As many of us do on a daily basis, I've spent the last few hours scouring the internet for assest acquisition possibilites for our beloved Portland Trailblazers and what journalists are writing about the 2013 NBA draft prospects. I found two articles and a Draft Express video on Bleacher Report (I know I know, blah blah blah... not a trusted source) that intrigued me, and I wanted to see what the Blazer faithful thought.

So here I go...

Jonathan Wasserman wrote,"2013 NBA Mock Draft: Full 1st-Round Predictions with Potential Trades".

With the 10th pick, Portland selectsC.J. McCollum. I thought that would be a great move, and one a lot of B-edgers have mentioned (and bickered over).

But it was with what happens with the 23rd pick that got my wheels a turnin'...

23日挑选,印第安纳州的交易Danny Grangerand their 23rd pick to Portland, forWesley Matthews, Myers Leonard,Joel Freeland, and Portland's 39th and 40th picks. So with the 23rd selction, Portland selectsDario Saricof Croatia (who is said to be one of the top international prospects).

I don't know how I feel about selecting Dario Saric, as I don't know much about the guy, nor do I remember anyone mentioning him here on Blazersedge as a 2013 draft possibility. But I'm not sure I'd select another SF, being that we already have Batum, Claver, Pavlovic, and the rights toKostas Papanikolaou.

Then I found this article...

Alex Kay wrote,"NBA Draft 2013: Latest Big Board and Top 30 Projections for Week of May 15". Well what do you know, he hasKelly Olynyklisted at #10, andGorgui Dienglisted at #11 (along with Gorgui's Draft Express video), two possibilities B-edgers have been bickering over.

Since I don't watch much college basketball and a lot of B-edgers seem to really like this Gorgui Dieng kid, I decided to watch the video. I was pleasantly surprised to finally see why so many of you are high on the guy! He seems like he's got a good motor, would be a great shot blocker and rebounder, along with being the rim protector that Portland so dearly needs (a youngJ.J. Hickson?).

This is where things get tricky for me. I really like that C.J. McCollum is a four year guy and he'd be a great scoring punch off the bench for us. But what if Portland took Gorgui Dieng with the 10th pick (because we knew we were going to trade Myers Leonard for Granger), and we signed Jermaine O'Neal as a backup PF/C and mentor to Dieng, who (I think) has a lot of similiar traits that O'Neal had entering the league.

And if my memory is correct, Portland would still have their own 2nd round pick to selectMike MuscalaorTrevor Mbakwe, who a lot of B-edgers have also mentioned as possibilities.

I don't want to get too far into what Portland's gonna do with Hickson, Maynor, E Will, Pavlovic, N. Smith, Babbitt, or Papanikolaou, because I don't know what the financials would look like after draft night if this were to happen. But if we could do a sign-in-trade with Hickson, to gain a role player or two (or future pick), and/or resign Maynor, I'd be a happy Portland Trailblazer camper going into free agency!

The roster before free agency (besides the O'Neal acquisition)...

PG - Lillard

SG - Granger/Barton

旧金山-巴统/闲话/ (Saric)

PF - Aldridge/O'Neal

C - O'Neal/Dieng

Any idea's as to who you'd select with the 23rd pick instead of Dario Saric, or who you'd want to go after in free agency?