Bleacher Report: Jared McCain, Guard, Duke
Jonathan Wasserman from Bleacher Report also has the Blazers adding shooting but with another guard in Duke's Jared McCain. As a Freshman, McCain averaged 14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. McCain would instantly help the Blazers in the shooting department, as he connected on 41.4 percent of threes. He also has much better court vision and decision-making than his two assists per game suggest. McCain's offensive skill set makes him one of the most intriguing guard prospects in the draft.
"Shotmaking has and will always be what powers his offense and value, but McCain's effectiveness this year in ball-screen situations, using change of speed, footwork, crafty finishing and vision, point to more on-ball upside with his creativity and feel."Jonathan Wasserman
At first, selecting McCain doesn't make much sense, as the Blazers already have a plethora of guards. At 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-4 wingspan and limited athleticism, McCain isn't flexible with who he can effectively guard (although he is a good on-ball defender). He would have difficulty playing as the shooting guard in lineups, especially on defense.
But with Malcolm Brogdon and Anfernee Simons' uncertain futures with the Blazers, there's a scenario where McCain would win up being Henderson's backup of the future. The Blazers' roster could look significantly different by the start of next season, so this pick makes sense to give them more roster flexibility.