Trail Blazers 2024 NBA Draft Big Board: Lottery rankings for Rip City

Tier 5: Poor fit but elite potential

No. 12: Nikola Topic, Mega MIS (Adriatic League)

Nikola Topic has a partially torn ACL and could miss the entire upcoming NBA season as he recovers. The Blazers could use this to their advantage if Topic falls in the draft. He still could potentially go as early to a team like the San Antonio Spurs, who have picks No.4 and No. 8. However, it seems much more likely that he will fall further than before due to the injury. Another notable factor is that the Spurs want to surround Victor Wembanyama with more weapons next season.

Topic is arguably the best floor general in the class, which keeps him within the lottery big board ranks. He'd significantly help the Blazers improve their lack of playmaking, but it's also fair to wonder where exactly he would fit in as a long-term piece alongside Scoot Henderson.

No. 11: Rob Dillingham, Kentucky

Rob Dillingham has the upside of being the top player in the entire draft. He's an extremely difficult cover in isolation situations due to his plethora of ballhandling moves and quick first step. Along with Reed Sheppard, Dillingham wasn't given the green light as much as some would have hoped during his freshman season at Kentucky, suggesting he has more room to showcase his skill set at the next level.

The concern surrounding Dillingham is that he's a defensive liability. Due to his size at 6-foot-2 and 176 pounds, he could get targeted in pick-and-rolls. The Blazers already have too many undersized guards and don't need to add another, making Dillingham someone they should only consider at No. 14 if he falls.