In their recent 2025 NBA Mock Draft, Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon of The Game Theory Podcast have the Portland Trail Blazers trading back from their No. 11 overall pick. They strike a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, landing picks No. 15 and 24.
Now, at pick 11, the Thunder have intriguing (and surprising) options on the board, including Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, and Egor Demin. But they elect to go with a prospect we highlighted as a sleeper Portland should consider reaching for: Cedric Coward.
The Thunder are a class above all other 29 teams when it comes to identifying talent. The fact that Vecenie has Coward going to the Thunder as someone who checks all their boxes tells you all you need to know why the Blazers should have him firmly in the mix.
Could the Blazers trade back with the Thunder?
The Thunder consolidating picks to trade up is a scenario that the Blazers must be prepared to capitalize on -- that goes for the Nets and Hawks as well, although they don't have quite the same sense of urgency.
OKC currently has all 15 players under contract for 2025-26, which is an enviable problem to have, but one they'll need to address with some sort of move. If they find someone they love and aren't sure he'll fall to 15, it could make sense for them to trade up.
One reason to consider such a trade is that, with such a strong draft class, a coveted prospect is bound to fall to 15. In this scenario, the Blazers have Egor Demin and Noa Essengue as their best options. The fact that Portland now has another first-round pick makes Vecenie more comfortable taking a high-upside swing on Essengue.
At pick No. 24, Simon elects to go with NCAA national champion Walter Clayton Jr. It makes sense under the assumption that the Blazers move on from Anfernee Simons this summer.
Those advocating to keep Simons around in Rip City will point out that the Blazers still need more shooting and playmaking, two areas where the offensive-minded flamethrower excels. But Clayton Jr. is a younger, cheaper replacement as someone with an eerily similar frame and skillset. This swap also creates a clear backcourt hierarchy, giving Scoot Henderson a more consistent role and increased minutes.
Our favorite prospects remaining at 24 included Rasheer Fleming, Asa Newell, and Ben Saraf. But it's hard to complain when Portland lands Essengue -- who we would view as a steal at 11 -- at 15. Any additional prospect they bring in at that point would be a bonus.
Another scenario to consider is, if the Blazers do manage to trade back and land multiple first-round picks, could they get on the phone with the Chicago Bulls to try and get their protected first-round pick back?
That would create much more flexibility for a Blazers team with playoff aspirations, as they would benefit from opening up that pick to go star hunting in the coming seasons.