2022 NBA Mock Draft: Detroit Pistons choose 3rd but get best player
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #11
34. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Center. Jalen Duren. 11. player. Memphis / Portland Trail Blazers
This pick could end up staying with New Orleans, but if it falls out of the top-4, it will go to Portland, who will likely be the busiest team this offseason.
Again, this is a pick they could trade to someone like the Detroit Pistons for Jerami Grant, but for the sake of argument, we’ll say they keep it.
With Nurkic on the final year of his deal, the Blazers could look to shore up their center ranks with a guy like Duren, who will at least be a energy, shot blocking, defense guy at the NBA level.
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Duren would potentially allow Portland to let Nurkic walk, giving them even more cap space to pursue free agents and trades around Lillard.
He is still very young but is a guy who won’t need the ball to make an impact and would have a very defined role from the beginning, which is to protect the rim, catch lobs and run in transition.
I think Portland will probably keep one of their picks and trade the other, so if they use that first pick, expect the Detroit Pistons to come calling about this one.