The Portland Trail Blazers landed the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but don’t expect the organization to take a hard look at this year’s class. Instead, the Blazers would prefer to shop the selection for a player that can help them immediately.
In their recent 2022 NBA Draft breakdown, The Athletic‘s John Hollinger and Sam Vecenie reported that Portland is seriously shopping the seventh overall pick. The franchise wants to continue building around their superstar Damian Lillard and believes a proven veteran would make a bigger difference than a rookie, no matter his upside.
One of the players frequently linked with the Blazers is Detroit Pistons’ Jerami Grant. The rebuilding Pistons are believed to be willing to part with Grant for a first-rounder. However, Portland’s wish list doesn’t end there, and they are expected to do their due diligence before pulling a trigger.
The Portland Trail Blazers finished the 2021-22 campaign with a 27-55 record, which was enough for No. 13 on the Western Conference standings. However, it is important to note that Lillard missed the better part of the season and that head coach Chauncey Billups rested starters towards the end to improve his team’s chances for a better draft pick.
With Lillard healthy next season and whatever the No. 7 selection lands them, expect the Blazers to bounce back and be once again a formidable force in the West.
