Portland Trail Blazers NBA Draft: Lottery Targets and 2nd Round Options with@NoCeilingsNBA

Portland Trail Blazers NBA Draft: Lottery Targets and 2nd Round Options with@NoCeilingsNBA

in today’s show it’s more Trailblazers draft talk with Tyler Rucker of No Ceilings welcome to lockdown Blazers let’s get into [Music] 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 your pass first point guard and Trailblazers reporter Mike Richmond you’re listening to another episode of Locked on Blazers part of the 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 so make it a part of your daily routine make your first listen tell your friends to do the same it’s locked on Blazers your team every day today’s episode a very special one someone who is laughing at me calling myself a pass first point guard founder of No Ceilings Tyler Rucker Tyler how you doing welcome to the show that intro was electric thank you for having me on I’m pumped to be here and I appreciate the opportunity it’s time to talk some Portland Trailblazer basketball draft season I love it what folks don’t know behind the scene is that I had to get ready for that intro that intro didn’t that intro wasn’t natural that intro I breathed fire into myself to be ready for that intro um yeah let’s talk some draft stuff I I’ve heard you on a podcast earlier this week uh mention that it wasn’t that this draft doesn’t have topend talent which I think everyone agrees with but what something you said that interested me and I want to get into this is that it might be considered a weak draft but there’s a lot of depth what does it mean when people say weak draft to you when they say oh the 2024 draft class so weak like what does that mean yeah I think everyone’s just kind of pointing out that you know any year that there’s no just consensus number one pick um I think everyone gets nervous everyone gets a little doubtful of like okay is this a bad year is it is this class going to underwhelm and I I don’t think that’s necessarily right with this class I think there’s a lot of intriguing value just because that the top players are a little unproven or they might be higher upside Swings with a little bit more Raw Talent um you know it’s a good year for depth it’s a good year for a Portland like a team like that that has a couple picks in the lottery um it really could be a year in which some fantastic value is going to present itself and you can get two fantastic assets to add to your roster and a team like Portland that’s really starting to slowly put it together um they’re just a couple pieces away or a couple just steps in the right direction for some of their young players like things could get exciting in a hurry and I know Blazers fans might be like what are you talking about we’re picking seventh they’re close they’re on the right path they just need a couple things to fall into place and I think this is the year A Team like the Blazers you can get really nice additions to to kind of help that next step forward when it comes to your franchises uh development and getting back to the playoffs hopefully I will say for my listeners I just want to I just want to throw this out here No Ceilings has been consistently more positive about the Portland Trailblazers than than I ever have on this show their draft previews they the guests I’ve had I’ve had about I’ve had three or four of the No Ceilings guys on the show when they talk about this team they say nicer stuff than me um so they don’t have a daily podcast about the Trailblazers but what they do have is a lot more positivity um some of that might be proximity I mean some of it might just be proximity I’m I’m a little too close and I can’t see it and I think maybe zooming out to 30,000 feet gives you a little more a better perspective um and maybe I’m just a hater I think I think those are the two things um it is draft week uh you you dear listener are listening to Thursday June 20th show I appreciate you listening um a week away this is like peak bsing season this is lying season at its Max what how do you parse when you’re hearing stuff and you’re reading stuff how do you parse stuff that is like hey this could be real Intel we’re getting real nuggets of draft stuff because it’s a week away and people making decisions to this is a lie like and and how do you when you’re kind of parsing through it go make sense of the smoke screen yeah it’s tough I think fans get so excited every day when you see like the newest reports or rumors dropping on the internet and it’s like you know in the draft Community you’re pumping the brakes really fast you’re like okay let’s let’s take note of that but let’s also realize what’s going on the time of the year um you know this time I think the week of the draft that Monday is just famous for just smokescreen Galore so it’s tough right now because especially a year like this year there’s so much uncertainty not you know usually at the combine even we have some sort of idea of what the top of the draft could look like you know you talked to Scouts and exacts before like they were like no one knows what’s going on and so this is going to be a really fun year it’s gonna be great television the night of the draft because it could just be curveballs everywhere but I think you know when it comes to Intel this time of the year you got to kind of check with your sources who do you trust who have you been thing over the year who’s been good and and there’s a lot of misdirection there’s a lot of Agents pulling some strings so you know paying attention to the workouts and then all of a sudden if you do hear something if you can bounce that off another source and you kind of connect those pieces then all of a sudden you’re like okay maybe there is something to this but definitely a popular time of the year right now for for some smoke and some names that start buzzing you’re like whoa okay is that a legit one or is that just a the latest kind of smoke to throw out there and and try to get someone to maybe fall or somebody else to fall so lot of misdirection this time of the year you got to be careful and and not to get too you know caught up with with some of the rumors but it’s it’s take everything with the grain of salt season for sure right now it it is I mean I remember reporting stuff back in the day for the tribl a long time ago two agents told me X andx I called the Blazers front office and said like hey this is what I heard they said they are wrong and guess what the agents were wrong the it was it was it was like I had heard uh from two separate people that had no idea that I was talking about both of them they had told me these two things I I called you know the the people in charge of the blaze of the time said hey this is what I’m hearing I’m going to write this is this true said no it’s not true uh oh and it turned out it was it was like huh I heard people as confident who I trusted it’s a it’s a weird time of year and this was you know maybe eight days before the draft and I always think about that interaction where it was like who do who who do I trust this time of year and and then also like from the outside when I I haven’t been as close to it over the last four or five years it’s like you see the betting markets change aggressively when it’s like oh I guess Palo banero is going to go number one or like whatever the hell happened last year with Sham strania and and Brandon Miller um like it’s um it is it’s it’s the time of year when stuff is in people are intentionally vague I I want to get into prospects here in a second but you mentioned some un some like lack of clarity at the top it does seem that there is a swell around Zachary reash being the number one pick that seems to be the the direction things are heading how much do you buy that now because I think there are repercussions down the board that could even find the Blazers feeling that at seven yeah I mean we there’s so many names still in the conversation that’s the the crazy part is you get to each team and you’re kind of breaking it down you’re trying to get some Intel about each team and a lot of names keep popping up at each spot you’re like well you have to pick one you can’t pick five of them so what does it coming down to ret is the name that you know you keep getting in Buzz about being at number one I know the Hawks are trying to bring him in for a workout I think he’s supposed to work out for the top three teams or a couple of teams with the Spurs I think at four so it’s it’s creating some butts it’s creating some momentum you know months I want to say a month ago or right after the lottery everyone was like hey it’s gonna be S one now it’s like I don’t know and then all of a sudden Donovan kingan’s in the picture and I know he’s been kind of mentioned as hey he could fall to the Blazers that’s how wide open this year is um Ray’s got a lot of talent he he’s one of those players that I think a lot of teams are going to think is that higher floor maybe not the the biggest upside but tall 69 with the ability to shoot it from outside and play good defense usually those players can figure out a way to to stick in the league for a long time so I think it’s going to come down to to the wire I think Atlanta’s still trying to figure out what they’re going to do but rishe is getting some some Buzz right now and I know he’s he’s gonna head there to work out so it’s gonna be really interesting and you pair in that Atlanta’s tried to get alexar and they can’t get him in right now to work out so there’s some stuff going on and um reportedly kingan had a great workout with them so it’s going to get nuts it’s going to be really wild and I think it’s just picking up momentum to be even more chaotic on draft night yeah and landre Fields had told reporters earlier this week in like a public press conference oh we’re gonna keep the pick right now we’re gonna keep the pick he said that on Monday okay we’re going to keep the pick and then there was some reporting from ESPN today that maybe they’re exploring trading the pick and like having discussions with San Antonio so it’s like huh um you know and who you know why is why are those such such clearly conflicting reports if Atlanta keeps the pick the first tradable pick is like at three and then all of a sudden Houston has all this leverage if Atlanta’s trading the pick probably kills some of the leverage for Houston like there’s so many dominoes I I think it’s really it’s really fascinating and the fact that we’re a week out and it’s unclear there’s three guys who could go number one is uh is really fascinating and if one of those dudes doesn’t go number one he might slip to freaking seventh and go to end up in Portland let’s let’s talk about some targets for the Blazers we’ we’ve kind of talked theoretical let’s hammer down on some some folks you like and some some names that we’ve seen in that range that’s what we’ll do in the second segment join us there won’t you but first I want to tell you that Today’s Show is brought to you by game time it’s the place for last minute tickets uh this weekend in town in Portland you can go see a couple soccer matches go check out some fooie the Timbers are in town and the Thorns are in town as well and maybe you didn’t know about that until you just heard me say it out loud and you’re a not someone who was maybe going to be on top of it well guess what if you’re not really on top of it there’s no better at for you then gain time the place that rewards last minute ticket buyers with up to 60% off last minute tickets including tickets that get cheaper the closer you get to kickoff so say say you’re kind of dragging your feet you don’t know maybe Saturday maybe I’ll go check out the timers Sunday maybe I’ll go check out the Thorns well make sure you’d have that game time app downloaded then you’ll get tickets that could even be cheaper after the match starts that’s how good game time is they reward you for procrastinating so take the guess work out of buying tickets download the game time app create an account use the code locked on NBA get $20 off your first purchase terms apply again it’s really simple create an account use the redemption code locked on NBA that’s l c k d o n NBA you’ll get $20 off that’s game time last minute tickets lowest prices [Music] guaranteed all right still chatting here with Tyler Rucker of No Ceilings okay so who do you like at seven let’s just I’m just going to let’s just hit it with a hit it with a fine pin to begin with and then we’ll go a little broader who do you like at you’re on the clock at 7even who do you like for the Trailblazers I I’m just going to say I would love if kingan fell to them now I know they have DeAndre Aon I know they got some bit cord depth I know Robert Williams was banged up last year so you’re hoping that he’s healthy but I still think kingin would be a fantastic pick there now let’s just say he’s not there and they got to go another route I like dton connect a lot and I know um some folks might be like hey he’s older but the point is is Portland has a nice roster with this back court like I think scoot’s getting ready for a nice step in year two I thought he finished the season looked fantastic started to look like the prospect that I evaluated he he just really was like okay he’s starting to find his Groove Shaden sharp if you get another healthy year now if you get a dangerous shooter alongside those two you’re really cooking with something if everything can you know if shayen takes that next step scoot takes that next step then you had a a nasty three-point shooter and I think a lot of people think Dalton’s this you know typical white guy that can just shoot no he’s tough he gets to the hoop yes very good athlete he’s got some bounds and and he’s nasty and tough and he’s been one of these guys that’s been working his butt off the whole Li his whole life to get here kind of one of those unbeli one of the best stories in college basketball this year so I like dton connect a lot for them I think that’s just the pick if Portland hit hits on him at seven and then you get that 14th pick maybe you could swing a little bit more upside at 14 um but I think connect would just be a really good value for potentially his role where he could play for a long time in this league he’s he’s nasty I mean there’s a reason why he was you know one of the top scorers in college basketball and in one of the toughest conferences he’s he’s the goods from if you’re looking for a microwave wing with size and nastiness D kect can can deliver yeah I I’ve kind of warmed up to him I would say that I was in the he’s too old Camp um I try not to treat 23 year olds like they’re ancient like it’s just like it’s like come on um but it’s this time of year it’s hard not to right you see someone who’s 19 you see someone who’s 23 you say oh 23 that’s a he’s a finished product he’s never going to get any better or if he it’s not actually I don’t think never get better I think that’s not true it’s it’s this guy can only sharpen from here like this is this is basically someone who has developed the you know the the edges the rough edges of who they’re going to be and they got they can only sharpen the edges from there whereas like a 19-year-old you’re like they could be anything you know like oh the shooting and the playmaking and the ball handling it’s all going to pop and they’re going to be by the time they’re 22 you can only imagine right right um but I’ve warmed up to connect a little bit because one I think and and I’d like to ask you on this take it’s like a lot of what it seems like in this draft is there’s a lot of role you’re aiming for role players right there’s not going to be guys who are high level players and connect is probably closer to an NBA role player if you’re if you’re banking on a guy and saying I hope this player turns into a serviceable starter and dton connect is much closer to a serviceable starter does it makes sense to just say hey like are there upside guys I guess is what I’m asking that are that would be maybe not as sure thing as connects but you think hey that’s worth it yeah I think um one of the popular names is to Jan Salon um forward for playing overseas with Chalet really really talented crazy upside and his range is all over the place when you talk there’s some teams that just are Head Over Heels absolutely love him um there’s also some teams I think later in the lottery that are hoping that he falls I think Portland if they love him seven that’s the swing you take you might take the swing there and then at 14 get someone a little safer maybe a Tristan to Silva if he’s on the board but you know Salon is really fun like 610 is um I want to say he’s like 69ine but good size good body really young he’s huge and he plays with his hair on fire he’s just flying all over the place still really raw he needs to work on some stuff but he showed this year he can step out stretch the floor from Deep um if the rest of the game comes around like if you can make the role simple for him early on he’s going to work his butt off and and the work ethics been fantastic from what I’ve heard so that’s that’s a really high potential upside swing that you know a team like Portland especially in this draft that might be worth it to to kind of Swing for the fences a little bit but um I know what you’re saying there’s a lot of rotation assets in this class there’s a lot of guys that you’re like hey I don’t know if he’s gonna be an All-Star and it’s like well yeah but he might be the sixth or seventh guy for the Blazers for a long time or he might be that starter alongside the Stars you have in the starting lineup so it’s a good draft like that’s that’s why a lot of evaluators are like no it’s a fun draft you guys got to get excited just because the the top might be scary to some um for teams like Portland there’s G to be good values starting where they’re at well I want to ask you about Cody Williams then because I feel like he is a he’s a quintessential Blazers pick right he wasn’t hyperproductive in in college whether that was uh you know slowly developing or injuries or or comination of both um he shot really well but he took 41 threes in 28 games or whatever it is he took like one a game um he made him but he didn’t shoot much so it’s like the shooting’s kind of theoretical um he was also the third option on a on a pretty on the third best team in the Pack 12 uh like he’s it is he seems to be it’s like what I guess what is co what do you view Cody Williams ceiling as I think it’s High um I I think it really is you know he’s been one one of the more fascinating prospects to evaluate this year because before even coming in this year I saw him in Portland at Nike hoop Summit and I was you know there’s been Buzz about him going back to high school he played at Gilbert um which is right down for me in Arizona like there there’s a lot of fun tools obviously his brother’s just a rising superstar in the NBA and Jaylen Williams but I think Cody is I thought Cody was going to be a guy that broke out in his sophomore year so for me just as my evaluation he overachieved this year because I was not expecting him to be this ready at a Pack 12 level alongside what they have going on and the first half of the year he looked fantastic he was smooth he was all over place he’s slithery he he shot it well like you said not a high volume but still shot it well much better than people were expecting then he got banged up a little bit and you know tried to play through some injuries I think he had a nasal fracture he had a bum ankle to try to play through in the tournament and you could see him running up the court and you’re like this does not look right so um I give him credit for trying to play through it trying to be there for his team but it was just kind of like a okay it ended the year poorly but the the first half of the year was fantastic when he was healthy um he was doing a lot of good stuff on the court so Cody’s he’s his body’s got to fill out but the Intel’s been fantastic about him I think he’s got the right mindset and he’s further along than his brother was in his development now Jaylen Williams took three years at Santa Clara before he went to the NBA Cody’s going a oneandone and um he’s going to be really intriguing because that’s one of the names that’s just very wild you hear top five buzz you hear Hey top 10 um so I think if he’s on the board for Portland at seven that’s a really good swing if if they’re in because I think that the tools the upside could be a a really special talent down the road it might not happen in the first year because he needs to mature a little bit fill out his body but he’s got all the ability to be a special player in this class yeah I I I think pretty interesting he he fits the mold for them like they have mostly been high in a high upside team Chris Murray aside um like you know they they did draft a guy who played three years in college and was 23 but for the most part it’s kind of like the Ryan rupar and the Shaden Sharps that’s who’s been the just sort of the Joe Crone mold right it’s like toolie you could see the vision but maybe they’re not they’re just like not quite there yet um sharp has shown some flashes certainly more than ruper but also he was taken seventh and not 43rd or whatever um it’s a little bit different a little bit different route um I I you mentioned kingan um I’ve talked about him a bunch I am pretty confident that he’s going to be a good NBA Defender I’m a little dicey on his offensive what his offensive impact is he could pass but I’m not sure like his touch is there around the rim and like what else he does and and like um do you have to guard him outside of eight feet you know I I know he’s shooting well in workouts but that doesn’t mean anything to me I’m old enough to remember yanon like I remember e was killing it man e he lit that chair up like nobody he nobody could stop him against the chair the chair had no chance like I’m not workouts don’t mean anything to me at this stage of the season but what you kind of mentioned was like they’ve got front Court depth they’ve got bigs they have deand dreon and he’s you know 26 in under contract for two more years they’ve got Rob Williams who’s young and obviously like it’s a question mark they just signed duop Reef I don’t think he make decisions based on duop reath but like you have that player on the roster already um what what what do you like why does it make why would Clingan make sense it’s a great question it it’s it’s one of those I think you get to a point where if you’re Portland and you’re like hey he’s third on our board we wer we were going to take the best player available on our board and regardless of fit and and maybe you’re thinking there is a higher upside than what’s on the roster right now with him and it might just need some time to come together I get it and I think teams like clinging because of the the interviews have been outstanding from what I’ve heard he’s he’s impressed in workouts I think he’s a smart kid that’s tough that plays hard that has two-way potential to really be something special the playmaking is very very nice like it it’s something that just yeah it’s blossoming um I’m right there with you I’m not buying the outside shot I think agents know what they’re doing with the pre-draft process they’re like go to work out shoot the three-point shot everyone gets excited about that but I think if he could get to a point where he can step out and hit one or two a game um and make you respect him that makes him even more dangerous I like his feel I’ve I’ve been a doubter going back to last year and now the more I kept watching him I was like okay I’m starting to see this I you’re really impressing me first half of the year I was like I don’t know and then he he was slow he was out of shape he was playing trying to get through some injuries trying to get back in conditioning the second half of the year you you watch a tape and you’re like this is a different person like he just looked fantastic and I had even talked to an exec and he’s like cling in second half of the year was great I was like yeah so um you know he really it’s welld deserved with him and I think the shot blocking special he’s got pillows for hands and there’s some some footwork around the basket that’s a little bit like whoa it kind of sneaks up on you just because he’s 72 280 so I think it would get to a point where teams know what he is like they’re probably pretty comfortable with his floor and they’re probably also like there’s a world in which the upside is much bigger than we’re thinking so for Portland it might just be to a point where like we did not expect him to be on the board we’re just going to take him and figure it out and I think that’s also what Portland had done lately is they’re collecting a lot of assets and a couple of those take another step forward and I’m not just talking about Scoot and Shaden like a couple of those find their groove things are going to get fun because now you’re just as getting all these young pieces like Okay C did a fantastic job of that um it doesn’t come together right away you gotta kind of chip away and then all of a sudden the everything can get a lot clearer and I I think that’s what they would possibly do if kingan’s on the board yeah I’m I’m like I’m totally Pro kingan I I I set you up for that question like I was doubtful but I’m I’m like draft him who cares like I get it I completely get it like I it’s like it doesn’t make a lot of sense but then you’re like okay if you’re a team like Portland might make sense to just be like we got him now let’s just figure everything else down the road they’re not going to be good next year The Following season will be deand Ron’s contract year you know like do you want to pay deand Dron 45 million I think and and maybe maybe they’ve already made that decision maybe they maybe they have no idea and that’s a decision that they would love to have to make oh wow deand dton is a $50 million player like he’s been incredible you know he played he was pretty awful to begin the season and he played a lot better at the end of the year and it’s like if that is the guy who can play 82 games and who knows like then at some point you like you said you just kind of want to amass some talent and the Blazers are so light on talent that it’s like if kingan really is third on their board or like higher if he’s two right like if he’s if he’s the second highest guy on their board and I think there’s been a lot of connections to the Blazers and Kling and I think that is very real um the people who know keep saying they they like like ESPN keeps writing like the Blazers would be ecstatic if kingan was here I they keep using words like that it’s like who who does gavone know in the front office kiding it’s like it’s like that’s not subtle right like the Blazers would be thrilled if they got Donovan Clingan like okay yeah so I think there’s some real um there’s some real stuff there and I I know he’s not a clean fit um but I I kind of get it okay I want to ask you about some second round guys and maybe some some later names on the board uh the blazs have 34 and 40 and some names that are deeper in the draft that you that you like for this team or just in general if you’re scouting the second round let’s we’ll do a close the show join us in that third segment won’t you first I want to tell you that Today’s Show is brought to you by prize pigs it’s America’s number one fantasy sports app with more than five million members it’s the most fun and exciting way to get it on the action while you’re watching your favorite sports and your favorite players you just pick more or less on two or more player stats and you get a shot to win 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download the app use that promo code locked on NBA get a deposit match up to $100 that’s dollar for dooll up to 100 bucks in your first deposit when you use that promo code locked on NBA that’s prize picks pick more pick less it’s that [Music] easy still a pass first point guard I’m still Mike Richman you’re still chatting here Tyler Rucker of No Ceilings Tyler what kind of pickup basketball player are you um if Dennis Rodman just just feed me on the boards and I guess probably some Rondo I can’t shoot but I’ll pass I’ll throw dimes and I’ll rebound that’s pretty much it oh maybe Josh Hart a little got a little Josh Hart that’s perfect Josh Hart you know just I I’ll hit one shot and I won’t shoot the rest of the game because everyone will think I can shoot and I’m like no that’s that’s my strategy that’s that sounds like a true Josh Hart uh pass first point guard Josh Hart not a great combo you do need Shooters just like the Blazers you do need Shooters um okay so the Blazers we talked about some like Lottery type of guys some some some some names that are there they also have 34 and 40 um who are some names particularly in like that early first early second round range that you like or that that are kind of uh BL fans should be familiar with heading into next week yeah it’s a good year to have a couple second rounders too like that there’s a fun range in this draft and that’s why everyone’s getting intrigued with the depth is because if you have those early second rounders it’s going to be some good names still on the board I think you know I know we just talked about a big man with Donovan kingan but I think a Demona is a name I’d watch out for them UCLA really high motor tough big I mean he looks like the Hulk on the court um and he plays tough and he’s really really talented um defensively so he kind of had a bad year at UCLA because they thought this all this incoming freshman Talent was going to be their offense and it was not so they’re like hey we need you to be uh our offensive guy and he’s like excuse me so um just kind of got put out of place and um he’s still very talented defensively I think he had around a 40 inch vertical at at the combine at you know around 69 240 so he’s he’s a bit of a beast um Enrique Freeman’s a name he’s buzzing a lot right now of aaran I he could be at the late first round but if he’s if he’s going to be there still I think A team’s going to jump all over him the second round little bit older but um positional versatility rebounds like crazy I think he averaged around 18 and 12 last year and he’s apparently just been Sensational in workout so it’s going to be really interesting to see kind of you know where he ends up but at 34 you never know he could be there and I don’t think it would take long for that pick to be turned in if he still was there yeah I I I like Freeman because just I it’s like one of those guys I’ve I probably never seen him miss a shot it’s like someone I’ve only watched highlights of so the one I’ve seen him he’s good um but like you know he’s six seven and does everything and like that’s um that’s an intriguing type of player in in in um in in in the NBA and like go Zips they wear cool jerseys too I think akan has akan has sweet jerseys um so I I guess getting back to the those are two names that I I I Bona is someone I really like at 40 I would definitely s if he’s there at 40 I think that’s a no-brainer because he’s like he seems that could be a two-way guy he’s got some he’s you sharpen a little bit of offense to make him a pick and roll threat like he just when you watch him play at UCLA he just flies around he just plays so hard runs andan really hard like he’s fun um I guess getting back to the clinging thing and and with the Bona and stuff like this it’s like how much do you when you’re evaluating teams like do you worry about needs are you like a best player guy are you a fit guy or is there a gray area where you kind of tend to operate yeah I mean every Blazers Fan’s going to be like another big he’s recommending and it’s like no guys I understand they roster I know D Ops there I know Robert Williams I know I I think you get to a point where you’re probably best player available if you love him if you’re just like hey over head over Heroes but I think if you’re getting to a point where you got two players neck and neck you’re like hey the fit might be a little bit better with this and maybe they’re looking for some Wing depth um problem is they got a lot of young name like they got Chris M lot of wings ruper I know they have very high hopes for I know they’re high on him and there’s a lot of other guys waiting so at one point with you’re a team like this I think you got to go like hey we just need to keep adding assets and get best player available and I understand that now obviously if they dropped a kingan early I would be like no you don’t need to drop Bona later let’s not get too crazy um so like there’s there’s a lot of other names like J Dylan Jones at Weber State um probably gonna be a very familiar name for a lot of blazers fans but talented versatile another piece you could get you know KJ Simpson to Colorado where we just talked about Cody KJ’s really talented if you want to get some backcourt depth Jamal shed um another talented Houston guard undiz but he’s a dog he’s if you’re looking for him like a momentum setting you know mindset like just He he’ll go to war with anyone so lot of really um intriguing names it’s just going to be really fascinating with the with the Blazers kind of what they prioritize in terms of adding some depth because they’re pretty stacked with some some you know positions on their roster when it comes to like either forwards or centers it’s just which way you want to go it’s weird right because it’s like you think they shouldn’t draft a guard because they’ve spent the last two drafts drafting guards and they have athrey Simons on the roster so drafting a guard high in the draft seems a little bit weird but then you go you really get into it and it’s like oh they need Wings everyone’s like they need wings and I agree I I think that’s totally fair analysis but then you look at the last draft it’s like who’s playing on like who are the young guys that are playing and contributing Chris Murray and Jabari Walker and they tried to get ruper in there as well and Tani Kamar seems like someone who’s going to play a ton next year as well Jeremy Grant’s still on the roster okay that’s a lot of forwards okay so now they need a big it’s like well they have da da is gonna play 34 minutes a night that’s only 14 minutes or maybe play 32 but that’s like 16 minutes a night for whoever they draft um It’s Tricky I I think because of how full the roster is one they’re just going to make some trades like this team is not going to look the same and two this is why you just draft the best player available this is is why you just this is a for for this team and their situation play the board play the board because you have it’s it’s all question marks it’s all question marks there’s some upside guys there’s some fun intriguing guys if you listen to the dudes at no ceiling there’s a bunch of players that are about to pop and end up this team’s gonna be really good and the the rebuilds gonna gonna turn the corner um but like yeah like they it’s it’s they gota I think like for me and and particularly reading everything at new ceilings and and all that it’s like I’m I am heav more than I’ve ever been maybe for this team it’s like just play the board whatever you believe whenever the Blazers have it and they say we we got this dude ranked sixth we’re take we’re we’re now picking at 14 we’re taking him like you know we just we just need to make it happen um Tyler the No Ceilings draft guide is out where could people find it um at our no at our No Ceilings website which is No Ceilings nba.com um yeah the response has been awesome and um we we worked really hard behind the scenes on that kind of all year round we we plan in the beginning of the Season kind of keep adding to it and then try to get it out right before the draft for everyone to get it’s a digital copy so you just get it and it goes right into your inbox and um it’s been cool to to kind of see the the response from it and you know this is what we love to do this is our favorite time of the year it’s like Christmas for us so it’s been fantastic yeah I’m I’m a no Ste subscriber I you know the the in my inbox every morning like it comes out before I wake up I’m not I wake up pretty early I got a little kid but I’m not up at 5 I’m not at 5:45 like I’m I’m I’m I’m sleeping a little later I know Tyler also has a young child Tyler probably is up at 5:45 I don’t have a choice yeah exactly exactly I’m I’m I’m I’m about a year into the future on you uh so so I’m making it till at least at least 6:30 um but it’s you know I’m reading the inbox I’m often read it before I get out of bed on my phone it’s like how to get you know my my sort of uh draft fixed this time a year and and then all year long as well um Tyler and the Gang do great work you’ve heard them all on the podcast the last two weeks um and we’re going to try to get more adding into the draft we’ll see how it goes Tyler thanks so much for your time it was it was a whole bunch of fun thanks for having me on Mike I appreciate it dear listeners come back for tomorrow show that’s what we do five days a week wherever you get podcasts uh I know I was a little late with an episode this week life gets in the way but we’re still doing five episodes so come back and join us come back for tomorrow show we’re going to talk about all things Olympic Trail Blazers I appreciate you listening I’ll talk to you soon to [Music]

Tyler Rucker of No Ceilings joins the show to talk all things Portland Trail Blazers and the NBA Draft.

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