Portland Trail Blazers

Depth on our teem really affected the Blazers this season. The team started to dip after the all star break and never really could get a good contribution from the bench. So using the draft to get depth is most important to look for first. I think the Blazers should sign and trade JJ Hickson for the 5th or 6th pick depending on the outcome of the lottery and should draft Victor Oladipo. The reason is he brings a defensive spark off the bench. He is a solid finisher at the rim, improved jump shooter and good motor. Now with the 10th pick we should draft Rudy Gobert. He brings a defensive presence in the paint and if he bulks up he could be a Tyson Chandler type player for the Blazers. Not saying he will for sure but saying he could have that potential. His shot blocking and his huge wing span should really help the Blazers with there paint defense. Rudy and Meyers can duke it out for the starting spot and they could bring back the "twin towers" saying. With the 39th pick we should target Isaiah Canaan. He will bring a lot of offence off the bench with his 48% 3 point shooter. With the last 2 picks we have in the 2nd round we trade them both for future late first round pick. Now signing free agent signing time. First we try and resign Maynor with the offer of 3 years and 10 million. Then offer E-Will 1 year and 2 million contract. Now maybe get Jermaine Oneal who can mentor both Rudy and Meyers a little bit. He will also be able to fill minutes when Aldridge is resting and just in case a injury occurs with one of our bigs. I would not offer more then 3 million a year. So 2 year 6 million contract offer and i doubt anyone will match it. Damian Lillard/ Maynor/ Canaan Wesley Matthews/ E. Williams/ Barton Nicolas Batum/ Oladipo/ Claver Lamarcus Aldridge/ J. Oneal/ Freeland Meyers Leonard/ Gorbert Depth on our teem really affected the Blazers this season. The team started to dip after the all star break and never really could get a good contribution from the bench. So using the draft to get depth is most important to look for first. I think the Blazers should sign and trade JJ Hickson for the 5th or 6th pick depending on the outcome of the lottery and should draft Victor Oladipo. The reason is he brings a defensive spark off the bench. He is a solid finisher at the rim, improved jump shooter and good motor. Now with the 10th pick we should draft Rudy Gobert. He brings a defensive presence in the paint and if he bulks up he could be a Tyson Chandler type player for the Blazers. Not saying he will for sure but saying he could have that potential. His shot blocking and his huge wing span should really help the Blazers with there paint defense. Rudy and Meyers can duke it out for the starting spot and they could bring back the "twin towers" saying. With the 39th pick we should target Isaiah Canaan. He will bring a lot of offence off the bench with his 48% 3 point shooter. With the last 2 picks we have in the 2nd round we trade them both for future late first round pick. Now signing free agent signing time. First we try and resign Maynor with the offer of 3 years and 10 million. Then offer E-Will 1 year and 2 million contract. Now maybe get Jermaine Oneal who can mentor both Rudy and Meyers a little bit. He will also be able to fill minutes when Aldridge is resting and just in case a injury occurs with one of our bigs. I would not offer more then 3 million a year. So 2 year 6 million contract offer and i doubt anyone will match it. Damian Lillard/ Maynor/ Canaan Wesley Matthews/ E. Williams/ Barton Nicolas Batum/ Oladipo/ Claver Lamarcus Aldridge/ J. Oneal/ Freeland Meyers Leonard/ Gorbert Poll Thoughts? No. Yes. Maybe just not the draft ideas. Not the free agent idea. Scratch it all. 2 votes | Results

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Nerlens Noel is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports I feel rather badly for the team that receives the #1 pick on Tuesday. Not because of some misguided notion that it is a bad position to be in, but because no player in the 2013 NBA draft is the standout first selection. That is not to say that there aren’t any talented prospects, just that there is little to no drop off. Usually there is a player or two held in consensus above the rest. Last year it was Anthony Davis, and the year before it was Kyrie Irving. Even the Blazers had their choice between Greg Oden and Kevin Durant in 2007 (but we don’t speak of that anymore). However; this year the curve is not so steep. Kentucky center, Nerlens Noel, and Kansas shooting guard, Ben Mclemore, are the favorites to be taken first, followed shortly by Georgetown small forward, Otto Porter. It almost seems wasteful to receive the 1st pick when the 2nd and 3rd are arguably just as good. Can we really say that the difference between Ben Mclemore and Otto Porter is as pronounced as the difference between Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams? The Orlando Magic have the best chance (25%) to receive the #1 pick in this year’s draft. They finished the season with a horrid 20-62 record, only 4 losses worse than the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are likely to receive the 3rd pick. So why does it seem so imbalanced that their picks could be nearly identical? Well, the Cavs feature NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving as well as would-be NBA All-Star Anderson Varejao, in comparison to Orlando’s… Nikola Vucevic? That’s not a knock at the Magic, it’s just that the difference in draft compensation for either team does not match the obvious separation between the talent of their respective rosters. The #1 pick is a rarity to be celebrated by a starving fan-base, but in a decidedly weak draft class, the allotment is bitter-sweet. It’s like rummaging through a pile of money and settling on the shiniest quarter, despite the hope for a dollar. The next kid to purge the pile may have to clean his coin to make it sparkle, but in the end, each quarter is worth the same. Perhaps it is not so bad that Portland is staring down the barrel of the 10th pick. There is no player in the 2013 NBA draft I strongly lament being unable to select. Sure, it would be great to luck into a better draw, but the middle of the pack is not without its dimes. @davidmackaypdx | @ripcityproject | davidmackaypdx@gmail.com

With news breaking of the the blazers "interest" in moving up to snag Victor Oladipo it got me thinking of the possibilities. When you look at the range that Oldadipo is projected in- I'd say its a safe bet that the 3rd pick is a probably where he'll end up. If the lottery holds true the Cavs are slated to have that pick and really they look like one of the best possible trade partners out there. The Cavs have a need at SF and we have a valuable commodity at SF in Batum. Before anyone gets worked up I know there are restrictions on trading Batum - let's just say the deal is worked out in principle for arguments sake. The deal that came to mind, Batum and the 10th pick for Varejao and the 3rd pick. There's plenty of positives for both sides here- the Cavs land the SF they need (wanted to sign) who is also locked in at a decent salary level to pair with Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters- they move Varejao in the last year of his contract (team option) and get someone of value in return, and they get another asset with the 10th pick which they can use to take another young big. The blazers get roughly 2 mil in salary relief with Batum/Varejao and the opportunity to "rent and roll" Varejao and see how he works alongside LMA. Insert Oladipo into the lineup alongside Lillard, Aldridge, and Varejao - move Wes to the bench as a super sub and you're starting to address some of last seasons deficiencies - perimeter and interior defense. Now the blazers have a gaping hole at SF but they also have additional cap room which they can now use to go after Andre Igoudala. I'm well aware of the arguments for and against Iggy- past prime, too much money, etc. However, with this lineup I believe you can play more towards his strengths and allow him to be the slasher/d/3 player that he is. I'm more than open to other options here but I'm just beaming at the thought of Oladipo, Iggy, and Varejao locking down on defense. Offensively you continue to ride the Lillard -LMA pick and roll, you gain a secondary ball handler/playmaker in Iggy and a very high ceiling player in Oladipo- not to mention our bench just got better than at any time last year simply by moving Wes from the starting lineup to the bench. Now with all of this in mind what say the Hive? What is your perfect (albeit realistic) storm? Discuss below and feel free to blow up, destroy, and or massacre my thoughts- or praise my amazing GM skills and nominate me for GM 2014! (I kid of course, but seriously)... With news breaking of the the blazers "interest" in moving up to snag Victor Oladipo it got me thinking of the possibilities. When you look at the range that Oldadipo is projected in- I'd say its a safe bet that the 3rd pick is a probably where he'll end up. If the lottery holds true the Cavs are slated to have that pick and really they look like one of the best possible trade partners out there. The Cavs have a need at SF and we have a valuable commodity at SF in Batum. Before anyone gets worked up I know there are restrictions on trading Batum - let's just say the deal is worked out in principle for arguments sake. The deal that came to mind, Batum and the 10th pick for Varejao and the 3rd pick. There's plenty of positives for both sides here- the Cavs land the SF they need (wanted to sign) who is also locked in at a decent salary level to pair with Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters- they move Varejao in the last year of his contract (team option) and get someone of value in return, and they get another asset with the 10th pick which they can use to take another young big. The blazers get roughly 2 mil in salary relief with Batum/Varejao and the opportunity to "rent and roll" Varejao and see how he works alongside LMA. Insert Oladipo into the lineup alongside Lillard, Aldridge, and Varejao - move Wes to the bench as a super sub and you're starting to address some of last seasons deficiencies - perimeter and interior defense. Now the blazers have a gaping hole at SF but they a

Mar 22, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard Jamaal Franklin (21) is defended by Oklahoma Sooners guard Cameron Clark (21) during the second half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Wells Fargo Center. San Diego State defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 70-55. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports The first day of the NBA Draft Combine has passed, and for the Blazers, it seems they have significant interest in wing players. At the draft combine, the Blazers met with five players, per OregonLive.com’s Jason Quick: UCLA guard-forward Shabazz Muhammad, Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse forward James Southerland, Indiana big man Cody Zeller and San Diego State guard Jamaal Franklin. Muhammad, Southerland and Franklin are all players that can play the wing position at the NBA level, and even Carter-Williams is not your average point guard prospect at a height of 6’6″. Zeller was the only big man the Blazers scouted on day one, in spite of starting center J.J. Hickson’s pending free agency. The Blazers’ lack of interest in a starting center doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. General manager Neil Olshey has expressed an interest in pursuing a veteran center rather than adding one through the draft, and they are only a year removed from drafting center, Meyers Leonard, with the 11th pick. The Blazers likely plan to stick with Leonard, and instead shift their attention to drafting a wing. The Blazers are nearly a lock for the tenth pick in the NBA draft this year, but they may not keep it–that pick could be traded in a deal for an established center. The same goes for the Blazers’ three picks in the second round (39th, 40th and 45th). However, in the event that they keep those picks, the players they have met with so far speak volumes about where their interest lies in the draft this year. Shabazz Muhammad, Jamaal Franklin and James Southerland all have one thing in common: they are wing players that serve to put the ball in the basket, albeit in very different ways. Muhammad is a pure scorer (to the point of one-dimensionality?) who gets his through playing off the ball and taking advantage of his superior physical tools in the paint and on the break. Franklin is a much more versatile player than Muhammad, but his main appeal lies in his scoring ability as a slasher/cutter. Whereas Southerland is one of the NCAA’s best 3-point shooters and he is almost strictly a catch-and-shoot specialist. With the worst scoring bench in the NBA last year (last in the league at 18.5 bench points per game, while the 29th-ranked Pacers averaged 26.1), it’s clear the Blazers are seeking help in the draft. The silver lining is that they have a bit of a blank canvas in terms of how they want to upgrade their bench. Muhammad, Franklin and Southerland are all very different types of scorers, and it seems the Blazers are looking indiscriminately for scoring help. Other players the Blazers could be interested in that fit the scoring wing mold include LeHigh guard, C.J. McCollum, a Lillard-esque scorer with the ball; Georgia guard, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, an off-ball scorer with a sweet stroke; and Virginia Tech guard, Erick Green, the nation’s leading scorer with a smooth jumpshot and the ability to score with and without the ball. Meanwhile, neither Michael Carter-Williams nor Cody Zeller identify much as scorers. Carter-Williams is a versatile point guard that actually struggles to score, much like a young Rajon Rondo, and Zeller is an all-around big who, admittedly, has a relatively polished offensive game but is also extremely unselfish. They strike me more as the Blazers doing “due diligence” on prospects, but anything could happen in the Blazers’ effort to retool their bench. Whether or not the Blazers keep their picks, it’s clear they have an interest in adding a much-needed scoring punch to their ben

Here's a round-up of stories from day two of the 2013 Chicago pre-draft combine. Day one news and notes were posted here. Jason Quick of The Oregonian runs down some of the guards that the Portland Trail Blazers interviewed this week. In the Blazers' case, [GM Neil] Olshey said the majority of the interviews were handled by team performance psychologist Dana Sinclair because he expects most of the 18 players to visit Portland. Olshey and his staff did, however, interview UCLA wing Shabazz Muhammad and Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams, perhaps because it would be their only chance to interview them before the draft. ... [Carter-Williams] also said the Blazers were one of two teams that asked him about his on-the-court body language, which teetered between pouting and surly during stretches of this season at Syracuse. "They were one of the teams to ask me about it," Carter-Williams said of the Blazers. "I told them my body language didn't have anything to do with my coaches or my teammates. I hold myself accountable, and to a high standard, and when I'm disappointed in myself that frustration comes out a little bit. I don't let it affect my game, but it's definitely something I can work on. I think it's something that I can fix, something that is easy to change, so I don't think it's a problem." Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com offers some news and notes from day two. "I'm not sure I want the No. 1 pick," said one NBA general manager. Another looked frightened at the thought of having to draft someone first this year. "There's really no one worthy of the top pick," he said. "But someone has to go number one." ... • No one was hurt more in the measurements and testing than Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk. He is 6-foot-10 and 3/4 without shoes, but he has a wingspan of just 6-9 3/4. For a comparison, Nerlens Noel was actually shorter at 6-foot-10, but has a 7-3 3/4 wingspan. ... • Don't read much into which teams interviewed which players out in Chicago. Many teams lined up guys they know won't come in for actual workouts over the next few weeks. For instance, Boston -- picking No. 16 -- interviewed Victor Oladipo, who is expected to go before the Celtics pick. Danny Ainge and his staff also brought in Noel, who is expected to go either first or second overall. All That Amar of SLC Dunk did some great work from the combine. Full player list with statistics and draft board rankings. Who has the worst wingspan-to-height ratio? The T-Rex/Alligator rankings. Digging into the heights of various prospects. Who cheated the most on their list height compared to their real height? Chad Ford of ESPN.com breaks down the results of the athletic testing portions of the combine. We typically don't make a big deal out of the standing vertical jump, but in the case of Indiana's Cody Zeller, we'll make an exception. Zeller's score (35.5) was the highest ever recorded by a player taller than 6-foot-9. Standing vertical jumps matter for big men, who typically don't get a running start before jumping in the paint. ... Of the players projected in the lottery, Zeller was the most impressive. He got a reputation this season as someone who struggled to play against long, athletic players. However, he excelled in every category Friday. He was explosive, quick and fast. He clearly showed some of that at Indiana with the way he ran the floor and at times showed explosion around the basket, but this result could only help him. "It was a big day for Cody, I thought," one GM said. "I think we soured on him just a little too much. I still have questions and want to see him shooting the ball more. But this really helped us get intrigued again." A look at winners and losers from Ford. France's Rudy Gobert also wowed with sheer size. His 7-foot-8.5 wingspan and 9-foot-7 standing reach both were record measurements by the NBA. While Gobert didn't look particularly explosive, nor was he particularly skilled offensively,

Interior defense, rebounding and bench scoring are the three biggest weaknesses of the current Blazer roster. My hope is that the Blazer organization takes control of their own destiny, by drafting and targeting players without relying on trades or other teams not matching restricted free agents. Please Olshey don't waste the free agent signing period waiting on other teams to match your offer like last offseason. Forget about Tyreke Evans and go after a guy like OJ Mayo who was quoted saying that he'd love playing for Olshey. Also target Nate Robinson who has grown up and become a legit instant offense guy in pressure situations. Plus Nate loves the northwest and may actually give Portland a hometown discount. With Nate and OJ coming off the bench you will drastically improve bench scoring, especially since both guys can create their own shot. Secondly, draft Dieng with the 10th pick. The guy can rebound, block shots, contain the pick and roll, and make passes. Don't believe he has a low ceiling. He has only been playing basketball at a high level for a few years and didn't grow up playing as a kid. He has helped lead his team to two final fours and a big east and national championship. Then draft one of the rebounding/shot blocking back up power forwards in the second round. Mbakwe, Howell or my favorite, Jackie Carmichael will most likely be available. Also pick Andre Roberson if available in the second round as a lock down defensive wing who can rebound, create steals and block shots. Also use a second round pick on Phil Pressey who is a pure passing pg who creates steals with his quickness. Thirdly, bring over Pap from Greece. He's a better defender than Babbitt and a better shooter than Claver. Plus Claver is more of a stretch 4 IMO. I also think you need to give Batum some rest during the season so he is fresh come playoffs and not breaking down. X defense X rebounding X scoring Interior defense, rebounding and bench scoring are the three biggest weaknesses of the current Blazer roster. My hope is that the Blazer organization takes control of their own destiny, by drafting and targeting players without relying on trades or other teams not matching restricted free agents. Please Olshey don't waste the free agent signing period waiting on other teams to match your offer like last offseason. Forget about Tyreke Evans and go after a guy like OJ Mayo who was quoted saying that he'd love playing for Olshey. Also target Nate Robinson who has grown up and become a legit instant offense guy in pressure situations. Plus Nate loves the northwest and may actually give Portland a hometown discount. With Nate and OJ coming off the bench you will drastically improve bench scoring, especially since both guys can create their own shot. Secondly, draft Dieng with the 10th pick. The guy can rebound, block shots, contain the pick and roll, and make passes. Don't believe he has a low ceiling. He has only been playing basketball at a high level for a few years and didn't grow up playing as a kid. He has helped lead his team to two final fours and a big east and national championship. Then draft one of the rebounding/shot blocking back up power forwards in the second round. Mbakwe, Howell or my favorite, Jackie Carmichael will most likely be available. Also pick Andre Roberson if available in the second round as a lock down defensive wing who can rebound, create steals and block shots. Also use a second round pick on Phil Pressey who is a pure passing pg who creates steals with his quickness. Thirdly, bring over Pap from Greece. He's a better defender than Babbitt and a better shooter than Claver. Plus Claver is more of a stretch 4 IMO. I also think you need to give Batum some rest during the season so he is fresh come playoffs and not breaking down. X defense X rebounding X scoring

CJ isn’t a great athlete. Comparing anyone to Rose and Westbrook’s athleticism will give you the same answer. They were saying in general CJ is lacking. Its the truth. Lillard is a massive 200lb PG with Derrick Rose combine stats. CJ is missing a few inches, 15-20lbs and the athleticism to make up for it all the while sitting in one of the most athletic NBA positions with many of the Elite players staring him down. I was having a "discussion" with someone in April about McCollum's athleticism and measurements and his potential as a combo guard--someone who could play both the 1 & 2. My argument was that McCollum was plenty athletic--virtually a clone of Dame not only in measurements but in background, scoring mentality/production, and BBIQ. In my opinion, he would be a great bench guy who could play 25-30 minutes a night backing up the 1 & 2 and dropping 18/night. I had argued that we should wait for measurables before we can make a definitive assessment on his athleticism and before we could decide he was "weaker" than Dame. We now have the measurables: via lh6.googleusercontent.com CJ is bigger (height and weight) and tests (slightly) faster in sprints and agility, though he gives up a little in leaping measurements and hand size. I believe my assessment stands. This guy is a virtual clone of Damian in every way imaginable. If we keep this pick and don't move up, if CJ is there, you have to take him. He's a needle-mover in the same way that Dame is. Use him off the bench playing against the other team's bench guys, and you have solved much of your bench issues. But, in the end, I don't think we are keeping this pick, using it as trade bait for a C. CJ is going to be a player in this league, though, and I think all of the data supports this interpretation. CJ isn’t a great athlete. Comparing anyone to Rose and Westbrook’s athleticism will give you the same answer. They were saying in general CJ is lacking. Its the truth. Lillard is a massive 200lb PG with Derrick Rose combine stats. CJ is missing a few inches, 15-20lbs and the athleticism to make up for it all the while sitting in one of the most athletic NBA positions with many of the Elite players staring him down. I was having a "discussion" with someone in April about McCollum's athleticism and measurements and his potential as a combo guard--someone who could play both the 1 & 2. My argument was that McCollum was plenty athletic--virtually a clone of Dame not only in measurements but in background, scoring mentality/production, and BBIQ. In my opinion, he would be a great bench guy who could play 25-30 minutes a night backing up the 1 & 2 and dropping 18/night. I had argued that we should wait for measurables before we can make a definitive assessment on his athleticism and before we could decide he was "weaker" than Dame. We now have the measurables: via lh6.googleusercontent.com CJ is bigger (height and weight) and tests (slightly) faster in sprints and agility, though he gives up a little in leaping measurements and hand size. I believe my assessment stands. This guy is a virtual clone of Damian in every way imaginable. If we keep this pick and don't move up, if CJ is there, you have to take him. He's a needle-mover in the same way that Dame is. Use him off the bench playing against the other team's bench guys, and you have solved much of your bench issues. But, in the end, I don't think we are keeping this pick, using it as trade bait for a C. CJ is going to be a player in this league, though, and I think all of the data supports this interpretation.

Interesting article below regarding Dwight Howard's options for this summer. The article does not paint a pretty picture for Dwight returning to LA, and identifies Houston as potentially the most logical landing spot. http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-pm-top-five-destinations-for-dwight-howard Got me thinking about the Omer Asik conversations from a couple of weeks ago. Is it really that unreasonable to think the Blazers could land Asik? Seems to me that there is a logical path that could end up with Asik in Portland. Step 1. Howard leaves LA. The Lakers are a mess. With Kobe's injury, Gasol's contract, Nash's age, the Team's cap situation, and following a horrible first year experience, why would Howard choose to stay? As the article above states, the money advantage that the Lakers have is really not that much of an advantage. At the end of the day, if Howard chooses to leave, the Lakers should fall in line and do a sign-and-trade to try and recoop some of the assets they threw away to get Howard and Nash. Step 2. Howard chooses Houston. Also made clear in the article, Houston probably has the best money situation, combined with an existing, budding superstar in Harden, complimentary players, and assets to offer in a sign and trade. Brooklyn has signigicant money issues, Dallas offers only an aging Dirk, Atlanta does not have an existing superstar. Chicago, New Yourk, Golden State? It seems like other suitors have obstacles, while Houston is sitting there nearly perfectly situated to offer Howard the money and championship contending team that he desires. Step 3. Understanding Asik's contract. After failing to land Howard last summer, the Rockets filled their center position by offering a 3 year, $25 million contract to Omer Asik. The offer was back end loaded - $5 million in year 1, $5.2 million in year 2, and $14.9 million in year 3, in order to discourage Chicago from matching the offer. It worked. For the Rockets' salary cap purposes, Asik's contract is averaged so that the salary cap each year is $8.375 million. However, if the Rockets were to trade Asik, the salary cap exposure to the new team would be his actual salary - $5.2 million next season, and a whopping $14.9 million in 2014. It appears that Houston would need to clear about $4 or $5 million in salary to be able to offer Howard a max contract and Asik would be the logical choice to trade in order to clear the space. They are not going to want $8 million in cap space rapped up in a backup center playing 10 minutes a game, and they certainly wouldn't mind getting away from the $15 million dollar price tag and potential luxury tax hit that would occur in 2014. Similarly, why would the Lakers want Asik in a sign-and-trade? Would they want to play Asik next to Gasol? Does it make sense for the Lakers to add that salary/luxury tax hit in 2014? Without Howard, it seems that the Lakers might be due for a blowup and a repositioning to attract their next superstar .... Lebron? Step 4. Houston is aggressive. Steps 1,2 and 3 represents a timing problem for the Rockets. Free agency and Howard's decision will occur after the draft, but the draft is the best opportunity for the Rockets to find trading partners to shed the needed salary to attract Howard, while at the same time picking up the assets they might desire to better position themselves for a sign-and-trade, or to simply make their team better. Is Houston aggressive enough to make this move prior to Howard's decision? History says they are. Last year, the Rockets made or proposed several trades in an effort to assemble as many draft picks as possible to dangle in front of Orlando. It was an all out effort and demonstrated their willingness and desire to land Howard. They could play it safer this year, but trading partners are not easy to find - especially with Asik's contract. Can they afford to wait and potentially lose trading partners as those tea

This is a brief announcement that SBNation, including Blazer's Edge, will be down for repairs on Friday night, May 17th, around 11:00 p.m. If you're reading this before that time, get your comments posted before the clock strikes 11. If you're reading it afterwards, we're back and hopefully the intermittent glitches of the last few days have been banished! Either way, we now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. --Dave (blazersub@gmail.com)

Jan. 6, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews during game against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Trail Blazers 102-77. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports As all 30 teams prepare for the 2013 NBA Draft, each will have tough decisions ahead of them. For Portland, one of these decisions revolves around starting shooting guard, Wesley Matthews. The Blazers currently hold what will likely be the 10th first round pick, but sources indicate that they may be looking to move up so they can draft Indiana’s Victor Oladipo. Oladipo is considered a top 5 prospect, and a very talented defensive guard. This potential move would more than likely leave Wesley Matthews with a one-way ticket out of Portland. There is little sense in drafting a guard of Oladipo’s caliber just to bring him off of a crowded bench; and even less sense in benching Matthews to avoid such an option. Wesley is certainly valuable enough to receive some attention in the trade market, so who might be looking to make a deal? The Phoenix Suns are projected to get the 4th pick in the draft lottery, right around where Oladipo will likely be selected. With the 3rd worst 3PT% in the NBA and a roster that seems compiled in the dark, Matthews would bring much needed efficiency to their squad. Who knows? Maybe the Blazers could finagle a deal for Phoenix center, Marcin Gortat, if they put a little more on the table. Wesley is under contract with the Blazers for two more seasons and is owed a combined $14 million for them. While not a mammoth amount by NBA standards, that is still a chunk of change worth talking about. Phoenix has the need, the resources, and the space to acquire Matthews from Portland on draft night. Although I would personally hate to see him go, it could be just what the Blazers needs. Let me explain where I’m coming from. Although Wesley is arguably worth more to Portland than yet another rookie, the difference between a veteran and a rookie contract should be taken into account. If the Blazers can unload Matthews’ $7M contract, they will have more money to spend on free agents. A Matthews/Oladipo swap would pay dividends if the price difference allowed Portland to bring in the pieces they need. Let’s not discount Victor either; he’d pay his own in due time. So the Blazers stand at a crossroad. They can spin the wheel of fate in the name change, or they can pass and hone their existing skills. The draft can be your best friend or your worst enemy. For Wesley Matthews, it’s dangerously disguised. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. @davidmackaypdx | @ripcityproject | davidmackaypdx@gmail.com