PORTLAND, Ore. — Draft Day is finally here. The Portland Trail Blazers didn't wait to get started reshaping their roster, making a major move Wednesday night when they traded a 2025 first-round pick and other draft assets to the Detroit Pistons for Jerami Grant.
The Blazers have their new starting power forward. But they aren't done. Portland is seeking another wing upgrade and Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported Wednesday night after the Grant trade that the Blazers were "in pursuit of Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby with the No. 7 pick in Thursday's draft in play."
Portland has three total picks in Thursday night's draft: the No. 7 overall selection and then two second-round picks at No. 46 and No. 57. Portland could end the night with three new rookies on the team or they could make another trade to continue to rebuild a winning roster around star guard Damian Lillard.
Check this article often as we'll be tracking all the mock drafts and all the trade rumors here as the day unfolds. The draft starts at 5 p.m. and airs on ESPN.
Draft result
Blazers draft Shaedon Sharpe at No. 7 (5:45 p.m.)
The Blazers didn't end up trading the seventh pick, opting instead to select Kentucky shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe with the seventh overall pick.
Trade rumors
Raptors not likely to trade up into draft lottery (4:54 p.m.)
Michael Grange of Sportsnet reports that "all indications are Raptors will not be making moves to get into draft lottery -- ie: moving OG Anunoby. No surprise there. Most of the energy has been coming from Portland working hard to add veterans around Lillard. Toronto is still in 'be patient and grow' mode." See tweet
Blazers willing to deal for Mattise Thybulle (3:52 p.m.)
Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Philadelphia 76ers are trying to trade for Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon and are offering Matisse Thybulle as the primary piece in a potential trade. Pompey writes that the 76ers are trying to get a third team to participate but other teams prefer to deal exclusively with the 76ers instead of facilitating a deal that would help Philadelphia get Gordon from the Rockets. Among those teams? The Blazers. Writes Pompey: "The Portland Trail Blazers are willing to make a straight-up deal for Thybulle, according to sources." Thybulle has been named to the NBA All-Defense second team for two seasons in a row. He played four seasons at the University of Washington before he was drafted by the 76ers in the 2019 NBA draft. Read the full report
Raptors want to trade OG Anunoby only 'for an elite center' (2:52 p.m.)
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reports that he has "consistently heard Toronto's only appetite to trade OG Anunoby is for an elite center." Fischer writes that the Raptors are linked to Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert and they called about Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen in February around the trade deadline. See the tweet
Blazers interested in trading for OG Anunoby or Lu Dort (7:20 a.m.)
Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein, in his Thursday morning newsletter, wrote that the Blazers are "seeking another wing upgrade in a potential swap featuring Thursday night's No. 7 overall pick." Stein reported that the Blazers, "in addition to Toronto's OG Anunoby, maintain trade interest in Oklahoma City's Lu Dort." Stein cited Chris Haynes' report about Anunoby and wrote that "Anunoby remains at the top of Portland's wish list." Read full report
Blazers pursuing OG Anunoby with seventh pick (Wednesday, 4:58 p.m.)
Following the Jerami Grant trade, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that the Blazers have turned their attention to OG Anunoby. Wrote Haynes on Twitter: "Portland Trail Blazers are in pursuit of Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby with the No. 7 pick in Thursday’s draft in play, league sources tell Yahoo Sports." See the tweet
Mock drafts
What if the Blazers keep and use the seventh pick? Here's a look at the mock drafts on the day of the NBA draft:
What they wrote: The Blazers are early in their rebuilding process and can afford to swing for the fences for a prospect like Daniels, who possesses significant upside but will need time to fill out his frame and become a more dynamic scorer. Daniels would be an excellent understudy for Damian Lillard while still having the length and defensive versatility to operate in the same backcourt with him and Anfernee Simons. Daniels doesn't need the ball to make his presence felt, as he's an excellent decision-maker, passer, cutter and rebounder and a rapidly improving shooter. He defends everyone from the point of attack to bigger wing forwards and makes quite a few plays off the ball. — Jonathan Givony
What they wrote: After acquiring Jerami Grant from the Pistons, the Trail Blazers have finally found a forward who can score on his own and get stops on defense. Grant has allowed the fewest points per isolation play over the past three seasons, according to Second Spectrum. On offense, we’ll also get to see him operate off the ball as a screener for Damian Lillard. Portland could unlock the best version of Grant, a hybrid of his high-volume scoring from Detroit and his off-ball brilliance from Denver. The Blazers are planning to use the seventh pick to target other proven players around the league, such as OG Anunoby. But if they keep the pick, most executives expect Portland to choose from center Jalen Duren, wing Shaedon Sharpe, or guard Dyson Daniels. Front offices expect Jusuf Nurkic to return to the Blazers, so drafting Duren wouldn’t address a short-term need. Sharpe isn’t ready to play at the NBA level yet. Daniels, at 6-foot-6, is a logical choice since he’s only 19 but is ready to play NBA defense. With sensational passing vision, he can complement Dame and Anfernee Simons in the backcourt. The Blazers have experimented with a number of big guards next to Lillard and CJ McCollum in the past. The Evan Turner experiment failed, but the idea of Turner was sound: a big playmaker who can defend multiple positions. Daniels could be everything the Blazers need and much more. — Kevin O'Connor
What they wrote: The Blazers’ acquisition of Jerami Grant on Wednesday should not change this projection. However, there are reasons to believe the Blazers will have real interest in Sharpe. First and foremost, the team recently made a terrific hire in Mike Schmitz from ESPN to be an assistant GM in charge of scouting. Mike is on the record previously in a post-lottery podcast (before he took the job in Portland) as saying he loves the fit of Sharpe in Portland. Second, sources tell The Athletic that Joe Cronin is typically a big fan of taking swings in the draft that are full of upside. It’s hard to find a bigger swing than Sharpe. All around, this one makes sense. I’d anticipate Sharpe hears his name called somewhere between No. 6 and No. 12. This is a well-reported potential trade-down spot that teams below the Blazers in the lottery have targeted too. — Sam Vecenie
What they wrote: This pick has become a critical swing spot in the draft, with the rest of the league waiting to see if Portland decides to make a deal. As evidenced by Wednesday’s acquisition of Grant from Detroit, the Blazers are trying to jump-start their pathway back to the playoffs around Damian Lillard. Portland has been signaling to other teams that it’s happy to stand pat and make this pick, but I think the Blazers would happily strike for the right type of deal, particularly if their rumored interest in Toronto’s O.G. Anunoby is any indication. Rival teams also continue to speculate on the possibility of a swap with Oklahoma City, which would see Portland move back to No. 12. If Portland keeps the pick, this feels like a clean landing spot for Daniels, although it’s worth noting the Blazers have done a ton of homework on Shaedon Sharpe and are also thought to have interest in Jalen Duren. Daniels is one of the more well-rounded prospects in the draft and can help thread the needle between finding short-term help and sustainably transitioning into a rebuild. His feel and ability to initiate offense and defend all over the floor would work nicely in tandem with Lillard. He seems destined to be a valuable playoff contributor with his versatility and smarts, even if he doesn’t turn into a top-flight shooter or scorer. — Jeremy Woo
What they wrote: The Blazers seem more likely to deal their No. 7 pick for a win-now player. The Atlanta Hawks have been mentioned as a team looking to move up, so that's a trade partner to monitor. — Jonathan Wasserman
What they wrote: After dealing CJ McCollum to New Orleans, Portland adding more playmaking seems the logical move here at No. 7 -- and Dyson Daniels can add plenty. The G League Ignite product is perhaps the most crafty passer in the draft and projects as a solid defender right away because of his length and instincts, with upside to in time develop into a focal point on offense if his shot improves. — Kyle Boone
