So close. So goddamn close.

[bfwolf]

I mean, keeping the pick is nice. Really, it's good.

But why oh why couldn't we have gotten into the top 2???

Hopefully we'll trade down.

[ncthompson11]

im a little disappointed now but will appreciate this pick much more by tomorrow.

[capstone21]

We were this close to not even having a pick in the lottery...let alone two. Be glad that we are top three. We have SO MANY options now. We miss out on Durant and Oden but we now have something to work with.

[AHF]

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I mean, keeping the pick is nice. Really, it's good.

But why oh why couldn't we have gotten into the top 2???

Hopefully we'll trade down.

---

This sums it up.

I would rather have a 40% shot at the #1-2 pick or nothing than a 100% chance at the #3 pick. The difference is huge.

It is nice to have the pick but GD#*%$ why couldn't we get that franchise talent for once?

[Plainview1981]

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We were this close to not even having a pick in the lottery...let alone two. Be glad that we are top three. We have SO MANY options now. We miss out on Durant and Oden but we now have something to work with.

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So many options? Is there even anybody in this draft other than the top two guys?

[capstone21]

The draft is top 2 heavy but there is A LOT of talent this year after that. Durant and Oden are stars but there are a lot top talent coming out this year. It is one of the stronger drafts in recent memory.

There are a lot of players that can have a real impact. Plus we also have options to trade the pick to make progress.

[AmishBoy]

It's clear that Brandon Roy is the reason Portland got the #1. Had BK drafted Roy last year instead of Shelden not only would we have our PG and the ROY but we would also have the #1 pick.

[Plainview1981]

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The draft is top 2 heavy but there is A LOT of talent this year after that. Durant and Oden are stars but there are a lot top talent coming out this year. It is one of the stronger drafts in recent memory.

There are a lot of players that can have a real impact. Plus we also have options to trade the pick to make progress.

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The problem is that Marvin Williams and ZaZa are still starting upfront next year. That means the team isn't going to progress very far.

It's good the team kept the pick, but like always they fall alittle sort of being able to pick a franchise player. It's a strange situation to be sure.

If you're a team like Minny and you got your superstar in KG

this is 10/10 here. For Atlanta it's more like a 7/10.

[DJlaysitup]

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...I would rather have a 40% shot at the #1-2 pick or nothing than a 100% chance at the #3 pick. The difference is huge...

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Well then we would have had to tank better AHF as CBA and I were preaching to get a 40% chance. As it was we had a 24.5% chance at the 1 or 2 and we missed...but we got lucky as hell and kept our pick. This is a deep draft and we can now get a center and PG (prospect).

Luckily Oden and Durant went out West...we have the #1 pick in the East and the #11...all BK has to do is get it right this time.

P.S.

as we mentioned in the chatroom - do you think Danny Ainge will continue to keep up his friendly relationship with Durant's Mother? I think he will friends for life!

[BusBoyIsBack]

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This sums it up.

I would rather have a 40% shot at the #1-2 pick or nothing than a 100% chance at the #3 pick. The difference is huge.

It is nice to have the pick but GD#*%$ why couldn't we get that franchise talent for once?

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First of all that's ridiculous.

2nd of all we didn't have a 100% chance at the 3rd pick. We're damn lucky they let us have any picks for that matter.

Yet people are complaining.

The #1 pick is the only one that would have mattered.

#2? Kevin Durant is a SF/PF tweener

Guess what this team is filled with those

Now we can potentially get a franchise player at a position of need in Yi Jianlian.

Now we can keep our underdog role and catch the league by storm.

And instead of Oden and Durant lovefest and the rest of our players being disrespected, they are going to have to recognize us as a team.

One that could very well have 3 all-star players next year.

All we have to do is take YJL.

[DavidSomerset]

[quote

Now we can potentially get a franchise player at a position of need in Yi Jianlian.

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I thought you said SF/PF was not a position of need???

[CBAreject]

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#2? Kevin Durant is a SF/PF tweener

Guess what this team is filled with those

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Yeah, this team is filled with Kevin Durant's alright. BTW, the fact that Durant is 6'9" does not make him a tweener. The fact that he rebounds and blocks shots does not make him a tweener. He's a true SF who may eventually play the 4. Tweeners are generally either too slow or lack the perimeter game to play 3. Neither of those things describes Durant.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Quote:

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Quote:

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#2? Kevin Durant is a SF/PF tweener

Guess what this team is filled with those

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Yeah, this team is filled with Kevin Durant's alright. BTW, the fact that Durant is 6'9" does not make him a tweener. The fact that he rebounds and blocks shots does not make him a tweener. He's a true SF who may eventually play the 4. Tweeners are generally either too slow or lack the perimeter game to play 3. Neither of those things describes Durant.

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Oh say you're saying he's a pure SF?

Even better The position where we have the biggest logjam we surely missed out on.

How unlucky we are landing this stupid #3 pick we had a "100%" chance of landing

So landing Wright who was initially a higher ranked prospect than Durant and one that has much better potential defensively is not ok, and Yi Jianlian who has been highly regarded before Durant was barely even in high school, won two titles, held his own against TEAM USA aren't ok to take as forwards but Durant is huh?

Durant is just some can't miss product although he is eerily similar to another certain 6'10 230 pound player on the Sonics now.

[Plainview1981]

Yi Jianlian."

Haven't you guys figured out that nobody with a goofy name like that will be a superstar?

[AHF]

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Quote:

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This sums it up.

I would rather have a 40% shot at the #1-2 pick or nothing than a 100% chance at the #3 pick. The difference is huge.

It is nice to have the pick but GD#*%$ why couldn't we get that franchise talent for once?

---

First of all that's ridiculous.

2nd of all we didn't have a 100% chance at the 3rd pick. We're damn lucky they let us have any picks for that matter.

Yet people are complaining.

The #1 pick is the only one that would have mattered.

#2? Kevin Durant is a SF/PF tweener

Guess what this team is filled with those

Now we can potentially get a franchise player at a position of need in Yi Jianlian.

Now we can keep our underdog role and catch the league by storm.

And instead of Oden and Durant lovefest and the rest of our players being disrespected, they are going to have to recognize us as a team.

One that could very well have 3 all-star players next year.

All we have to do is take YJL.

---

Let me just ask you this simple question.

Would Seattle trade us the #2 pick for our #3, Marvin Williams and Shelden Williams?

Would Portland trade us the #1 for the same package?

No. Neither would. That is because a true superstar is worth more than the #3 this year combined with the #5 and #2 from he last two season. That is the pre-draft difference in prospect value I am talking about.

(Regarding the position of need, how does Yi fit a position of need that Durant doesn't? Yi is a tall small forward who can probably play PF. I am content with our current options at small and power forward so I don't see the "need" criteria that you do on this one.)

[Johnnybravo4]

We needed the #1 pick. Getting Durant at #2 essentially replays the Marvin Williams pick when we picked the BPA when we missed out on Bogut, and thus missed the need pick in Deron. Does anyone here doubt that Marvin puts up similar numbers if he was playing PF for UNC last year? We'd be giddy about the opportunity to draft Marvin at 3.

[AHF]

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We needed the #1 pick. Getting Durant at #2 essentially replays the Marvin Williams pick when we picked the BPA when we missed out on Bogut, and thus missed the need pick in Deron. Does anyone here doubt that Marvin puts up similar numbers if he was playing PF for UNC last year? We'd be giddy about the opportunity to draft Marvin at 3.

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No question that Oden would be the pick for us at any draft slot if he is on the board.

However, Durant is so much better coming out of school than Marvin that I don't get the notion of replaying the Marvin pick. Durant was the college player of the year as a freshman. If Marvin put up similar number to Durant as a junior (which I doubt he would), he would still not pass Durant as a prospect (especially considering the rebounding and block numbers that Durant put up).

Eh, it is all academic now but the difference between 3 and 1 or 2 is huge. I agree to amend that to the also note that the difference between 1 and 2 for us would be significant.