Portland Trailblazers: NBA Draft

Portland Trailblazers: 2009 NBA Draft

Jason Tomassini — Mon, 04 May 2009 07:58:04 -0700

2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Team Needs/Capsules - NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects

- We’ll update our Team Capsules with more specific info once the lottery is complete.

Portland Trailblazers

2008-09 Record: 54-28

Draft Picks: 24, 32, 38, 55

Key Free Agents:

Channing Frye (Restricted)

Raef Lafrentz

Shavlik Randolph

Michael Ruffin

How They Got Here:

Despite the crazy hype going into the season, the Blazers somehow managed to exceed expectations. And to think, they got very little out of Mr. Glass Greg Oden, they didn’t trade Lafrentz’s enormous expiring contract and 2005 No. 6 overall pick Martell Webster played five minutes this season. What they did get is Brandon Roy emerging as a legit franchise player, Lamarcus Aldridge doing Lamarcus Aldridge type things and surprisingly strong play from Steve Blake and less heralded rookies Nicolas Batum and Rudy Fernandez. We’ve been saying it a lot lately but, Oden or no Oden, the future is bright.

What They Need:

Probably just depth. They are a little thin on scoring in the rare occasions where Roy or Aldridge aren’t on top of their game and some Steve Blake insurance is probably needed. But again, with Webster coming back, Jerryd Bayless likely stepping into a bigger role and the assimilation process continuing with Batum and Rudy Fernandez, the rotation is basically set for next year and the Blazers should be looking to trade, take some risks or just upgrade a bench player.

Who They'll Take:

A veteran scorer that won’t shake up chemistry. Sam Young or DaJuan Summers would be nice, especially if said scorer can play a little bit of defense like Summers can. With the uncertainty of Oden’s health and the Pryzbillian nature of Joel Pryzbilla, it would make sense to get some big man depth somewhere in the draft too, especially with the team unlikely to match any offer that Channing Frye is fortunate enough to receive. A guy like BJ Mullens would be oh-so ironic. And it’s also not totally insane for the Blazers to take Tyler Hansbrough, just throwing it out there.

Portland Trailblazers Draft History (since 2001)

2008: Brandon Rush (13, traded to Indiana for Jerryd Bayless), Darrell Arthur and Joey Dorsey (27 and 33, both traded to Houston for Nicolas Batum), Omer Asik (36)
2007: Greg Oden (1), Josh McRoberts (37), Taurean Green (52), Demetris Nichols (53) 2006: LaMarcus Aldridge (2), Brandon Roy (6), Sergio Rodriguez (27), Joel Freeland (30)

2005: Martell Webster (6), Linas Kleiza (27), Ricky Sanchez (35)

2004: Sebastian Telfair (13), Viktor Khryapa (22), Ha Seung-Jin (47)

2003: Travis Outlaw (23), Nedzad Sinanovic (54)

2002: Qyntel Woods (21), Jason Jennings (43), Federico Kammerichs (51)

2001: Zach Randolph (19), Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (50)

2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Team Needs/Capsules - NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects

Top Prospects

Stephen Curry - PG/SG - Davidson

Tyreke Evans - PG/SG - Memphis

Blake Griffin - PF - Oklahoma

James Harden - SG - Arizona State

Jordan Hill - PF - Arizona

Ty Lawson - PG - UNC

BJ Mullens - C - Ohio State

Ricky Rubio - PG - DKV Joventut

Brandon Jennings - PG - Arizona

Hasheem Thabeet - C - UCONN

NBA: Jerryd Bayless: Life As a Rookie

Hoopsworld — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:09:36 -0800

By: Alex Raskin

Hurry Up and Wait in 2008

If Jerryd Bayless' last 365 days had a single maxim, that would be it. The former Arizona Wildcat freshman exploded onto the Pac-10 scene at the end of 2007 before being whisked away to the NBA Draft. Taken by guard-hungry Indiana in the Lottery, he was quickly traded to the NBA's biggest pool of young talent – Portland.

The jump from a college dormitory to the draft lottery was only the beginning. His MVP performance at the NBA Summer League (Bayless averaged 29.9 points in four games) ignited some "Rookie of the Year" chatter.

"Yeah it definitely gave me confidence but I realized that the summer league and the real thing are two different things," Bayless said prior to Tuesday's Blazers win at Madison Square Garden. "I'm going to take it with a grain of salt and right now I'm just trying to get into the game."

After starting the season with a 15 minute performance, Bayless' momentum has come to a screeching halt as he has played less than 30 minutes since. He currently sits patiently as Steve Blake and Sergio Rodriguez run the Trail Blazers offense.

"Right now Sergio is our backup point guard," said Portland Coach Nate McMillan. "Our second group has done a good job... That opportunity will come (for Jerryd)."

But there are no excuses for Bayless. The former Arizona Wildcat has ignored the depth chart while attacking the practice court.

"You can really see that he is trying to learn every day," Blake said. "He is really one of our hardest workers we have on the team right now. He's always in the gym early, working hard, and you can see he's really starting to pick up the NBA game."

For Bayless, the "NBA game" means he no longer can think about scoring first. Bayless is on a team of scorers that includes fellow rookies Rudy Fernandez and Greg Oden as well as Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw. And while Bayless has more scoring ability than both Blake and Rodriguez, he doesn't provide the steady, veteran presence this young team requires.

Blake's ability to run an offense coupled with Rodriguez's chemistry with the fellow Spaniard, Fernandez, promises to keep Bayless grounded for quite some time. Meanwhile, the man he was traded for, Brandon Rush is getting over twenty minutes per game in Indianapolis. Winning may be nice for Bayless, but every rookie wants a chance to contribute. It's a test of patience many rookies have to endure.

"I think that he is in the same situation as me," said Knicks forward and fellow lottery pick Danilo Gallinari. "It is frustrating to be out… My situation is like his. It is what it is. Anyway, we have to fight through the situation (and) we just have to be patient."

Gallinari has remained on the bench in partly because of a back injury, but like Bayless, he also has been pushed out of the rotation by the play of his teammates.

"I think it's the learning curve," Bayless said. "Right now I'm going to support our other two point guards. I'm going through a learning process and when my time comes hopefully I can take advantage of it. Hopefully I can stay out there and get some more time."

Bayless is going to have every chance to succeed. Like a newly drafted quarterback stewing behind a veteran journeyman, this rookie has been a sponge around veterans. Over the summer he learned from the likes of Chris Paul and Deron Williams with whom he scrimmaged against as a member of the USA Basketball Select Team.

"They're experienced playmakers," Bayless told HOOPSWORLD in September. "And they helped me out. I'm going to try and take what they taught me into this season and I hope it works. It was a learning experience. They do things very well. They're two of the best point guards in the league."

But the majority of Bayless' education has come from the Portland roster itself.

"He's been there for me since Day 1," Bayless said of Blake. "I've learned how to run a team from him. He's taught me the basics about being a point guard. He's teaching me from day to day. I'm learning from him by watching him play and run this team."

Blake has contributed to Bayless' schooling (and reduced minutes) by putting forth his best season as a pro. He is committing a turnover less than nine times per hundred possessions (a career best) and his true shooting percentage has soared to 59.5%. Simply put, Blake is playing an efficient style of basketball that Bayless needs to incorporate into his game.

Fortunately for Bayless, he has abilities that neither Blake nor Rodriguez have.

"His quickness, jumping and skills (jump out at me)," said Gallinari. "He's a skilled guy. So he knows how to beat (his man) and get to the basket. He does so much."

Bayless averaged nearly 20 points per game during his brief season of college basketball. Prior to the draft, his ability to penetrate along with his improving jump shot foretold future stardom. Bayless' 2008 has taken him from the college dormitories to the USA Select Team. Unfortunately, his 2009 might not be as eventful. While the Blazers have gotten off to an excellent start, Coach McMillan has neglected to set any goals for his lottery pick.

"Not yet," Bayless concluded. "I haven't had enough playing time."

NBA: All-Bust Team

Hoopsworld — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:04:58 -0700

By: Jason Fleming

No person ever wants to be called a bust. It's a term most often used to refer to high draft picks who never fulfill expectations, but could just as easily be the guy in the cube next to you who everyone had high hopes for but instead spends his days weighing the options of his fantasy football team. Or his fantasy racing team. Or bass fishing. Or – well, you get the picture.

Even athletes who end up being called busts can't shoulder all the blame, though they usually do. Is it their fault a general manager somewhere thought they were better than they were? Are they guilty of fraud for convincing someone to spend x amount of dollars on their services, then producing only y results?

In the NBA first round picks are locked into two-year contracts at a minimum, with team options for the third and fourth year. If you recall this is a change – it used to be three years guaranteed with one team option – but in the last round of negotiations teams wanted more flexibility to get out from under bad draft choices. As we all know, that hasn't stopped the poor selections.

Unfortunately, there are no mulligans in the draft, so here is a short list of players around the league on rookie scale contracts who might qualify for the dreaded label as bust.

Adam Morrison, Charlotte Bobcats

Morrison was drafted third overall by Michael Jordan and the Bobcats, but he wasn't nearly the player – so far – anyone expected him to be. Known as a jump shooter, his percentages were horrible (34% from three-point range, 38% overall) as a rookie and he couldn't guard a chair. Then he missed last season with a knee injury. Morrison needs to prove, this season, he deserves to stay in this league. If his performance is anything less than excellent, the Cats are going to be dishing him to anyone still interested.

Sergio Rodriguez, Portland Trail Blazers

Rodriguez definitely has a following, but Portland coach Nate McMillan doesn't seem to be among them. His penchant for making turnovers because he is out of control as well as his lack of defense are the biggest reasons – and as an NBA point guard you better be able to do one of those things well in addition to making passes and hitting jumpers. Rodriguez excites the crowd, but that's enough when on the next play he'll throw the ball to those same fans who cheered a fancy pass a minute earlier. In fact, Rodriguez is so in the doghouse his playing time dipped from 12.9 minutes per game as a rookie to 8.7 as a sophomore – and then Portland drafted guard Jerryd Bayless.

J.J. Redick, Orlando Magic

Redick is not happy in Orlando and Orlando is not happy with Redick. He can shoot to be sure, but a player needs to have more than one skill to be a player in this league, especially one drafted in the lottery. Shooters will always have a home in the NBA, but Redick won't find his until he is either traded to a team specifically wanting a shooter or the Magic waive him. Unfortunately for both sides he was drafted to be a starting shooting guard, and his lack of defense makes it almost impossible to justify playing time – he gives up as many or more than he would score. Look for Redick to resurface outside of Orlando sometime – a la Jason Kapono.

Johan Petro and Saer Sene, Oklahoma City

This franchise has been looking for second coming of Shawn Kemp for awhile now, but this is all they have to show for it. Combined these two first round picks – both big men who are not nearly strong enough to play the NBA post – put up these stats: 23.0 minutes, 28 starts, 85 games, 8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.12 blocks. Hey, that blocks number is decent in 23.0 minutes. Combine these two with restricted free agent center Robert Swift – he of the 71 games played over four seasons – and that's quit the poor choice of big men in Seattle.

Sean May, Charlotte Bobcats

Like Morrison and Swift, May has been hurt. A lot. In three seasons May has played in only 58 games, including missing all of 2007-08 (this is another reason why it's so hard to gauge the 2008-09 Bobcats – no one has any idea what they will have on the floor), but has produced when healthy. 10.4 and 5.9 rebounds, with multiple double-doubles, is solid production in 21.3 minutes of floor time, but it's not enough for a lottery pick. Calling him a bust is harsh since he has been productive when not nursing one injury or another, but 58 games is 58 games.

Ike Diogu, Portland Trail Blazers

Maybe he's just cheap, but a lottery pick who has been traded twice in three seasons isn't someone their team thinks highly of enough to keep around. Maybe it's just bad luck. Maybe it's just that Diogu's contract has fit in nicely in two moves Golden State and Indiana had to make for the betterment of their franchises, but players drafted at the nine spot should be more valuable; Diogu hasn't proved much value. Over 158 games in three seasons he has earned himself 13.3 minutes a game and posted averages of 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds. Apparently those critics of him before the 2005 NBA Draft who called him too undersized to play power forward at 6-8 may have been right.

Shelden Williams, Sacramento Kings

It all started so well for Williams in Atlanta. Drafted fifth overall in 2006 he even earned rookie awards early on, but his production trailed off the longer the season went on. Then the Hawks drafted Al Horford and Marvin Williams got healthy, and suddenly Williams wasn't even in the rotation. When they needed a few extra bucks to make the Mike Bibby acquisition happen, adding in Williams was a no-brainer. He actually played even less in Sacramento, a team with overpaid veterans who can't stay in the rotation or healthy, like Kenny Thomas and Shareef Abdur-Rahim. And then the Kings used their 2008 lottery pick on power forward Jason Thompson. Doesn't really seem like the Kings are that thrilled with what they saw in 28 games from Williams, does it?

Honorable mention goes to this following list of players their own team didn't wait around the full four years on: Yaroslav Korolev (L.A. Clippers), Gerald Green (Boston, then Minnesota), Julius Hodge (Denver, then Milwaukee), Wayne Simien (Miami, then Minnesota), Patrick O'Bryant (Golden State), and Shannon Brown (Cleveland, then Chicago).

That's just a short list – no doubt you, dear reader, have your own names to add to this list. Who would it be? Again, keep it to players on rookie contracts, which would be anyone drafted in 2005, 2006, or 2007. And no, no one from 2008 is eligible to be called a bust – wait until next summer to do that. Leave a comment…

Cheerleader of the Day: Portland

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:08:17 -0700

Cheerleader of the Day

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, we have access to thousands of great college & NBA basketball photos to use on the site. Each day, along with our Picture of the Day, we'll be featuring a Cheerleader of the Day. In honor of the recent NBA Draft, we'll be focusing on NBA dancers until the end of July!

Portland Trailblazers: Archived

- Check out past Cheerleaders of the Day!

- Also check out the Picture of the Day!

Top 10 Summer League Steals

Hoopsworld — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:28:50 -0700

By: Jessica Camerato

There were teams who struck it rich on Draft Night and others who overlooked promising talent. Those players who were bypassed in New York City had the chance to showcase their games during summer league play in Orlando, Las Vegas, and Utah. HOOPSWORLD takes a look at the top ten players who proved to be a steal on Draft Night.

#5 Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves (via Memphis Grizzlies)
Kevin Love may have been a top five pick, but the Minnesota Timberwolves got a steal when they acquired him from the Memphis Grizzlies on Draft Night. Love knew his conditioning was under fire when he came to Las Vegas, so he dropped the pounds and picked up his game. He was in noticeably better shape and got up and down both ends of the court to impress on offense and defense. Love averaged 18 points and 13.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 50% from the field. After posting 26 points and 15 rebounds against the Portland Trail Blazers, it was clear Love could have gone earlier in the draft and the T'Wolves had played their hand successfully.

#11 Jerryd Bayless, Portland Trail Blazers (via Indiana Pacers)
Teams around the league should take notice -- if the Trail Blazers want to make a Draft Day trade, just say no. Two years ago GM Kevin Pritchard nabbed Brandon Roy from the Minnesota Timberwolves and this summer he swiped Jerryd Bayless from the Indiana Pacers. Bayless won MVP honors at the Las Vegas Summer League and looked more like a top pick than an 11th. Even though the Trail Blazers still have to determine how well Bayless can play the point, the real point is that they made out like bandits once again.

#14 Anthony Randolph, Golden State Warriors
When the Golden State Warriors drafted Anthony Randolph, it seemed as though they chose the second coming of Brandan Wright. As it turns out, Randolph is an upgrade. The 6-10, 205 pound forward ranked fifth in scoring in Las Vegas, posting 20.8 points per game. Despite his lean and lanky frame, Randolph is not afraid of contact. He got to the line 18 times in his Vegas finale and shot another 17 free throws in his most recent Rocky Mountain Revue match up. Wright may not have lived up to his rookie year expectations but the Warriors got it right with Randolph.

#16 Marreese Speights, Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers' running game cannot succeed if they don't have big men grabbing rebounds for quick outlet passes. They found a perfect fit in 6-10, 245 pound Marreese Speights. Speights ranked second in rebounding at the Vegas Summer League with over 10 boards per game and posted two 20+ point performances (18.2 ppg). He has to work on his free throw shooting if he wants to be effective at the basket, but the 19-year-old could have an upside nearly as big as his size.

#19 J.J. Hickson, Cleveland Cavaliers
After striking out on the likes of Luke Jackson and Shannon Brown, the Cleveland Cavaliers finally got it right with J.J. Hickson. He is just one of three players who the Cavs have locked in after next season and should prove to be a valuable investment. Hickson exploded for 26 points and nine rebounds in his first game and averaged nearly 20 points and eight boards during summer league. He outscored highly touted lottery picks O.J. Mayo and Kevin Love, showing he was worth the Cavs' wait at the 19th spot.

#27 Darrell Arthur, Memphis Grizzlies (via New Orleans Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Houston Rockets)
The cameras rarely lost sight of Darrell Arthur's frustration on Draft Night as he slipped further and further down the first round. Arthur bounced around from three teams that night with his kidney condition raising question marks across the league. His game, however, should not have been a concern. Arthur clearly had something to prove in Las Vegas and scored 18 points off of 9-for-12 shooting in his debut. He has an diverse offensive repertoire and is not limited to merely the post up moves of a big man. Drafting Arthur may have been a risk but putting him on the court will not be one for the Grizzlies.

#28 Donte Green, Houston Rockets (via Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies)
Donte Green introduced himself to the NBA by dropping 40 points on the Phoenix Suns, nearly breaking the Vegas Summer League scoring record. Green never scored more than 22 points after his debut but he didn't have to dominate the ball to showcase his value. His jumpshooting presence will boost the Houston Rockets' offense next season and give them more scoring options in the frontcourt. The 29th overall pick was shipped around the league before landing in Houston and he will try to prove it's where he belongs.

#34 Mario Chalmers, Miami Heat (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
Michael Beasley may have been the center of attention at the Orlando Pro Summer League, but Mario Chalmers was the biggest surprise on the Miami Heat. Chalmers, who slipped to the second round after pushing the Kansas Jayhawks to the NCAA Championship, showed he didn't leave his game behind in college. He averaged 15.8 points and 5.4 assists per game, ranking just behind Beasley in scoring for Miami. More noticeably, the 6-2 guard got to the free throw line 47 times in five games and shot nearly 92% there. Beasley stole the spotlight but Chalmers made his presence known.

#41 Nathan Jawai, Toronto Raptors (via Indiana Pacers)
Nathan Jawai earned the nickname "Baby Shaq" in Australia but it's tough for a moniker like that to stick in the NBA. The 6-10, 280 pound Aussie knows he has his work cut out for him overseas so he hit the gym to learn from the best. Jawai worked out at Joe Abunassar's Impact Basketball with teammate Jermaine O'Neal this summer and showed his determination to improve. He averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in two games, and although he struggled from the free throw line (53.8% FT), he has the focus to make that wrong a right. Jawai doesn't have to be "Baby Shaq" to be successful, being himself just could be good enough.

#54 Maarty Leunen, Houston Rockets
Expectations are rarely high for a 54th pick and few were anticipating Maarty Leunen would make a splash in Vegas. 16 points and five rebounds per game later, Leunen broke the mold. He consistently scored in double digits and, at 6-9, shot 44% from three-point range. Leunen may have grown up milking cows in Oregon but now he can milk his summer league performance for all it's worth.

Cheerleader of the Day: Portland Trailblazers

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:25:39 -0700

Cheerleader of the Day

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, we have access to thousands of great college & NBA basketball photos to use on the site. Each day, along with our Picture of the Day, we'll be featuring a Cheerleader of the Day. In honor of the upcoming NBA Draft, we'll be focusing on NBA dancers until the end of June!

Portland Trailblazers

- Check out past Cheerleaders of the Day!

- Also check out the Picture of the Day!

2008 Draft: Winners & Losers: Part One

Jason Brubaker — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:13:26 -0700

The 2008 NBA Draft is finally in the books, and most of the viewing audience are regaining their hearing after listening to four-plus hours of Stephen A. Smith, Dick Vitale and Stuart Scott. Sixty picks, a handful of trades, buckets of tears from proud mothers, some odd suit choices and A LOT of camera shots of Darrell Arthur in the green room later, it's time to see who came out ahead this year, and who will be saving seats for next year's lottery.

WINNERS

New Jersey Nets: The Nets pulled off a big trade prior to the draft, acquiring Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons while ridding themselves of Richard Jefferson's contract, and putting themselves in position to make a run at LeBron in 2010. Then, they managed to snag two quality players in the first round, getting Brook Lopez and Ryan Anderson. Lopez may not be a star, but he's a quality big man who should be a double-double machine for many years. Anderson can stretch the floor with his shooting, and could be a great weapon off the bench. But the biggest steal of the night may have been getting Chris Douglas-Roberts in the second round. CDR is a Rip Hamilton-type player, wiry strong with long arms, a good mid-range game, and a solid defender. He should be a solid rotation guy right away. The Nets do have a glut of big men on the roster, which means they might not be done dealing. The Nets won't be contenders next year, but they appear to be on the right path.

Portland Trail Blazers: Once again, the Blazers pulled off a great draft, wheeling and dealing throughout the night. When it was all said and done, they landed a terrific guard in Jerryd Bayless, who will team with Brandon Roy to give teams fits next year. Bayless isn't a pure point, but Roy is a playmaker from the off-guard position, so Bayless could operate as more of a scoring point next year. The Blazers also ended up with Nicolas Batum, a bouncy forward from France who might not contribute right away, but could be valuable down the line. They also managed to secure four future picks, meaning we can expect to see them just as busy at future drafts. With a healthy Greg Oden joining Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Bayless next year, the Blazers will challenge for the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference.

Indiana Pacers: The Pacers took a page from last year's Blazers' handbook, essentially rebuilding their team in just 24 hours. First, they rid themselves of chronically injured and tragically overpaid Jermaine O'Neal, freeing up a ton of cap space for the future. For O'Neal, they managed to land point guard TJ Ford, which means malcontent Jamaal Tinsley is likely on his way out also. Then, in the draft, they worked the phone lines and landed swingman Brandon Rush, who should be ready to contribute right away. Next, they picked up Roy Hibbert, who won't win any sprints anytime soon, but adds some much-needed size and interior defense to the roster. They also landed Jarrett Jack in the Rush-Bayless trade, giving them another solid PG on the roster. The Pacers should challenge for the playoffs next year, especially in the East.

Miami Heat: The lesson to take from this draft? Never, ever listen to draft rumors. Despite weeks of reports about the Heat being reluctant to draft Michael Beasley, stories about how immature he might be, and word of super-secret, last-minute workouts with OJ Mayo and Jerryd Bayless, the Heat drafted....Beasley. His scoring and rebounding should be a great fit with Dwyane Wade's perimeter ability, and if he stays out of trouble, he could be a star. On top of that, they managed to address their point guard needs by acquiring Mario Chalmers, whose toughness, defense and basketball IQ will be a great fit alongside Wade. After a dismal season, things are starting to look pretty good in Miami again.

Freshmen: In all, 12 freshmen were selected in the draft, including seven in the lottery. While it was no shock to anyone who saw the success they had in college last year, it's still a noteworthy accomplishment for the class. Some, like Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley, will be asked to play right away, while others, like Anthony Randolph or Kosta Koufos, will be given time to develop. But there is plenty of star potential for the class, and no one would be surprised if it eventually produces multiple All-Stars. With this class joining a league already stocked full of young, marketable stars like LeBron, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade, the future of the NBA looks plenty bright.

Pac-10: The Pac-10 is sometimes thought of as more of a football conference, but they proved they play some hoops too, as evidenced by the draft. The conference led the way with 12 players selected, including five in the lottery and two more in the first round. The banner of the class will be carried by lottery picks OJ Mayo, Kevin Love and Jerryd Bayless, who all have star potential. Even second-rounders like Kyle Weaver and DeVon Hardin could prove to be valuable pick-ups. Following the Pac-10, the Big 12 had nine draftees, the SEC had six, the ACC and Big East each had four, and the Big 10 had three.

Check back tomorrow afternoon for the Draft's big losers.

Portland Trailblazers: NBA Draft Team Needs

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:52:18 -0700

2007-08 Record: 41-41, 3^rd Northwest

Draft Picks: 13, 33, 36, 55

Key Free Agents

None

How they got here and what they need

The season-ending knee injury suffered by last season's first round pick Greg Oden was supposed to the nail in the Blazers' coffin before the season even began. But a funny thing happened: led by Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland was in the thick of the playoff race until just after the All-Star Break. The finish at .500 is a good stepping stone into the future, with no key free agents and Oden due back this coming season. The future is bright for the Blazers and expect to hear from them pretty soon as well.

In terms of draft needs, the key will be finding players who can both contribute off the bench and push the main players in the rotation. The nucleus for Nate McMillan's squad is essentially set, so whomever Portland selects won't have to deal with the pressure of being thought by some to be a savior. And with four picks in this draft, I wouldn't be shocked if they packaged a couple to another team in exchange for a solid veteran to come off the bench.

Who they take

I can see the Blazers trading this pick, as there really isn't a serious need for another lottery-type player on the roster. But maybe the Portland brass would consider that one extra talent to be the difference between fighting for eighth in the West and contending for the Northwest Division title. If Portland keeps the pick, I'd predict Darrell Arthur from Kansas to be the guy.

Draft History (since 2000)

2007: Greg Oden (1), Josh McRoberts (37), Taurean Green (52), Demetris Nichols (53)

2006: LaMarcus Aldridge (2), Brandon Roy (6), Sergio Rodriguez (27), Joel Freeland (30)

2005: Martell Webster (6), Linas Kleiza (27), Ricky Sanchez (35)

2004: Sebastian Telfair (13), Viktor Khryapa (22), Ha Seung-Jin (47)

2003: Travis Outlaw (23), Nedzad Sinanovic (54)

2002: Qyntel Woods (21), Jason Jennings (43), Federico Kammerichs (51)

2001: Zach Randolph (19), Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (50)

2000: Erick Barkley (28)

1st Round Picks vs Playoff Success

Jon Teitel — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:04:55 -0700

FACT #1: Most homegrown 1^st round picks since 2000: Celtics, Hawks, and Supersonics with 5 each (but these 3 teams have combined for only 7 playoff appearances in 8 years)

CONCLUSION #1: Drafting a lot of players in the 1^st round and keeping them on your team will not necessarily lead to success, as each of these teams have a top-5 lottery pick this year.

FACT #2: Most acquired 1^st round picks since 2000: Trailblazers with 9 (but only 4 playoff appearances in 8 years)

CONCLUSION #2: Portland has been busy signing/trading for former 1^st round picks for much of the decade, but it has not helped a lot so far, although I have a feeling that their newest homegrown addition (Oden) might turn them from losers into winners.

FACT #3: Most homegrown/acquired 1^st round picks since 2000: Trailblazers with 12 (but only 4 playoff appearances in 8 years)

CONCLUSION #3: Portland can bring five former 1^st round picks off of their bench, but apparently potential will only get you so far, as they had one of the worst teams in the league last year.

FACT #4: Least homegrown 1^st round picks since 2000: Bucks, Nuggets, Suns, Timberwolves, and Wizards with 1 each (these 5 teams have combined for 23 playoff appearances in 8 years)

CONCLUSION #4: Despite the fact that 2 of these 5 teams missed out on the playoffs this year, and the Suns were the only team to win a single playoff series, these teams have shown that you can get to the playoffs year after year without developing your own 1^st round picks.

FACT #5: Least acquired 1^st round picks since 2000: Clippers with 0 (and only 1 playoff appearance in 8 years)

CONCLUSION #5: I suppose that Clippers owner Donald Sterling might be the X-factor in this one, but the fact remains that one reason the Clippers keep ending up in the lottery is because they rarely trade for/sign players who are recent 1^st round picks.

FACT #6: Least homegrown/acquired 1^st round picks since 2000: Bucks, Clippers, Jazz, Spurs, Timberwolves with 3 (these 5 teams have combined for 24 playoff appearances in 8 years)

CONCLUSION #6: Sterling’s distaste for re-signing his 1^st round picks has cost him in the past, but the other 4 teams have consistently made the playoffs with a combination of players who are either older, not former 1^st round picks, or both.

FACT #7: Most playoff appearances since 2000: Spurs with 8 (despite only having 2 homegrown and 1 acquired 1^st round pick in 8 years)

CONCLUSION #7: The NBA’s defending champion has proven that the addition of recent 1^st round picks is completely irrelevant to success, although this year’s NBA Finals MVP is one of their 2 homegrown 1^st round picks.

8 playoff appearances in past 8 years

Spurs: 2 homegrown (Parker, Udrih)

1 acquired (Ely)

7 playoff appearances in past 8 years

Kings: 3 homegrown (Douby, Garcia, Martin)

1 acquired (Salmons)

Lakers: 4 homegrown (Bynum, Cook, Farmar, Vujacic)

3 acquired (Brown, Mihm, Radmanovic)

Mavericks: 2 homegrown (Ager, Howard)

2 acquired (Diop, Harris)

Pacers: 3 homegrown (Granger, Harrison, Williams)

4 acquired (Diogu, Dunleavy, Murphy, Tinsley)

6 playoff appearances in past 8 years

Nets: 4 homegrown (Boone, Krstic, Williams, Wright)

3 acquired (Collins, Jefferson, Nachbar)

Suns: 1 homegrown (Stoudemire)

3 acquired (Banks, Barbosa, Diaw)

5 playoff appearances in past 8 years

Bucks: 1 homegrown (Bogut)

2 acquired (Hodge, Villanueva)

Hornets: 4 homegrown (Armstrong, Paul, Simmons, West)

2 acquired (Chandler, Mason)

Jazz: 2 homegrown (Brewer, Williams)

1 acquired (Araujo)

Sixers: 2 homegrown (Dalembert, Iguodala)

2 acquired (Carney, Hunter)

Timberwolves: 1 homegrown (McCants)

2 acquired (Griffin, Madsen)

4 playoff appearances in past 8 years

Celtics: 5 homegrown (Allen, Foye, Green, Jefferson, West)

3 acquired (Perkins, Rondo, Telfair)

Magic: 2 homegrown (Howard, Redick)

3 acquired (Dooling, Nelson, Turkoglu)

Nuggets: 1 homegrown (Anthony)

5 acquired (Hilario, Johnson, Kleiza, Martin, Smith)

Raptors: 4 homegrown (Bargnani, Bosh, Graham, Peterson)

4 acquired (Dixon, Ford, Humphries, Jackson)

Trailblazers: 3 homegrown (Outlaw, Randolph, Webster)

9 acquired (Aldridge, Dickau, Jack, Jones, Magloire, Miles, Przybilla, Rodriguez, Roy)

3 playoff appearances in past 8 years

Bulls: 2 homegrown (Gordon, Hinrich)

5 acquired (Deng, Khryapa, Sefolosha, Sweetney, Thomas)

Grizzlies: 3 homegrown (Lowry, Swift, Warrick)

4 acquired (Gasol, Gay, Jones, Miller)

Knicks: 4 homegrown (Balkman, Collins, Frye, Lee)

5 acquired (Crawford, Curry, Jeffries, Richardson, Robinson)

Rockets: 2 homegrown (Head, Ming)

3 acquired (Battier, Snyder, Tsakalidis)

Supersonics: 5 homegrown (Collison, Petro, Ridnour, Sene, Swift)

1 acquired (Wilcox)

Wizards: 3 acquired (Haywood, Stevenson, Thomas)

1 homegrown (Hayes)

2 playoff appearances in past 8 years

Cavaliers: 2 homegrown (Brown, James)

2 acquired (Gooden, Pavlovic)

1 playoff appearance in past 8 years

Clippers: 3 homegrown (Kaman, Korolev, Livingston)

0 acquired

Warriors: 4 homegrown (Biedrins, O’Bryant, Pietrus, Richardson)

2 acquired (Cabarkapa, Wagner)

0 playoff appearances in past 8 years

*Bobcats: 4 homegrown (Felton, May, Morrison, Okafor)

2 acquired (Brezec, Wallace)

Hawks: 5 homegrown (Childress, Johnson, Smith, M. Wiliams, S. Williams)

1 acquired (Claxton)

*only in existence since 2004

Unsubstantiated Speculation: Today's NBA Draft Rumors

Jason Tomassini — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:45:00 -0700

The draft is finally upon us, which means the speculation will be swirling and may be a little more substantiated as it has been the past four or five weeks. It’s kind of strange to write a column leading up to an event that, within a span of three hours, will disprove about 90 percent of what was written in this space. But, the links are heating up and I am here to provide them. Expect everything below to change before 7 p.m. tomorrow.

· We’ll start at the top of the draft, where it still appears that Portland will select Greg Oden. John Canzano of The Oregonian thinks the Blazers are foolish for pretending the decision is still up in the air. He’s got a point there. If you already know who you are going to take, be decisive about it. Showing wavering confidence in the No. 1 pick isn’t a great way to welcome him to your team. Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune is hearing that Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard is in fact split on who to pick in his look at the draft. There seems to be this growing sentiment that Durant is the more surefire bet to be a star, but it’s only coming from the media. It seems like those who spend time with him, like Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News, come away thinking it’s his personality, not just his game, that will lead to stardom. Not sure if Greg Oden has that yet, but if you look at guys like Jordan, Bird and Magic, they had a mentality that spoke louder than ability. Maybe most people don’t know Durant well enough to see that and maybe it’s just an unfounded feeling, but you get the sense that those who have been around the game see something different about this kid. Howard Beck of the New York Times is one such person, and he turns in a great feature on Durant. The Times’ Liz Robbins has a feature on Oden as well. Oh, and via Oden’s blog, he has signed a deal with Nike, estimated worth at one gazillion dollars.

· Before we get to all the trade and pick stuff, allow me to direct you to an interesting article by John Hollinger, ESPN.com’s senior mad scientist, who has some fancy pants rating system for this year’s draft prospects. I won’t unwillingly cloud your brain with the system’s principles but here are some highlights. Kevin Durant is No. 1, and considered the best prospect of the past five years. Oden is No. 2 for this draft. Nick Fazekas and Josh McRoberts are Nos. 7 and 8 respectively, scoring big in the “Defiance of Gravity” category. Corey Brewer is No. 24. You can discover the rest of the carnage on your own.

· There’s been a million Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett trade scenarios but they don’t always affect the draft so we won’t worry about them so much. It seems the teams that are most likely to move around are the Celtics, the Bobcats, the Sixers and the Hawks. Andy Katz sat down with Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers of the Celtics, but seems no less confused by their intentions. They worked out Nick Young and some other players that are valued lower than No. 5, so that could be an indication of a trade being in the works. But it could also be an indication that Danny Ainge was bored and felt like watching some guys shoot jumpers, so you never know.

· The Bobcats seem fairly intent on trading their pick. Although yesterday’s news that Gerald Wallace will opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent could change that. I’d imagine if Corey Brewer or Jeff Green were available, either would be a good replacement. The Suns are trying to get in the lottery and one scenario has the Bobcats as a likely partner. Charlotte has No. 8 and No. 21, Phoenix has No. 24 and No. 29. I’m not going to do the math.

· Hawks beat writer/GM in spirit Sekou Smith of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution exercises his right to a mock draft and has Atlanta taking Yi Jianlian, a move that would probably cause riots. If you are into self-inflicted pain, read NBA.com’s interview with Hawks GM Billy Knight. There are rumors of a massive Garnett/Stoudemire/Hawks’ picks three-way deal but, as all other trade rumors inevitably are, they are preliminary. A more likely situation has the Hawks trading the No. 11 pick for Luke Ridnour.

· The Sixers worked out Julian Wright and are trying to get Joakim Noah in for a last minute workout. They also worked out Al Thornton, a guy they would probably have a good chance to take if they stay at No. 12. Gordie Jones at the Allentown Morning Call knows this is a big draft for the Sixers but shares the popular sentiment that GM Billy King is bound to screw it up. Philly really wants a power forward (and if they don’t get one, Shavlik Randolph will likely be a starter) so David Aldridge takes a look at some guys the Sixers might try to move up and get, using their three first-round picks (12, 21, 30). The Bobcats would be a likely trading partner; rumors with the Bucks are flying around also.

· One sign that the Suns are actively trying to cut some salary to get into the lottery is their latest workout. They had Noah, Brewer and Green in the other day, all of whom were pretty enamored with the idea of playing for Phoenix. Corey Brewer on the Suns would be a sight to behold.

· For a rundown of all the draft rumors, check Chad Ford’s blog, and this post on Sekou Smith’s blog. These guys are amongst the few that seem to actually have a grasp on this draft.

· Some less speculative links to dole out. Here’s a nice feature on Yi Jianlian, pertaining to the large shadow cast over him by Yao Ming.

· Arron Afflalo was a star in college for which next to nothing has been written about during this draft process. Apparently he measured much bigger and taller than most people expected and also performed well in athletic testing. Here’s a nice feature, finally, on a guy who will probably be drafted way too late.

· On the opposite end of the spectrum, a lot has been written of Joakim Noah. If you didn’t see the segment on him for HBO’s Real Sports, it was outstanding and goes a long way to tear down his brash public image. If you need some more, here’s another feature.

· And if you’re as tired of reading workout stories as me, here’s one that is certainly unique. “Very tall and very Romanian.”

That’s all for Unsubstantiated Speculation. There will certainly be many more rumors leading up to the actual draft so this edition couldn’t be as comprehensive as I had hoped. Bill Simmons and Chad Ford will do a mock draft on ESPN.com that might provide a little more clarity and CHN will have its share of content. This is truly my favorite event of the year because it’s the one day where the NBA and college hoops share a similar stage. Enjoy the draft as I will and thanks for reading.