Los Angeles Lakers get high mark in complete 2017 NBA Draft first round grades
Portland Trail Blazers. CALEB SWANIGAN. A. . Power Forward
The Blazers had a few goals coming into the draft. They wanted to try and clear salary, dangling their surplus of first-round picks as trade bait. They also wanted to shore up their front court, which was a weak point for the team last season. While they couldn’t shed the salary, they certainly added talent to the front court.
After selecting Zach Collins with the 10th pick, the Blazers dipped into the front court pool once again with the 26th pick. In this slot, Portland selected Purdue big man, Caleb Swanigan.
This is an excellent pick for the Blazers. They lacked an interior presence last season for a majority of the season. Jusuf Nurkic gave them more of a presence, but now they have a legitimate option in the halfcourt to give the ball to when the game slows down.
Swanigan’s story is an emotional one, as his path to Purdue was not an easy one. He has overcome the obstacles in his life, such as weight issues to turn himself into a first round prospect. Swanigan is a monster offensively, as he can score in the low post or step out to the perimeter. He is also an elite rebounder, as he is a one-man wrecking crew on the glass.
Swanigan’s conditioning is still a concern, but there is no reason he won’t continue working on it in the NBA. He has all the tools to become a dominant player on the interior, aided by his 7-feet-4 inch wingspan. The Blazers are getting quite a player to add to what is beginning to look like a strong front court.