The Portland Trail Blazers find themselves in one of the most unique spots entering the 2024 NBA Draft. Due to the fact that they only won 21 games this past season, the Blazers secured the seventh overall pick in the draft. However, they gained an additional lottery pick with the 14th overall selection due to the Golden State Warriors' selection falling outside of the top 4. This pick was originally dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies, but came to the Blazers by way of the Boston Celtics in their Jrue Holiday trade last summer. With multiple draft picks in the lottery, Portland faces numerous scenarios for immediate growth.
To say that the last few seasons have been a struggle for the Blazers would be an understatement. After parting ways with CJ McCollum in 2022, the Trail Blazers brass decided to move on from both Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic last summer.
In the post-Lillard era, Anfernee Simons was picked to be the face of the franchise, with some young, high-potential players such as Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton. The additions of Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III from the Celtics were also thought to make an immediate impact off the bench and help stabilize Portland's rotations.
Everything that could have gone wrong for the Blazers went wrong, as virtually every single one of their impactful players went down with some sort of injury at some point in the 2023-24 season. Unlike many teams picking in the lottery, the Trail Blazers aren't your ordinary rebuilding team. There is still work to be done for them to get back to the playoffs, but this is a team primed for immediate growth. Who they end up with in the 2024 NBA Draft could just be the final piece of the puzzle.
Here are some options the Blazers may have with the No. 14 pick in this year's draft.
Ron Holland – G League Ignite
Ron Holland was a potential top overall pick at one point when he decided to join the G League Ignite. Although he did not have the worst of seasons with the Ignite, he wasn't fully able to showcase his overall two-way abilities on the wing due to a thumb injury he suffered. As a result, there is talk about him possibly slipping down some draft boards to the late-lottery section of the first round.
However, there are still plenty of teams that are high on his potential as a wing, one of them being the Trail Blazers.
Between his physical tools and ability to push the pace in transition, Holland could fit the Blazers' system perfectly next to other springy, athletic players like Sharpe and Henderson. Holland is still only 18 years old, making him one of the youngest players in this draft class.
Should Holland fall to the 14th pick, the Blazers may be forced to take him. His upside is just way too much to pass up on, as Holland could become a focal point for a franchise like the Trail Blazers in a matter of years.
Cody Williams – Colorado
Cody Williams, the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams, is a dynamic wing with a ton of upside for growth. While some believe he could go as high as fifth overall to the Detroit Pistons, others feel as if Williams is a late-lottery prospect due to the long-term development he will need.
At this juncture, Williams is not the type of rookie that will immediately impact a team's chances of winning during the 2024-25 season. However, his long-term potential and his athleticism make him a high-value pick.
The Blazers would be an interesting fit for Williams because of the length and quickness he has. Like Holland, Williams would also fit a need on the wing that this organization has.
With the right developmental team behind him, Williams could blossom upon being drafted.
Zach Edey – Purdue
Where will Zach Edey end up? There have been rumblings about teams being interested in him in the back end of the lottery, so could the Blazers be a possible fit for Edey?
After all, Portland has been one of the teams attempting to trade up in this year's draft to select Donovan Clingan from UConn. Assuming they are unable to do so, Edey may not be the worst backup plan for the Blazers to have. Between his footwork in the low post and large frame, the Purdue star would be a player who could instantly contribute as a rebounder and paint scorer for the Blazers, who ranked 29th in paint scoring last season.
The questions about Edey revolve around his toughness and ability to play outside the paint. Despite showing off his shooting abilities at the NBA Draft Combine in May, there are still some who don't believe Edey will be able to consistently play on the perimeter.
In any case, should the Blazers draft Edey or target another center, this could signal that Deandre Ayton's days are numbered.
Blazers' trade options
Of course, the Blazers could always look to trade this No. 14 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Whether or not they would look to trade up or trade down is the main question here.
In any scenario where they would move up to take Clingan, Portland would most likely have to sacrifice this draft pick, along with the No. 7 pick. Then again, maybe there is a scenario where the Blazers target a different player inside the Top 10 and could move up several spots by leveraging this 14th pick with other assets.
Aside from trading up, the Blazers will surely hear offers coming their way to potentially move back in the first round of the draft. For a team that is currently going through a rebuild, gathering extra assets at the expense of the 14th pick, which doesn't guarantee an impactful player in this year's draft, could make a lot of sense.
Whatever the case may be, the Blazers likely won't make a decision on their plans with the 14th pick until the night of the draft.
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