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2019 NBA Draft: Top 10 players on the Portland Trail Blazers’ big board

By Austin Carroll

KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 6: Tennessee Volunteers forward Grant Williams (2) battles with Kentucky Wildcats forward PJ Washington (25) during a game between the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers on January 6, 2018, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 6: Tennessee Volunteers forward Grant Williams (2) battles with Kentucky Wildcats forward PJ Washington (25) during a game between the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers on January 6, 2018, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – MARCH 29: Keldon Johnson #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – MARCH 29: Keldon Johnson #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

5. Keldon Johnson, SG/SF from Kentucky

Fit wise, Keldon Johnson doesn’t perfectly slide in with this Portland team. His freshman performance at Kentucky is even more discouraging. However at No. 25 overall, the Portland Trail Blazers are in no place to be picky. If Johnson is still on the board, the Blazers should take the best player available in a heartbeat and hope he fixes his issues along the way.

At Kentucky, Johnson averaged 13.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Despite his struggles, he still maintained a 18.5 PER and 55.8 true shooting percentage. If Johnson still plays slightly above average while struggling, it makes you wonder what he could look like when firing on all cylinders. The Blazers happily take Johnson here and hope NBA-caliber coaching can help him capitalize on his natural talent.

6. Luka Samanic, PF from Slovenia

Just a month ago, placing Luka Samanic this high on a big board would have seemed crazy. Previously he was projected as a mid-second-round pick. Now he looks on pace to potentially go as high as a top 20 pick. At the NBA Draft Combine, Samanic dominated the competition in the five-on-five scrimmage. Samanic scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in under 20 minutes of play, looking like the best player on the court.

While the Portland Trail Blazers already have a litany of talented big men. Nurkic and Zach Collins fit in better at center and Meyers Leonard is far from a sure thing in this team’s future. A legitimate stretch-four in the same vein as Lauri Markkanen would be a huge addition to this team, adding spacing and rebounding ability while Nurkic plays the role of defensive anchor.