Portland Trail Blazers Draft Targets: Cody Williams, Donovan Clingan & More w/ @LockedOnNBABigBoard

Portland Trail Blazers Draft Targets: Cody Williams, Donovan Clingan & More w/ @LockedOnNBABigBoard

In today’s show rafhael Barlo of lockdown NBA Big Board joins the program and we talk about Blazers first round Lottery targets welcome to locked on Blazers let’s get into it you are locked on Trailblazers your daily Portland Trailblazers podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every

Day what up world it’s your past first point Garden Trail Blazers reporter Mike Richmond you are listening to another episode of Locked on Blazers part of locked on podcast network available wherever you get Podcast and also on YouTube thanks for making this show your first listen coming at you Monday

Through Friday each and every weekday so make it a part of your daily routine make it your first list and tell your friends to do the same it’s lockdown Blazers your team every day and today’s episode is a very special one friend of the program returning guest Raphael

Barlo of lockdown NBA big board he writes for the the locks on Big Board news excuse me the NBA Big Board newsletter an indispensable draft uh piece of draft information coming to your inbox regularly and as we get into the draft season there’s no better time to

Subscribe to the NBA Big Board newslet Raph how you doing man I’m doing good how how are you doing good I know you’re busy this time of year you went to Allstar you’re turning out a mock draft you got other stuff coming um so I I sincerely appreciate you making time for

Uh to talk a little bit of Blazer stuff um you were on previously and we kind of talked the top of your board right uh we we talked Alex SAR and R A and mates pelis um those guys still remain kind of at the top of your top your ranking we

Even talked a little bit of Nicol toic uh I want to jump down a little bit because I think the Blazers are pro their Portland is likely to have two first round picks and there’s a chance they have two lottery picks right now they’re they’re slated to have five and

13 um but the bad news is that the the Warriors have won eight out of 10 10 they just they look a lot more competent so the Warriors are I think fairly likely to make the playoffs maybe I mean it’s going to be tough the bottom of the

West has a bunch of good teams in it but um you know I think they’re trending they look stinky for a while they look less stinky now so let’s assume that the Blazers are gonna have two first round picks potentially two two lottery picks let’s let’s stay in that five range to

Begin with though currently on your mock draft NBA Big Board you got an interest a very interesting name there at number five to the Blazers my man Cody Williams from Colorado uh 68 Wing what do you like about him I like the versatility obviously the the positional size is very alluring for

A guy that 68 that can handle the ball he long not like a elite athlete but he’s a good athlete he can get to his spots and he is is someone that came into the season with like really big question marks about his outside shooting was not a good shooter on the

High school level I think he was like two of eight from three at the under 19s this summer but he shot the ball very well three Colorado not a high volume of attempts if there was a knock on him is that he’s not always the most assertive

He scores his points in the flow of the game he’s extremely efficient but part of the efficiency is because he’s not taking enough shots in my opinion I think there are people that will feel like well I’d rather him shooting 48% and being aggressive than 57% and he’s only taking seven or eight

Shots per game but he’s really really talented he’s the brother of jayen Williams for the Oklahoma City Thunder I think it’s unfair to compare the two but I’m actually going to make the comparison because a lot of are just like he’s not as good as Jaylen yada y

Yad I always say a lot of people didn’t even know jayen when he was a freshman right and if I remember correctly there was a press conference where they were asking Sam presty about him and Sam presty said he didn’t know who he was until he you know brought in for

Interviews so I think Cody is a better Prospect at the same stages in their career but it’s to be determined if he’s going to be a better player yeah jdb is really good like he he’s he might be he’s I mean he’s one of the best players

In his draft class I think he has a um you know and saying anyone’s going to make an All-Star team is probably silly because there’s just not enough All-Star spots but he’s he is that talented for sure he is that talented so if Cody is up there that’s interesting I think okay

So I’m not as deep into this as you I’ve watched one Cody Williams game my big takeaway from watching him play in in the one game that I watched was that he takes a lot of hard shots seems like he takes a lot of difficult shots going to

The rim and kind of fading should I be concerned about his strength on drives or is that something you think will come or or or is that something you even share yeah I mean it’s concerning but I think he’s what 18 19 year old yeah so

It’s it is a little bit alarming because there are plays where he drives to the rim and it’s like he shoots a a flailing shot at The Rim instead of going up strong and like for me like when I watch him I I put in my notes like oh man does

It go up strong and then maybe like the next game you see him make an athletic play where he tries to dunk on somebody right so it’s like it’s it’s there he doesn’t always shy away from contact but I I do think in the early

Stages of his NBA career it is going to be you know something that he’s gonna struggle with but maybe he can just bulk up and put on weight like his brother did like right I mean Jaylen looks like he’s put on 20 pounds of muscle since he

Entered the NBA so you know their their bloodlines are similar so I I do think his shying away from contact has a lot to do with his frame right now uh the other knock on him seems to be the lack of Pull-Up shooting does that concern you at

All no it doesn’t simply because for someone like him that is so good at getting to the rim and that was able to get to the rim whenever he wanted on the high school level it’s like if he were shooting pullup Jumpers in high school he was bailing the defense out he could

Score at will at the rim and so I think it’s something that he can add and he will add is just he’s so young in his career that he probably never had to to do it just it’s the same with the shooting he really didn’t need to shoot

Jumpers in the high school level and he wasn’t a good shooter coming into this season but he’s proven that he’s worked on his shooting he’s efficient I think it’s like 40 something percent from three in the high 40s and so I think adding according according to you

Earlier this week 47% on his of his three-point attempts there you go that’s that’s what I thought I didn’t know if they played last night and then you know that kind of changes things like yeah yeah I wrote about one guy who was like raving about how well he’s shooting the

Ball from the floor and then he had like a three for nine night and then those stats did not look good anymore they went from like promising to these stats are pretty average yeah so um but no he’s shooting the ball well from three which is a surprise to me what’s his

Ceiling in terms of of like in terms of draft like where how how high can he rise in the draft I think he has a a strong chance to be the first college player selected I think he’s the favorite right now so you could put him

In the top five range I mean I I I think SAR ret topic I think those three could be number you know the top three I mean Rob Dillingham is making a strong case but he’s more so of an acquired taste in a sense I think there’s some people that

Really really like him and then there maybe some people that just think that he’s too small and and are wored about defense people like me calling him shabaz naier um yeah I mean it’s it’s GNA be interesting to see what what happens with him on draft L but I think Cody has

A a really good chance to crack the top five why is he not above matches Bellis I know you’re you’re probably higher on on bazis than others why is why is in your eyes Williams Behind bazis bazis is bigger um I think they both have a tendency to leave you wanting more from

Them I I think that it’s weird it’s like they swapped like bazis was like a 40% shooter in high school and now he’s in the 20s right can’t shoot Cody didn’t shoot well in high school and now he’s shooting like a blistering 47% I do think some of bazel’s struggles from the

Three-point line is because he did skip a step from going from the high school line to the NBA three-point line and he was already thin and I think the physicality of the g-league is impacting his shooting a little bit also and then he had like an ankle injury I don’t know

How much that had an impact but maybe his rhythm was off but I’m just going my gut feeling I I think maybe Cody is safer but I think bzel bazis if he puts it together you’re talking about a 1610 thre level scorer good athlete that um could be like a matchup

Problem yeah they they both have some similarities as far as Cody’s a little bit more aggressive but they both have some similarities where you’re like this guy could score 20 if he wanted to he just doesn’t have the same mindset yeah listen we’re gonna have to retire that the dog in him expression

For for all draft talk so I’m glad you I’m glad you steered away from it there um Can Williams play how many like is he just a two three in the NBA can he play up to could he play if he gets big enough does he have the frame to play

Four I think that he could be a weapon that could play one through four so I do think he is someone that can initiate the offense we don’t really get a chance to see it at Colorado because he’s playing with KJ Simpson who’s having a phenomenal year himself but I think the

Ability he shows flashes of it and glimpses of being able to ma but I do think that he is a guy that if you have like a a Dame liard type who you want to move off the ball some you can play him in that in that position almost like Batum

There were times where the Blazers would have what is it like Batum and West Matthews and Dame on the floor at the same time but baton would kind of initiate the offense so I think he can play a similar role I like it listen uh a wing that could initiate would be a

Real game changer for this for for the Blazers and obviously like I don’t think you’re projecting Cody Williams like year one to be this like highlevel initiator in the NBA but it but but U more players who can pass and make plays has uh has real interest for me I think

Williams is playmaking at least from from what I’ve read from you and um it seems to be something that could be have some have some real value is is that that his playmaking ability has has some real appeal okay I want to ask you about the Yukon guys there’s two dudes at

Yukon who I think could be right in the Blazers range you could be helpful let’s talk about them in the second segment Today’s Show is brought to you by Stitch fix you know that instant confidence boost you get from an outfit that makes you look really good that’s what you’re

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Recommend enough subscribing to the newsletter get it in your inbox it’s draft season learn more about the league it’s I’m a I am a regular reader and subscriber go ahead and do it okay I have dra season for Blazers fans I know you don’t have a you don’t

Have a you don’t have time off okay you’re hosting you know you’re making 200 podcasts a year about the draft but we’ve we’ve made it here may maybe more than 200 probably like 250 um but it’s you know here in Blazer land here lockdown Blazer land we’ve transitioned

Okay there’s 28 games left in the season the team’s 15 and 39 we talked about it when you were on the program last year that you said I hope that I I hope I’m not a regular guest on the show next season because I hope the Blazers aren’t

In a position to talk lottery picks guess what you’re back I’m going to demand you come back more later in the year because it’s draft season for us um I want to ask you about two guys uh the Yukon kids uh Stephen castle and Donovan kingan I let’s start with Castle he’s

Intriguing to me um I I I feel like he’s this sort of two-way Wing that everybody covets uh what have you seen from from him he’s six right now on your big board um what do you like about him yeah you you you described it a twoa

Wing shows some playmaking flashes I do think that he is best with the ball in his hands as a point guard yeah but he doesn’t really have the opportunity to showcase that he’s playing winning basketball he’s on a great team that even though they got smacked by kraton a

Couple nights ago but he’s averaging double figures he rebound he’s getting assists and he’s I mean the numbers aren’t going to wow you but we’re talking about a guy that missed like a month of the season with in the injury and has been able to come in and still

Contribute on a a loaded team so you have to factor that in he defends he may be the best Wing defender in this class as far as guys that are especially in the Blazers range so you like that I mean the big concern is just the outside shooting he’s a reluctant shooter there

Are times where there there’s a player posted on my Twitter well it’s called X now but it’ll always be Twitter to me where I I watched a play where he had the ball for seven seconds before he decided to shoot like his Defender was literally in the paint and he was looking

For you know dhos but just because his man wasn’t guarding him at the top of the key he was pretty much shutting down a lot of the actions and he was a very reluctant shooter and so he’s definitely going to have to work on that to maximize

Potential which it’s like if if It’s Tricky with him because if you don’t think he’s a point guard and then the shooting doesn’t manifest then he can really hurt you off the ball on the offensive end but if he is a point guard he does have the ball in his hands then

He’s going to need to be able to become a better shooter especially in today’s NBA which shooting is so valuable and and Blazers fans and it’s not a knock on SPO on scoot but Blazers fans can see that team were guard scoot ear in the year because they didn’t respect his

Shot it kind of like mucked everything up for everybody else so he’s definitely going to need to improve as a shooter especially like a pull-up shooter if he’s going to play out of ball screens and teams are going to leave him open but overall the flashes are are are

Really appealing especially at that size yeah that that’s what you know I’ve seen Yukon play I think two full games and a parts of another one like his his size as a playmaker and and they run a bunch of pin Downs for him so he’ll catch it

On the move like make plays on the move and it’s like yeah that looks like something that would translate to the next level I’m curious do you think Beyond just unwillingness to shoot do you think he has like the mechanics to make jumpers or or is it or is it a

Whole workaround you got to fix the mechanics and then you’ll fix the confidence no I think everything is fine I mean similar to Cody Williams I mean if you look at him at his frame and you imagine like and this sounds crazy last year he was roaming the halls in a local

High school so so and if you go to like I go to high school games and when you go to high school games you see like their teams are like six four centers 65 post players 510 guards and then when you factor that in you’re like there’s

No way this dude needed to shoot a single Jumper in the high school ranks because he was bigger stronger than everybody else so I think with him it’s just a matter of time and and and repetition and I think the jumper going going to be fine is he how close is he

To being like a plug-and-play typee wing like how how far away is he from from you know he’s he’s he’s young he’s going to be 19 and a half same with Cody on draft night like how how far away are they from being NBA contributors I Think

It’s Tricky with Castle because if he’s not your point guard and the shooting is still like you know below average then I mean I’m and Thompson and assur Thompson are doing okay but I think because of their lack of shooting does cause some some issues with the offense yeah they they’ve struggled to

Kind of get playing time because Co their coaches are like w they don’t shoot how do we use them a little bits um and I think and those guys are incredible Defenders so if you can’t find a way on if you can’t find a way in

The court with that level of Defense the shooting matters for sure yeah which which is is scary because even if the team was good then you’re talking about guys that will help you winning regular season games and then once you get the play playoffs then you may have to cut their

Minutes take them out of the rotation now your rotation is screwed and so it’s really tough when you have Defenders that that can’t space the floor like the days of like Andre robertonson though I mean those days are are are totally over but I I think for Castle it’s just a

Matter of team and fit and if I mean the jumper unlocks everything for him that that is going to be the biggest key for his success okay the other guy on on uh connit is is is Big Man Donovan kingan he’s when I’ve seen him I’ve seen him

Play handful times over the last couple years when he’s playing his best I I really see an obvious NBA player like an obvious highlevel kind of just like a rim roller NBA player there are times when I worry that he’s just kind of big and slow and I don’t see the lateral

Movements what what are your thoughts on him and and then is he you mentioned like a playoff rotation is he a center who can play in big moments yeah that that’s the the I want to say million dollar question what it’s actually worth more than a million dollar probably $250 million yeah when

He’s healthy like last year he was healthy and last year when I looked at the his bio I think he was listed at like 72265 this year is like 72 280 and he’s not moving like he moved moved last year I know he’s had a couple

Injuries a foot and Ang injury that have limited him but he doesn’t have the same explosiveness and vertical pop and then he just hasn’t been able to play a a lot of minutes because last year he was playing as a backup but man he was dominant in in that backup role

And then this year he’s had some flashes but I don’t know how many games he’s actually played 30 minutes so it’s kind of tricky but what what makes him so valuable I think in in maybe this draft if if you’re a team like Memphis and you

Have that’s where I have them going if you’re a team like the Grizzlies and you already have your core you may be able to take a swing on a guy that fits a need because like if you’re the grizzly thunderer and you expect to be the playoffs next year you’re going to need

A big body foric so I do think team you’re going to have to start adding guys to the roster that have at least the bulk to attempt to match up with him on the Block but he’s such a mismatch that he’ll just say all right I’ll just take you outside but I I

Think there is a fit for Clingan it’s just a matter of the Medicals if if there’s some concerns about the foot injury and it’s always scary when you got a guy 7 foot2 280 pounds with lower leg injuries but I’m still high on him but it’s not the same pill that he had

Last year what’s what do you think his ceiling is draft wise I know you have it a seven now you think he’d go higher than that I think his range is wide I think it can go from I mean Seven’s probably as high as as he’ll go because I don’t I

Mean I think for like I said Memphis it may be fit I even think like the Thunder would go for fit just because they have so much redundancy but he can also go into the 20s because like I said if the concerns about his foot and his size and all that

Then um it’s going to be interesting so I think his Medicals are going to determine his draft range more than his actual play yeah I I have him start as like the as the Warriors pick Target like maybe not my the top one but like certainly he wouldn’t be at five but if

The Blazers are picking at like either the the back half of the lottery 134 or if they’re like at depending on where the Warriors finished if they’re at like 19 and kingan’s on the board I would be interested in it obviously you don’t know what the deal is with Rob Williams

You have have deand dton already there like the Blazers don’t they need depth at the big man spots and getting a 20-year-old 72 20-year old who could be a real Rim like what I like him fitwise for the Blazers is the rim rolling is like is like truly a vertical lob threat

For scoot Henderson deand Raiden is that in theory in practice he’s not like that’s just not who he is he stops at 10 feet he’s like sorry this is where I this is where I get off the train and he takes 10f Footers and he makes them

Because he’s a good shooter but he just doesn’t he doesn’t finish those roles hard I would love to see scoot I love to see scoot play with like Young Chris ABS porzingis right like a seven3 dude who could pop out and shoot Threes And Roll

To the rim but I don’t know if young christs is showing up anytime soon so uh finding the finding you know different guys who kind of fit it is a pick and pop big and and a true Rim roller I think would be would be appealing to

Kind of open up the various ways that scoot could attack a defense and he may even push Aon you know right now Aon has like in Phoenix the starting was kind of like given to him because he was a number one pick and then Portland you

Know it was the key figure in a trade but maybe if if there’s a chance where he’s not closing games because there is a guy that can close maybe that can kind of light a fire under him because Aon is he’s so talented he is man he’s really

Talented he’s really talented he could be a 20 and 10 guy but and even when he does put up the numbers you’re still like was he out there yeah he to to me after after watching him you know every night for for 50 some games or whatever

I know he missed a little bit so 40 some games it’s like I just feel like I so much is left on so much is left on meat on the bone I’m like come on man come on um and it’s not because he’s not good it’s because precisely because like you

Said because of the talent the touch the shooting touch the just um size he’s got it all just yeah yeah he’s just it’s so yeah I I would and the Blazers need front Court depth they still need it like even as as and exciting as duop has

Been um as like a as a a you know a find off the free agent market like they still need some of that depth okay I I got a couple guyss I want to talk about who could be deeper into the lottery that’s what we’ll do to close the show

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Start for the rest of the year as a Blazer starting point guard and look there’s going to be some inefficiency with scoot but unequivocally he’s playing the best basketball of his career over the last 15 games he’s kind of figured it out over the last month

And he’s putting up 14 and four he’s going to you know he’s he’s the assist numbers are going to be there he’s going to average you know four and a half to maybe five and a half a game with increased uh with increased minutes he’s been really inefficient this season

But the inic VCI has been way better he’s you know shooting up at 55% at The Rim after hovering around 45% for most of the Season prior to this last 15 game stretch he’s getting better he’s gonna get opportunity he’s a guy who could help you win your fantasy championship

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NBA Big Board in the NBA Big Board newsletter um okay so the guy you’ve got going to the Blazers right now in your mock is is tjan Salon um from Big Man from France I I have you know obviously I haven’t I haven’t been able to watch his games he’s not an American

Profession profal basketball player I’ve seen a little bit of YouTube clips what am I see what am I what should I be looking for when I’m watching him play Just upside I mean the guy is really really turning the corner he’s 69 he’s Athletics he’s got this toughness

To him I think he can be like your you know your pick and Pop I mean I think he can be like your vertical floor spacer I think that he is I just think that he has a lot of talent and I’m going to go out on the limb here and it might

Aggregated I think Ray would go higher but I think if they maximize their potential I think tjon can be the better player in five years wow and the Blazers it wouldn’t be at you wouldn’t have to go up to five you’d get him at 13 he’s

Um so so he’s like he’s big right 68 69 maybe even 610 like he’s really big as as and he’s and he’s he’ll be less than 19 on draft tonight he’s like an 18-year-old one of the youngest players in his class yeah youngest players in

His class 610 but he’s like a wing he shoots threes when I watch him play he floats around the perimeter and shoots like he could attack off the dribble a little bit but he’s so a 610 Wing how like where do you see does he have a

Position in the NBA or is he this magic unicorn yeah I think he has a position I would I would imagine he would close games at the four but what I like about him is he’s kind of a late bloomer I mean Rees Shay’s been like the guy in

His generation for a long time in France he’s been the one that everybody thought was you know the the future of that particular generation tjn has come along a little bit slower he shows more flashes of being able to create his own shot which is my biggest knock on re

He’s he’s just not creating his own shot but tjn shows a little more flashes of being able to create his own shot he’s still raw the shot selection can can get a little wild but I actually like like it because it just shows the confidence

In in his game and he just has a little toughness to him I’m I’m actually good friends with both of his agents and it’s not just like agent talk because like I said I’m friends with them and they’re not just like hyping him up as like an

Agent but they say that his work ethic is is off the charts like you have to keep him out of the gym and he has a you know just a different level level level of hunger which I think has played a big role in why he skyrocketed up draft

Boards like last year he was at basketball out borders allar weekend in Salt Lake City and I was talking to a couple people that were there in Indianapolis had basketball out borders and I’m like yeah you know tjn was here last year and they’re like I don’t I

Don’t remember him I have to go back and look at my notes but that just shows how far he has come within the last you know 12 months and I and I think that he he could he could be a big time Riser still

I mean I have him pretty high but I have say you have him higher than you have him higher than a lot of the sort of consensus you think he could get higher than 13 I do because I look at like bow kulali last year at this time Bala was

Just starting to play minutes on the French on the team with win bayama and tjon has has been playing for for cholet all season long he’s had really good numbers and if he’s already like this high with you know very little buzz coming into the season I think he can still move up

A a couple slots and if he shoots the ball well in workouts and I think teams are going to Be Wild by his athleticism and his motor I think there is a chance he can go up I would say uh Salon sounds like a uh

Joe Cronin draft pick Joe has is is on the record as being very clear that he prefers kind of higher upside raw talents that have like that have that potential he likes the risk he likes Shaden Sharps right like he likes a guy who you haven’t seen play and he’s that

Is that is for sure Joe’s preference um and I think he’s been very public about that preference I’m not I’m not breaking any news here here so I feel like Salah is a is a Blazers pick I feel like he’s a Blazers like he fits the mold of kind

Of what they’d want to do and if you have two if you have two picks in the lottery taking a swing like like not being safe with one of them is I feel like it’s an almost it’s almost uh like mandatory because it’s already hard

Enough so you might as well aim for a really high upside guy if you have two of them because you know that’s how you save the franchises you get the draft right you know what’s interesting about that I think it also depends on the general manager’s job security sure like if you’re feeling

Like the seat is starting to get warm you may go safer to extend your contract but but if you have you know like um you’re in your first year or something and you have job security then maybe you can swing for for the fences so that’s

Why it’s going to be interesting to see what what the Blazers do this off season if they have two picks because I mean I’ve seen some of the chatter online about his job and of course about Billups and so on I mean obviously it’s it’s chatter at this point but if if he

Does feel like he’s got to turn things around soon how does that impact his his decision in the draft yeah I would say um take a project and say you need time to like trust me salon’s gonna he’s gonna pan out give me five more years extend that contract

He’s gonna pan out it’s said I heard Rafael Barlo on locked on on lock on Blazers say that he’s gonna be better than reace in five years if they both hit their their ceilings um I need I need a percentage of that check of that extension if played a role in that yeah

Joe listen if they run the numbers up I’ll give you raph’s phone number um a couple other guys real quick Tyler Smith and kle wear um I saw Tyler Smith play for the g-league ignite U he made three threes in the game I saw is can he play center in the NBA he’s

Like a four can he play center in the NBA I think he’s gonna have to I definely think he’s going going to have to I mean like will he start at the five no but if you’re a a coach and you have like this point guard that likes to get

Downhill it it makes sense to put Tyler at the five get that rim protector out the paint and just create wide open lanes I’m higher on Tyler than than the consensus so I could come off a little bias but I just don’t understand how a kid that’s 19 years old he’s 611 he’s

Shooting 38% from three he’s just not being talked about enough and he’s been doing he’s averaging like 13 points a game off the bench and the reason my opinion he’s coming off the bench is because Knight had to feature velis and Holland and now with Holland out for the

Year I think Tyler’s stock could even could continue to rise because he’s going to get more opportunities and adding Gabe York who’s you know he likes to score for sure but I think it’s an upgrade at point guard to what they had and so for for Tyler to shoot the way

He’s been shooting without you know great distributor I mean I think he’s going to look really good in the NBA once you put him with a point guard that knows how to get him open looks not the same level as Defender as Jabari Smith coming out but there’s some similarities but everybody

Love Jabari coming into the draft but I think Tyler is a better passer and I think he has more work in the post than than Jabari but unfortunately you know playing for the IGN if you don’t have that initial Buzz coming into the season nobody’s really

Watching and so I think if Tyler played college basketball and was shooting 39% from three at 611 as a freshman and he’s shooting 39% with the NBA line I think he could probably shoot in the 40s with the high school or or sorry the college line I think he’d be perceived as a

Potential top five pick yeah I top five is high I I like it both wide open that you know five guys that are totally yeah totally yeah it’s like uh I I imagine it’ll change a bunch between now and dra you know from February to June where everybody’s board

Ends up um yeah I I really like the idea of putting a shooting big next to to scoot Henderson I really like like that’s the the appeal of Smith is like a true pick and pop big next to scoot where it’s like give scoot as much space

In the paint as he can get because my man needs it he’s not he’s not making layups let’s give him as much opportunity to get into a clean paint as possible um kle wear former Oregon Duck great now um a totally reasonable Bas college basketball player at Indiana now

That he’s in a different situation uh is is is he a is he you know you have him at 14 on your big board is he a viable lottery pick I I think so I mean the number suggest he is I know he had a a a pretty

Big game yesterday but he’s had like not including yesterday he’s had like five games of 20 and 10 he’s shooting a good percentage from the three-point line the concern with him is always going to be his motor and energy and effort and I I get that you know once you get that

Label on you it is pretty difficult to to shed it but even if he’s I don’t know I mean I think the talent is there I’ve heard people actually compare him to DeAndre Aon as far as let’s get two of them I I’ve heard I’ve heard those those

Comparisons um so it it’ll be interesting but I think if he puts it together you’re talking about a vertical lob threat that is also a pick and pop big and that is a weapon for a guy like scoot Henderson all right we can run the

Pick and roll I got a lob threat and then you know I can space the floor I I just think he’s really really talented I do think the negative you know the negativity kind of surrounded his name since after his freshman year at Oregon is kind of stuck

With him in a sense but he has been productive unfortunately Indiana’s not not winning but I thought in some of the games I forgot which game it was last year it was a game where he showed like what he could be and I I thought he was productive in the minutes

That he had he just fell out of fell out of favor but transfer I think was was good for him yeah I think you know just just box score watching I haven’t seen him play this year uh he had again in a loss to Nebraska last night 17 12 boards

Three blocks like that’s a monster game for college kid uh like so yeah I I think you know the just box score watching he seems like and and knowing how big he is it’s like well that might be worth taking a flyer on um rapael thanks so much for joining the program

Uh I’m going to make you come back soon you know I’m going to harass you um so uh let’s let’s do it again soon with we talk more Blazer stuff maybe we could focus on some guys deeper in the draft since Blazer are going to have two high

Two like pretty decent second round picks uh uh and if you’re a listener go subscribe to uh to Lockton NBA Big Board thanks man anytime you want me on let me know we can make it happen you know I will thanks again to Raphael for joining the program couple little a little bit

Of housekeeping stuff before we get out of here some Blazers news uh this stuff didn’t slip through the cracks I just forgot to say it it did it’s not the fault of the news it’s the fault of the podcaster uh uh I mentioned earlier this week about doop breath getting his

Two-way contract converted to a uh to an NBA deal well great news for doop baby he’s got money this year and a fully guaranteed year next year he signed a three-year deal it’s it’s obviously guaranteed through this season uh and it’s five times the vet minimum that he

Was eligible for he’s he’s a first year player so his vet minimum is literally the smallest it can be because he is uh because he has technically no experience that you treat you like the one year of experience uh minimum five times the five times amount that money $2 million

Guaranteed for next season a real commitment for duop a great story who’s now going to have a full season in the NBA next year The Following Season 2526 is fully non- guaranteed with some trigger dates uh so conceivably you know doop just played himself into like six million bucks

Awesome story really happy for him by by um getting his contract converted from a two-way deal to a NBA deal meant the Blazers had a two-way spot open that two-way spot goes to Ashton Hagens who plays in the Rip City remix or played in the Rip City remix

And now gets a a two-way deal with the Blazers point guard who went undrafted out of Kentucky he’s 24 he’s he’s a pretty competitive Defender has not been good on offense and a little bit he’s played for the Blazers but you know uh they need some they need some guard

Depth just for insurance purposes and and uh and you know this is why you have a g-league team Hagen has been a standout for the g-league team and now you add him to uh get him a a two-way deal for the Blazers so he’ll uh be on

You know a round for their end eligible play for the remainder of the Season that is going to do it for today’s program uh this evening you were listening to Friday February 23rd show this evening the Blazers start the final third of their season final 28 game stretch run

Of the Season against the Champs the Denver Nuggets in Port in Portland at the Moda Center I’ll be at the game and guess what next time you hear my voice we’ll talk all about that one tell your friends about the podcast tell them they can get wherever they get Podcast and

Also on YouTube I appreciate you listening I’ll talk to you soon

Rafael Barlowe of Locked On NBA Big Board joins the program to discuss potential draft targets for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2024 NBA draft, including Colorado’s Cody Williams, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle from UConn and Cholet’s Tidjane Saulun.

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