Who Are The Blazers Going To Select With Their Two Lottery Picks?
By 750 THE GAME STAFF
The NBA draft is in one week on Wednesday, June 26th. There is still no consensus who the top picks in this draft are going to be which leads to a large unknown who will be available for the Trail Blazers when they pick at no. 7.
There will be opportunities for the Trail Blazers to trade up in this draft if there is a player that they love. But if they stay at no. 7 and no. 14 they could still grab players that they like depending on how the draft goes down.
Here are three mock drafts from three of the top draft analysts when it comes to the NBA. All three have projected different players for the Blazers to select with their lottery picks.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo
7. Trail Blazers – Donovan Clingan, C, UConn
Ranked No. 3 in ESPN’s Top 100, Clingan is viewed by many rival teams as a legitimate candidate for the Hawks at No. 1, making him a key piece of the puzzle in projecting this draft.
Clingan is also viewed as a potential trade-up target for teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies, which could lead to him coming off the board ahead of this spot. However, the Rockets, Spurs, Pistons and Hornets don’t appear to be landing spots for Clingan, so there are also scenarios in which he falls to No. 7.
Portland would presumably be thrilled with that, as Clingan is the best player available and would supply long-term defensive backbone for a team still laying its foundation in the frontcourt. — Woo
14. Trail Blazers – Ja’Kobe Walter – SG/SF – Baylor
Walter, ranked No. 14 in ESPN’s Top 100, has kept a pretty low profile during the pre-draft process, mostly conducting one-on-zero workouts in places such as Detroit, Charlotte, San Antonio, Utah and Sacramento. He was among the first 12 players invited to the draft green room, which is a positive sign for his standing among teams.
Walter’s combination of length, dynamic shot-making prowess, intensity, youth and outstanding off-court intangibles give him both a high floor and an attractive archetype every team is looking for with a 3-and-D wing with upside to grow.
He’s likely to get looks from all the teams in the mid-to-late lottery looking for wing depth, and he’ll have plenty of suitors in the teens hoping he falls to them. — Givony
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman
7. Trail Blazers – Cody Williams – SF – Colorado
Pro Comparison: Jaden McDaniels
Rival teams continue to predict that Cody Williams will be picked earlier than most expect, potentially by the Detroit Pistons at No. 5 or the San Antonio Spurs.
The pitch to Williams revolves around a coveted, big-wing archetype, his efficiency at Colorado and the belief that he has the mentality and blueprint (being Jalen’s brother) to continue improving and maximize his potential.
14. Trail Blazers – Tristan Da Silva – SF/PF – Colorado
Pro comparison: Trey Lyles
Tristan da Silva will visit mid-first-round teams on his workout tour. Teams all seem to like his positional size, shooting versatility and all-around polish, on and off the floor. The question is how much a team loves him.
His athletic limitations could restrict him at both ends of the floor, getting to and finishing at the rim or stopping quicker wings and stronger 4s.
Teams valuing safety and shooting over upside could be drawn to da Silva in the late lottery or teens.
7. Trail Blazers – Cody Williams – SF – Colorado
Williams is the most intriguing player in the lottery with his draft range all over the place, projected anywhere from 5-15. He still needs time to develop and add some muscle to adjust to the physicality of the NBA game, but he projects as a similar defender to Jaden McDaniels, and teams might have a hard time passing on that potential.
14. Trail Blazers – Kyshawn George – SG/SF – Miami
George averaged only 7.6 points during his one year at Miami, but shot 41% from 3-point range. Originally from Switzerland, the sharp-shooting wing shot up four inches two years ago and sees the floor like a point guard with how well he passes and how quick he makes decisions off the dribble.