Traded Blazers Lottery Pick ‘Dark Horse Contender’ for Rookie of the Year

Did Portland make a mistake in offloading this selection?

Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (17) dribbles against Houston Rockets guard Kira Lewis Jr (60) during the first quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Did Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin make a mistake in offloading an elite lottery pick ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft?

Instead of making a major splash in free agency for a rebuilding team, Cronin made his big acquisition in a trade. He flipped the Trail Blazers' No. 14 first round draft pick (used on former Pittsburgh guard Carlton "Bub" Carrington), the most favorable of their 2029 first round selections, a pair of second rounders, and the expiring $22.5 million contract of 2023 Sixth Man of the Year point guard Malcolm Brogdon to acquire combo forward Deni Avdija. The Blazers also received a trade exception in the deal.

Read More: Deni Avdija Shocked by Trade to Portland

Though the 23-year-old Avdija isn't much older than the Blazers' anticipated core — 21-year-old third year shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe, 20-year-old rookie center Donovan Clingan, and hopefully 20-year-old point guard Scoot Henderson — Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports writes that Carrington has a good shot at All-Rookie honors. The 6-foot-4 ACC All-Freshman Teamer been impressive enough in Summer League — and should get enough shine on a tanking Wizards roster — that he's already looking like a prolific contributor.

"The Wizards will likely be in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes in next year's draft," Peek writes. Flagg, a freshman Duke combo forward, is expected to be the No. 1 pick in 2025. "They are a very young team and lack star talent in a competitive Eastern Conference. That means Carrington, 19, should get all the reps he needs as a rookie, playing on a team with little pressure to win right away and compete for a playoff spot."

"Carrington exuded confidence in his first real NBA test over the summer, nearly netting a triple-double in his first Summer League outing," Peek adds. "He finished the tournament averaging 15.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists. Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard and San Antonio guard Stephon Castle might be early favorites for Rookie of the Year, but Carrington could be a dark-horse contender with how much playing time he'll get this season."

Ironically, Peek doesn't even mention the Wizards' own top pick in this year's draft, No. 2 selection Alexandre Sarr, a 7-foot-1 French center formerly with the Perth Wildcats of Australia's National Basketball League. That's probably because Sarr absolutely bombed in Summer League, averaging just 5.5 points on 19.1 percent field goal shooting, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 0.8 steals a night.

The Trail Blazers did keep one of the four draft picks the team had heading into the 2024 NBA Draft, the No. 7 selection, which they used on former University of Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan. It's unclear how much rotational run Clingan is going to earn to start his NBA career, given that he's expected to back up Portland's priciest player, Deandre Ayton.

More Trail Blazers: Portland Lands Former All-Star in New Blockbuster Trade Proposal