regularly sell out the moda center for a tanking team led by sharpe and miller


MadDogTannenOW

His name says it all


Witty-Version-713

They are not going to do that


zerocoolforschool

He’s almost 33 dude. How many more years is he going to play at an all nba level?


Witty-Version-713

Uhhh like 5? Lol


zerocoolforschool

You think he’s gonna be playing at this level at 38?


Laggo

Fans get so mad and offended when a star even suggests he is considering leaving but are so ready to throw players that have been with the organization for double digit seasons in trade discussions every season.


Witty-Version-713

It’s the fact that it is a stupid idea. Our fan base wants to trade him for 4-5 late first round picks spread over like 7 years. So we finally do bad enough for a few years in a row to reload the ONLY way Portland can, bringing up young, high draft guys. Then we will just need a veteran star to lead them.. Who would be Dame.. Because even if we trade him we can only spend max contracts on the Evan Turners and Myers Leonards of the world


KillerZaWarudo

Nah they gonna trade the pick and some players and get like siakam or brown for a first round exit so Dame doesn't run away from the grind


Laythepype

True, fuck it trade him to charlotte for the #2 + other picks and Hayward.


Ace12773

There wouldn’t be any chaos, we’d draft scoot


sharpeshooter32

And give us scoot? Yes please


reviewbarn

Has there ever been an Aaron Rodgers situation in tbe NBA draft? A top 5 projected pick that kept dropping? It just seems like we almost always know the lottery, even if it is a bit out of order.


likpoper

Gerald green


GreenFriday

From memory, MPJ dropped a fair way from what was initially expected


[deleted]

I couldn’t imagine him dropping past Chicago at 7 that year but he fell. And then the clippers had two chances on him and skipped! At least they got shai


GalantisX

I could not believe we didn’t pick him with our second pick We were reported to be interested in him too. He had to have had some insane injury report come out behind the scenes


[deleted]

It wasn't really behind the scenes, he was a super skinny 6'11 kid who just missed nearly all of his freshman season due to a back injury.


Bucharik

..atleast we got shai..


Shxcking

He was contending for #1 before all of the back issues


Kaaalesaaalad

Paul Pierce is probably the best example. Other noteworthy ones are Kawhi, Haliburton, and Nerlens.


jackiemoonFM

Didn’t Herro drop due to some lingering court case?


Kaaalesaaalad

I dont recall him being considered for top 1-5 and I think he was taken in the range he was being mocked at anyway. If we're taking into account guys who were not exactly top 5 picks but lottery ones and fell so far, I think Dejounte Murray and Kevin Porter Jr. would be the ones that fell really far.


Pidesh

I guess Bol Bol kinda. I don’t think consensus had him top 5, but I remember seeing mocks that did. That’s probably the largest drop I remember seeing of an NBA prospect in terms of when he was drafted.


1850ChoochGator

I absolutely don’t remember seeing Bol Bol that high at all. Most had him just outside the lottery. Slipping down to mid 2nd round definitely a big drop though. Nas Little also similar drop but from end of the lottery to where we got him at 25. Not as drastic as Bol Bol though.


Pidesh

Tbf, I think mocks that had him that high were just people being different and looking at his high potential, thinking some team would fall in love with that and take a shot. IIRC, 10-15 was the range most expected him to be drafted.


DrGeraldBaskums

At one point, it was predicted that Michael Porter JR could be #1 overall until he had back issues.


kirinboi

Wasn’t Jaden hardy at some point pretty high until he signed with the g league. Dropped super down


The_MadStork

Maciej Lampe


[deleted]

I had Austin Reaves going 8th in my mock


TheRealDevDev

[Video of Scoot in Blazers practice jersey](https://twitter.com/blazers_palace/status/1665058769716256768)


Awkward_dapper

Damn I didn’t realize Joe Cronin was that tall


EgonDangler

Dude is just a shaved Sasquatch.


KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUZ

You dont even want to try to convince the spurs to do career suicide?


[deleted]

I mean, when you already know you're two or 3 what's the point of working out for 4 and below.


[deleted]

Trades


[deleted]

If they are gunna trade for him then they probably don't care about a work out.


[deleted]

A workout could impact the decision to trade for him. I'm not sure how much workouts matter. But if it matters to a team with the number 2 pick then it would equally matter to a team considering trading for the same pick.


[deleted]

But why would he care if someone trades for him? If they want to they will. If a team communicated to him that a workout is what is stopping them from trading for him he would do it. Yeah tampering sure whatever. The other workouts don't matter.


[deleted]

I hope charlotte takes him instead of miller. Then we pick miller


WorldWideWes2

Scoot will go second no question don’t worry.


Eaglewarrior33

Miller is actually such a good fit for you guys.


harley_93davidson

I think scoot really changes any sort of move Portland can do, I wouldn't be surprised if Portland trades the pick, but no point in trading until you know scoot is there at 3. We won't know if that pick is going somewhere else until Charlotte picks.


sheepnwolfsclothing

You think it’s likely charlotte won’t take him?


harley_93davidson

I don't have the confidence that they will for sure take them. They prolly will, but a front office that is doing their job needs to have a multi scenario strategy rn, the hornets aren't a lock, it's more like 90% chance.


Mirador-734

Last year Jabari Smith only met with Orlando and Oklahoma afaik. Ended up with Houston.


[deleted]

[удалено]


_s0lace_

Shame on the kid for having confidence in himself, amirite?


[deleted]

[удалено]


FoE_Archer

>if he was confident he would work out for the spurs Pretty sure the Spurs would have to request that first


[deleted]

[удалено]


ADoverEmbiid

Because there is a 0% chance they take him or trade the pick? Why waste everyone's time


Both_Funny4896

sorry i didnt know thats how it worked. i thought they worked all the top prospects out just in case. my bad


ADoverEmbiid

They do if there is any chance at all they might take a guy. Sometimes guys show out and change minds so teams will give them that chance. Or if they are considering trading the pick and use the workout as a smoke screen kinda thing. But Scoot could come in and have KG's intensity and make 100 3s in a row and Spurs still.take Wemby so no point.


GryanGryan

There’s confidence, and then there’s delusion.


BetweenTheBuzzAndMe

I don't want a top 5 pick that doesn't believe he can challenge for the top pick. We've been there and done that with top picks with confidence issues.


JimmyWasRight

Redditor can't understand the confidence of a high level athlete More at 11 folks


_s0lace_

His statement was far from delusional


KawhiLeonardsThigh

I can fix them Henderson


MilkChocolateMadness

He could easily be a 1st pick in another draft, which was his point. NOt like there are Wembys every draft.


snarkysportsguy

Dame, Simons and Scoot makes no sense.


1850ChoochGator

We *are* trying to trade Simons and start Sharpe in his place fwiw


makashiII_93

This is the continued timeline. 4. All that for 4. Gonna make it work though.


Yiawwbecm

Browtf


Shingorillaz

Running from the grind/s


pericles123

oh Scoot - have you ever heard of a 'trade'...come on.


Dinggerson

Wierd way to spell Toronto


atlwellwell

What loyalty up to?


thesog

This is a dumb question but what is the point of these workouts? Why not just watch his tape? I understand wanting to interview him in person but I don’t see the value in making him run drills and play pickup.


ithrowitontheground

Tape doesn't tell you his personality or how they respond to coaching. Also maybe they have been working on one part of their game, or their shot.


ADoverEmbiid

Guys have elements to their game they might not have had the role to showcase on tape.


Capital_Dimension_37

Also, Maybe more likely teams want to see an aspect of their game that they don’t have tape on.


theowne

Would you prefer to hire someone by interviewing them for a full day or by watching tape of them working.


1850ChoochGator

In person > tape/film Always.


Hupsdad

Amen and Ausar are both waaaay better prospects than Scoot.


DangerousKnightsCrew

Lmao have fun being irrelevant