The Trail Blazers didn’t have a pick in the 2026 NBA draft, meaning fans missed out on the excitement of a class with a ton of hype surrounding it. Luckily, Portland faithful can be part of the fun in 2027, because the team has their own first rounder for next year.
While June ‘27 is a long way out, it’s not too early to start looking at potential draft targets for the Blazers. One that stands out immediately is Tajh Ariza, the son of Trevor Ariza, who played for Portland in 2020. The younger Ariza could be the 3&D wing this roster is desperately missing right now.
Tajh Ariza is an intriguing name to watch for the 2027 NBA Draft
Ariza is entering his freshman year at Oregon and will be 19 years old on 2027 draft night. He’s listed at 6’9”, 200 lb, and has the same type of 3&D skill set that helped his dad build an 18-year career in the association.
Defense is the crown jewel of Ariza’s game. He’s a fluid mover for his size and he contains the ball effectively while being capable of switching onto multiple positions. He also has sharp instincts and stretching arms that allow him to disrupt offenses and force turnovers. He grabbed 22 steals across the 14 games of his from last season that are logged on Synergy.
As for the shooting, it’s silky smooth. Ariza drilled 57.1% of his spot-up threes for Link Academy, per Synergy, and he’s comfortable rising and firing off the dribble from deep or in the mid-range as well.
The weaknesses for Ariza start to arise outside of that 3&D mold. He’s not a plus passer at all, and his rim finishing is pretty limited unless he has a wide open lane for a dunk. Overall, he has to round out his offensive repertoire while continuing to strengthen his defense. If he can do that, he has a shot at replicating some of his pops’ success.
Ariza should be on the Blazers’ radar for next year’s draft
The biggest question mark for Portland’s rotation ahead of the 2026-27 season is their backup wing unit. In the wake of the Shaedon Sharpe injury, the team has been left with Vit Krejci, Sidy Cissoko, and two two-way players, John Tonje and Jayson Kent, as their candidates to run the three and the four off the bench. As things currently stand, none of those guys are clear playoff-caliber pieces.
It’s very possible the Blazers will look to patch this hole at the trade deadline or perhaps even earlier. That said, they should also be scouting prospects who could be long term solutions on the wing. Tajh Ariza is absolutely one of the names they should monitor.
The areas in which Ariza is currently lacking (playmaking, finishing) could be hidden on the Blazers while he worked to improve them. All they would need him to do in the short term is defend like he’s shown he can and knock down open triples.
It’s possible Ariza won’t end up declaring for the 2027 NBA Draft—he’s raw, after all, and NIL money is a major draw for kids in today’s climate. But, if he does, he should absolutely be on the Blazers’ draft board.
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