Where do the Portland Trail Blazers go after losing New Orleans’ pick?
Rob Ryan
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Don’t get me wrong; there is plenty of reason to be upset about losing a second lottery pick. However, unless the Blazers were for sure moving the pick for Jerami Grant or another established player, please don’t assume the pick wouldn’t net them a player to return the team to contender status.
Value only matters for what you can get out of it. The idea for the offseason has been that Portland needs to upgrade the talent at both starting forward positions. Though it holds less potential value than a late lottery pick, the Milwaukee Bucks 2025 first-round pick still has value.
Chet Holmgren, the No. 1 prospect in the ESPN Top 100, will enter the 2022 NBA draft, he told @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/r7DIKnEYwx
— ESPN (@espn) April 21, 2022
I don’t think Portland has necessarily lost out on Jerami Grant. The Pistons asked for two first-round picks for him at the trade deadline, and nobody met their offer. Grant had more value at the trade deadline. Acquiring him would have aided in two potential playoff runs before his next contract.
If Portland dangles Milwaukee’s 2025 #1 pick, second-round picks, Keon Johnson, etc., are still close to being front runners to acquire Grant. Although it might be a better idea to try and trade with Chicago to get their pick back, thus opening up access to all future Portland picks moving forward.
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