15. Portland Trail Blazers- Justin Jackson- SF- North Carolina
The Portland Trail Blazers have limited cap flexibility, so their chance to improve this offseason comes through the draft. Portland owns the rights to this selection and picks 20 and 26, so they could be a team wheeling, and dealing on draft night. Be on the lookout for trades involving the Blazers.
Portland could use a combo forward that plays good defense and a player who is ready to step in play from day one. The Trail Blazers view their window for a championship as wide open, so they need an NBA ready player.
Why Justin Jackson?
Justin Jackson’s A Royal Prospect Profile
Jackson is fresh off winning the ACC Player of the Year and a National Championship with the Tar Heels. He is already 22 years old, but he is ready for the league. The transformations Jackson made to his game during his time at UNC are evident. He is a young man who works hard and wants to be great.
He fits well with the Blazers. Jackson should provide another floor spacer for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to operate. His defense and intangibles should translate well to the league. Sure this is an older player, and that seems scary, but it falls in line with Portland’s win now philosophy. The Blazers have had success selecting older players in the draft, and I believe they take the chance again in 2017.