With Lillard set to return after an injury-plagued season, Portland appears set to use the pick for an established player to build around their superstar while he remains in his prime. In a recent episode of the Yahoo Sports Podcast, NBA insider Chris Haynes was adamant about what the Trail Blazers should do.
Would a core of Lillard, Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Jusuf Nurkic revitalize Portland into a championship contender? Probably not. They could certainly make the playoffs, though, especially if Lillard returns near his best and Simons continues his exciting upward trajectory from the end of this season.
Like the Kings, however, the Trail Blazers need to be absolutely sure of the direction their heading. Do they trade the pick just to appease Lillard and his desire for success, knowing full well it probably won’t be enough for the ultimate success of lifting the Larry O’Brien championship trophy?
Orlando Magic, as they landed the number one overall pick. Teams will now analyze and explore their potential options, aiming to maneuver themselves into advantageous positions for both short and long-term success.</p>
<p>Multiple NBA teams may be actively interested in trading their top-10 draft pick, whether it be for an established player or in an attempt to move up the draft board for a higher-rated prospect.</p>
<p>Let’s look at three teams likely to trade their top-10 pick.</p>
<h2>NBA Trades: 3 teams likely to trade their top-10 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft – Sacramento Kings</h2>
<p>The <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/sacramento-kings/">Sacramento Kings are enduring a highly-publicized playoff drought, with no postseason action now for 16 seasons. Having <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33883320/sources-sacramento-kings-hire-golden-state-warriors-assistant-mike-brown-head-coach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hired another new coach</a> in <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/golden-state-warriors/">Golden State</a> Warriors assistant Mike Brown, could they <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/23/report-sacramento-kings-trade-pick/">use the fourth overall pick to try and generate some greater short-term success</a>?</p>
<p>Whether or not there’s a suitable, realistic player worthy of trading the number four pick for, it does, at the very least, appear like the Kings may be shopping the pick to see what may become available. According to Mike Scotto of <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshype.com/lists/aggregate-nba-mock-draft-lottery-jabari-smith-chet-holmgren-paolo-banchero-trade-rumors/">HoopsHype, the Kings seem determined to end their embarrassing drought.</p>
<blockquote><p>“After acquiring Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento has made it clear the goal is to end the franchise’s playoff drought … rival teams are keeping an eye on Sacramento to trade this pick”.</p></blockquote>
<p>With Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox offering an offensively productive one-two punch, the Kings could undoubtedly do with some defensive reinforcements next to rookie guard Davion Mitchell. Sacramento ended the regular season with the fourth-worst defensive rating in the league at 114.8.</p>
<p>Conversely, could they use Mitchell and/or future picks to get in the conversation for one of the top three picks? This would give them access to one of the consensus top three prospects – Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, or Paolo Banchero.</p>
<p>This may actually be a more viable option for Sacramento, assuming they’d be able to appease the Magic, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/oklahoma-city-thunder/">Oklahoma City</a> Thunder, or <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/houston-rockets/">Houston Rockets in some way. What’s the point of trading the fourth pick for one playoff series before falling back to mediocrity? Despite their complete lack of recent success, they should still be aiming to build a championship-contending team, not just a playoff one.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Team/Trade #2 </a>
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<img class="wp-image-442717 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1369635595.jpeg" alt="NBA Trades, 2022 NBA Draft" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1369635595.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1369635595-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">PORTLAND, OREGON – FEBRUARY 08: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers warms up before the game against the Orlando Magic at Moda Center on February 08, 2022 in Portland, Oregon, NBA Trades: 3 teams likely to trade their top-10 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>NBA Trades: 3 teams likely to trade their top-10 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft – Portland Trail Blazers</h2>
<p>The <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/portland-trail-blazers/">Portland Trail Blazers went full reset at the trade deadline, moving on from Norman Powell and Robert Covington, along with Damian Lillard’s long-term running mate CJ McCollum. But it appears that was simply a ploy to free salary cap space and continue a downward trajectory that culminated with the seventh overall pick.</p>
<p>With Lillard set to return after an injury-plagued season, Portland appears set to use the pick for an established player to build around their superstar while he remains in his prime. In a recent episode of the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://sports.yahoo.com/posted-blazers-trade-no-7-195254477.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAlwAK15N_rJNRVLLvUP9MdjTRcaD5ILWNagJWM2X02WcVbqTDulBD2madF53J1wvHNpl-xk8kxiYwHgrqUVukoGQospuXor3l2gM9_bmrVUdWLXPFbwdarPAwfsomeWdoADakV_Jqm-e2im8nVOSHFOKbVYZJLyyduB2UyJ_6Ax%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Sports Podcast</a>, NBA insider Chris Haynes was adamant about what the Trail Blazers should do.</p>
<blockquote><p>“Portland Trail Blazers– they did all that tanking, and they finished one spot worse than what they were projected, got the seventh pick. So I’m going to tell you right now. They better trade that pick. Trade that pick… I talked to Chauncey Billups in March, and they were going through it. Chauncey was like, look, man, we want this to be a quick turnaround. You don’t get a quick turnaround by trying to get the number seven pick in the draft”.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/21/portland-trail-blazers-jerami-grant/" rel="">Portland has been strongly linked to Pistons forward Jerami Grant</a>, a move that theoretically works given Grant’s two-way ability and the Trail Blazers’ lack of defensive presence.</p>
<p>Would a core of Lillard, Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Jusuf Nurkic revitalize Portland into a championship contender? Probably not. They could certainly make the playoffs, though, especially if Lillard returns near his best and Simons continues his exciting upward trajectory from the end of this season.</p>
<p>Like the Kings, however, the Trail Blazers need to be absolutely sure of the direction their heading. Do they trade the pick just to appease Lillard and his desire for success, knowing full well it probably won’t be enough for the ultimate success of lifting the Larry O’Brien championship trophy?</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Team/Trade #3 </a>
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<img class="wp-image-444563 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1393495778-1.jpeg" alt="NBA Trades, 2022 NBA Draft" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1393495778-1.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1393495778-1-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – APRIL 24: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts during the second half of Game Four of the Western Conference First Round against the Phoenix Suns at the Smoothie King Center on April 24, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana, NBA Trades: 3 teams likely to trade their top-10 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>NBA Trades: 3 teams likely to trade their top-10 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft – New Orleans Pelicans</h2>
<p>After an inspired run to the playoffs that culminated in a respectable loss to the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/phoenix-suns/">Phoenix Suns in six games, the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/new-orleans-pelicans/">New Orleans</a> Pelicans are at an interesting juncture in regard to roster management. Their hold on the eighth overall pick, conveyed to them via the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/los-angeles-lakers/">Los Angeles</a> Lakers through the Anthony Davis trade, adds to the intrigue.</p>
<p>With Zion Williamson returning to form a dangerous trio with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, New Orleans could be much closer to contention than people realize. This means that trading this piece may be a suitable idea, either for an established starting-caliber player or to trade up in the draft for a higher-rated prospect.</p>
<p>In the Pelicans’ favor is their abundance of tradable contracts and a slew of future first-round picks from the Davis and Jrue Holiday trades. Devonte’ Graham, Larry Nance Jr., and Jaxson Hayes are all set to make between $9-$12 million dollars next season, opening up the possibility of a 3-for-1 or 2-for-1 trade including them and the pick.</p>
<p>A move up the draft would likely require a combination of the eighth pick, future picks, and one or two of their young talent in Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III.</p>
<p>There are some similarities with this team and the Suns of two seasons ago – a young talented team on the rise needing the guidance of a nurturing coach and an experienced high-quality player. The Suns got that with Monty Williams and Chris Paul, while the Pelicans may have found that with Willie Green and McCollum.</p>
<p>Perhaps the Pelicans are happy with their position and figure that Williamson’s return and internal development are more than enough while taking the best available prospect with the eighth pick. Regardless of what happens, New Orleans will be one of the most intriguing teams to watch heading into the 2022-23 season.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="3 sign-and-trades for Deandre Ayton and the Suns" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/22/nba-trades-deandre-ayton-phoenix-suns/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/24/nba-trades-2022-nba-draft/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/22/nba-trades-deandre-ayton-phoenix-suns/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> 3 sign-and-trades for Deandre Ayton and the Suns </a> </div>
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