James Nnaji, Barcelona
A center project who could potentially be available when the Blazers are on the clock at No. 23, Nnaji has all the upside to become a physically dominant center in the NBA. That problem is that upside is coupled with almost zero experience of high-level basketball and an extremely raw set of skills.
Nnaji has spent a few years in the lower rungs of Barcelona’s men’s basketball team in Spain, averaging about 5 points and 4 rebounds, but at just 18 years old, has started to flash some tantalizing physical gifts
Despite his youth, he’s already a well-built 6-10, 225 pound big man with a massive 7-7 wingspan. He’s a deterrent at the rim, blocking and altering shots with relative ease, but shows some flashes of being quick enough to move his feet and stay with perimeter players. He uses his size to rebound well and set rib-breaking screens.
At this point in his development, though, Nnaji has almost no offensive skill outside of setting screens and scoring near the basket.
The Blazers would be committing to developing him as a prospect, perhaps at the G-League level for now, fantasizing about capitalizing on his immense physical gifts.