Trail Blazers at No. 3 – Is Alabama’s Brandon Miller Worth It?
By STEVEN VAUGHAN, 750 THE GAME
The Trail Blazers ended up with the No. 3 pick in next month’s NBA Draft after the ping pong balls settled at the NBA Draft Lottery.
The hopes of landing Victor Wembanyama to pair with Damian Lillard are officially gone.
As for the No. 3 pick — should Portland trade it or keep it?
If the franchise keeps it, one of the players that could be available is Alabama freshman forward Brandon Miller.
Miller was surrounded by controversy this season. He was allegedly at the scene of a Jan. 15th shooting in Tuscaloosa that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Jamea Jonae-Harris.
A gun belonging to Miller’s former teammate Darius Miles was in the back of Miller’s vehicle, according to testimony. That gun was used to shoot at another vehicle in which Harris was a passenger, killing her.
Miller was not charged and has been a cooperating witness in the investigation, according to police. He was not suspended from Alabama team activities or disciplined by the program or university.
Miles was charged with capital murder and has since plead not guilty.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says that NBA teams aren’t worried about the character of Brandon Miller.
“Teams have already spent a lot of time and resources on that particular event and the background of Brandon Miller,” Wojnarowski said. “What I’m getting back from those organizations is, not only did they not find anything that they would consider disqualifying to select Brandon Miller, they are finding a young man who they say is mature, focused, whose character and his habits are actually an asset in their evaluation of him.”
If Miller is available for the Blazers with the third pick, would they take him? Many consider Miller to be a perfect on-court fit for Portland.
John Canzano gave his thoughts on the topic on 750 The Game.
“Look, they’ve been looking for a wing like Brandon Miller for a decade — do they take him?”
Off-court issues negatively impacted the early-2000s era of Trail Blazers basketball. Is Miller’s history problematic?
Canzano says he needs to know more.
“Can you take a player that was on the scene of, and at least peripherally involved in, an incident like Miller was involved in? I need to know more. I need to know more from people from Alabama who know the kid.”
Miller could be in the mix for Charlotte with the No. 2 pick, and would not be available for Portland at No. 3. That would keep the franchise from making a difficult decision.
But if he is available?
Listen to the segment at the 2:04:45 mark of the podcast below. Catch John Canzano weekdays 3-6 p.m. in Portland exclusively on 750 The Game.