The Portland Trail Blazers and General Manager Joe Cronin could take their roster in various directions this offseason. Who they decide to draft with their four picks in the 2024 NBA Draft could hinge on who they consider part of their rebuilding core. Selecting a guard may indicate the Blazers aren’t necessarily sold on their up-and-coming guards reaching their potential. At the same time, selecting a center may show how they feel about Deandre Ayton as their long-term center despite his strong finish to this season.
Without knowing what the Blazers plan to do outside of the draft in terms of trades, it's more challenging to say exactly who the Blazers should target in the draft. But, regardless of their uncertain roster and any positional fit concerns, the Blazers should prioritize prospects with high upside.
While Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe have both shown enough flashes to be considered part of their foundational core, there’s no guarantee that either of them will pan out as a star for the franchise to build around. With two lottery picks and no pressure to win soon, high-risk, high-reward prospects make sense for Portland.
The Blazers should target Kyshawn George in the 2024 NBA Draft
One under-the-radar prospect with tantalizing upside is Miami’s Kyshawn George. He is the type of player archetype that the Blazers need to improve their roster. At 6-foot-8 with tremendous ballhandling for his size, George provides the multipositional versatility the Blazers lack.
George grew nine inches over the past five years, which contributes to his guard skills but also suggests that he has untapped potential once he figures out how to utilize his size better. With his frame and agility, George possesses elite defensive potential as a switchable defender. Most importantly for the Blazers, George shot 40.8 percent from beyond the arc at Miami.
He’s certainly a gamble for a lottery pick as someone who only averaged 7.6 points and played 23 minutes per game his Freshman year. But there’s an intriguing upside with George that makes him a prospect the Blazers should target. He’d be a perfect fit for a team like Portland, which needs shooting and versatility, but can also afford to be patient with his development.