The Portland Trail Blazers are charging ahead with their rebuild mode after trading former face of the franchise Damian Lillard last September. With the 2024 NBA Draft now a month away, they’ve already worked out no fewer 18 prospects.
Their latest round was on Thursday, when they brought in Melvin Ajinca (Saint-Quentin), Cam Christie (Minnesota), Thierry Darlan (G League Ignite), Malik Hall (Michigan State), Harrison Ingram (North Carolina), and Keshad Johnson (Arizona), per The Rose Garden Report’s Sean Highkin. Ajinca is the cousin of former New Orleans Pelicans big man, Alexis Ajinca. Christie is the brother of Los Angeles Lakers wing, Max Christie. Ingram was a five-star high school recruit in 2021, once thought to have lottery potential.
Today’s Blazers predraft workout session participants:
Melvin Ajinca (Saint-Quentin)
Cam Christie (Minnesota)
Thierry Darlan (G League Ignite)
Malik Hall (Michigan State)
Harrison Ingram (North Carolina)
Keshad Johnson (Arizona)— Sean Highkin (@highkin) May 30, 2024
The Blazers had already hosted the following players for predraft workouts: RaeQuan Battle (West Virginia); Adem Bona (UCLA); Arthur Kaluma (Kansas State); Ugonna Onyenso (Kentucky); Will Richard (Florida); Jaylon Tyson (California); Isaiah Crawford (Louisiana Tech); Alex Karaban (UConn); Caleb Love (Arizona); Quinten Post (Boston College); Tyler Smith (G League Ignite); and Kel’el Ware (Indiana).
Kaluma, Karaban, Love, and Onyenso were among the 93 players to withdraw from the draft on or before May 29.
Blazers Host Third Round of Predraft Workouts
Among the prospects that the Blazers hosted for predraft workouts, Tyson and Crawford have been among the most popular.
A junior guard, Tyson averaged 19.6 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in 2023-24 while shooting 36.0 percent from 3. A fifth-year senior, Crawford averaged 16.3 points, 2.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game in 2023-24 while shooting 41.4 percent from 3. Given that Portland has four picks in the upcoming draft, it’s possible that they target either player with their No. 34 or No. 40 pick.
However, Ajinca and Christie are also projected to be drafted in the late first or early second-round.
Ajinca is an athletic and energetic wing at 6-foot-8 and 210 pounds. In 2023-24, he averaged 10.2 points per game while shooting 35.7 percent from 3. A developmental prospect, he’s likely to initially stay in France or play for their G League team if drafted. Christie averaged 11.3 points per game on 39.1 percent shooting from 3 as a freshman. Due to his touch, range, and physical profile, he could hit the ground running at the NBA level.
Of those four prospects, Tyson and Christie have the most upside. That said, if the Blazers were to draft one or both, they could boost Portland’s mediocre offense immediately. Both players are excellent deep threats, and the Blazers shot 34.5 percent from 3 in 2023-24, the worst mark in the NBA.
