Portland Trail Blazers: Three trades to move up in the 2020 NBA Draft

Portland Trail Blazers trade Zach Collins to move up to ninth pick in NBA draft

In this trade, Zach Collins would be moved to the Washington Wizards so the Blazers could move up from pick 16 to pick 9.

The Wizards don’t currently have any defensive big men on their roster, so Collins could be a perfect fit. They, like the Hawks, have cap space, so could absorb Collins straight into that.

Collins would be a great fit next to sharpshooter Davis Bertans, with undersized offensive big man Thomas Bryant able to back them up.

For the Blazers, they could then select wing Isaac Okoro with the ninth pick. Collins is a five in my eyes, and as he will need to be paid in 12 months, it doesn’t make sense to invest significant money in him as a backup center. This will be even harder to stomach if they pay Hassan Whiteside to return.

In Okoro, the Blazers would get one of the best wings in the 2020 Draft. Okoro is six-foot-six with a six-foot-nine wingspan. He is more a scorer than a shooter on offense, but he is athletic and has great touch.

Okoro is a strong ball-handler who can initiate secondary offense. He needs to work on his shooting, but his touch around the rim bodes well for this improvement.

As a defender, he can guard multiple positions and potentially guard two through four in the NBA. He thrives as either a team or man defender, and he has great energy and IQ.

It makes sense for the Blazers to move up and bring in a team defender who can help right away.