Losing Additional Pick “Costly Outcome” For Trail Blazers

It was hard to swallow losing the additional pick for thisNBA draftfrom theNew Orleans Pelicansonce they made the playoffs, and as it turns out, thePortland Trail Blazers’ front office had high hopes for that pick, perJake Fischerat Bleacher Report.

Through conversations with NBA personnel, it was clear that Portland staffers were working under the assumption they would have two lottery picks at their disposal. The Blazers’ interest in trading at least one of those picks to acquire Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant has been one of the worst-kept secrets in NBA circles.

“That was a big deal to them,” said a Western Conference official. “The expectation was certainly, ‘Once we get this pick, we’ll turn it into someone. We’ll overpay to get someone.’”

Fischer states that it is unlikely that the Trail Blazers part with their other pick in order to acquire Jerami Grant.