Even though the Portland Trail Blazers are still very much alive in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament race, it's going to be difficult to envision them passing up both the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns in the standings to lock up the 10th seed. With the ninth most difficult remaining schedule in the league, the Blazers are going to have their work cut out for them heading into the final few weeks of the regular season.
But even if their efforts to make the postseason do fall short, not all is lost. The Blazers have still improved from a talent standpoint this season and many of their young players have continued to make strong strides in their development. The key for the Blazers heading into the offseason revolves around finding the next natural move to continue to build out this strong foundation. That will largely begin at the 2025 NBA Draft.
With a projected late lottery pick, the Blazers will have a great chance to add another quality young player in what is expected to be a deep draft class. Looking at the bigger needs that the Blazers could have heading into the summer, such as finding a long-term answer in the frontcourt to pair alongside Donovan Clingan and finding an additional playmaking wing to help take some of the pressure off Scoot Henderson in a post-Anfernee Simons world, Portland should have plenty of options.
As we inch closer and closer to the start of the offseason, we'll explore four late-lottery targets that could emerge as targets for the Blazers as they look to fill some team needs.
Egor Demin, F, BYU
Egor Demin could emerge as an interesting target for the Blazers considering he could help fill a couple of needs for the team. Because of his size and versatility, Demin is a player who could play a role as a much-needed secondary playmaker but one who could also help add some depth on the wing heading into the future. Demin still needs to continue to grow into his frame and prove that he can be a consistent 3-point shooter, but the natural skill set is certainly appealing for any team selecting late in the lottery.
If the Blazers don't want to take another guard, which would further complicate the team's current logjam in the backcourt, Demin could be the next best option as a prospect who has shown the ability to play both in the backcourt and on the wing.
Noa Essengue, F, France
Is this offseason that the Blazers are finally going to move on from Jerami Grant? If it's not, you have to imagine it's something that is going to eventually come sooner or later. Looking for a long-term answer in the frontcourt next to Donovan Clingan, the argument could be made that Noa Essengue could be a fit for the Blazers. Essengue may still have some strides to make on the offensive end of the floor, but he's going to make his hay early on defensively.
Essengue is a player that is going to be ready to contribute on that end of the floor right away and his athleticism and positional versatility is something that the Blazers could find value in. Essengue is a prospect who could fit right into what the Blazers are building heading into the future.
Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina
Looking at another versatile frontcourt prospect, Collin Murray-Boyles could make some sense for the Blazers late in the lottery. Even though he's not considered to be one of the bigger names in this draft class, Murray-Boyles has done wonders for himself returning to school during his sophomore season.
Murray-Boyles is an efficient offensive player who is still growing into his own and has shown some impressive defensive versatility. Far from a perfect prospect, if the Blazers are looking for a player who could fit several different roles in the frontcourt, Murray-Boyles could be a natural fit. In some very subtle ways, Murray-Boyles does have some Draymond Green in him.
Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
If the Blazers truly wanted to roll the dice on a high-ceiling player late in the lottery, Carter Bryant could emerge as an intriguing option. Bryant is barely beginning to scratch the surface of the player he can be at his ceiling and the sky is the limit for the young wing. Bryant has the athleticism, versatility, and natural skill set that any team wants to see in a young, promising prospect.
Portland would have to take a much more patient approach with Bryant compared to some of the other prospects on this list, but the long-term dividends could be much greater. If Bryant is a player who can reach his ceiling in the next couple of seasons, the Blazers could have a foundational frontcourt piece they're searching for.