On May 23rd, the Blazers held their first workout of this year's draft cycle featuring prospects like Adem Bona, Raequan Battle, and, most notably, 6-foot-7 California Guard Jaylon Tyson. Despite not participating in the recent NBA Draft Combine, Tyson is still receiving a lot of attention and praise from multiple analysts like The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor and Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman. If he continues to impress in workouts and becomes a coveted prospect, it's possible that the Blazers will take a chance on him.
Jaylon Tyson has high offensive potential
The needs for this Trail Blazers team are deep, to say the least, but Tyson could help with many of the team's scoring woes. This past season, the Blazers finished 30th in three-point percentage and 29th in field goals made per game. Tyson can certainly slot right into the rotation and be a solid offensive weapon for the team.
Tyson's excellent offensive skill set as a prolific scorer and shot-creator led to an impressive breakout season at Cal, where he averaged 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. It took some time for Tyson to find his footing, with Cal being his third school in three years, but the green light he received during his time there allowed him to thrive offensively.
How can Tyson fit into the Blazers' lineup?
In many ways, Tyson's game is similar to Shaedon Sharpe's, which the Blazers have already invested in. But that shouldn't be a reason to avoid targeting Tyson in the draft.
Sharpe has established himself as the starting shooting guard for the foreseeable future, and his limited minutes with Scoot Henderson this past season looked solid. If the Blazers want to continue developing Scoot's game, they will need more scorers like Sharpe to pass the ball to.
Tyson has a great stop-and-go driving game and can finish well against bigger defenders. His three-point shot is serviceable—he shot 36 percent last season—but he has shown he can make some difficult three-pointers.
While Tyson certainly wouldn't be a primary playmaker on the Blazers, he also shows excellent playmaking potential. He can pass out of a bad shot and find an open shooter or hit the cutter off of a screen. Tyson will be able to provide some much-needed versatility to the Blazers.
Tyson is more of a low-ceiling, high-floor prospect. While he may not have true star potential, the Blazers already have two players with star potential and the No. 7 pick in the draft, which they will likely use on someone who does possess that high upside.