First it was Peterri Koponen.
Then it was Jerryd Bayless.
After that it was Patty Mills.
What's next?
The Trail Blazers have so many assets with youth. They have an all-star shooting guard that is 26, a future all star that is 25. They have center who looks 40, but is actually 22, and they have a Frenchman at the age of 22.
They have every single position covered for the next eight years except the point guard position.
Many will say that I should give Bayless time to develop or that I should allow Patty Mills to prove me wrong.
But I say that the organization should choose a point guard that fits the coach's and team's style of play.
To set things straight, Bayless has never been a point guard. He didn't play a true point in college, and he hasn't played the true point (well) professionally.
He isn't a point guard.
Mills is run-and-gun. He plays at a fast pace, and in a league where speed kills, he could end up being a valuable asset to any team in the league.
But I just don't think he will ever fit in here.
Not on one of the most efficient teams in the league.
Although you won't see many efficient point guards straight out of college, I feel that you must draft on basketball IQ at the point guard position.
The Portland Trail Blazers need a point guard who can play defense, score at the rim, and rebound on both ends of the court . If he is able to shoot the three-ball, that would be a bonus.
Most importantly, the player needs to be a floor general on the court.
The three prospects going into the draft would be Greivis Vasquez, Scottie Reynolds, and Kailin Lucas.
All three players are expected to go in the mid to late first round depending on the team needs.
Greivis Vasquez
19.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.6 rebounds
Obviously, very solid numbers, but what I like to see out of a point guard is the ability to pass the ball and to bang underneath the basket.
He has great size for a point guard at 6' 6", and has shown the ability to finish at the rim and get easy buckets. From watching him play you get the sense that he understands how to take what the defense gives him and has the ability to get the right players the ball at the right time.
While I feel that he fits what the Blazers need, he will be off the board before the Blazers have a chance to snag him.
Possible draft day trade?
Willie Warren
Not particularly great in anything other than scoring. He does have great size for a point guard, but is essentially a shooting guard listed as a point guard.
In his career at Oklahoma he averaged 15.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 31.7 minutes.
Warren also has failed to take good shots in the past, a troubling nugget of information when looking at players that could eventually run your team and when he was expected to be the leading scorer he struggled to hit shots.
He is a decent rebounding point guard and for his size, it isn't hard to accept.
In college Willie played both point and shooting guard positions.
Sound familiar, Portland? Another combo guard is not what the Trail Blazers need.
Armon Johnson
Size, shooting ability, speed, quickness, and court vision.
Everything the Trail Blazers need in their point guard, but most importantly, Armon knows how to set his teammates up for good shots. Something that doesn't really happen out of the second unit currently.
In college, Armon averaged 15.7 points, 5.6 assists, along with 3.4 rebounds.
The Trail Blazers do have an excellent point guard in Andre Miller. But they will only have his services for so much longer. Andre is aging and until his retirement day comes, the Trail Blazers desperately need a point guard to run the second unit effectively.
It's no secret that the Trail Blazers need a point guard, but who will it be?
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