Sports Column

What if?

On Sports: Another No. 1 pick for Portland would be bad for the NBA, but great for the Blazers

By dwight jaynes

The Portland Tribune, May 20, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (3 Reader comments)

CHRISTIAN PETERSEN / GETTY IMAGES

Derrick Rose from Memphis, shown driving in a game against Michigan State, would make a great No. 1 pick for Portland — if the Blazers can beat the long odds in Tuesday night's NBA draft lottery.

It would be bad news for the NBA, but very good news for the Portland Trail Blazers.

There would be screams from coast to coast from other franchises, and I’m certain a rule change to keep it from ever happening again. But perhaps this is what it takes to get the league straightened out.

I’m talking about the draft lottery Tuesday night. The Trail Blazers were certainly one of the top 16 teams in the NBA last season, but because they played in the talented Western Conference, they didn’t make the playoffs. And so here they are, in position to get overwhelmingly lucky in the lottery.

After plucking the No. 1 pick last year in the lottery and taking Greg Oden, the Blazers really don’t deserve to be lucky again. Nobody would make a case for that. But I’ve already argued that I think the playoffs should be made up of the top 16 teams in the league – regardless of conference.

Yes, I know they play different schedules. So balance the schedules. And besides, teams within the same conference play unbalanced schedules as it is. If Portland, or the Golden State Warriors, for that matter, pulls the top pick – or even the No. 2 choice (it’s basically a two-player show at the top of the draft), the Western Conference will continue to bury the weak East.

That’s why I think if Portland or Golden State captures a high pick, you’ll see the NBA take steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Perhaps the league would finally change the playoff formula to not only get the best teams in the playoffs – but to keep them out of the lottery.

For the Blazers, getting that top selection would seal the franchise’s place as the NBA’s singular up-and-coming team. I mean, you add Derrick Rose to this club as a point guard and you’re off to the races. All that would be needed is to fine tune the bench a little bit and add some experience. Then you'd have all the pieces in place for a powerhouse for years to come.

And that’s why fans should be excited about the lottery this time. Yes, I know the Blazers have just a 2 percent chance of even making it into the top three spots. And a little more than half a percentage point chance of gaining the No. 1 slot. A ridiculous long shot.

But at the same time, how often does the team of your choice have ANY chance of sealing its greatness for the next decade? Make no mistake, a point guard with the talent of Rose would fit with the rest of Portland’s young players perfectly. Like a glove.

Even that tiny chance, given the high stakes, is a great chance.

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