With the strategic offseason moves of trading Deni Avdija and selecting Donovan Clingan, the Portland Trail Blazers now have six key players 25 or younger between Avdija, Clingan, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara and Anfernee Simons (though it remains to be seen whether Simons should be considered a long-term piece). The Blazers have one of the The most underrated young cores across the league, with incredibly athletic guards, a versatile wing and defensive-minded frontcourt players.
This group of players is a key piece in becoming the go-to player and focal point of the rebuild. If they reach their ceiling, the Blazers could already have it with someone like Henderson or Sharpe. However, the draft is a great way to find that critical missing piece to help them rise to the top when this core reaches its peak.
The Blazers entered the 2024 NBA Draft with four picks but used only one (No. 7 on Clingan). They traded their No. 14 pick (Bub Carrington), a 2029 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2030 second-round pick for Avdija. The Blazers also had the Nos. 34 and 40 draft picks. Yet they ended up trading the entire second round for cash considerations and future second-round picks to recoup the picks lost in the Avdija deal.
Moving forward, Portland now owns the following draft selections:
*Portland owes the Chicago Bulls a lottery-protected first-round pick that is protected through 2028. Under the Stepien Rule, until that pick is traded to Chicago, Portland cannot trade any first-round picks that might belong to the Bulls (all firsts through 2028).
Given this list of future draft picks, the rebuild looks promising in Portland.
