By now, the Trail Blazers' lack of draft picks has been well-documented, but hope to be included in the draft is alive and well. New owners love stepping into the spotlight and flexing their muscles in year one, and it would be wise to assume that Tom Dundon is no different.
NIL deals are becoming increasingly prevalent in college hoops, and in turn, those deals are dramatically reducing the talent pool in the NBA’s second round. In the days of yore, younger prospects bet on themselves in the draft even if they weren’t guaranteed to be picked.
Blazers could buy their way into the 2026 NBA Draft
Nowadays, guaranteed money has lured all the second-round underclassmen back into the NCAA fold, leaving mostly players 22 or older. As a result, the value of second-round picks is the lowest it’s ever been—Dundon may find a way in after all.
On the court, Portland’s points of emphasis are becoming increasingly clearer and seem to be versatile defense and transition offense. The Blazers have found plenty of success when playing at an elevated game speed, ranking 10th in the NBA last year in pace at 100.52. Without knowing who will be coaching the Blazers next year and if they wish to improve on that number, part of team development is recognizing and improving upon your strengths while attacking the weaknesses.
Perhaps no player fits as seamlessly within Portland’s evolving identity as Trevon Brazile of Arkansas.
Trevon Brazile fits the Blazers' newfound identity
Brazile’s numbers don’t really leap off the page, but he has been a support piece for the influx of NBA talent fielded first by coaches Eric Musselman and John Calipari. Boogie Fland, Darius Acuff, Meleek Thomas, Anthony Black, Moses Moody, Adou Thiero, Jordan Walsh, Karter Knox, and Ricky Council were among the highly recruited players on the Razorbacks roster, while Brazile acted as the mortar that held the team together.
Both of those coaches tooled the offense around their star players, but Brazile quietly put together an enticing campaign in the background, one light on PER but heavy on counting stats and other advanced metrics.
Defensive rating is ultimately a mixed bag because actual impact is notoriously difficult to quantify. Some stat aggregators favor Brazile while others do not. What is prescient is Brazile’s ability to rack up steals and blocks within an uptempo system. In some of Brazile’s outings, he had three or more steals in six games. In others, he had three or more blocks in ten different games.
Brazile has a respectable outside shot, with a distinct schism between guarded and unguarded threes. On open attempts, Brazile canned 42 percent of his shots as a spot-up shooter. On teams with a more cohesive plan and in an offensive scheme dominated by drives-and-kicks and Damian Lillard pick-and-rolls, Brazile will get far more shot attempts of that type.
One of Brazile’s most underrated aspects is his ballhandling. While he didn’t get a chance to show it off too much working with so many five-star recruits, Brazile actually grew up playing point guard and rarely turns the ball over. While his self-creation isn’t anything to write home about yet, the potential is there.
The measurables only further Brazile's case—he performed well in the NBA Combine’s agility drills while measuring 6’11” in shoes with a 7’4” wingspan. Among all tested players, he finished in the top ten in the shuttle run and three-quarter sprints. He also finished in the top five in both leap measurements. With all the tools to succeed, Brazile simply needs the right team to unlock them. The Trail Blazers are that team.
The second round of the NBA draft will be held on June 24.
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