Blazers: We May Pick Kevin Durant. Honest.

[sprrs]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-25-66/Blazers--We-May-Pick-Kevin-Durant--Honest-.html

Blazers: We May Pick Kevin Durant. Honest.

June 18, 2007 10:14 AM

Smokescreen? Maybe. From Jason Quick, writing in the Oregonian yesterday:

Pritchard insists that he hasn't decided. When pressed on how he hasn't decided with everyone else that Oden is the pick, Pritchard was quick with his response.

"Look at the first half of Durant's game against Kansas," Pritchard said. "Watch that game and tell me it's an easy choice."

The game Pritchard spoke of was March 3, when Durant scored 25 points in the first half against the Jayhawks. The next week, in the Big 12 championship game, Durant scored 37 points against Kansas to go along with 10 rebounds and six blocks.

If the decision will come down to this week's workouts and interviews, as Pritchard says it will, the general manager admits he doesn't know what could be the determining factor.

"That's why I can't say," Pritchard said. "A lot of times it's one thing -- like Brandon last year. He said with a lot of conviction that 'I put my teammates first.' When he said that, boom, that was it. But I want to be able to talk to these guys, see them in the gym."

McMillan, meanwhile, has been more willing to reveal his gut instincts. It was suggested to him that he seems to be leaning toward Oden, and he nodded while smiling.

And from Quick's blog on Oregonlive:

My sense is that Pritchard is sending smoke screens. But I have always said this: during the winter, when Pritchard and I would talk in passing before Blazers games, he would always rave about Durant. And shortly after the Blazers won the draft lottery, Pritchard admitted that his scouting staff would probably concur that he was leaning toward Durant.

For what it's worth -- every person I talked to with Blazer contacts right after the lottery felt there was a very real chance the pick would be Durant. More recently, everyone has shifted hard to Oden. Why so much misdirection? I can only assume that Portland wants to hear offers from not just those who want Oden, but also those who want Durant.

[Bear Grylls]

Bull shit


Oden is 100% their pick

[sprrs]

Agreed. They would be morons to pass up Oden. Still, it surprises me that they push for Durant hard in this article. Even if it is just to see what offers they get.

[milkyway21]

Bull shit


Oden is 100% their pick

what about this concers about Oden's health?

Injury concerns about Oden
Likely No. 1 pick's medical reports being scrutinized
Posted: Monday June 18, 2007 2:37PM; Updated: Monday June 18, 2007 3:35PM


Greg Oden's agent, Billy Duffy, downplayed concerns about the 7-footer's wrist injury, characterizing it as typical predraft scrutiny.
AP





Teams will be taking a close look at the medical evaluations of the top picks leading up to the June 28 draft. They'll especially focus on likely No. 1 choice Greg Oden, Joakim Noah and Al Thornton, who have been flagged with preexisting injuries by NBA doctors.

According to a team executive who has seen medical evaluations of a physical undergone by Oden three weeks ago at the NBA predraft camp in Orlando, the 7-foot center has a couple of worrisome issues. His right wrist has not regained full flexion after being broken last year, and he has a bulging disk in his back.

The team executive noted that "big guys always seem to have bad backs.'' But he did express concern about Oden's wrist. "The people I talked to said it was pretty serious,'' the executive said. "Sometimes the wrist never comes back.''

I've also heard an unrelated rumor -- which did not show up in the Orlando physical -- that another team is expressing concern about the long-term health of Oden's knees.

"We haven't heard anything about his knee,'' said agent Bill Duffy, who represents Oden in association with Mike Conley Sr. "One thing we are aware of is that his hip alignment is off. One of his legs is longer than the other, but he's obviously had that for a long time.''

Oden's wrist is continuing to improve, said Duffy, who writes off the medical concerns as typical predraft scrutiny.

"Every player in the league has something,'' Duffy said. "It's just the nature of our business that nobody is ever 100 percent. A doctor told me that you could scope every NBA player's knees and they'd all be in much worse shape than the knees of regular people who aren't in the league.

"If people are that concerned [about Oden's health] that they don't want to draft him,'' Duffy warned with a laugh, "they'd better have a long-term contract.'' In other words, he doesn't expect these issues to sway Portland GM Kevin Pritchard from picking Oden No. 1.

Two other lottery picks are entering the draft with preexisting conditions. Florida State's Thornton, who may be chosen in the top 10, has a wrist injury that may require surgery this summer, according to the team executive. But Duffy, who also represents Thornton, denies that the injury will require an operation.

"That hasn't been determined,'' Duffy said. "I'm not convinced he's going to need surgery.''

The other injury involves Florida's Noah, who may go as high as No. 3 to Atlanta. Noah enters the draft with a "very slight tear'' of the rotator cuff in his right shoulder, according to his agent, Donald Dell.

"This is not a torn rotator cuff,'' Dell emphasized. "If it was torn, he would have undergone surgery.''

Dell said NBA people have called coach Billy Donovan to ask about Noah's injury.

"Here's the story,'' Dell said. "Noah's shoulder hurt him a couple of times in the NCAA tournament, but he played in the last three games with it. They did an MRI two or three days after the season, which showed a very slight tear. The issue then was, Do we do anything about it? Both of his doctors in Florida and New York said the tear is so small that he should rehab it.''

Noah performed 12 repetitions of a 185-pound bench press at the predraft camp last month, according to Dell.

"Then he stopped,'' Dell said, "because he didn't want to hurt his shoulder.'' (By comparison, Kevin Durant was unable to complete one such rep.)

Extensive rehab has improved Noah's shoulder up to 85-90 percent, said Dell, who predicts that Noah will be back to normal by the end of the month. Noah has worked out for five teams, with Sacramento -- which holds the No. 10 pick -- hoping to see him a second time.

"If it was torn, I wouldn't be sending him all over the place to work out,'' Dell said. "When he's shooting and rebounding, he's fine. The only time it bothers him is when he goes straight up for a high rebound. In that case he can only extend 90 percent. But we think in two weeks he'll be 100 percent.''


------------------------------------------

if it's true he might not be 100% the #1 pick. :angel


knees & wrists?

[Findog]

It's a win-win situation, you're getting a stud either way. Seattle is in the better position, their pick is a no-brainer.

[resistanze]

Sam Bowieitis?

[dbreiden83080]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-25-66/Blazers--We-May-Pick-Kevin-Durant--Honest-.html

Blazers: We May Pick Kevin Durant. Honest.


"Look at the first half of Durant's game against Kansas," Pritchard said. "Watch that game and tell me it's an easy choice."



It's an easy choice. Oden is the next great BIG in the NBA don't blow it Blazers.

[monosylab1k]

Wouldn't it be hilarious if the Blazers pulled a Houston Texans and took Brandan Wright?

[dbreiden83080]

Wouldn't it be hilarious if the Blazers pulled a Houston Texans and took Brandan Wright?

Hey no kidding there was actually some talk in 97 about the Spurs not taking Duncan because they had Robinson, imagine how bad it would have been for them if they had gone that way.

[mardigan]

It's an easy choice. Oden is the next great BIG in the NBA don't blow it Blazers.
Sam Bowie was supposed to be a great big as well. That didnt turn out so well did it. Im not saying Oden will bust, but nothing is a sure thing, and anyone who has watched K.D. play would know that it really isnt that easy of a choice

[Findog]

Wouldn't it be hilarious if the Blazers pulled a Houston Texans and took Brandan Wright?

Brandan Wright is too good of a player to make that analogy work. It's like the Blazers passing on Oden and Durant to take I don't know, Big Baby or Alando Tucker.

I do love that logic: "We already have Dominick Davis, we don't need Reggie Bush." "We already have David Carr, we don't need Vince Young." "We have no pash rush, we gotta take this project defensive lineman." Please, you went 2-14 in 2005. That means you need help EVERYWHERE.

Only way that doesn't bite them in the ass is if Mario Williams becomes the next LT. He can't be merely good, they passed on two studs to reach down and take him.

[monosylab1k]

Brandan Wright is too good of a player to make that analogy work. It's like the Blazers passing on Oden and Durant to take I don't know, Big Baby or Alando Tucker.

Well Mario Williams is a pretty solid player, but even though he played well, passing on Bush and Young was still idiotic for the Texans.

[mardigan]

Well Mario Williams is a pretty solid player, but even though he played well, passing on Bush and Young was still idiotic for the Texans.
Young yes, Bush, still not to sure. We still have to see what Mario can do, if he puts up 10 plus sacks a year it wont be a mistake at all

[Findog]

Young yes, Bush, still not to sure. We still have to see what Mario can do, if he puts up 10 plus sacks a year it wont be a mistake at all

I think the Saints held him back a little during the first half last year because of questions over his durability and the presence of Deuce. Still, that game against the Cowboys showed just how special Reggie will probably end up being.

[mardigan]

I think the Saints held him back a little during the first half last year because of questions over his durability and the presence of Deuce. Still, that game against the Cowboys showed just how special Reggie will probably end up being.
If he can be a every down back and run through the tackles, I will completely agree with you. I though, like most people that watched him play, still have huge questions on if he can carry the ball 25 times a game, personally, I dont think he can

[monosylab1k]

If he can be a every down back and run through the tackles, I will completely agree with you. I though, like most people that watched him play, still have huge questions on if he can carry the ball 25 times a game, personally, I dont think he can

I think it would be pretty dumb for anyone to turn Bush into a workhorse back. His body just won't be able to handle it. But Marshall Faulk wasn't a workhorse back either. There were some years in Indy where they tried to pound it 20-25 times with him and he just couldn't do it. If they use Bush the way the Rams used Faulk I think Bush could perform just as well if not better. and there's definitely nothing wrong with that.

[gaKNOW!blee]

Young yes, Bush, still not to sure. We still have to see what Mario can do, if he puts up 10 plus sacks a year it wont be a mistake at all



Young, YES, Bush, NO??

can everyone just get off Youngs nuts for a second? just because he makes an underserving pro bowl, and an undeserving ROY, doesnt mean he has proven himself yet. He still threw more INT's than TD's.


haha alright, I just had to get that off my chest. Lets not turn this into a football thread.

[mardigan]

Young, YES, Bush, NO??

can everyone just get off Youngs nuts for a second? just because he makes an underserving pro bowl, and an undeserving ROY, doesnt mean he has proven himself yet. He still threw more INT's than TD's.
Hes a rookie, of course his passing stats werent that great. Most rookie qbs arent very good their rookie years, Aikmen, McNabb, Palmer, and many others all struggled their rookie years. Young led all rooks in tds, and he didnt start 3 games. But the main reason I say yes Vince was because he is from Houston, I would think at least that would make sense to you


haha alright, I just had to get that off my chest. Lets not turn this into a football thread.
:lol It may be to late

[Findog]

Not too many rookie QBs go 8-5. That's not a great team he had around him last year either. It's not ALWAYS about stats. Young is a winner, and his teams just always seem to come out ahead.

[monosylab1k]

Young, YES, Bush, NO??

can everyone just get off Youngs nuts for a second? just because he makes an underserving pro bowl, and an undeserving ROY, doesnt mean he has proven himself yet. He still threw more INT's than TD's.


haha alright, I just had to get that off my chest. Lets not turn this into a football thread.

it's not his fault that like 8 other QB's decided that they didn't want a free trip to Hawaii

[Tippecanoe]

theres always that argument that you cant teach size.

but either durant or oden, portland's future looks real nice

[gaKNOW!blee]

Not too many rookie QBs go 8-5. That's not a great team he had around him last year either. It's not ALWAYS about stats. Young is a winner, and his teams just always seem to come out ahead.


That being said, I feel the same way about Bush. Brees was obviously a huge part, but inserting Reggie Bush in that offense is a huge weapon. I dont think people give Bush enough credit for what that offense was able to accomplish.

[mardigan]

That being said, I feel the same way about Bush. Brees was obviously a huge part, but inserting Reggie Bush in that offense is a huge weapon. I dont think people give Bush enough credit for what that offense was able to accomplish.
Oh he def helped, but without Duece, I dont know if he would have held up or had anywhere close to the impact he had

[Fillmoe]

bowie part deuce