NBA Draft Lottery 2013: Portland Trail Blazers Possibilities

Oct. 31, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers mascot Blaze waves the team /

This post was written by David MacKay of FanSided’s Portland Trail Blazers website Rip City Project.

The 2013 NBA Draft Lottery is upon us, signaling the approach of the NBA Draft, and the Portland Trail Blazers are ready. With a 33-49 record, the Blazers are anticipated to receive the 10th overall pick. There have been rumblings rising that Portland may look to trade up in order to draft Indiana shooting guard, Victor Oladipo, but if that doesn’t happen, here are 3 possibilities that should:

With the 10th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select…

Shabazz Muhammad – UCLA (SF): After receiving criticisms for one-dimensionality in the draft combine, Muhammad’s stock is falling; perhaps just enough for Portland to swoop in and scoop him up. The Blazers have the worst scoring bench in the league and it would be not at all surprising for them to pursue a pure scorer like Muhammad as a remedy.

Alex Len – Maryland (C): I would love for this to be Cody Zeller, but realistically he’s unlikely to drop to 10. Len, however, has a stress fracture in his foot (worrisome I know) that will prevent him from impressing during workouts. If the Blazers can bury their Oden angst, the 7’1” shot blocker could balance out Meyers Leonard’s shortcomings on defense.

Jamaal Franklin – San Diego State (SF): Although not a proven scorer, Franklin is hyper-athletic. At 6’5”, his wingspan measures 6’11”. Combined with his explosive leaping ability, Franklin can grab an unprecedented quantity of rebounds for a small forward. There is a question of attitude, but it is by no means a Cousins-esque hindrance. Portland should give Franklin a long look as they hope to add depth to a depleted bench.

Of course, there is always the possibility that the Blazers bundle their picks for a veteran center. General Manager, Neil Olshey, has made it clear that if the right deal comes along, Portland won’t hesitate. In the event that said deal remains undone, however, Portland would do well to draft Muhammad, Len, or Franklin with the 10th overall pick.