[MAS RipCity]

Assuming we are picking at 13, what is everyone's top 10 draft board?
It can be a realistic draft board of who will be there or it can be best player available or a hybrid mix.

1-Derrick Rose
This is a no-brainer. Our weakest spot is at point guard and he is CP3 level. KP will not break up the big 3 to get anyone in this draft so the only way we see Rose in the Rose City is if either we win the lotto or by a ticket to see him play against the Blazers. I was skeptical of him before the tourney, but he is just improving literally every day. The upside on this kid is amazing. He really is a Payton/Wade hybrid. He just looks so poise out there, always in control of his body and his IQ is through the roof. Part of me wishes we sucked a bit more this year in order to have a better shot at drafting this kid.

2-Russell Westbrook
If you can't draft the best, you get the best defender to slow him down. Westbrook is untapped potential, as his improvement is drastic from Freshman to Sophomore. I hope he still has a lot of room to grow, because he looks fantastic. He does have limitations with his jump shot, but shooting wouldn't be his M.O. and he is lightning quick which enables him to get to the rim at will. He is amazing in the open court as well. Finally, what makes him so desirable is his perimeter defense. We need someone out there to bagger and hassle guys like Kobe and Monta so Roy doesn't always have to use all of his energy on defense. I like this kid so much, I would trade Rudy in order to move up and get him. Luckily, I don't think he will go that high.

3-Eric Gordon
He was once a hot commodity, but after Kelvin Sampson resigned he and the team went down the drain. This could be a blessing in disguise for Portland as his stock has taken a bit of a hit. I think moving up to 6-8 to obtain him would be doable without breaking up our core. I love how he has a killer instinct and can flat out score. He reminds me a lot of Monta Ellis and that would be amazing next to Roy as well. He is a combo guard but has the necessary ball-handling skills to play point guard and isn't too small at 6'4" to play off of the ball. I haven't evaluated his defensive skills yet, but it doesn't seem to be a liability. Bottom line is I believe we need a finisher, a guy who will take shots that will keep the foot down on the gas peddle and finish teams off. All too many times have I seen our Blazers blow big leads this year because lack a killer instinct. This kid has it, and it would rub off on our guys.

4-OJ Mayo
Almost a reversal of Gordon's season, Mayo started slow and finished very strong. I love the idea of a big point guard and he did play very well against Memphis early on this season. What I love about him is his big game ability. He always seemed to shine in the spotlight which is what we need. Like Gordon he is a combo guard with good ball handling skills. Before USC, I had thought of him as a selfish player, but after viewing him he really looks to get his teammates involved. He also didn't have any run-ins this year at SC which is good for his character. I just love the idea of a big backcourt.

5-Blake Griffin
No, PF is not need, but I could definitely get used to a 4-man rotation of LMA, Oden, Joel, and Griffin. Actually, Joel and Blake would be a match made in heaven down low. Blake is a scrapper and a bruiser, something we have been desperately searching for this year since Zach and Buck have left the franchise. Coach Mo would love this kid. I really just love the insurance factor. If one of the bigs goes down, we have suitable backups. I have only seen a few games of his, but his mid-range jumper is nice and he attacks the hoop. I can definitely see the Boozer comparisons.

6-Danillo Gallinari
I have never seen him play and am only going on hype. I am not sure I would trade up to obtain him, like I would the prior 5 guys. Danillo doesn't fill a need but I have heard KP has an eye for him and he is just BPA at this point for me. He would fit in if we lost James and Channing so Travis could play 4 and Martell and he could split minutes at the 3. I like the comparison to Detlef, which at least shows that some scouts believe he has some toughness in him, unlike the stereotypical Euro.

7-Nicolas Batum
Same as Danillo pretty much. I would love it if he turned out like Rudy Gay.

8-DeAndre Jordan
Now, Jordan is not ready for the NBA, but he has potential and potential for insurance. We have great depth with Joel, LMA and GO, so we could take our time with him and we do have Rudy coming over so theres an impact rookie as well as Oden, so it is not imperative to draft an impact rookie. He is a low-risk high-reward type of player if he fell to us at 13. He is physically ready, he just needs to fine tune his skills.

9-Kevin Love
I am in love with his outlet passes and think it would spark some awesome fast break opportunities. I do not think he will dominate like he did in college but at 13, that's great value. My only concern is his dad and his ego. I don't think playing in Portland would be the best thing in the world for him, there could be a lot of distractions for him. He is a defensive liability but he has shown nice range and can flat out rebound. He would be a superb backup, which is what we need at the 4.

10-Tyler Hansbrough
I do not think he comes out after the Final Four loss nor would I take him at 13, I just want Psycho T on my squad. This kid goes balls out every second on the court. He would be like Brian Grant for us. Not only would he bring energy and passion to the game but he would really give LMA all he could handle in practice on a daily basis. No championship team is based around 12 superstars, it is a mixture of stars and role players and we are really lacking a guy who gets everyone fired up. Joel is like our enforcer, but Tyler would get the crowd rowdy and the team would thrive off of his energy.

Yes Beasely is not on my list. I do not think he would be a good fit for us and don't think he will be #1 level NBA prospect.
Can someone please stick this so we don't have 139852 draft threads?

[Five5even]

I think Psycho Tyler is limited to his success in College. I dont expect him to be anything in the league, especially when he is constantly matched up against bigger, more athletic, stronger players at his position.

I personally think he is only successful at the college level because he is playing against mediocre talent almost every game. Let him guard a REAL NBA PF and we will talk. Until then, I would classify Hansbrough as a Najera/Joakim Noah prototype.

my top 10..

1. Derrick Rose
2. OJ Mayo
3. Russell Westbrook
4. Danilo Gallinari
5. DJ Augustin
6. Jerryd Bayless
7. Blake Griffin
8. Eric Gordon
9. Kevin Love
10. DeAndre Jordan

[World B. Free]

Is Tyler coming out next year? I think I remember him saying he is playing for NC all 4 years.

1. Derrick Rose - #1 stunner
2. Jerryd Bayless - (edit: not a) pure PG
3. OJ Mayo - possibly has that edge that we need
4. Russel Westbrook - explosive 2 with good d
5. Eric Gordon - Scoring machine
6. Blake Griffin - BEAST at PF that we need
7. Brook Lopez - Another awesome backup + insurance
8. Kevin Love - Awesome backup.
9. Psycho T - (yes I would take a shot on him.)
10. DeAndre Jordan - Insurance

[HurraKane212]

Originally Posted by World B. Free

Is Tyler coming out next year? I think I remember him saying he is playing for NC all 4 years.

1. Derrick Rose - #1 stunner
2. Jerryd Bayless - pure PG
3. OJ Mayo - possibly has that edge that we need
4. Russel Westbrook - explosive 2 with good d
5. Eric Gordon - Scoring machine
6. Blake Griffin - BEAST at PF that we need
7. Brook Lopez - Another awesome backup + insurance
8. Kevin Love - Awesome backup.
9. Psycho T - (yes I would take a shot on him.)
10. DeAndre Jordan - Insurance

Bayless isn't a pure PG dude...

Westbrook isn't an NBA 2 either, they are both combos.

[World B. Free]

Originally Posted by HurraKane212

Bayless isn't a pure PG dude...

Westbrook isn't an NBA 2 either, they are both combos.

Well gosh... my mistake. I am terribly sorry. Either way,

PG - Roy
SG - Westbrook\Bayless

PG - Westbrook\Bayless
SG - Roy

both of these players at either guard position with Roy works absolutely fine for me.

[MrJayremmie]

^yea, you got it. They could both play PG.

Bayless needs to keep developing his PG mentality more than anything. Westbrook gots it down, but needs to work on the skill of running a team and stuff. Westbrook, to me, looked like a natural PG out there vs. Memphis. they did much better with him running the point than Collison.

[World B. Free]

^ It seems Collison is losing a lot of stock lately. I wonder if he will pan out to be a good NBA player?

[MAS RipCity]

I don't think so. He was thought to be a good defender, but Rose worked him over. Rose was an NBA test for Darren and he showed he can't guard the big guards. He is good in the passing lanes, but I am not sold on his overall point guard skills.

[MrJayremmie]

Westbrook vs. my ducks. I like it because half of the highlights were created by his defense. His anticipation of passing lanes and ability to stay in front of even the fastest players (like a Paul or Parker) is awesome.

Also, did you guys know that out of high school, he was just a pure shooter and an amazing defender? The fast break and driving part of his game were just added in 2 years under Howland. I think his jump shot is underrated.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/blazers/2...westbrook.html

Graet article. Some good point in it:

At 6'3 and 190 pounds, Westbrook fits the mold size wise for a point guard in the NBA. Being blessed with a sturdy frame and long arms only adds to the intriguing physical package that he possesses. The California native owns nice explosiveness and leaping ability to add to his body, leaving little more to ask for athletically out of a potential point guard prospect

While his offense and explosiveness at the rim may get the attention, he's also a good defender, netting nearly 2 steals per game. A few weeks back, Westbrook held super frosh O.J. Mayo to his worst offensive output of the season (4 points, 10 turnovers) with some pesky D:

Chad Ford: Next to Randolph, he's my second sleeper. He's been No. 12 on our big board for the past few weeks and I think he'll crack the Top 10 by draft night. Great size, athleticism, energy. He's the best pro prospect on UCLA. Scouts have been a little late getting to the party, but the house is crowded now. No way he slips past Portland on draft night if he declares ... he'd be perfect for them.

Last weekend, Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard and crew were at Pauley doing a little scouting and you have to believe they were watching young Westbrook very closely. Here's a great breakdown of Westbrook via Draft Express:

great news, Portland is lookin' at him closely. Looks like he would be our best bet for a prediction of who Portland wants.

[dwood615]

my top 10

1.derrick rose...obviously we need a point man and he is great

2.michael beasley...he is a 3 but i would take him if there was a good trade on the table

3.russel westbrook...awesome talent...i have him ranked as the second best guard behind rose

4.jerryd bayless...3rd best guard...will be a smart player

5.oj mayo...good combo guard with wade like talent..i still think he is a sleeper

6.nicolas batum...good potential...diaw like

7.brook lopez...great big man...could always use another big body...maybe get rid of frye

8.anthony randolph...great talent...only heard great things...can play the 3 or 4

9.tyler hansbrough...obvious sleeper pick...not sure he will be a great nba guy

10.robin lopez...another solid pick...more defensive then his brother...or rather less offensive

honorable mention (in no order)

hasheem thabeet, roy hibbert, brandon rush, darrel arthur, bill walker & chris dougals-roberts

[Perfection]

I don't think Collison will be a good pro at all. He'll just get out muscled and quicked. Look at his performance in the tournament. My quick is quicker than your quick.

Also, as for Hansbrough, for those who think he won't hack it in the NBA..think a slightly shorter David Lee. A better Eduardo Najera maybe. A less athletic Ronnie Turiaf. The point is that there is a role for the energetic hustle player in the league. Usually not as a starter, but as a vital 7-8th man. Is he worth a lottery pick? Based on "upside" and risk/reward, probably not. But, will Hansbrough be the 13th (or better) player, career wise, from his draft. That's a definite possibility. That's the bind he's really in though. He'll be in the league in some capacity for a decade, whereas the guy drafted before him might flame out after his rookie deal.