As a reminder, Portland holds the No. 7 and No. 14 picks in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Can Jared McCain Bring Blazers Much-Needed Stability?

Malcolm Brogdon’s contract is scheduled to expire in 2024–2025. He may search for a contending team when he becomes a free agent at age 31. He’s also a trade candidate because his contract is about to expire.

He’s not the only person who could be involved in a guard change; Adrian Lillard might replace Anfernee Simons. Simons lacks the prestige of a potential future Hall of Famer. Nevertheless, if the Blazers don’t start winning soon, he might demand a move.

Taken all together, it’s a perfect storm for a player like McCain. Though he’ll start the season off the bench behind Simons, he should open up options for Portland on the court and in the C-suite.

The Eye of the Storm

They need a player that can compliment both 2022 No. 7 pick Shaedon Sharpe and 2023 No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson, as their top priorities are developing them both. They would be searching for a powerful outside shooter and defender who can complement and balance Henderson.

Again, during his one and only season with the Blue Devils, McCain made 41.4 percent of his three-pointers. He attempted 55.4 percent of his field goals from beyond the arc. A superb outside threat with an infinite range, he is capable of making plays off the dribble or in catch-and-shoot circumstances. McCain, on the other hand, is most effective off the ball. But he causes a lot of mayhem with his awareness, activity, and nose for the ball.

Another benefit of drafting McCain is that he can also play alongside either Brogdon or Simons. At 6-foot-3, his height is on the smaller side, but he has a solid build at 203 pounds. In fact, as he’s more of a scorer than playmaker, having one of Henderson, Brogdon, or Simons beside him in the backcourt is ideal.