What The Blazers Can Expect With The 23rd Overall Pick
With so much unknown for the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason due to the many different paths the franchise could follow after free agency shakes out, there seems to be a lot of pressure put on them to nail their first round pick this season.
If LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez and the gang are ready for one more push with this group, then the first round pick will be looked at to provide more bench depth, and maybe as the “missing piece” that could get transform the Blazers from dangerous when healthy to legitimate title contender.
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If LaMarcus bolts, brings his friends, and leaves the Blazers holding a bag of money they can’t seem to find a home for, then the rebuild begins and the first round pick could be viewed as the possibility of a second foundational piece to pair with Damian Lillard.
Adding to that is the fact that the Blazers did not have a first round pick in last year’s draft, and there’s a real chance they won’t own their pick in next year’s either (the pick they traded to Denver for Arron Afflalo is lottery-protected).
Blazers general manager Neil Olshey has a pretty good track record in the draft. As has been made pretty public, he had a hand in drafting DeAndre Jordan during his time in Los Angeles.
Since coming to Portland, he’s used first round picks on Damian Lillard, Meyers Leonard, and C.J. McCollum (basically all of the Blazers’ young talent). He’s even found useful players in the second round such as Will Barton.
But what can the Blazers really expect out of the 23rd overall draft pick this June, if anything?
Next: All 23rd Picks Are Not Equal