wow. just wow.

Ain't it somethin'.

Oden! Oden! Oden!!!!!!

Only one more year of Zach?

My boyfriend worked from home today, mostly so that he could monitor today's lottery activities and because he knew he would not be able to focus at work. He's been counting down to this moment for weeks.

There are not words for how stunned/excited he is.

My husband was stuck at a friend's house and unable to watch, so I watched it for him. I grabbed the phone and called him immediately after, and I was so completely and utterly flustered and giddy he had to tell me to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n just so he could understand what the heck I was saying. I mean, dayum. Oscar envelope openings are a snoozefest compared to today.

This is HUGE! Now, get rid of Darius Miles, pick up Greg Oden and away we go!!! I predict a championship within 4 years!

Only one more year of Zach?

With Oden in the middle and Aldridge at the 4, where does Zach play? Heck. Even Przybilla! What happens now? Draft day has suddenly become VERY interesting.

Now if we could only package the naysayers, Jaynes, Canzano & Miles to ANYWHERE, we could build on this great stroke of luck for Portland and the Blazers!

watch this--we'll trade the pick.

in any event, now we can finally draft that big man we need in the middle. Sam Bowie's looking good...

Kevin Durant deserves a long hard look as well. It will be very interesting to see how K. Pritchard plays his cards on draft days. I say deal Zach and Darius for a few tried and true 3 point assassins and have LaMarcus and Oden down low to clean up the offensive rebounds. Somehow I think season tickets will be a little more of a hot ticket item than they've been in a long time around these parts.

It's hard to see exactly what to do -- it's an embarrassment of riches. Dumping Zach immediately sounds good, but to get anybody to take him, you'll wind up throwing in somebody good like Jarrett Jack, which would be a big, big mistake.

The need for a 3-point assassin is obvious. But exactly what to drop to get one is not an easy question.

To me, you have to take Oden and work from that very wonderful given. Which means at a minimum that Joel Przybilla's playing days in Portland are done.

Greg Oden was born in...*1988*?

the last time the Blazers had a #1 pick, he was...he was...good lord.

Durant wouldn't be a bad pick, either...

Jack,

I think you're distaste for Zach clouds you're judgment about him (not that I disagree with you). Plenty of people would be willing to take him, character flaws/big contract and all. He's one of the most skilled low post players in the game. There are plenty of shady characters in the NBA. Other cities are much more tolerant than Portland.

Pritchard is in the drivers seat. I think you'll be surprised what Portland gets in return for Z-bo.

...A better statement would have been "other cities' standards aren't quite as high as Portland's when it comes to athlete's character."

a Sidney Wicks kind of chill just came over me ...but then after that suddenly so did a Sam Bowie chill

There are plenty of shady characters in the NBA.

It's not just the shady character, although that's a big part of it. The young team played just as well without him the second half of this year. Last year he didn't really show up at all.

I think you'll be surprised what Portland gets in return for Z-bo.

If they take Oden, it hope it's someone with 5 to 8 years of NBA experience who just kills opponents with the three-pointer.

I would worry (but I won't) about Paul Allen's level of committment to building the team around either Oden or Durant. I'm guessing ticket prices will be increasing soon.

LaRue Martin (born March 30, 1950 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American former professional basketball player, widely considered to be the worst first overall draft pick in NBA history [1]. Martin was taken first overall out of Loyola University by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1972, drafted ahead of future Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo.

LaRue Martin

You're just full of joy, aren't you?

...throwing in somebody good like Jarrett Jack, which would be a big, big mistake.

I would have no problem throwing him into a deal if it brought back said 3-point shooter. Sergio is more than adequate running the team. Steve Blake will be available this off-season and would be perfect running the point with Rodriguez. So many options tonight. So many options...

Here's hoping they improve enough so that I don't feel guilty cheering against them when my team is in town.

A 5 percent shot. Man, when was the last time this franchise had a piece of luck like that? Efforts to "renovate" the team's image, perhaps, have created some good karma. Hope the new leadership can take advantage.

Jerry West comments on this year's draft...pretty darn cool:

"There have been a lot of picks in the lottery that have (failed). There are two in the lottery this year that are not going to fail. There are two superstars in the draft. I think for the teams fortunate enough to get them, the fortunes of their franchises have changed forever."

Jerry West knows his stuff. Could be a pretty interesting rivalry between the Blazers and Sonics in the coming years.

I think Oden has a better chance than Durant. Unless Durant goes to the gym and starts working out now, the first slashing move to the basket he'll be wiped out.

They would trade LaMarcus for a shooter, would they?

Am I the only one that thought Oden wasn't all that impressive in the NCAA tourney? That scares me...

First off- Pick Oden! A great big man does not come around very often!

And second- I don't know how good a rivalry with the Sonics will be when they move to OKC within 1-2 years....

"Am I the only one that thought Oden wasn't all that impressive in the NCAA tourney? That scares me..."

I have concerns about that as well. Most of the enthusiam about Oden seems to come from the one game against Florida which his team lost...Everyone thought he was so great because he played lots of minutes and didn't foul out.

If they go with Durant it would fit in with the pieces they already have in place if you take Zach out of the equation. Zach was such a huge liability on defense because he was so slow to get back and the guy can't jump or run worth a darn.

Can you imagine Durant running the floor on a fast break with Alrdirdge and B-Roy? It would be a thing of true beauty. Durant is also more of a sure bet in terms of what he has already demonstrated at the college level. At 220 he isn't too small to hang in the NBA, and he can easily put on another 15 to 20 lbs. of muscle with a good trainer since he's still in his growing phase. He's a huge threat on offense anywhere on the floor.

The word "potential" is always coupled with any discussion surrounding Greg Oden. His ability to stay out of foul trouble is questionable, as is his ability to play big minutes. Big monsters with his athleticism only come along every so often, and it's tempting to bite on the hook that he's the next Shaq and all that. If they draft Oden I think they keep Zach around for awhile to let Oden develop somewhat.

In the end I think it comes down to whether they want to build a quicker up and down the court type of team that has an open fluid style and scores lots of points, or a bigger half court team that places of emphasis on defense, set plays and post play.

From ESPN:

Oden said coincidentally he is going to be at the Nike headquarters outside of Portland later in the week after the stop in Las Vegas. He said he doesn't have a signed deal yet.

Yeah, baby!

He said he doesn't have a signed deal yet.

The early word was his shoe deal would be in the mid-five-figures. The hypothesis being big men don't move shoes. Big men do, however, win championships. :-)

I don't get the kvetching about the Blazers possibly passing on Jordan a second time if they pick Oden over Durant. The Rockets picked first in the Jordan draft and also passed on the greatest player ever. They took a big man. But folks seem to forget about that.

Lost in the (justified) hype about the Blazers having the #1 pick overall is that they also have FOUR second round picks. Draft day looks to be very fun indeed.

Seems to me that Durant is the better fit. Zach will net, what, 70 cents on the dollar? Just go with Durant, play aldridge at center, Pryzbilla can come off the bench, move Zach during the season for more.
Not sold on Oden at all.

Difference-making centers like Oden don't come along that often. I think you have to take him. I like Aldridge, but don't think he has the body to bang with the huge guys at the center spot. I think Oden is McMillan's type of player, and I don't think there's any doubt we'll take him.

It's tough, because I think the Blazers would be more FUN to watch with Durant, but more likely to win a championship with Oden.

Jack, i've been telling you this was going to happen for months....I've had multiple 'visions' of the Blazer's getting one of the top picks and it has happened. I will also say drafting Oden is going to be like drafting Hakeem O in 1984, the sure fire franchise center every team wants, he would be a great addition and help the team make be in the playoffs for many years to come. Drafting Durant 'could' be like drafting the next Jordan (probably closer to Garnett) and we'd be getting a GOAT (Greatest of all time) type player.... I almost wish we had the #2 picks so it would make life easier for us...

Oh idiot moi, I thought for a moment the first pick was which prison for the Jail Blazers not the the choice of player for the Trail Blazers.

Awesome!

Portland drafts a sure-fire, guaranteed, heavily recruited Future-Hall-of-Famer big man that is Destined to Change the Franchise.

Sam Bowie, 1984.

Here is my dream scenario:

Draft Oden.

Sign and trade with Bulls and Sonics for Lewis, Bulls get Zach (the playoffs showed them they need a low post scorer) Sonics get expiring contracts and Bulls #1 pick, and since they just drafted Durant they don't really have room for Lewis anyway.

Move Joel for a shooter.

Lineup of Jack, Roy, Lewis, Aldridge and Oden.

Bench of Sergio, Webster, Udoke, Outlaw, Magliore, whoever we get for Joel.

Lineup of Jack, Roy, Lewis, Aldridge and Oden.

i like that.

man, i miss Porter/Drexler/Kersey/Williams/Duckworth.

Hey, c'mon, it's got to be Oden. Durant needs the ball in his hands so much. As Bill Walton (the last guy who brought us a title) says "Who needs 6-10 perimeter players." With Roy, Aldridge, Jack, I say we could use someone who doesn't need a ton of touches to be effective on the offensive end, and automatically updgrades our defense and rebounding. I look at Oden and I see a guy ahead of where Tim Duncan was after his freshman year at Wake Forest. As for Zach and Darius, shop one or both of them for Shane Battier, that's the extra leader and "glue" guy we need. Rashard Lewis will just get overpaid. I am so excited one way or the other. RIP CITY!

Eric predicts a trade with Seattle, but if they're going to do that why not sweeten the deal even more to get Durant?

Draft Oden with the first pick. Draft Durant by acquiring the second pick by trading Miles and Zack plus trading the four second round draft picks, throw in a little of Paul's money (1% of his wealth), then you've got the daily double.

we need a center, and trade zach, joel and darius for a 3point shooter.