Could The Blazers Look To Trade Up In The NBA Draft?

By 750 THE GAME STAFF

The upcoming NBA draft has no consensus. The Portland Trail Blazers own the No. 7 and No. 14 picks in the first round. They could really go a number of directions as the team has worked out plenty of players the past couple of weeks.

But according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Trail Blazers have another option. It’s an option that hasn’t been discussed yet. That is packaging the two lottery picks and trading up in the draft. Potentially all the way up to the No. 1 overall pick.

On The Ringer’s NBA Draft Show podcast, O’Connor says he has heard some whispers that the Blazers are a team that could be looking to move up in the draft.

“The Blazers with the 14th pick are trying to move up,” O’Connor said. “Maybe Portland is trying to do seven and fourteen to go all the way up to one. Or maybe they’re trying to do seven and fourteen to get up to three, and then get up to one.”

Even though the draft isn’t thought to have a surefire superstar, if a team is willing to trade up for a player that means they must love that prospect. O’Connor says that No. 7 and No. 14 may not be enough. The Blazers may have to add another player with value to move up and then return some other contracts in return.

“Maybe Anfernee Simons is the guy who could fit in. Maybe Simons, seven, and 14 for (pick) three? Something like that? To me that’s an interesting offer. It’s a bit rich I think, but if there’s a guy the Blazers are targeting and that they can’t get at seven then I could see that having some appeal.”

Some fans will like that. Some fans won’t, but O’Connor says he likes the move for the Blazers.

“As a foundation of a deal. Three for seven, 14, and Simons . I’m into that.”

The NBA draft will be a two day event this year. Round one will be on June 26th and round two will take place on June 27th from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Listen to the full podcast of The Ringer’s NBA Draft Show by clicking the link here.

@750TheGame