I like the premise, but I'd be surprised if the Blazers used all the resources they could gather from the pick, Simons and Grant in this year's draft. I'm thinking more along the lines of them spreading the picks they might acquire over this year, next and maybe up toward 2029 when we already have two first-rounders and some of our current young players will be closing in on contract years.
Well lastest 5.0 draft has us picking another midget guard. Do we really need another guard TEAM: Saint-Quentin (France) USA today 31 minutes ago POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 6-3 DRAFT AGE: 19.1 After a slow start to his season in France, based on his priors before this season, it was only a matter of time before Nolan Traoré eventually started to heat up. He is averaging 16.6 points and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 48.1 percent on 3-pointers over the course of his last five games, per RealGM. Traoré was named 2025 Best Young Player of the Basketball Champions League and is inarguably one of the best playmakers in the 2025 NBA Draft. If he is more consistent at the next level, he could become something special.
After looking at 6 or so mock drafts, it's become clear that... prognosticators have no clue as to who we're going to take.
Maybe Utah or Washington will do a straight swap with us since they're so regretful of their decisions to tank this season?
People keep talking about this Queen kid. He wouldn’t get ANY time ahead of Clingan and Ayton. Unless they think he is a PF?
Not a huge deal. He's a rookie. He can pickup spot minutes during injuries for the first year. You don't draft for what the player does for you next season.
He scares me. First, the Blazers would have to trade one or two of their glut of centers to make it worth adding a player like Queen. Second, as someone else said, the questions about his intensity are concerning. I really hate being at 11, just from the standpoint of the value at that spot. I'd have to hear some good stuff about Murray-Boyles' workouts to like picking him at that spot. I don't like Fleming. People seem to have come around to what a lot of us were saying for months that Knueppel is a smart pick, so he's no longer going to be there at 11. Essengue is still likely to be available there, and that's who I'd take if the Blazers couldn't trade down a few spots where they might be able to get both him and Lendeborg (or luck into Demin still being on the board). EDIT: Left out McNeeley, who I think gives you similar skills to Knueppel as a shooter, which really would help us.
Unless Kon is there at 11, I like the idea of trading down and taking a couple swings. Atlanta, Brooklyn, Oklahoma City and Orlando all have multiple first round picks below us. Some combination of Carter Bryant, Drake Powell, Joan Beringer or Cedric Coward would be pretty sweet. I really like Jase Richardson too, but I think this FO is fully bought in on being a massive defensive oriented team and I'm here for it. I also think Jace has some star outcomes that I don't think he'd be able to realize in Portland. First version of this post had Essengue as one of the guys I'd stick at 11 for but I'm more so intrigued by him rather than completely sold.
Some people really like Carter Bryant and I have no doubt he can be a good role player but it seems like an aim low pick at 11. I heard a lot of good things about Coward. Would love to get the Magic pick and maybe get him there.
What I'm currently fantasizing about is this type of draft outcome: If Portland can trade Simons to Orlando for #16 + salary: 16 goes to Brooklyn for #19 + 27 + 36 (they have a crap ton of picks this summer & will want to move up) 19 goes to Chicago for the future pick owed being returned. At #11 - Noa (I'm sold on him being the best prospect in the late lotto) At #27 - Powell or Thiero (Defensive athletic freak, with offensive upside potential) At #36 - Yang or Zikarsky (Young developmental C on a 2-way contract)
Dallas isn’t trading 1 but because their was such a shake up I’m wondering if there’s a chance one of those teams might want a win now player and do we even have anything that would make sense for one of those teams. Team like Philly would benefit from player that could win now, trade this years, additional first rounder for this years 2nd pick and player. Long shot but thinking outside the box
