PORTLAND, Ore. — The 2024 NBA Draft is hours away. The Portland Trail Blazers are on the clock starting with the seventh overall pick. About an hour before the draft, they included the 14th pick in a trade to acquire forward Deni Avdija from the Washington Wizards.
On Thursday, the Blazers have two second-round picks at No. 30 and No. 34.
HOW TO WATCH THE NBA DRAFT
- First round: Wednesday, 5 p.m., ESPN and ABC
- Second round: Thursday, 1 p.m., ESPN and ABC
What will the Blazers do with their three picks? Nobody really knows. But here's a collection of the latest draft-day intel from the top draft experts.
ESPN (Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo)
Updated after the Avdija trade:
No. 7: Donovan Clingan, center, UConn
- What they said: Clingan remains a target for teams selecting behind Portland, with the implication remaining that he may not actually make it to this pick at No. 7. ... In the event there are no trades and Clingan should fall here, the Blazers would presumably be thrilled to land the draft's top rim-protector.
No. 34: Bobi Klintman, small forward/power forward, Cairns (Australia)
No. 40: Kevin McCullar, small forward, Kansas
The Ringer (Kevin O'Connor)
Updated after the Avdija trade:
No. 7: Tidjane Salaun, forward, Cholet (LNB Pro A), France
- What they said: The Blazers should take a swing, and Salaun has the ingredients to become the steal of the draft with his high motor, athleticism, and two-way upside. Though he’s raw, Portland can afford to be patient as a young team not ready to win any time soon.
No. 34: Pacome Dadiet, forward, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany), France
- What they said: Dadiet checks a lot of boxes for Portland; he’s a young player who could someday carve out a role in the NBA. The benefit of landing in Portland is that he could receive reps immediately since the franchise is amid a rebuild.
No. 40: Cameron Christie, shooting guard, Minnesota
- What they said: Christie is a raw, young player who was a surprising one-and-done, but the Blazers could use more straight-up role players to help them start building around their young core.
The Athletic (Sam Vecenie)
No. 7: Cody Williams, wing, Colorado
- What they said: The younger brother of blossoming Thunder wing Jalen Williams, Cody Williams ... had a strong workout in Portland. The Blazers should take another bite at filling their bigger wing role, and evaluators largely believe Williams’ upside is quite high. However, Portland is another team league sources are connecting with a lot of players following massive groups of workouts. The consensus is they have interest in Clingan, but he’s already off the board in this mock.
No. 34: Tyler Smith, power forward/center, G League Ignite
No. 40: Dillon Jones, guard, Weber State
Bleacher Report (Jonathan Wasserman)
No. 7: Cody Williams, small forward/power forward, Colorado
- What they said: Rival teams continue to predict that Cody Williams will be picked earlier than most expect, potentially by the Detroit Pistons at No. 5 or the San Antonio Spurs. The pitch to Williams revolves around a coveted, big-wing archetype, his efficiency at Colorado and the belief that he has the mentality and blueprint (being Jalen's brother) to continue improving and maximize his potential.
No. 34: Terrence Shannon Jr., shooting guard/small forward, Illinois
- What they said: Terrence Shannon Jr. was found not guilty of rape and aggravated sexual battery on June 13. Teams can now focus their evaluation strictly on basketball, a big deal for Shannon given the strides he made this year. Despite already being 23, his 2023-24 breakout season showed the speed, athleticism, shotmaking improvement and defensive tools that generate first-round interest.
No. 40: Enrique Freeman, power forward, Akron
- What they said: The biggest riser of the predraft process so far, Enrique Freeman turned his Portsmouth Invitational play into a G League Elite Camp invite, where he earned a call-up to the NBA combine. He wound up being one of the most productive players during scrimmages against projected second-round picks, impressing with his shooting range, post skill, finishing activity and rebounding.
Scouts believe he got himself drafted in Chicago. A second-round team will be willing to bet on his versatility, production at Akron and the story of a former walk-on.
Yahoo Sports (Krysten Peek)
No. 7: Donovan Clingan, center, UConn
- What they said: Clingan falling to Portland at No. 7 would be a dream scenario for the Trail Blazers, who are looking to add size and rim protection to the frontcourt. The 7-2 center could still be at play with the Hawks at No. 1, but if no team makes a move to trade up for him and he falls past Detroit, this would be a massive win for Portland and its rebuild.
No. 34: Kevin McCullar, guard, Kansas
- What they said: The Kansas guard was unable to participate in any of the combine drills or pre-draft workouts because of a knee injury. He already underwent surgery and told reporters at the combine that there is no structural damage. McCullar was one of the best scoring guards in college basketball and, when fully healthy, can contribute right away.
No. 40: Adem Bona, center, UCLA
- What they said: Bona was the best center at the combine during the 5-on-5 scrimmages. He is so strong and was really utilizing the additional space and not forcing things. He moves very well for his size and will bring in some added rim protection right away.