Blazers Will Listen to Offers for No. 3 Pick Until They’re On the Clock

June 22, 2023

The Trail Blazers aren’t just willing to trade the No. 3 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft. They’re willing to be patient about it.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Portland will continue to take offers for their lottery selection all the way until they have to make a selection. So yes, the Blazers could make the pick for someone else if they find a trade they like.

The Blazers are trying to add veterans around star guard Damian Lillard, who has indicated publicly that he believes GM Joe Cronin the front office has the assets to put together a winning roster.

If they do keep the keep, they are expected to select either Alabama forward Brandon Miller or G League guard Scoot Henderson, whoever the Hornets don’t take at No. 2.

“For Portland, they’re going to continue to talk with teams around the league to see if there’s a deal built around that third pick and potentially other assets that make sense to give up such a valuable piece of real estate,” Wojnarowski said on NBA Today, via RealGM. “The third overall pick in a draft that most see as a three-player draft. Now, history may not remember it as that, but that’s where it is this week.”

Wojnarowski added that the Blazers would want a significant return for the No. 3 pick. Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson, for instance, has reportedly been on their radar.

“I think your margin for error, especially for a smaller market like Portland, to have a rookie scale contract with a player you think has All-Star potential, you’ve got to get a lot back,” Wojnarowski added.

“Certainly, they want to build around Damian Lillard. That’s been their focus. Damian Lillard says he wants to continue to be in Portland. So I think they’ll go right up to the clock on Thursday night. Offers and outreach from teams tend to get more serious the closer you get to the deadline …

“Portland may not have gotten the best offers that will come to them, but they will hear in the next 24 hours or so. This is a significant decision for this organization, for Damian Lillard’s future in Portland.”