Mock Draft Roundup: Consensus at three, 23 and 43

Between owning two first-round picks and one second-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and building the roster of their new, yet-unnamed G-League team, the Portland Trail Blazers have already had a busy offseason. And it's only going to get busier.

As of June 8, the Portland Trail Blazers have hosted 27 players over the course of six workouts as they prepare for the 2023 NBA Draft, and the expectation is they’ll likely host at least a few more before putting together their big board heading into the yearly event, which is scheduled for June 22 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The hottest topic has revolved around what the team should do with the third overall pick, though in what is considered a deep draft, there's quite a bit riding on getting value out of the 23rd pick, which they acquired as a centerpiece of the trade that sent Josh Hart to the Knicks at the 2023 trade deadline. And finding either a veteran who could contribute in a bench role right away or a high-ceiling younger player who might be a few years away seem like good directions to go with the 43rd pick.

But to take it down to the basics: the Trail Blazers need more talent, and the draft is one of the best ways, perhaps THE best way, for a team in Portland to get better, which makes the June 22 event the most important of their offseason. If Joe Cronin and his staff are to build a team around Damian Lillard, their stated primary objective this offseason, having a great Draft Night two weeks from now almost feels like a requirement. It's not the only important business they have to attend to this offseason, but with minimal cap space and their history in free agency, it is the most important piece.

So here's what those who follow the NBA Draft the closest think the Trail Blazers might do when they’re on the clock for picks three, 23 and 43 (at least when it comes to about half of the posted mock drafts). You would expect there to be quite a bit of consensus at three, as the most common refrain is that Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson are all but guaranteed to go Top Three after the Spurs take Victor Wembanyama with the first pick, but there's also some agreement on targets at 23 and 43 as well. That could just be draft prognosticators reading tea leaves or cheating off each other, but whatever the reason, it's a bit unusual to have numerous mock drafts picking the same players that far down in the process.

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• The folks at ESPN have the Trail Blazers selecting G-League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson with the third overall pick...

Sources say Henderson is also very interested in Charlotte's situation and would welcome hearing his name called second, as much due to geographic proximity to his hometown of Marietta, Georgia, as the excitement over new ownership that is potentially taking over the Hornets organization this summer. If that doesn't materialize, landing in Portland and being mentored by Damian Lillard is also viewed as an attractive option. There's belief the two can play together along with last season's top-10 pick, Shaedon Sharpe, and that Henderson can eventually take the reins of the franchise in the coming years.

And Barcelona center James Nnaji with the 23rd pick...

Nnaji was originally scheduled to travel to Chicago and scrimmage at the draft combine, before Barcelona opted to have him remain with the team headed into the EuroLeague Final Four. That decision reflected the growth of his role but also meant a missed opportunity for Nnaji to showcase himself in the combine setting, where his physical tools likely would have set him apart in a thin class of centers. As Barcelona enters the ACB playoffs this week, Nnaji will have more time to showcase himself, but he remains more of a long-term bet who will benefit from the lack of quality bigs on the board in this draft.

And at 43, the ESPNers have Portland selecting UCLA freshman point guard Amari Bailey.

• Krysten Peak at Yahoo! Sports has the Trail Blazers selecting Alabama freshman forward Brandon Miller with the third pick, Iowa junior forward Kris Murray with the 23rd pick and KK Partizan center Tristan Vukčević with the 43rd pick (though for some reason they have it listed as the 44th pick).

• Jonathan Wasserman at Bleacher Report has the Trail Blazers selecting Scoot Henderson with the third overall pick...

With Miller possibly gone at No. 2, Henderson becomes a likely best-player-available choice at No. 3. The question is whether Portland will be making it, or if another team trades up with a Blazers' franchise focused on adding veteran star power.

With the 23rd pick, he's got Portland selecting Pepperdine sophomore guard Maxwell Lewis...

Scouts have been trying to weigh Lewis' NBA physical profile, three-level shot-making and enticing creation flashes versus Pepperdine's 9-22 record and the sophomore's inconsistent defense against lower-level competition. He should ultimately look enticing in a workout setting with the body of a wing and the shooting versatility to hit different types of jumpers from all over.

And with the 43rd pick, he's got Kansas State senior forward Keyontae Johnson heading to Portland...

Shooting, strong defensive tools and toughness should help Johnson generate second-round interest from teams who see a two-way role player.

• Kevin O'Connor at The Ringer also has Portland selecting Scoot Henderson with the third pick...

If Henderson lands here, does he learn the ropes underneath Damian Lillard or replace him? That’d be the question, because the two of them wouldn't be able to play together. Not to mention the presence of Anfernee Simons. It's a strange fit, but the Blazers should go with the best prospect available and figure out the rest later unless a perfect trade-down or trade-out opportunity presents itself.

At 23, O'Connor has Portland selecting Marquette junior forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper...

Bolstering the wing and forward spots with someone like O-Max should be a priority for the Blazers, regardless of what they do with their lottery pick.

And maybe most interestingly, O'Connor also has Portland selecting Keyontae Johnson with the 43rd pick...

Johnson would be an excellent fit on the wing in Portland, due to his size. Plus he could pair well with Henderson in the years to come.

• The NBA crew at CBS Sports -- Kyle Boone, Gary Parrish, Adam Finkelstein and David Cobb -- all have the Trail Blazers taking Scoot Henderson in their respective mock drafts.

But at 23, Boone has Portland selecting Duke freshman forward Dariq Whitehead, Parrish has Portland going with Kris Murray out of Iowa, Finkelstein has Portland going international by taking French guard Rayan Rupert, who played last season with the New Zealand Breakers, while Cobb has the Blazers selecting Ohio State freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh.

• Bryan Kalbrosky at USA Today bucks the trends and has Portland selecting Overtime Elite guard/forward Amen Thompson with the third pick...

I do not think the Portland Trail Blazers end up using this draft pick and would prefer win-now pieces to play alongside Damian Lillard next year, and instead, I’d expect them to trade it to a team seeking to find their point guard of the future in Scoot Henderson.

But until a trade is made, I’m going to act as if Portland is indeed making the pick. In that case, be open to the possibility that the Trail Blazers may be unafraid to take an unconventional route and select Amen Thompson.

Portland recently hosted Amen and his twin brother, Ausar, for a private workout and Amen displayed his jaw-dropping vertical pop.

Just look at who they drafted in the lottery last year and you can learn a bit of what they may value. Shaedon Sharpe was considered a "wildcard" after not playing in college but he is also one of the most athletic players in the world. Frankly, so is Amen. Both players are 6-foot-6 or taller and they would be an unreal duo in the same lineup.

And at 23, he joins the growing consensus that has Portland selecting Iowa forward Kris Murray, the twin brother of Sacramento's Keegan Murray (who the Blazers might have very well drafted were he available at seven in the 2022 Draft)…

Iowa's Kris Murray would have benefited from a stronger performance in the NCAA men's tournament, but it's still worth noting that he had an excellent season. The All-Big Ten forward finished the season averaging 20.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game. He projects well as a valuable rotation player for a team like Portland.

And at 43, Kalbrosky has the Trail Blazers selecting Miami junior guard Isaiah Wong.

• Matt Babcock at SI.com has Portland selecting Brandon Miller with its first first-round pick...

Two critical attributes for NBA prospects are positional size and outside shooting. At 6-9, Alabama's Brandon Miller, a wing, clearly checks the positional size box. However, he also passes the outside shooting test with flying colors. On top of being an outstanding shooter, Miller is versatile, routinely executing shots on the move and off the dribble, as well as stationary catch-and-shoot opportunities. In addition, he's effective off the dribble in mid-range and pick-and-roll situations. He's also a capable rebounder. It's widely expected that Miller will be among the top few players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft.

And at 23, he joins the growing consensus that has Portland selecting Iowa forward Kris Murray, the twin brother of Sacramento's Keegan Murray...

After his twin brother, Keegan, left for the NBA Draft, Kris Murray stepped into the role of Iowa's centerpiece. He emerged and helped his team become one of the better offenses in the country. At 6-8, Murray, a lefty, put his scoring prowess on display all season long. And he was an absolute menace on the offensive boards as well. A stretch four that reliable and solid, Murray is one of the safer bets in this year's draft as his floor is relatively high.

And at 43 he's got Trail Blazers selecting... Keyontae Johnson, who already came through Portland for a pre-draft workout.

• Christopher Kline at Fansided has Scoot Henderson heading to Portland...

The Blazers will heavily consider trades here and the fit between 6-foot-2 Scoot Henderson and 6-foot-2 Damian Lillard (not to mention 6-foot-3 Anfernee Simons) isn't perfect. That said, he's the clear best player on the board. The Blazers can't get too caught up on fit when there's a potential franchise talent available. Henderson has the potential to carry the Blazers into the future once Lillard inevitably declines.

And with the 23rd pick, Kline has the Trail Blazers selecting Alabama freshman forward Noah Clowney...

The Blazers tend to prioritize athleticism and Noah Clowney is an impressive athlete, standing 6-foot-10 with burgeoning rim protection skills and the mobility to switch screens on the perimeter. He would fill the gaping hole in the frontcourt caused by Jusuf Nurkic's swift decline.

And with the 43rd pick, Kline has the Trail Blazers taking another player from the south, Arkansas junior guard Ricky Council...

Ricky Council is one of the best at-rim finishers in the draft. His burst getting downhill, combined with his contortionist skills in the paint, make him an easy scoring bet if the 3-point shot progresses to the point of respectability.