Should be a great Draft too.

Thursday night, 7pm.



As wonderful as it must be for Portland to own the first pick, it's gotta be tough deciding between Oden and Durant. I think if I were a GM or management in this year's draft, I would rather have the second pick than the first pick.

Because you can't go wrong with the second pick. It's easy -- just take the player that Portland passed on.

Nah, I think I gotta disagree with you on this one. The choice is plainly clear here. I'm sure the Blazer's brass will say they are reviewing all their options but they know they are taking Oden, and that's what they should do. Durant is a great player and might be a great pro but great wingmen are a lot easier to come by than a big man. How many true great centers are in the league right now? Shaq? Yao? Howard?

Oden will pay immediate dividends with his defensive presence alone, it'll probably take Durant some time to reach that same potential. Plus, the Blazers have a lot of good, young players. As a team, they are right on the cusp. Oden could be that piece that gets them over the hump.

Well actually, I do agree that taking Oden is a no-brainer for Portland. But I'm just thinking in terms of maybe 7-10 years down the line... what if maybe Durant's potential is actually greater than Oden's, and Durant's able to maximize all of it. What if maybe Oden turns out to be an Olajuwon, and Durant turns out to be a... Mike. If that happens, Portland won't necessarily be kicking themselves, but they would still wonder "What if..."

But for Seattle, the pick is SOOOO easy. No matter what -- even if Oden has a better career than Durant -- they won't be kicking or second guessing themselves. Because essentially Portland did the choosing for them.

Draft is about to start.

Who else is watching.

Celtics trade Delonte West, Wally "the Scissor" and the #5 pick Jeff Green to Seattle for Ray Allen and a 2nd round pick.

Huh. Dunno what to think, honestly.

The New York Knicks traded Channing Frye and Steve Francis to the Portland Trail Blazers for Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau and Fred Jones.


Steve Francis is OUT of New York and on the West Coast, which is pretty interesting.


I'm kind of shocked that Portland would trade Zach Randolph though - he's a young guy (25 or so), and he averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds last year.

I'm guessing they're moving last year's first round pick, LaMarcus Aldridge, to PF to make room for Oden at center, but they're still giving up Randolph.


Portland's starting five looks like: PG Francis, SG Roy, SF Frye, PF Aldridge, C Oden.

I hate Stephen A. Smith.

LET ME E NUN C ATE MY SYL A BULLS AS LOUD LY AS POSS I BULL.

QFT.

Anyway, new season folks. I made a thread for once. ^^ 2007-2008 NBA thread here.