Trail Blazers News: Who Experts Expect Team to Select With No. 3 Pick
The Portland Trail Blazers didn't hit the jackpot at the 2023 NBA draft lottery on Tuesday night. They had a 10.5 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick (which would have allowed them to pick French phenom Victor Wembanyama), but they weren't that lucky.
However, they still had something to cheer after coming up with the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft, which is a great result for a team that finished with the fifth-worst record (33-49) in the league during the 2022-23 season.
Now, Portland is faced with a big decision: Does it use the No. 3 selection on a talented young player or trade it to try to bring in a veteran or two to play alongside Damian Lillard?
Last month, the star point guard didn't hide what he thinks the Trail Blazers should do. And it's to not use their first-round pick on a player.
"I'm just not interested in that. That's not a secret," Lillard said, per The Athletic's Jason Quick. "I want a chance to go for it."
However, the ultimate decision lies with Portland general manager Joe Cronin. The Trail Blazers may not be able to land Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson (the probable top two picks in the draft), but they could still add a talented prospect.
In updated mock drafts, B/R's Jonathan Wasserman and The Athletic's Sam Vecenie both have Portland taking Alabama forward Brandon Miller. The 20-year-old had a strong showing in his lone season with the Crimson Tide, averaging 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds in 37 games.
"Miller's scoring and shot-making does fit smoothly at the 3 in Portland," Wasserman wrote. "He'd start right away and provide immediate shooting and some bonus two-way playmaking."
ESPN's Jonathan Givony has a different starting order to the draft. Although he also has Wembanyama going No. 1 to the San Antonio Spurs, he projects the Charlotte Hornets to take Miller at No. 2.
That leaves Henderson on the board for the Trail Blazers at No. 3. Even though Givony doesn't think the 19-year-old is "a natural fit on its roster with franchise stalwart Lillard," he has Portland selecting the former G League Ignite guard with its opening pick.
"Nevertheless, Henderson shows incredible flashes of ability accelerating out of hesitation moves, driving and dishing, and finishing with unique explosiveness and body control, as well as real shot-making prowess, something the team will surely be excited to add," he wrote.
Or maybe Portland won't use the No. 3 pick at all. It could instead try to get back to win-now mode, with Lillard set to turn 33 in July and with only two seasons remaining on his contract.
The Trail Blazers have missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons, and they haven't won a postseason series since 2019. They're trying to get things turned back around in the other direction.
It doesn't matter how Portland does it, but it needs to find a way to get back to success. In order to do that, it will likely have to make the right decision for what to do with the No. 3 pick, whatever that may be.
