The Portland Trail Blazers have two second-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft at No. 34 and No. 40. This is a prime opportunity to find gems that were overlooked in the first round, especially now that they have an entire day to prepare between rounds.
Another thing to note is that Portland hired ESPN’s NBA Draft Analyst Mike Schmitz as an Assistant General Manager in 2022-23. It’s too early to tell how it all plays out, but Schmitz is a great prospect evaluator and should be an asset for the Blazers in finding sleepers in this year’s weak and unpredictable draft.
1. Cam Christie, Guard, Minnesota
The brother of Lakers’ guard Max Christie, Cam, provides a skill set similar to his elite shooting, which should transition well to the NBA. Cam connected on 39.1 percent of his three-point attempts as a freshman at Minnesota. The sharpshooter is also only 18 years old, making him one of the youngest prospects in the draft class.
Due to his age, Christie has untapped potential, especially relative to the older, more experienced second-round picks projected to go around his range. Christie’s age, shooting, and positional size (6-foot-6) should make him a first-round pick. However, teams selecting towards the end of the first round will likely prioritize prospects that can contribute immediately, given that most of them have championship aspirations next season.
Christie can provide shooting right away, but what makes him a sleeper that the Blazers should target is his potential to generate offense. Early on, Christie will need to rely on the playmaking of Scoot Henderson and others to get open looks. But as he continues to develop, Christie possesses the potential to create his own shot as well.
2. Kyshawn George, Guard/Forward, Miami
Kyshawn Geroge is an under-the-radar prospect as a 6-foot-7 wing with tremendous ballhandling and shooting. He made 40.8 percent of his three points this season at Miami. The Blazers' most glaring roster needs this offseason are shooting, positional size, and finding more versatile, two-way wings. George checks every single one of these boxes for Portland.
George is going to be a steal for whatever team ultimately selects him. The challenging part for the Blazers is that if they are interested in someone like George, they will likely have to move to get him. He could be worth the No. 14 pick. But, in terms of maximizing value, selecting George inside the lottery is too rich of draft capital to spend on a relatively raw prospect who only averaged 7.8 points per game this season. Still, given his upside, it's unlikely that he will fall into the second round.
The Phoenix Suns, holding the No. 22 pick, could be a strategic trade partner for the Blazers. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports, the Suns are open to trading down from their pick due to their lack of draft capital after "splurging to acquire Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal". The Blazers, with their two second-round picks, No. 34 and No. 40, could initiate a trade to move up to No. 22. However, it's likely that additional assets would be required to seal the deal.
3. Adem Bona, Center, UCLA
By NBA standards, UCLA’s Adem Bona is an undersized big man at 6-foot-8. However, he makes up for it with his 7-foot-4 wingspan, physicality, and athleticism. Bona is one of the most explosive big men in the draft class and would provide the Blazers with much-needed interior toughness. Although Bona’s height may be a concern for teams, he could also use this to his advantage in the modern NBA. Bona’s physical tools allow him to make a defensive impact as a switchable big man, which is highly coveted in today’s NBA, predicated on finding the optimal mismatch.
Bona isn’t a go-to offensive player in the NBA, which limits his upside to a role player. But he has an underrated offensive skillset as a rim-runner and post-up player, making great reads from the block. It’s easy to see Bona’s fit in the NBA as someone who can impact with his energy and physical tools without needing the ball.
Bona would give the Blazers’ roster another dimension at center. Deandre Ayton is one of the more talented big men in the league, but he requires the ball in order to be successful. He also sometimes has a questionable motor and toughness, which Bona would compensate for. Additionally, he would provide the Blazers with insurance for the injury-prone Robert Williams III.
4. Tyler Smith, Forward, G League Ignite
G League Ignite forward Tyler Smith was in consideration for a lottery pick earlier in the season, even being mentioned as a prospect the Trail Blazers could potentially target with the Warriors pick that turned out to be No. 14 overall. Instead, he seems closer to a late first or early second-round range selection.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony has Smith going to the Milwaukee Bucks at pick No. 33 in his latest mock draft; this suggests that Smith very well could be available for the Blazers when they are on the clock at No. 34. The Blazers should seriously consider drafting Smith if he does happen to fall to the second round. He could return the lottery pick value he was previously projected to have.
Smith is a modern-day power forward with his 6-foot-10 frame and athleticism, which was on display this season with the G League Ignite. He's a tremendous pick-and-roll threat and would give Scoot Henderson another weapon at his disposal. Additionally, Smith is a solid shooter, connecting on 36.3 of his three-point attempts this season. Smith would help bolster their forward rotation, fill a need with his shooting, and have a high upside as he is only 19 years old.
5. Pacome Dadiet, Guard/Forward, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Frenchman Pacome Dadiet averaged only 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game on 53/38/78 shooting splits with Ratiopharm Ulm in the competitive G-BBL league. As evidenced by his stats, Dadiet is a very raw prospect and, as a result, would be a more high-risk, high-reward pick than these sleeper prospects. However, he is efficient, suggesting there's room for upside if he increases his volume and opportunity in a more prominent role. That is precisely the type of player the Trail Blazers should be targeting.
Especially if he's available in the second round, it's not a significant setback if Dadiet doesn't pan out. With four draft picks, the Blazers can afford to take gambles on a few prospects who are more developmental flyers. Dadiet fits Portland's rebuilding timeline exceptionally well since they aren't in any rush to contend and can afford to be patient with his progression.
Dadiet is an intriguing do-it-all forward with tremendous positional size at 6-foot-8. He's well-rounded but not elite in any particular area, which could make it more difficult for him to carve out a niche role and stick in the NBA. But at 18 years old, Dadiet is one of the youngest prospects in the draft and has plenty of time to gain experience.