The rumor mill surrounding the Portland Trail Blazers and the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NBA draft has been swirling in recent weeks. Will they keep it? Or will they trade it for a player like Detroit’s Jerami Grant, or OG Anunoby?
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Tuesday on “NBA Today” that the Blazers intend on staying at No. 7 and are targeting Kentucky guard Shaedon Sharpe with the pick.
“For weeks, we’ve heard about the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 possibly trading that pick off, maybe for Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons. From what I understand, Portland has decided not to go down that path and as of right now is planning to draft at No. 7,” Windhorst explained.
“Jonathan Givony has them taking Shaedon Sharpe out of Kentucky, and I have heard the same thing, that that is who they are targeting,” he continued. “That is something I would not have expected two to three weeks ago.”
Notably, new Blazers assistant general manager Mike Schmitz said after the NBA draft lottery while working for ESPN (before he took the front office job) that he liked Sharpe in that spot for Portland. (h/t NBA reporter Sean Highkin)
If the Blazers go the route of drafting Sharpe, that will sit well with superstar point guard Damian Lillard. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported in his latest mock draft that Lillard is “high” on Sharpe.
The six-time All-Star, Lillard, has consistently been at all predraft workouts and any pick general manager Joe Cronin and the Blazers make will surely have to come with his approval in mind. Lillard has voiced his desire to remain in Portland and the Blazers have said that they plan to re-tool the roster around him in what could be the most critical offseason in franchise history.
The NBA draft is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. PT Thursday from Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York.
– Aron Yohannes