The NBA Draft is Next Month

And I know there's a lot of playoff basketball between now and then, but it's never too soon to start worrying about how my beloved Blazers might be able to nab a top-flight shooting guard.

Most people think the best one out there, in the long run, is high-schooler Gerald Green who made a name for himself by winning a dunk contest on national TV. But now we're just starting to learn a new name, one that hasn't come up much in the press at all: Tiras Wade.

According to Jonathan Givony at DraftCity.com--an eager beaver who is clearly doing his best to come up with complete draft news, despite being something of an outsider in an insider's game--this kid is for real:

His jump shot is a thing of beauty, he catches the ball, elevates and releases all in one fluid motion, in a machine like way that comes off his hands exactly the same every single time. His shooting is without a doubt one of his biggest strengths, and he has the size and skill to get it off almost whenever he pleases.

Inside the arc is where Wade really surprised me. While his perimeter game is all about finesse, once he steps inside the arc he is all about power and tenacity, taking the ball to the hoop and finishing strong with the type of nastiness that is extremely impressive to watch in person.

You can read Givony's full review of Wade's workout here.