NBA Mock Draft: Blazers Take Thompson Twin with No. 5 Pick
The Portland Trail Blazers will have a big decision to make at the top of the NBA Draft this summer.
Should the Blazers land the top pick, taking Victor Wembanyama will be an easy decision for Portland. But if the team ends up with a pick lower than that, things could get dicey.
As of right now, the Blazers are slated to pick No. 5, and if the team keeps the pick, Yardbarker’s Pat Heery suggests that Portland could take Overtime Elite point guard Ausar Thompson.
While he doesn’t really fit into Damian Lillard’s timeline, if the Blazers select Amen’s brother, Ausar Thompson, they’d have two incredibly athletic wings to build around for the future (along with Shaedon Sharpe). In terms of athleticism, this would be akin to the Raptors having Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady back in the day. Ausar has a similar build to his brother and, while he doesn’t possess the exact same explosiveness as Amen, he’s close. Plus, he’s a better scorer than his brother and probably a little more NBA-ready at this time. As much as Portland should be thrilled to land a Thompson brother, there’s always a chance that this pick is traded for a win-now player to give Lillard one last shot at contending, so keep an eye out for a rebuilding team to potentially move up for this pick.
Thompson likely isn’t an option for the Blazers if Damian Lillard is still here. If there’s a change on that front, however, taking a player like Thompson could be the move for a rebuilding Blazers squad.
Source: Blazer's Edge
