The Ideal Draft Pick for Each Northwest Team

With March Madness in full swing, the best players on the college level are showing off their skills in front of the entire country. Millions of people watch the tournament every year and conversation is abound not only about how far their favorite school will go in the tournament, but also where their favorite players could end up when they declare for the NBA draft this summer. We took a look at where each team in the Northwest Division could end up in draft projections and chose which players in that range could help them take the next step in their development and help them get to where they want to be. For the sake of this article, only players that are playing Division 1 NCAA basketball will be considered, even though the list of foreign prospects is as long, if not longer than it has ever been.

Portland Trail Blazers: Dalton Knecht, F Tennessee

The Blazers roster contains a lot of interesting pieces, with players up and down the roster showing flashes of great potential. One of their holes, though, is the lack of perimeter shooting, especially from the wing position. Veteran Jerami Grant provides enough scoring from the forward position, but he doesn’t stretch the floor as much as he needs to in order to create driving lanes for Scoot Henderson and Anfernee Simons. In Knecht, the Blazers would get a 39% three point shooter with the ability to get to his spots easily and play equally well both on and off the ball. The Tennessee product would need to make strides defensively to keep up, but the offensive upside is too enticing to pass up.

Utah Jazz: Cody Williams, F Colorado

Cody Williams underperformed in all three of Colorado’s NCAA tournament games, but he might be the purest athletic specimen in this draft class. He can jump out of the gym and with the right coaching, can use his vertical to become one of the most impactful two way players in the NBA. He fits here with Utah because of their defense-first mentality, partnered with their desire to get out and run in transition. Williams would be a great addition on the wing for the Jazz and would give head coach Will Hardy the roster flexibility he desperately needs. There might be prospects with higher floors in this range, but the Jazz have shown a tendency to swing for the fences in recent drafts, a trend that doesn’t show any signs of changing anytime soon.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Tyler Kolek, G Marquette

The underrated MVP for the Timberwolves this season is easily Mike Conley. His veteran presence calms the rest of his teammates and his even-keel approach ensures that none of the young players get too far ahead of themselves and put themselves into tough spots. Kolek does something akin to this for his Marquette squad, serving as the maestro for their offense. He plays a lot older than he is and shows a complex understanding for how to get what he wants, either for himself or his teammates. If he can bring that skillset into the NBA, Minnesota should be in the front of the line of teams competing for his services. He does have things working against him, though, most notably his size and lack of high-level defensive instincts.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Kyle Filipowski, F Duke

At this year’s trade deadline, everyone who watched NBA basketball this season expected the Thunder to trade at least one of their treasure trove of draft picks for a big man to help them fix their defensive rebounding issues. They didn’t do that, choosing instead to hold on to their assets and signing Bismack Biyombo to a small deal. Zach Edey is the most logical answer here, but his lack of shooting and passing ability are glaring concerns as he takes the next step to the NBA level. Filipowski displays a premier all-around offensive game, while also holding his own on the defensive end. The Thunder could use his skills to continue running their spread offense that allows Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to shine as the circus leader.

Denver Nuggets: Oso Ighodaro, F Marquette

The second Golden Eagle on this list, Ighodaro oozes potential, serving as the most versatile player on that roster. His comparisons to Bam Adebayo are not without evidence, as both displayed similar skill sets during their collegiate careers, projecting as great defenders with the potential to grow an all-around offensive game based on their playmaking talents. If Ighodaro is willing to put in the work, he could become the hub of an offensive system through which complex actions can happen. Who better to teach him than the best playmaking big man of all time? Nikola Jokić can help mold Ighodaro into the best version of himself and help him get better at what he’s good at while not leaving his defensive abilities to the waist side.