NBA Draft 2017: Portland Trail Blazers trade up for Zach Collins
A Portland Trail Blazers trade ended up with Zach Collins as the 10th pick in the NBA Draft.
A trade seemed to be likely on NBA Draft night, and a Portland Trail Blazers trade is what we got. Portland used the 10th pick from the Sacramneto Kings to select Zach Collins.
The Kings also had the fifth overall pick in the draft, which they used to select De’Aaron Fox.
The thinking for Sacramento is easy: they got their franchise point in Fox, had an extra top-10 pick, and used it to trade down. For a team still building as franchise center DeMarcus Cousins was sent to New Orleans, having two more picks, instead of one, is the smart choice.
The Trail Blazers, in order to move up only five spots, gave up picks 15 and 20.
It seemed inevitable that Portland couldn’t keep all three picks, no matter how enticing it was to take three prospects.
But trading away two picks for a center is questionable. The five spot was in full supply when Portland made the trade. Centers like Justin Patton, John Collins and Jarrett Allen were all on the board. It is extremely likely Portland could have taken any one of those at 15, and maybe even two with pick 20.
Of course, that does mean more contracts to pay — and Portland doesn’t have much cap flexibility to begin with. Paying one lottery pick rather than two non-lottery picks is a small but useful move.
While dreams of trades began with Paul George and Kristaps Porzingis, they ended with a calculated move that doesn’t turn too many heads. The Gonzaga center averaged 10 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game in his lone season.
If the Blazers were willing to move up for him, they must trust he is their guy for the future.
In Neil We Trust?