The Portland Trail Blazers appear to be a franchise without a clear path forward this offseason.

Under both external and internal pressure to put themselves in championship contention next season, it's important to remember that seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard is under contract with the Blazers through the 2026-27 season, with a $63.2 million player option on the final year of his deal. However, for both his sake and there's, it's better for them to maximize the potential of their roster this offseason.

32-years-old, Lillard has played in fewer than 60 games in each of the last two seasons. In fact, a nagging calf strain prevented Lillard from playing the final 10 games of the 2022-23 season; a stretch in which the Blazers still had a slim chance of making the Play-In Tournament.

That said, with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Blazers have the option of using it in a trade package for an established star. In that scenario, players like Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns, Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam or Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal could become options for Portland. Such a blockbuster move would place the Blazers firmly in playoff contention, while igniting their championship expectations in ways few others can.

However, if the Blazers opt to keep the pick, there may only be one logical move for them.

Making UCF Knights forward Taylor Hendricks their 2023 NBA Draft selection.

Why Blazers must target Taylor Hendricks in 2023 NBA Draft

The Portland Trail Blazers have five players under contract through the 2025-26 season: Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Nassir Little, and Jusuf Nurkic.

Frankly, this quintet could operate as their starting five next season. However, it's been reported that the Blazers have multiple players reaching free agency this offseason that they want back, namely defensive stopper Matisse Thybulle and dynamic forward Jerami Grant. If one or both of those players were to return, they would have an opportunity to start.

Thybulle provides a defensive presence in the backcourt that they would be missing by starting Lillard, while Grant is a far more capable scorer than Little. Therefore, the Blazers is not just logical, it should also be expected. Especially with both Thybulle and Grant expressing a sincere desire to remain with Portland.

Yet, despite having the makings of a high-quality rotation with those moves, there are still notable holes on the roster.

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
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The most glaring of which is that they have no 3-point specialists in the frontcourt. Particularly a spot-up option that can play off of the Blazers bevy of slashers and an underrated facilitator in Nurkic.

Enter UCF Knights forward Taylor Hendricks.

Though capable of making an impact in the paint on both ends, Hendricks notably made 39.4 percent of his 3-pointers in the 2022-23 season on 4.6 attempts per game. Named an AAC All-Freshman selection and a second team All-AAC selection after averaging 15.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game for the Knights, Hendricks is the type of prospect that the Blazers can start at power forward early in his rookie season.

A starting lineup of say Lillard, Sharpe, Grant, Hendricks, and Nurkic has a lot of potential on both ends of the floor. Smartly, it also places their less experienced players around longtime veterans that can help them through their learning curve.

In the second unit, Simons provides balance by being able to play both guard positions and having plenty of offensive upside. Thybulle, as previously mentioned, is a defensive stalwart than can also be used situationally. Little, a versatile forward with an ever-growing shot profile, projects to be a nice energy player off of the bench.

Of course, the rotation and depth will need to encompass more than these eight players, and the Blazers will need to add a facilitator for their second unit.

Nonetheless, it's clear that Hendricks would be the best option for them with the fourth overall pick.

Firstly, he has the ability to start at a thin position early in his career. Secondly, his skillset as a spot-up threat that can thrive off-ball with his athleticism fits their immediate offensive need. Last but certainly not least, when factoring in that Hendricks is capable of guarding players out in space, in the post, and being a weakside rim-protector as well, Hendricks is an ideal addition to a team with well-documented struggles on the defensive end.