The 2025 NBA Draft class is shaping up to be everything last year’s wasn’t. It’s deep, it’s exciting, and it’s packed with real potential star power.
Cooper Flagg is the undisputed No. 1 pick, with Dylan Harper the presumed choice at No. 2. VJ Edgecombe and Ace Bailey are next in line in most projections. Still, this class isn’t just top-heavy, because the entire lottery and deep into the first round feels loaded with talent.
For the Portland Trail Blazers, who have the 10th-best odds and are most likely to pick at No. 10, it’s a strong draft to find a foundational piece. Not a star, most likely, barring a miraculous showing from the ping-pong balls, but a player who can be part of the core that defines Rip City’s next era.
Assuming Portland lands No. 10 in the lottery, there’s a dream target who could slide to them, a safe target who should be confidently available, and a realistic target who would be right in their range according to most mocks.
With a talented but disjointed roster that needs direction more than gap-filling, the Blazers should prioritize the best available talent on June 25, unless they trade a rotation player beforehand.
Dream Target: Tre Johnson, G (Texas)
If Tre Johnson is still available at No. 10, Portland shouldn’t think twice.
At 6’6″, the guard has a smooth offensive arsenal that includes confident shot-making, dynamic pull-up creation, and flashes of playmaking. He would have to prove his game is as translatable as advertised to earn minutes right away amid the Trail Blazers’ guard depth. But he’d also provide some insurance if Anfernee Simons is moved at any point over the next year.
Of course, if Portland is drafting a guard, size is always part of the discussion. Johnson’s height and length are bonuses for a team that’s too often played smaller guards together, and the fan base has been vocal about avoiding the small-guard player archetype. (Hence, much of the excitement surrounding the Donovan Clingan pick last year.)
Johnson’s ability to score from all three levels would add structure to a roster that is still searching for defined roles around Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. And yes, his 6’6” size would be more than welcome.
Safe Target: Carter Bryant, SF (Arizona)
If Johnson is off the board, as most mocks project him to be, Carter Bryant would be a clean pick.
At 6’8″, Bryant brings length, switchability, and multi-positional defense, all traits that can translate to winning even if his shot creation is lacking.
While Bryant hasn’t cemented himself as an elite shooter yet, Portland doesn’t need another high-usage scorer. They’d love to figure out how to make it work with a scoring talent like Tre Johnson, but here, with this pick, Bryant could complement the current core by guarding wings, finishing plays, and thriving in transition.
Although this pick would receive underwhelming grades nationally, Portland could believe that the homerun talent has been scooped up, and that hitting a double is better than striking out on a swing for the fences. If that’s the case, Bryant is a good choice.
However, another realistic target may be available and on Joe Cronin’s radar.
Realistic Target: Asa Newell, PF (Georgia)
The most realistic outcome is that the Blazers watch Tre Johnson snatched up between Nos. 5 and 10, they consider Carter Bryant, who some project outside the lottery, but they take an available player with a higher ceiling instead.
Asa Newell has entered the chat.
If Newell is there at No. 10, there’s a chance he’s also Portland’s No. 1 remaining prospect on their big board. That’s because, as a 6’10” forward with a 7’2″ wingspan, Newell projects as a defensive weapon with upside as a shooter even if he’s still raw offensively.
Like the Tre Johnson-Anferson Simons comparison above, Newell would also give the Blazers some insurance for a potential Jerami Grant trade. That move feels inevitable, even if Cronin has to attach draft capital to make it happen.
Newell’s length and mobility give him switch potential across the frontcourt, something every team now wants. His aggregate rankings across national mocks consistently place him in the 10–14 range, with some recently placing him inside the Top 10.
If the Blazers lean toward adding a big, France’s Noa Essengue could be an option and someone to work out. But Newell’s perimeter potential offers more versatility, and, at least on paper, he looks like someone who can become the foundational piece Portland hopes to add this summer.
