Portland Trail Blazers 2022 NBA Draft.
The Portland Trail Blazers season has been over for some time. 2023-24 started in the team’s executive offices months ago. Their next big event is the NBA Draft on June 22.
Pacific Northwest Sports has been monitoring the top mock drafts. We did all the background work so our readers won’t have to search all over the web to determine who the Portland Trail Blazers will select.
For the 2023 finale, we audited 65 different mock drafts. Twenty-four of them went through all two rounds. The sources we use for the mocks may vary from edition to edition, but they are all credible. This time we included ESPN, USA Today, CBS Sports, The Athletic, The Ringer, Sporting News, and more.
As a result of the NBA Draft Lottery, the Portland Trail Blazers pick 3rd overall. For now, they own a second first round pick, 23rd overall, acquired from New York in the Josh Hart trade. Additionally, they have a second round pick, which is 43rd overall.
For the Blazers to get back into contention in the Western Conference, it’s essential for General Manager Joe Cronin to get this right. Either with the pick or trading it away for veteran help.
Last year, Portland selected Shaedon Sharpe sixth overall and Jabari Walker 57th. Both look to have a bright future with the team. Sharpe is a budding star.
Power Forward
This has been a Blazers position of need for many years. When was the last time Portland had someone physically dominant inside who could defend AND get rebounds? It’s been quite a while. In the Damian Lillard era, the team has had its most success when filling this role.
Center
How pressing the Portland Trail Blazers’ need for a center depends on whether or not management finally realized that for two years, this team had no size. Jusuf Nurkic is the only Blazer over 6-9. Trendon Watford and Drew Eubanks do solid work, but they are overmatched against other team’s starters.
Nurk needs a solid backup. And with his injury history, that backup will get plenty of playing time.
Scoring Forward
The Portland Trail Blazers’ offense revolves around Dame. For years he had CJ McCollum as his backcourt mate and scoring partner. McCollum is gone, but his replacement Anfernee Simons can also light it up.
Being so backcourt-centric hasn’t led to an NBA Championship appearance yet. That’s why Cronin traded for Jerami Grant. Opinions are mixed on Grant, and he is a free agent.
Portland’s offense works best when there is a third option to shoot from mid-to-three-point range. It would be nice if they could spread out the scoring load a little more next season.
Dame wants to win now, and he said he doesn’t have time to wait on another player to develop. There is plenty of buzz about the Portland Trail Blazers trading the pick.
If they keep it, a potential superstar will make his way to Rip City. 7-5 center Victor Wembanyama is the sure-fire first pick to San Antonio, but this draft features three franchise players. Forward Brandon Miller from Alabama and Scoot Henderson of the G-League ignite considered among the best draft-eligible players available in the past several years.
Over the last week, there has been a shift, with Miller to Portland gaining steam. Here are the potential picks and the percentage of mock drafts that selected them last week and this week.
Henderson – 56.82% (June 16), 50.77% (June 22).
Miller – 36.36% (June 16), 44.62% (June 22).
Other – 6.82% (June 16), 4.62% (June 22).
If this were an election, Miller is inching up to the margin of error.
Charlotte picks number two, and Miller fits their lineup better. It’s not guaranteed that he will go to the Hornets. They weren’t as impressed with his workout. Additionally, several teams want to trade up to second and draft Scoot.
The 6-9 power forward is a prolific scorer and shooter. He can also handle himself on the glass and is a good defender. He sometimes struggles with consistency but not for long periods. And his off-court history raises a few flags.
If Miller goes second, the Portland Trail Blazers still get a potential generational talent with Henderson. He has elite physical tools and a work ethic that puts many to shame.
In a recent article on NBA.com, 20-year veteran Jamal Crawford said, “(Henderson) is wise beyond his years, and his work ethic and mentality will separate him from his peers.”
Last year, he took over G-League games with his explosiveness and mid-range jump shot. Henderson is far from a finished product and has plenty of room for improvement.
The 17% he shot from three-point range for the Ignite last season won’t cut it as a guard at the NBA level. No doubt he’s been busting his butt in the gym, improving his outside shot.
This is another pick the Portland Trail Blazers might not keep. They still owe Detroit a first rounder from a prior trade.
The Pistons should take it because the Blazers should be vastly improved next year, and their pick should be within a few spots of what it is now. Also, Cronin is motivated to move it to the Pistons to free up future first round picks to use in trades.
If the Portland Trail Blazers keep the pick, some attractive options should be available. Again, the situation with this pick has changed greatly over the last week. Alabama center Noah Clowney has overtaken Iowa forward Kris Murray (Keegan’s twin brother) for the most selections. But again, the overall landscape has shifted.
Noah Clowney, C – 6 of 43 (June 16), 10 of 65 (June 22), +2.19%
Kris Murray, PF – 7 of 43 (June 16), 8 of 65 (June 22), -3.97%
Brice Sensabaugh, SF – 4 of 43 (June 16), 6 of 65 (June 22), -0.07%
Jaime Jacquez, SF – 1 of 43 (June 16), 6 of 65 (June 22), +6.91%
Leonard Miller, PF/C – 2 of 43 (June 16), 5 of 65 (June 22), +3.04%
Jett Howard, W – 6 of 43 (June 16), 5 of 65 (June 22), -6.26%
Rayan Rupert, G – 5 of 43 (June 16), 4 of 65 (June 22), -7.01%
As with the third pick, it may be a matter of who is on the board when the Portland Trail Blazers get on the clock. If Clowney is there, and Portland has the pick, they shouldn’t pass on him. At 6-10, he has the size they need, isn’t afraid to shoot from outside (3.3 attempts per game last year), and plays defense.
Clowney is only 18, and like many young players, he struggles with consistency. Portland Trail Blazers fans will love his hustle.
Murray doesn’t put up numbers like his brother Keegan does. However, Kris is versatile and can fit into a variety of roles. He makes intelligent decisions on the floor and provides good length on the defensive perimeter.
Watch out for Leonard Miller; he may be the biggest sleeper in this draft class.
Also receiving multiple selections this time are Trayce Jackson-Davis, 6-8, forward, Indiana (4); Olivier Maxine-Prosper, 6-8, forward, Marquette (4); James Nnaji, 6-11, center, Barcelona (3); Dariq Whitehead, 6-6, forward, Duke (2); GG Jackson, 6-9, PF/C, South Carolina (2); Keyonte George, 6-4, guard, Baylor (2); and Nick Smith, 6-5, guard, Arkansas (2).
The following players had one selection each: Kobe Bufkin, 6-4, guard, Michigan; Ben Sheppard, 6-6, guard, Belmont; and Andre Jackson, 6-6, forward, UConn.
We audited 24 mock drafts that went both rounds. There are plenty of variables out there that make selecting a player at this point difficult.
Midway through the second round, it’s usually hard to find much agreement on anyone. Still, three mocks each had the Portland Trail Blazers taking 6-6 Penn State wing Seth Lundy and 6-10 power forward Tristan Vukcevic from KK Partisan of the Serbian League.
“A stretch big man who can hit multiple three-point shots a game, Tristan Vukcevic has a chance to be one of the better picks in the second round of this draft. Outside of Jusuf Nurkic, the Trail Blazers don’t have much frontcourt talent, and Nurkic’s future could become questionable this upcoming season. Vukcevic is a young, modern-day big man the Blazers could build with and develop moving forward.“
– Brett Siegel, Clutch Points
Three prospects had two selections each: Terquavion Smith, 6-4, guard, NC State; Keyontae Johnson, 6-4, guard, Kansas State; and Jordan Walsh, 6-7, W, Arkansas.
Other players projected to the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round: Adama Sanogo, 6-9 F/C, Uconn; Chris Livingston, 6-7, wing, Kentucky; Colby Jones, 6-5, guard, Xavier, Colin Castleton, 6-11, center, Florida; Emoni Bates, 6-10, F/C, Eastern Michigan, Jalen Wilson, F, 6-7, Kansas; Julian Strawther, 6-7, W, Gonzaga; Kobe Brown, 6-8, PF/C, Missouri; Marcus Sasser, 6-1, G Houston; Mouhamed Gueye, 6-11, F/C, Washington State; Olivier Maxine-Prosper, 6-8, forward, Marquette; Rayan Rupert, 6-7, guard, New Zealand Breakers; and Sidy Cissoko, 6-8, F, G-League Ignite.
Who do you think the Portland Trail Blazers will draft this year?