2018 NBA Mock Draft: Where do Doncic, Ayton and Bagley land?

Portland owes over $12 million next year to Meyers Leonard, Georgios Papagiannis and Caleb Swanigan, yet the team faces contract decisions on Jusuf Nurkic (restricted) and Ed Davis (unrestricted) in July as well. It’s safe to say the frontcourt has not worked out well for the Blazers during the Damian Lillard era, and Robinson would be another shot in the dark to find a contributor.

Zach Collins was a success, and represents the Blazers’ first real shot at a stretch big since LaMarcus Aldridge (to whatever degree he counts). He has to be a massive piece going forward for this team, but Robinson would give them the rim-runner they’ve coveted since they nearly signed Roy Hibbert to an offer sheet in 2012. Robinson is a player better suited for the modern game, with the requisite athleticism and offensive versatility necessary to compete against the unicorns in so many NBA frontcourts.

The Blazers have had success developing depth pieces like Pat Connaughton and Shabazz Napier, which means they can continue to invest draft capital in big men. Big changes may be coming in Portland, but running back the 3-seed with Nurkic on an affordable deal backed up by Collins and Robinson would put them in position to improve from within.