The Portland Trail Blazers are deemed the "luckiest loser" by Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman. In his way-too-soon 2025 NBA mock draft, Wasserman has the Blazers winning the lottery and, in turn, the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. The lottery order wasn't random, as it was based on Bleacher Report's NBA power rankings.
The Blazers were dead last at No. 30 overall, which seems too low. They should likely finish last in the Western Conference again. Still, several teams in the East are also in consideration for being the worst team in the NBA entering the 2024-25 season, including the Pistons, Nets, and Wizards. But Blazers fans shouldn't complain about the ranking if it means landing the coveted Duke prospect.
Cooper Flagg showcased talent on USA Select Team
Flagg's draft stock has risen even more (if possible for an already projected No. 1 pick) after his productive showing against some of the best players in the NBA. He was recently part of the USA Select Team, along with other NBA talent - Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jabari Smith Jr., Brandin Podziemski, Keegan Murray, Brandon Miller, Jalen Suggs, and Trey Murphy - to help prepare the USA Basketball Men's National Team.
Flagg stood out among all those promising starting-level NBA players on the Select Team. According to Marc J. Spears, senior NBA writer for ESPN and Andscape, a current NBA coach who saw the USA scrimmage said Flagg was the best player on the USA Select Team.
Flagg is an ideal fit for Blazers' roster
It's apparent that Flagg, even at 17 years old, is already talented enough to be a quality starter in the NBA. He has a well-rounded game as a three-level scorer with great positional size at 6-foot-8, and should only continue to develop in all aspects of his game as he continues to mature. Flagg would obviously be an ideal fit for any team, but he's particularly intriguing for the Blazers' roster.
After adding Avdija and Clingan this offseason, the Blazers have solidified multiple positions of their core. However, the main position that remains a long-term question mark is their power forward spot. Everyone in their projected starting lineup for the 2024-25 season is 25 years or younger, except 30-year-old Jerami Grant. They could even trade Grant, partially to worsen their record and increase their odds of landing Flagg next summer.