Through the NBA draft in November, Pacific Northwest Sports will compile data from various mock drafts. Rather than our readers chase across the internet for information about who the Portland Trail Blazers pick, we bring you the consensus.
For edition 2.0, we used 25 mock drafts. NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, and The Athletic were among the sites we audited this time around. The sources may change a bit from article to article, but they are credible.
Due to COVID-19, the 2019–20 NBA Season was unlike anything else in league history. Before the pandemic induced break, the Portland Trail Blazers played through a staggering amount of key injuries. For most of the season, the Blazers played without Jusuf Nurkic, Zach Collins, and Rodney Hood.
Portland entered the Orlando bubble in ninth place in the West, three-and-a-half games behind Memphis. They claimed the eighth and final playoff spot with a strong 6–2 performance. Ultimately the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers proved to be too much and eliminated the upstart Blazers from the postseason in the first round.
To reach the next level the Trail Blazers need more help. Both Anthony and Whiteside are pending free agents. Melo said Portland felt like home and wants to come back but that doesn’t mean he will be. Whiteside will likely be too high priced for the Blazers to re-sign.
With Nurkic and Collins on the team and healthy, he is a high-profile bench player. The Blazers won’t pay $27M for a substitute, nor should they. Whiteside, for his part, won’t play for the same or less money after leading the league in blocks and finishing second in rebounds.
Both Mario Hezonja and Caleb Swanigan are also pending UFAs. Neither is close to a starter, but someone has to play those minutes off the bench. An already thin frontcourt is about to get thinner.
Additionally, 34-year-old small forward Trevor Ariza, who opted out of the restart for personal reasons, has a reasonable $1.8M buyout of his $12M contract. With Hood coming back from an Achilles tear, an additional outside shooter would be a nice addition as well.
Between now and draft day on November 18, there will be plenty of signings, extensions, buyouts, and trades. That’s why the mock drafts will be somewhat fluid going forward.
To show how much opinions vary, of all the mock drafts we audited, nine different players are projected to go the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. Despite that division, some favorites have emerged as front runners. Here is the breakdown.
The percentage on Bey is slightly down (30.2 last time) while Achiuwa is slightly up (3.04). Nesmith is the big mover up from 4.3 percent in version 1.0 to 12 percent today. Additionally, now 72 percent of mocks have Portland drafting a forward. that explains why
Guards will be in abundance when Portland is on the clock. The problem with that is the Trail Blazers don’t need to take a guard in the first round. Dame and C.J. are one of the best backcourt tandems in the league. Anfernee Simons is an up and comer and can make things happen when he has the ball. Gary Trent Jr. played terrific 3-and-D in the bubble. He was often the first man off the bench for coach Terry Stotts.
That means Portland should go with a forward. Bey and Achiuwa are the best candidates who should be on the board. There is no guarantee that either will be available at 16. I think one of them will.
If by some quirk of fate both men are still on the board, Portland GM Neil Olshey will have to decide whether he wants an inside player or a perimeter player. In terms of point production, Bey had a slightly better scoring average, 16.1 to 15.8 points per game.
Bey is by far the better shooter. At Villanova last season he nailed 45.1 percent of his shots from behind the three-point line. Additionally, he is an excellent defender. Bey may not get many boards, but he can keep his man off the glass in addition to playing him tightly. He’d be a great pickup especially if the Blazers find a way to bring Whiteside back.
“Villanova wing Saddiq Bey is the most underrated prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft class.” – Rob Dauseter, NBC Sports.
Achiuwa on the other hand is a top rebounder. He averaged 10.8 rebounds per game. It’s not that Achiuwa can’t shoot threes, he made 32.5 percent last year, it’s that he only took 40 long-distance shots. The Bronx, NY native prefers to create his opportunities closer to the rim.
If Bey is an excellent defender, Achiuwa has the potential to be elite. Memphis had one of the best defenses in the country last year and Achiuwa was their anchor. His strength and phenomenal athleticism, not to mention 7-1 wingspan, makes him a nightmare for whoever he guards. He would be a good choice if the Portland Trail Blazers keep Ariza.
Others receiving votes: Jalen Smith, 6-10, C, Maryland (2), RJ Hampton – 6-5, G, New Zealand Breakers (2); Josh Green, 6-6, G/F, Arizona, freshman (2); Jaden McDaniels, 6-10, wing, Washington, freshman; Patrick Williams – 6-8, F, Florida State, freshman; Theo Maledon – 6-5, PG, France; Tre Jones, 6-3, PG, Duke, freshman, and Tyrese Maxey, 6-3, SG, Kentucky, freshman.
Of the 25 mock drafts, we used, just nine go into the second round. Different drafters have their own sources and opinions, but plenty can happen in the 30 picks between Portland’s first and second selections. Trying to predict so deep into the draft means a consensus is hard to find. That’s why there are nine different choices this time around.
Players who received votes include Grant Riller – 6-3, G, Charleston, senior; Killian Tillie – 6-10, F/C, Gonzaga, senior; Payton Pritchard – 6-2, G, Oregon, senior; Tre Jones – 6-3, PG, Duke, freshman; Ty-Shon Alexander– 6-4, G/F Creighton, junior; Nate Hinton – 6-5, G/F, Houston, senior; Cassius Stanley, 6-6, SG, Duke, freshman; Sam Merrill, 6-5, SG, Utah State, senior.
Sometimes a team takes the highest player they have on their draft board, regardless of position. But, again with how deep Portland Trail Blazers are in the backcourt, it’s hard to believe they draft another guard. That’s what makes Elijah Hughes so appealing.
He’s a classic wing and could develop into a solid backup at the three spot. One of the things that pop about Hughes on video is his ability to create his own shot. Both Lillard and McCollum can do it, three players with that ability on the court at the same time would be amazing.
An aggressive scorer with deep range as a set shooter and an advanced midrange game… Creating his own shot extensively out of isolation and pick and roll situations, hunting shots in transition, and never hesitating to rise and fire in spot up situations, he scored in bunches some nights. – NBA.com
Depending on who is available and when, there are plenty of scenarios where the Portland Trail Blazers either trade up or trade out of round two.