An NBA team’s endless hunt for undervalued assets eventually seizes on draft leftovers, and after the final name is announced on day two of the draft, teams scramble to scoop up those players for two-way deals or short-term guarantees. Portland ended its season with three two-way players on the roster: Caleb Love, Jayson Kent, and Chris Youngblood.
With Sidy Cissoko’s two-way contract converted in February, Youngblood joined the fold. But with Caleb Love seemingly next up for contract conversion, this leaves the Blazers with one open hypothetical two-way slot.
When the draft dust settles, the Blazers would be wise to employ the services of Tyler Bilodeau of UCLA.
Tyler Bilodeau has what the Blazers need
As a two-way player, Bilodeau wouldn’t be in line for heavy minutes without a depleted frontcourt, but he has skills that next year’s Blazers desperately covet: size, shooting, and the ability to hold onto the rock.
Despite a statistical quirk that places him just under the qualifying threshold for leaderboard inclusion, Bilodeau hit just over two threes a game on 46% shooting from distance. Had he not missed time with injury, he would have ranked third in all of college hoops. He also shot 87.3% from the line, one of just four non-guards in the top 50.
With Damian Lillard joining a crowded guard rotation with Holiday, Henderson, and Sharpe, and with the Blazers still in dire need of shooting, drafting a big man that can deliver that shooting is something of a priority. But Bilodeau brings another skill to the table that the Blazers desire: sticky hands.
Coach Mick Cronin utilized Bilodeau as a primary scoring threat but relied on guard creation to open up his potential. Oftentimes, teammates let Bilodeau float around the perimeter as a release valve where he cashed in repeatedly, or he operated as a transition trailer. When that ball got in his hands, it was going up, and his relatively quick release combined with an extremely high release point meant that there was a 46% chance that the ball was going in the hole.
Averaging just 1.5 turnovers a game as a primary offensive option with the highest PER on the team is an impressive feat, and Bilodeau’s two greatest strengths being the Blazers’ two biggest weaknesses seems awfully synergistic.
Bilodeau’s measurements indicate more than his stats
Participating in the NBA Draft Combine drills yielded predictable results as Bilodeau finished near the top in the shooting drills—he finished tied for fourth in the star and side drills, and tied for second in spot-up shooting—but a bigger win was his measurables.
Bilodeau measured just over 6’8” in shoes but with a plus-5 wingspan. In an interview with Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype, Bilodeau compared himself to Dean Wade and Cameron Johnson, two hard-nosed perimeter defenders who are very serviceable shooters. While Bilodeau’s skillset skews more toward shooting than defense, his willingness to embrace his role and excel in it is noteworthy.
Coach Mick Cronin rarely utilized Bilodeau as a primary defensive option; it's important to note that his defensive schemes involved tons of switching and boxing out. His rebounding suffered as a result, but he averaged over 10 rebounds per game in high school, which indicates more versatility than meets the eye.
And though it has no ultimate bearing on a player’s team fit, it’s somewhat important to note that Bilodeau previously attended Oregon State University and is from Kennewick, Washington, just over three hours by car from Portland. While that aspect of Bilodeau’s profile invites a bit of affinity bias, he has the ability to let his game do the talking.
The second round of the NBA Draft takes place on June 24 at 5 pm PST. If Bilodeau does not hear his name called, the signing frenzy begins seconds after pick number 60.
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