Portland Trail Blazers Mock Drafts: 1st and 2nd Round Targets + NBA Free Agency is Already Here

Portland Trail Blazers Mock Drafts: 1st and 2nd Round Targets + NBA Free Agency is Already Here

in today’s show we’re creeping closer to the NBA draft we’ll check in on the latest mock drafts plus somehow NBA free agency is already here what’s that mean for the Trailblazers let’s get into it welcome to lockdown [Music] Blazers you are locked on Trailblazers your daily Portland Trailblazers podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team everyday what up world pass first point guard and Trailblazers reporter Mike Richmond you’re listening to another episode of lockdown Blazers part of lockon podcast network available wherever you get podcasts and also on YouTube thanks for making this show your first listen coming at you each and every weekday Monday through Friday so make it a part of your daily routine make your first listen and tell your friends to do the same it’s locked on Blazers you Team every day in today’s show we are creeping closer to the NBA draft is it’s almost here uh it it’s we are almost within a week of the NBA draft you’re listen to Tuesday June 18th show I appreciate you listening uh we will talk latest mock drafts and some thoughts on um it’s a a sort of General lack of consensus and that Still Remains and also what what is Atlanta going to do at one and how that might shake out the rest of the draft then um somehow NBA free agency is here the the league has changed the rules slightly about the the when the time of certain aspects of NBA free agency and because the Boston Celtics finished out the NBA season by beating the Dallas Mavericks in game five and that bad boy’s finished as I’m recording this NBA free agency teams are allowed to negotiate with their own free agents um uh I have some thoughts on that and I also think it has actual repercussions for the Trailblazers uh it has like there’ll be real world things to track for the Trailblazers and certainly won’t be signing free agents but there I think there’s like act ual legitimate impact uh with free agency for where the blazes are going to be at this summer let’s let’s get into the mock draft stuff first um I think in general um mock drafts are not predictive or meant to be so I’ve talked about here on the program before how ESPN specifically their mock draft has been pretty predictive for the Blazers um over the last two seasons it’s been nails like it’s they’ve been on it ESPN last year even got nine out of the first 10 picks correct um I would say that that service specifically is like more predictive right it’s more like a projection of where players are going to go based on Intel but I think for the most part um what you see with mock drafts this time of year and they’re a mock like that word means that word means something but they are a mixture of Intel from reporters who are plugged in why I don’t share like anyone who makes a mock draft in in previous iterations previous roles that I’ve had that people have asked me to make mocks and it’s like I don’t I don’t like I’m guessing right like my input is just is not valuable but I do trust people who do this full-time or do like and and I try to share those with you and that’s what I’m going to share with you today but even even those like even people who do it all the time they’re they’re and like do it as their as their career job right and and and do the scouting stuff as their career job it’s like it a lot of the mock draft exercise is a prediction of both Intel and what you think the team should do and Intel can range from like I’ve heard they want to draft Alex SAR to the to the point to like hey at 7 they’ve got a couple different options and I know Dalton connect worked out for the Trailblazers that that type of thing like Intel can Intel can can vary a lot a lot of different ways and it’s sometimes hard to parse those things but I don’t before I present these I don’t mean them to be predictive I don’t think these are necessarily like here’s who the Blazers are going to predict I think it’s more of an exercise of if it shook out like this what would you think and why if why would the Blazers maybe go this route so I’m going to share two mocks with you with sort of that in mind um these are not meant to be prognostications of what will happen next week they are meant to be a look at what potentially could happen based on a million other factors um and and they’re and they are educated Dart throws but admittedly they are often Dart throws um certainly I try not to share people that I think are just actively throwing darts uh used to play darts a bunch in in when I was a little bit younger and occasionally we would get bored and start throwing darts underhand so I try not to get bring the underhand darts to you um these are these are more of the the these are the smart steel tip darts um the first is from the ringer from Kevin o Conor and he did a a a a two- round mock in which the Blazers at seven are taking Donovan kingan and at 14 are taking Tan Salon we’ll go the second round guys in a moment um kingan has some Buzz to be the number one overall pick like Clingan falling out of the top five and all the way down to seven is tricky uh uh there’s reporting from Rafael Barlo of of uh lockon NBA big board that like the the there is speculation that kingan could go as high as one and and conceivably two but like the Hawks are in position that they might consider kingan at one um that’s really something I like Donovan kingan as a prospect like I think he’s going to be a good defensive player in the league I’ve said a million times in the show and I’ll say it again here I’m a little confused about what he does on offense um he’s a good passer and good pretty um like I think he can be okay in the short rle but his like his own touch and his own range it’s like what does he do but like a guy who can just like a rim running big who can be a good defensive player is probably a long-term Pro I’m not sure what his high level upside is I’m not sure I would be excited about picking him at one but if he’s at seven for the Blazers even with DeAndre nto fine it’s fine with me I I think that’s I think that’s a totally fine pick I’m not um no parade but I think he’s like a total I I have faith in him being an NBA player at 14 Salah is like I’m not sure he’ll be there there’s some rumors that he could he could be gone at 8 to the Spurs but he’s a guy who I’ve enjoyed as just an upside swing he’s you know a a giant frame High motor forward he’s like a quintessential Blazers picked Joe Cronin pick um you know maybe he never becomes a shooter maybe he never has any on ball juice whatsoever and he’s always just a role player um I think that’s a pretty reasonable guess for his outcome right because um he doesn’t have he’s young obviously could get a lot better and things change but it’s like his shooting is mostly theoretical he has he’s you know he shot okay this season but he’s mostly been a bad shooter in his pro career he’s a bit of a late bloomer um he’s like a he’s a guy who plays really hard and is built like a giant NBA forward and I think you like you see someone like okay well you don’t have to worry about his motor and he’s really big and he’s interested in playing defense and if we can you know sharpen some of his offensive skills that’s a valuable forward in the league um I I still think his floor is like not NBA player I want to be clear about so long but his and his ceiling I’m not sure I see like um you know I think at one point I may have called him Yannis an DMO many months ago back in March but now that I’ve done a little more research and watch more watch more of him playing more highlight videos of him playing um it’s like yeah I think he’s like a I think he’s I I I think his ceiling is somewhere like pretty fun role player uh maybe even like very good starter type of guy um for for Kevin ooc Conor’s second round picks two guys who played professionally in austral Australia Trenton flowers uh was like a a big 6667 200 lb Wing kind of guard forward type um you know has some skills to maybe be from what I understand from Reading o Conor’s uh Scouting Report you know some skills to be an on-ball offensive Creator but has has sort of a long way to go uh in that area and isn’t much of a isn’t much of like an off the dribble shooter just yet and then at 40 AJ Johnson who uh guessed on the program last week Tyler meaf said um was one of his favorite players in the draft and think he thinks he has firstr talent and and that while Johnson is probably not ready to play in the NBA next season it might even be two seasons away from being an NBA contributor because he’s just so slight of frame that he’s really talented he had a really nice NBA Combine and even with an underwhelming year playing in Australia as like a 65 combo guard with a small with a slight frame who could turn into like a really interesting NBA two guard um and and maybe more if he’s if he um if he can play you know get big enough to play up and play a little bit you know some small forward at that size or at least get away with some minutes as a backup small forward a little bit but he profiles more as a two as a combo guard um I like those picks at 34 and 40 up you know guys who are not yet 20 upside Wings in from upside Wings who’ve played a little bit of professional basketball I like the idea I don’t love them like I’m not like I don’t know enough about Tren flowers and I Aj Johnson I’m I’m sort of just becoming familiar with um but I I like those picks I think in the second round you want to mostly go go upside and particularly for the Blazers because of their roster crunch if you go upside and guys that would maybe sign a two-way deal and then sign a real NBA contract either later in the season or beyond that like I I think that could be a good deal for everyone involved over at Yahoo sports former guest in the program Kristen Peak has also a two- round mock I’ll share the first couple picks with you here then we’ll talk second rounders in the second segment because we’re running a little long here but Cody Williams uh from Colorado at 7even and kesan George at 14 Cody Williams I feel like i’ I’ve really I’ve really waffled on and I’m going to make you a promise next week on Monday’s show heading coming into the weekend I’m going to make my actual who I like picks I’m GNA I’m I’m going to nail it down who I like um as I we sort of as we get into draft week you probably don’t need to my opinion is not like super valuable here but a bunch of listeners have asked like hey Mike who do you like so I will share those picks but I’m going to wait Monday’s show of next week who the Blazers should draft uh at in in the lottery that’ll be coming next week Cody Williams I’ve been up and down on um you know he’s he has like some defensive upside he’s big he can get to the rim can he shoot we don’t know didn’t didn’t shoot in high school was a non-shooter in high school and didn’t take enough threes in college for us to have any idea of what he can do there um if he can shoot he’s a really intriguing Prospect if he can’t shoot he’s just like he’s a really what is it what is his level of contribution if he’s a non-shooter at the next level I think that’s a that’s a big thing and he’s just he’s slight right now but guys get bigger and they’ll fill out I’m not really worried about his frame um you know he’s big and he can handle the ball and get himself to the rim it’s for me and I think he has some defensive versatility like upside there he you know you look at the sort of the production right it’s like he’s going to be one of three guys from Colorado probably taking the draft and he was the worst of the three and he’ll be taking the highest because the NBA draft is weird um but like you can see if you look at him you can see like okay you project three years down the line yeah that could be a really intriguing player but I I I think the the shooting is such a big questionable swing skill cuz he he’s probably not an on-ball guy and if you’re an off-ball Wing in the NBA and you can’t shoot or don’t shoot um you have a limited ceiling uh the next one is at 14 um Christ Peak has the Blazers taking kesan George from Miami George reportedly according to ESPN’s Jonathan gavone um has a green room invite has been invited to attend the draft and sit on the floor and like he’s going to be on TV and stuff which means the NBA thinks he is going early in the first round and now it’s even dicier to make those invites because if you do invite someone um and they don’t get drafted in the first round it isn’t like Ryan rer that just waits around for three and a half four hours they literally go home and have to come back the next day and do they come back the next day how does that even work that’s messy um you know it’s not Bo who just like leaves for a little bit he’s like I’m I’m out of here I’ve been in I’ve been in here too long um so the NBA’s probably got relatively good Intel from from George and his people he’s a guy who had a late growth spurt um I like late I like late grow spurt players it’s like he came up with some guard skills and now he shot up to 67 um he can shoot um he’s you know he’s he’s a little bit theoretical because of relatively limited production but um a wing who can create and shoot a little bit is like really interesting he’s what the Blazers need like they need a wing they need a guy who is six seven and above who can dribble and go get his own offense who isn’t you know Jeremy Grant because they need someone sort of more on their timeline um and and George could be that okay I I went a little long on those picks a couple more from Christen Peak and then I want to talk NBA free agents uh in in the second segment plus what are the Atlanta Hawks doing join me in that second segment won’t you first though I want to tell you that Today’s Show is brought to you by FanDuel the NBA Finals may be over but summmer means that there’s baseball every day there’s baseball every day there’s a lot of games all every day it’s it is the Beauty and the burden of baseball is that they’re out there playing every day except for like Thursdays and Mondays but even some of those they’ll be out there playing and right now new customers who are following all of that baseball action get $200 and bonus Bets with any winning $5 bet on FanDuel that’s 200 bucks you use to bet on everything to who’s hitting homers how many strikeouts will happen in the first five innings or nerfies if you’re really into it visit fanduel.com lockon and add a big win to your summer summer bucket list that’s FanDuel America’s number one sports book still a pass first point guard I’m still Mike Richmond and I usually do that later in in the show but we’re doing it here anyways um welcome back to the second segment um let’s let’s talk Chris and peak’s two picks in the second round because I think they’re both intriguing 34 a peak has the Blazers taking Kevin mcculler who’s like a big you know wingy Guard from forward in my mind but but Wing um from Kansas I I like mcculler as a second round flyer you know he’s a junior he’s a little bit older um he’s you know he’s he’s he’s ancient by NBA draft standards but I don’t think that’s that big of a deal in the second round I don’t even think it’s that big of a deal for the blaze just period it’s just like you wouldn’t want to draft all 23 year olds if you came away from a draft with like everyone who is sort of closer to their finished product that would be a problem but like drafting a couple guys who are a little bit older and can maybe um give you something earlier on is useful mcculler is like skilled enough and was productive enough in college to think that he can be productive in the pros he can handle um shoot a little bit but um he’s yeah like I I like him as a second round flyer I I don’t I didn’t see a ton of Kansas this year so I don’t have like a super nuanced view of him but I I I think like talented do everything 6667 Wing is um you know if if if if it all pops he’s an NBA player if it doesn’t he’s a guy guy who’s who’s just not quite good enough in any one thing to make the league and at 40 um the chrisan Peaks draft has the Blazers taking a Demona I like I I gotta say I like the Yahoo draft three Wings two upsid up like strong upside plays in Cody Williams and keesan George uh you know a closer to and like a guy who spent more time in college than Kevin mcculler who might who might be like uh you know maybe not Plug and Play I think that’s like a stupid term to use with someone you draft in the second round like if they were Plug and Play they wouldn’t be f available at 34 but like maybe impactful a little earlier uh because closer to what they’re going to be as a player and then ad Demona who’s like high energy um you know Rim running shot blocking big who plays his butt off and already worked out for the Blazers I I like Bona a lot um as as a at 40 I think that’s a really intriguing pick um I like that Yahoo draft I don’t know if it’s like I don’t know if that’s that’s it for me but it’s close to it um speaking of I mentioned this uh in in the first segment but I want to I want to tease it out here um the the Atlanta Hawks have the first pick and uh it’s been reported that they’re considering um uh drafting maybe um Donovan kingan and in both the ringer draft and Asel yahu draft and this Falls what ESPN has had for a long time Zachary rash is going one overall um and SAR would slip to two or or two and Beyond he would SL he would Alexander SAR would not go one um but the at his pre-draft media availability today Landry Fields who runs the the GM for the Hawks runs the the Atlanta’s front office along with Kyle corver um he Fields told uh assembled media there today that the Hawks don’t plan on right now they plan on keeping the number one overall pick I think that is a very interesting note to keep in the back of your mind one it’s not reporting sources smokes screen stuff and this time of year there’s a lot of stuff it’s lying season I say it all the time on the show it’s lying season for heading into the draft but landerfield saying that on like at the lecturn talking to the talking to assembled media that’s not a that’s like he’s either out and out lying in his lying season or it’s just like an NBA guy telling you the truth we we got the number one overall pick we are in a weird spot as a franchise there isn’t a lot of value in trading this pick because no one in this draft no one’s going to give you the hall to move up to one um It’s relatively light to move up and it’s relatively light to move back so like probably the best course of action is take the player you want at one um that means that they’re probably one and two aren’t available Washington’s probably going to make their pick I guess conceivably they could trade back a little bit and get multiple picks but like they’re bad enough and early enough in their rebuild they just like take alexar and move forward like easy peasy um or you know kinging or raset or whatever um Nicol toic who Mattis pelus who knows um that means like the first real pick that is going to be actively dangled is the Houston Rockets that gives the Rockets a little a little juice that gives them a little juice that I think that allows at um allows Houston if Atlanta’s really not going to be involved in the trade market with one it allows Houston to say this is the best pick that’s available in the draft and if the Blazers who have been rumored to be at least interested inquiring a second a second top 10 pick or interested in moving up in the draft from from a couple different media Outlets who have reported that like that would mean that the you know I think there’s it’s very unlikely the Blazers have the assets to move up to one period but that means that the Blazers moreover it means that other teams are going to be more competitive if if Atlanta’s not even considering it other teams are going to be more competitive in that chase 43 um which would probably might price out the Blazers or might just it might just be the reality and maybe port Portland says okay we’ll call Charlotte we don’t care like we’ll call Detroit we don’t care like we it’ll be um we’ll just go another route but I think that is telling that Atlanta is um Atlanta is at this moment when when landerfield spoke to the media on Monday you know 10 days before the draft said like no we’re going to keep one we the our plan is to keep the top pick I think that is notable and important for sort of mapping out what happens next um and much more so much more concrete than than the sort of other lying season stuff um the NBA Finals ended today um I I’ll offer some thoughts on the Celtics to close the show but I think um the em like free agency started because the NBA has changed the way free agency works and now teams are allowed to negotiate with their own free agents and I don’t the Blazers don’t even like the only player they have entering free agency is Moses Brown they’re not going to resign him that’s like that’s a non-factor but what other teams do with the major unrestricted free agents whether those teams stay with their incumbent team or test the market will have a serious impact on where the Blazers head like what they do from here let let’s talk about what that might look like and some names to watch as NBA free agency begins on freaking June 18th uh join me in that third segment won’t you first though I want to tell you that Today’s Show is brought to you by eBay Motors passion drive and patience it’s the formula for winning championships it’s also what keeps your ride or die alive eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to Peak Performance whether that’s superchargers roof racks exhaust kits LED headlights and more whether you’re into speed power or style eBay Motors has you covered and they got over 122 million parts for your number one ride or die so you’re always is going to find exactly what you’re what you’re looking for and with eBay guaranteed fit your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time or your money back because with eBay Motors you’re burning rubber not cash with all the parts you need and the prices you want it’s easy to make your car the MVP and bring home huge wins keep your ride or die live at ebaymotors.com eligible items only exclusion Supply eBay guaranteed fit only available to us [Music] customers still a pass first point guard I’m still Mike rich you’re still listen to lockon Blazers and we’re introducing ourselves in both segments two and three Today’s Show because I screwed up too okay so the NBA started free agency today um who knows okay real quick on this it’s really I I I understand that people love transaction season I host a podcast I know what y’all download I know what y’all Listen to I know what you watch on YouTube it’s you love trades and all this nonsense but I the part of basketball I really enjoy is basketball I don’t dislike NBA free agency I don’t dislike the trade machine I kind of like the logic of team building a lot I think it’s really fascinating like how teams get better and build and we’ll talk about the Celtics here in a moment to close the show but like can’t we let it breathe 24 hours we’re talking a few hours after the Celtics win the championship we’ve moved on to free agency now it’s not real free agency real free agency is not going to start till June 30th when um the moratorium begins and and teams can negotiate with any free agents and then and then you can actually make these signings official on July 6th uh and then we’ll head into uh head into summer league and Bing Bang Boom the NBA off season is will be in full swing but um instead now we have 12 days where teams can negotiate with their own free agents and that means players that were on the roster at the end of last season can negotiate with their teams I think the NBA is doing this for two reasons one they know you sickos need more um transaction news and Adam Silver said on the record that he wishes that that uh fans cared more about the games than transactions but but he’s an idiot and doesn’t know how to make teams uh make make you care about the games more than transactions so it’s just like well the other way to do it is make transactions the whole freaking game and the sort of implicit the implicit message is the games don’t even matter not the freaking NBA Finals because the things you can look forward to but I also get that like the Blazers haven’t played a basketball game since the second week of April and you’re just itching for news now the Blazers aren’t going to do anything uh again they don’t have free agents to to resign but other teams do and if you can negotiate with your other with incumbent freee agents to players that are already on your team those those negotiations or lack thereof could have an impact for the Blazers um there are good teams that have cap space this summer it is a weird summer in which a team like Philly which has like you know Championship aspirations Oklahoma City which has Championship aspirations Orlando a team that wants to you know be good um Utah a team that refuses to be bad you know are four of the top five teams with the most cap space shout out to Detroit who just has a lot has a lot of cap space they’re they are famously not good uh but if this means that there are going to be teams that are going to be able to absorb big money contracts and in a free agent class that is not particularly appealing um the top of the class either deciding to stay with their incumbent teen or not not reaching an agreement and hitting freeit hitting unrestricted free agency or opting out hitting free agency that will be telling and could possibly take some of the Blazers uh trade Partners off the market so some names to to watch Paul George who has been linked to the Philadelphia 76ers he can opt in and extend he has a player option um and or he can opt out and resign but like um if he opts out and resigns he ends up with a deal that is relatively comparable to what he could get on the open market based on the the based on the rules and like if if the Clippers wanted to offer him that type of contract he would already have that he would have it it wouldn’t be a thing he wouldn’t be sitting here um in in in a curious situation right they want to pay him less they that that’s that’s their plan they don’t want to pay him the absolute Max Philly could Max him they have space to do so so if Paul George does not reach an agreement one way or another with the Clippers over the next 10 days um that’s a name to watch because Philly if they strike out on these guys they could be a team that comes calling for the Jeremy grants of the world and Malcolm brogens and and what have you um because like they are going to be a team that is is basically empty a roster is entirely empty and if they aren’t a player in free agency and there’s not a lot of names at the very top of the list that are likely to switch teams like Pascal seak and James Harden and in Indiana and La they’re all of the reports suggest that they’re going to be back with their incumbent team so it’s like you’re really talking about Paul George uh with with with um with Philly and if he if Philly does land Paul George they’re probably not in the they’re they’re just not going to be in the same level of they’re not going to have the cap space to naturally absorb someone like J grants and they’re probably not going to have the incentive to do so and they will have already renounced all of their players so it’s hard to trade um those things um the other name to watch is Klay Thompson this is a big one uh the athletic reported that there is mutual interest between Klay Thompson and the Orlando Magic um the Orlando Magic have long been rumored as a destination for potentially anony Simons even here on the show and not that’s not rumored on the show it’s just speculated I think that’s probably the better word speculated as as a destination for amre Simons I think they’re a re reasonable um option to also Malcolm Brogden right maybe cheaper to acquire um still fit some of their needs as a shooter and a ball handler and all of those things um but like they could be a natural trade partner with the Blazers but if they sign Klay Thompson they’re probably out of that and if they sign Klay Thompson um that puts the Blazers in a situation where it’s like well what’s going on with Chris Paul and the Warriors and then you kind of change your change where your eyes are right you instead of South Florida you maybe move to other places I think another name to watch is Malik monk unders free agent with the Kings um he can probably make I believe based on the way the CBA rules work he can just make more money um he would have to take a little bit less money to to to sign with the Kings I think the max the Kings can offer him is like17 A5 million doar based on my reading um and like he might make 20 20 plus 25 million bucks like in the new sort of CBA climates I think you know Malik monk was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year he is a bucket Off the Bench I think he can start in the right situation I think he would be specifically helpful to the magic if they need a shooter who could who could shoot and like a shooter who could score shooter could shoot a shooter who could score in bunches in a variety of ways um the Kings would turn their offense over to monks Sometimes Late in games and just like kind of let them cook the magic could use that and if you can just sign someone using your cap space and not trade assets to the Blazers it’s more appealing probably to go that route for for the magic so I would say names to watch if for the Blazers and hoping that they can get in on the trade market here in the future is is Paul George Klay Thompson and Malik monk um I guess there’s a world and whatever Demar D rozan decides to do with Chicago it puts Chicago in a sort of selling they become sellers right they might hit a they seem unlikely to hit a true rebuild because they’re just a weird franchise but like that would be I think that’s an not like specifically as a trade partner but as like a player as another player on the board if if if dear D rozan were to walk like I mentioned at the other the other names at the very top of the free agent list to watch it’s like Pascal seak and James Harden but all the reporting suggests that particularly from Mark Stein of of the Stein line that se yakum is GNA sign a fat deal with the Pacers um that’s all going to happen maybe as soon as Tuesday um it could happen as soon as Tuesday it might this is the first time it’s ever been like this the other reason that the NBA probably changed the rules and I’m bearing this after after my angry rant at the top so some of you have probably already said this guy’s an idiot um and that’s true I am kind of an idiot but I’m your idiot dang it um is that the teams were already negotiating with their own free agents and this cuts out the tampering this allows you to say okay we can formerly meet with Pascal’s people as opposed to just back channeling and then like the moment you can announce it okay Pascal zakum has agreed to a max deal to remain a Pacer like the mo like you know whatever I think it’s in the afternoon now so it’s like um noon on June 3 it’s like immediately they’ve agreed now they just kind of you can just remove the the tampering remove and it’s not tampering with your own free agents but it does make it a little bit weird um because you’ve probably already agreed to those deals you can just announce it none of them become official until July 6 it’s just now you can have formal you know on the books negotiations above board all of those things and I think this rule kind of changes some of that tampering stuff that the league like pretends to care about but they don’t they just like take draft picks away from teams which doesn’t make any sense um okay I thought on the Boston Celtics very good basketball team that played a very boring NBA Finals because they were a very good basketball team uh I I think you know I mentioned I did a like lessons from the from the playoffs episode earlier uh earlier during the playoffs and for the Celtics it was like it was just to keep keep going for it no matter how good you are I’m reminded of uh the 2016 film pop star with Andy Samberg and the uh the tagline of pop star is never stop never stopping and that’s what the Celtics did they just kept getting better they were a team that had a championship window right they were in the finals since 2022 they were in a game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals last season and then they said okay Marcus smartt see you later Malcolm brog and Sixth Man of the Year see you later um you know Rob Williams see you later they acquired Drew holiday um for U maybe a fair price maybe a real sweetheart deal depending on who you ask to me I think it’s fine um I think the problem was not flipping U Brogden and and Williams after that I think was still having them on the roster in going forward whoops um and you know they added Derrick White at some point for for the Josh Richardson trade you you you get Chris Taps ringis you get um Drew holiday you added to a core that has recently added added Derrik white like the Blazers are a long way from being this but I think the lesson from like a team as good as the Celtics that is even if you have players as good as Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown who will keep you in a sort of the inner circle of contenders or at least the sort of Wider Circle of like hey these six teams could probably win the title if everything works out for them every year with those two dudes is that to get in there and to be as like into the Inner Circle and into the like the place where you can just say okay we’re the we’re not just a team that can win a title we’re a team that should win the title because we’re good so good is that you just have to keep cashing it in um I’ll miss the NBA playoffs I love them they’re the it’s the best time of year the finals were a little bit boring but I will miss basketball or at least NBA basketball while it’s gone I I’ll find ways to watch other basketball games don’t you worry about me I got WNBA league pass it’s relatively affordable um but like I think the lesson for if you’re like trying to say like how can the Blazers do that nail draft picks absolutely nail draft picks you draft the Jays and back-to-back drafts um at three no doubt um and you get them in you know you you freaking clean up in 2016 2017 and then you you keep your window open as long as you can you keep turning you keep upgrading you you you don’t say this team is good enough let’s run it back even if you’re excellent you say we have to make this we have to take the risk to get better um that’s sort of the lesson for me from um from the Celtics and the same thing with the with the Mavs they were not good enough they made trades at the at the deadline to get better uh and then you have Superstar talent that got you there and Luca was a absolute Superstar like he is in the playoffs and then at the very highest level against the best team in the league it’s like oh yeah this is a level he can’t hang at like he can’t defend this type of offense um or like he’s also hurt uh both of those things to be true he was excellent in the playoffs um that’s your lessons from the NBA Finals buried here at the end of the show um come back for tomorrow’s program that’s what we do five days a week wherever you get Podcast and also on YouTube I appreciate you listening I’ll talk to you soon [Music]

A round up of recent mock drafts from The Ringer and Yahoo Sports. Plus, somehow NBA free agency is already here.

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOBlazers?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

Watch the show and subscribe on YouTube
📺 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeE7WdPaNWwA-IZGfHek90Q?sub_confirmation=1

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Yahoo Finance
For comprehensive financial news and analysis, visit the brand behind every great investor, YahooFinance.com.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA. Terms and conditions apply.

BetterHelp
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.

eBay Motors
From brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.
PrizePicks
Go to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100!

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

FanDuel
FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARANTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
#TrailBlazers #NBA