#11 for Jack.

[Diesel]

I was just reading a little bit... catching up..

Read this article and red flags went up...

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With all the trade rumors swirling around the Trail Blazers, most of them involving Zach Randolph and Jarrett Jack, Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard felt the need this week to reach out to his players and fill them in on what was going on.

He called Randolph, and his agent Raymond Brothers, and told them he hasn't been shopping Randolph.

And Pritchard called Jack and told him that he has confidence in him, even though there is speculation that the Blazers are pursuing Ohio State point guard Mike Conley, Jr. in order to reunite him with his college teammate, Greg Oden.

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Notice, Randolph is not being shopped, but Pritchard has confidence in Jack?

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Pritchard said he made the call to Jack because "there has been a lot (of rumors) on Jarrett.''

"I wanted to make sure I'm communicating with these players,'' Pritchard said. "And Jarrett is okay. Jarrett doesn't mind competition. My job is to make sure the pieces fit. But I don't know if they fit until I see them. I think people can make mistakes of 'if we draft this guy, lets get rid of everybody else', and that's not the way I'm going to do this. I'm going to make sure when we bring in this draft pick, that the guy fits in and he fits in with the team, and maybe that means our culture changes a bit.''

Jack said Pritchard did not flat-out tell him they were not going to acquire Conley, Jr. or another point guard.

"He didn't say that, but I know anything is possible,'' Jack said. "He said something more along the lines of they weren't looking to go after him, but I know how things can have a strange way of happening. If it does happen, I'll be ready for it.''

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I get the feeling that BK along with Pritchard are working to deflate Conley Jr's value so that he will be available at 11. IF you think about it, what teams need a PG after the Hawks at 3? Nobody. Well, Memphis and Milwaukee, but both of those teams will probably go big.

[jezmund]

If Conley falls to #11, we'd be fools to trade #11 for Jack. I'm a HUGE GT fan and love what Jarrett Jack did at Tech but Conley fits what we need here. I'm just hesitant to take him with a top 5 pick.

Question for everyone, why are we trying to help Portland build their dynasty? Portland's rebuilding has been made easy by acquiring Greg Oden and we want to help them? Kudos to Pritchard for getting possibly the 2 best players out of last years draft (LA / Roy). If Conley starts falling, Portland better be on the phone with Charlotte / Chicago and Sacramento because he sure better not have any success trading with Atlanta.

[Spiral]

If Conley falls to #11, we take Conley. I'd take Jack over Critt or Law, but not MCJ. If the Blazers want MCJ at #11, it will cost them more than Jarrett Jack. If they throw in Webster, it's a done deal.

I think Jack for Chillz may be the deal. Although I think Chillz carries more value than Jack, it wouldn't surprise me to see that deal go down especially if MCJ is off the board and BK doesn't feel confidant about Law or Critt.

[DrReality]

Seems to me that Speedy's health has to figure in this equation. Conley will not be ready to step in right away, but if Speedy can play enough to lead the team while Conely develops (if he falls to us at 11) then that would be a workable plan. Horford and Conley would probably be best case in the draft.

[jezmund]

I think I'd be cool with Childress for Jack. To make it even salary wise.

Josh Childress

for

Jarrett Jack

Fred Jones

How about that deal?

Fred Jones has an expiring deal and is used sparingly by Portland but he would be needed to make the deal work according to the Tradechecker. Here's another deal that wouldn't be bad after losing Childress' production although it doesn't work, yet, because of the trade kicker.

Tyronn Lue / Salim Stoudamire for Damien Wilkins

Jarrett Jack / Anthony Johnson

Joe Johnson / Fred Jones

Marvin Williams / Damien Wilkins

Josh Smith / Solomon Jones

Zaza Pachulia / Shelden Williams / Lorenzen Wright

Add whatever the #3 and #11 bring. Let's go with Diesel's dream of #3/Marvin for #5/Jefferson. Assume Al Horford goes to Boston (now that Al is gone) and Memphis takes either Wright/Conley.

Jarrett Jack / Anthony Johnson

Joe Johnson / Fred Jones

Yi Jianlian / Damien Wilkins

Josh Smith / Shelden Williams / Solomon Jones

Al Jefferson / Zaza Pachulia / Lorenzen Wright

Take the BPA at #11 - I'd say some sort of high risk-reward type player like Javaris Crittenton, Rodney Stuckey or Al Thornton.

Boston would have:

Rajon Rondo / Delonte West / Sebastian Telfair

Paul Pierice / Tony Allen / Wally Szczerbiak

Marvin Williams / Gerald Green

Al Horford / Ryan Gomes

Kendrick Perkins

[Diesel]

Well, that's you. I don't think BK cares a whole lot about Conley. Really, I don't think he cares for small guards. Also, if BK were to take a PG out of this draft, I believe more than likely it would be Crittendon. I think he is enamored with Critt but at the same time, he knows that he can not afford to wait on Critt's development. I agree with BK on Conley. However, I would go with Law at 11. I think he's the best PG of the bunch. I wouldn't be so mad if we took Critt.

[Diesel]

Why would you trade the only BU 2 we have?

This is what I really don't understand about a lot of these knee jerk trade suggestions.

Chillz is the only BU 2 we have or at least we have confidence in. Aside from the fact that PTL wouldn't want him, it makes no sense for us to trade him. Not without a replacement.

[jezmund]

Come on Diesel, you of all people slamming someone for knee jerk trade scenarios. I'm just putting it out there for fun like the next guy. Do I expect any of it to actually come to fruition? Of course not. Do I want to get rid of Childress? No, but according to some, he is likely the first to be moved. Anyhow, just trying to think of ways to get a starting PG and still having the opportunity to take BPA at #11.

[Diesel]

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but according to some, he is likely the first to be moved.

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Here's the problem.

We have 53 Sfs and 1 BU SG.

Honestly, if JJ gets injured, I don't trust Salim playing SG. He's going to get killed defensively and he will disrupt our offense.

Chillz is a ball handler like JJ. Chillz can shoot from range. He's not the scorer that JJ is but he has good size for the position.

[jezmund]

I don't disagree with anything you said.

[archie_otu]

Interesting, if he doesn't care about small guards, why did he give Speedy 25 millions?

[SmooveTheFuture]

Conley will not fall to 11 thats a pipe dream. Teams like the Grizzles, Bucks, Bulls, and Kings all could take him so this Conley falling to 11 is a joke IMO. We need to take him at 3 and trade the 11th Childress and Shelden for a Veteran Center.

[Spiral]

IMO, it's easier to find a back-up SG than a starting point guard.

I know trading Chillz kills the depth at the 2, but frankly I think that can be replenished much easier than finding a starting point guard. Not to mention JJ plays the 2 spot damn near the whole game, every game.

I'm not suggesting that depth is not important, but just because we trade Chillz doesn't mean we can't add a capable back-up.

Jezmund had a good idea, maybe we can expand the trade to Chillz/AJ for Jack/F.Jones. A swap of 1 & 2's. We upgrade the one, they upgrade the 2.

[Sothron]

I love all things from the state of Georgia which means I'm one of the odd ducks that roots for both UGA and GT (along with my dad) and I have to agree that if Conley falls to #11 we just take him and let Portland keep Jack. I like Jack and loved him at GT but Conley is the best pure point in this draft.

However, that being said, Knight likes big point guards (although I do note we currently have Lue and Claxton, both short) and I can see him drafting Critt or Law or trading for Jack.

[Diesel]

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Interesting, if he doesn't care about small guards, why did he give Speedy 25 millions?

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Because Sam Cassell wouldn't take it.

Last year BK put himself in a position of having to get a PG. He made an offer to Sam Cassell first (2 year, 15 million dollars) and LAC countered and Sam Cassell stayed with LAC. There were really no other PGs available in FAcy and all we had was Lue and Ivey. Speedy made sense from the perspective that he was coming off a good year and he was a good defensive Pg.

However, he wasn't BK's first choice.

Let's look at some of the guys BK has wanted for PG here:

1. Boris Diaw = 6'8.

2. Royal Ivey = 6'4".

3. Joe Johnson = 6'9.

4. Deron Williams = 6'3".

5. Jarrett Jack = 6'3"

6. Sam Cassell = 6'3"

7. Anthony Johnson = 6'3".

8. Luke Ridnour = 6'3"

Chris Paul said he had his best workout with the Hawks. BK was never interested.

Speedy Claxton was a forced Pick.

I see a strong trend. 80% of the time, BK wants a big PG.

[Buzzard]

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I agree with BK on Conley.

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What did BK say on Conley? I missed that.