PF: Cooper Flagg
Duke forward Cooper Flagg should be included in the dream starting five for any rebuilding team that realistically hopes to land the No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft. Flagg has generated a lot of hype, which only increased after his standout performance with the Select Team that went up against Team USA.
Joe Vardon and Sam Amick ofThe Athletic conducted a poll to determine who was considered the best player on the Select Team during the Team USA training camp. Flagg received nine votes, which was the highest of any player, even though he is a 17-year-old playing alongside established NBA talent.
The Blazers should be ecstatic if they land Flagg, as he's the top-rated prospect in next year's draft, but an added bonus would be that power forward is currently the most significant long-term question mark on Portland's roster. 30-year-old Jerami Grant is currently the oldest player on the team and shouldn't be considered part of their rebuilding plans regardless of whether or not they decide to trade him soon.
At 6-foot-9, Flagg has excellent positional size and projects to be a versatile two-way wing at the NBA level. He also possesses elite skills as a three-level scorer who can get to his spots and shoot over the top of defenders, as well as a high basketball IQ to make the right reads as a passer. In other words, there are very few flaws in Flagg's well-rounded game despite still being a teenager.
Flagg would solve the Blazers' massive need for a superstar and immediately help get Rip City back in the playoff conversation. It would make it more challenging to land Dybantsa in the 2026 draft (hence this being a dream lineup), but that's a problem the Blazers would undoubtedly love to have.