PORTLAND, Ore. — The NBA draft is Thursday and the Portland Trail Blazers have two first-round picks (No. 3 and No. 23) and one second-round selection (No. 43).
Local and national NBA reporters have reported for the past month that Portland is being aggressive in trying to trade the highly coveted No. 3 pick for another star player to complement superstar point guard Damian Lillard, but they’ve also reported that the Blazers are happy to hold onto the third pick unless they get a trade offer that blows them away.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Blazers trade rumors from May 17 to June 19
We’ll keep an eye on reports from reputable NBA reporters like Shams Charania, Sam Amick and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer and Marc Stein to see what’s being reported about the Blazers leading up to the draft.
Here are the latest offseason reports, rumors and discussions around the Portland Trail Blazers. Check back as this story will be updated often between now and Thursday, with the most recent reports at the top:
(June 20) Blazers preparing ‘compelling’ trade package for Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the Blazers are “preparing what the team believes to be a compelling package for Miami to part with All-Defensive centerpiece Bam Adebayo.” Adebayo, who turns 26 on July 18, is a two-time All-Star and four-time All-Defensive player. He’s coming off a season in which he averaged 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks and helped lead the Heat to the NBA Finals. Though Fischer didn’t report the details of the package, he wrote that Miami is “very unlikely to consider any Portland overture that doesn’t include standout rookie Shaedon Sharpe, in addition to a package of the No. 3 pick and Anfernee Simons.” The Blazers have been offering Simons and the third pick in trade discussions with other teams as they try to build a contender around Lillard. Read the full report
(June 20) It will take a ‘premium target’ for Blazers to trade No. 3 pick
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that league sources indicate that Damian Lillard “prefers to remain with Portland, and the Trail Blazers have not shown any willingness to discuss the seven-time All-Star with inquiring teams.” What the Blazers are trying to do is build a contending roster around Lillard, Fischer reports, but they look at that as something that spans the “entire offseason,” not just this week’s NBA draft. While Portland is looking at trade opportunities around the third pick, Fischer reported that “the Blazers are strongly valuing [the third pick] in talks with opposing teams … [and that] Portland appears unlikely to part with the No. 3 choice unless the Blazers are netting back one of a select number of premium targets to pair with Lillard.” Fischer reported that the Blazers’ attempt to trade for Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo “reveals the type of talent it will take for this front office to part with the third selection.” Read the full report
(June 20) Assessing Blazers’ interest in Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Zach LaVine and Karl-Anthony Towns
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that though the Blazers have been linked by people around the league to Raptors forwards Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, Fischer reports that “Portland doesn’t truly covet either Toronto player for the No. 3 selection.” Fischer did not report whether the Blazers would be interested in trading for both players for the No. 3 pick, which is something Danny Marang reported about Monday on 1080 The Fan. Fischer also reported that Bulls All-Star guard Zach LaVine “does not appear to be a legitimate target for the Blazers,” and that “there has been no apparent interest from either the Wolves or Blazers” in trade talks centered on Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns and the third pick. Fischer mentioned Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo and Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George as the kinds of players Portland is targeting, “forwards with size at the top echelon of the league’s player hierarchy.” Read the full report
(June 20) Pelicans would require more than the No. 3 pick to trade Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram to Blazers
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the New Orleans Pelicans, who have been rumored for the past week to be very interested in trading up to draft G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, “have yet to make formal offers to the Blazers for the No. 3 pick.” Fischer also reported that it’s unknown at this time if the Pelicans are actually “open to parting with Williamson,” and that a determination likely won’t be made until Portland is “on the clock” Thursday with the No. 3 pick. Furthermore, Fischer reported that “all indications are that the Pelicans would require more than the third selection to part with” Williamson or Pelicans All-Star forward Brandon Ingram. Read the full report
(June 20) Charlotte ‘appears headed toward selecting’ Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the Charlotte Hornets, who own the second overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, appear “headed toward selecting [Alabama forward Brandon] Miller” with the No. 2 pick, even after the Hornets brought Miller and G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson back for a second workout and interviews with the team’s leadership, including current team owner Michael Jordan. Fischer reported that though Henderson was impressive in both the workouts and interviews with Charlotte, “Miller’s perceived optimal fit next to [Hornets guard LaMelo] Ball seems to be too large of a factor for Charlotte to pass over.” Read the full report
(June 20) Miami Heat, targeting a trade for Damian Lillard, expecting Damian Lillard to request a trade from Portland
Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT reported that the Miami Heat, who are reportedly targeting a trade for Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard this offseason, “feel like they got some sense, some knowledge that this could be the offseason that Dame request out.” Haynes said the Heat’s belief is based on Lillard making it clear this offseason that he wants the Blazers to build a contending roster around him and Miami’s belief that won’t happen. Haynes reported that “all indications are Portland is going to keep that [No. 3] pick as of right now. … And then Dame will have a decision to make at that point.” Listen to the podcast
(June 20) Damian Lillard ‘does not want a youth movement [and] wants to play with veterans’
Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported that in discussions he’s had with teams around the league, he said they’ve told him the Blazers have indicated they may not trade the No. 3 pick because they aren’t getting the kind of trade offers they want. So what would happen if Portland doesn’t trade the third pick and drafts G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson or Alabama forward Brandon Miller? Windhorst said he checked in with “the Lillard side,” and was told “unequivocally [that] Dame does not want a youth movement, he wants to play with veterans, he wants the team to upgrade fast and immediately with veteran players that can help him now.” Watch the clip
(June 19) It will take a ‘tremendous package’ for Blazers to trade No. 3 pick
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Portland “is very engaged around the league in seeing if they can turn that No. 3 pick and perhaps other assets into a star-level player to pair with Damian Lillard, but it is going to take a tremendous package to get Portland to trade out of No. 3, to trade out of possibly a young player in Scoot Henderson who has All-Star potential.” Wojnarowski said “teams will get more serious about what they might be willing to offer” now that the draft is just days away. “It’s going to have to be a deal that blows them away because this is a draft and a spot at No. 3 that the Blazers have to get quality, they have to get value, and right now, I think they’re still penciling themselves in with Scoot Henderson if indeed he’s there at 3.” Watch the clip