Options for the Trail Blazers in the 2025 NBA Draft

The Portland Trail Blazers are one of several up-and-coming organizations in the NBA, having drafted players with top picks in each of the last three drafts.

Players like Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan have been the highlights, but it’s done well in accruing talent elsewhere. And while the team’s 2024-25 season as a whole is trending toward another top pick, the team is starting to see some results in the win column.

Winners of their last three games, Portland will now seemingly own a late-lottery pick, opposed to one in the top five. Here are three options in the 2025 mid-lottery for the Portland Trail Blazers:

Kon Knueppel, Duke

Duke wing Kon Knueppel will be the favorite for Portland for many, as he adds nearly all of the skills the team needs.

At 6-foot-7, he’s scored 13.5 points for the white-hot Blue Devils so far this year, hitting on 40% of his threes and adding 2.4 assists. He’s not only a talented perimeter scorer, but boasts some legit skill handling the ball and in the pick-and-roll, too.

With the Trail Blazers, he could play off ball-heavy guards, while also adding some play-making and size.

Ben Saraf, Ulm

A 6-foot-6 prospect making his name for Ratiopharm Ulm of the EuroCup, Saraf boasts a fluid, guard-like skillset. He’s scored 12.8 points, dished 4.6 assists and snagged 1.3 steals per game while shooting 42% overall, but has hit on just 22% of his threes.

Saraf would add some much-needed positional size and play-making for Portland, but is a project as a shooter, despite boasting some solid form and touch.

It would be a big swing on the Trail Blazers end, but one they might need to make given how far away they are from contention.

Asa Newell, Georgia

Pivoting away from guards and wings, the Trail Blazers could stand to add some younger front court depth, and Newell fits the bill as a versatile piece.

He’s scored 15.4 points, nabbed 6.8 rebounds and dished 2.2 stocks per game, shooting 55% overall and an improving 30% from beyond the arc on OK volume.

Newell is a talented interior scorer, and projects to eventually be able to become a stretch big. Alongside Clingan, he could provide ancillary shot-blocking and size at 6-foot-11.