Rookie Fit Preview: Can Shaedon Sharpe and Jabari Walker Impact Winning Now?
Teams choosing in the lottery generally aren’t looking to win a championship the following season, but the Portland Trail Blazers are a unique case. After a down 2021-22 season in which Damian Lillard missed a ton of time due to injury, the roster is back to being healthy.
Not only is the roster healthy, but it’s also improved. The Blazers added talent like Jerami Grant in the offseason via trade but also got better through the draft.
Shaedon Sharpe was their top pick, who hypothetically has as much upside of any player in this class. Jabari Walker was taken near the end of the draft but could end up being a steal.
Will those two he able to contribute as rookies?
The Rookie Class
Shaedon Sharpe (Guard | No. 7 Overall)
A mysterious prospect with high potential upside, it will be interesting to see Sharpe as a rookie on a team that wants to win.
Jabari Walker (Forward | No. 57 Overall)
There’s always a few late second rounders that carve out a role in the NBA, and to this point Walker has looked like a candidate to do just that.
Roles and Opportunities
The Blazers are in a position in which winning needs to happen soon. Lillard signed an extension this summer, but in the modern NBA players have the ability to force their way out. With that in mind, it will be extremely important for Sharpe to be a contributor early in his career to ensure the team succeeds.
With that in mind, Portland has quite a bit of depth at the two off-ball positions Sharpe will play. Between Anfernee Simons, Keon Johnson and Josh Hart, the rookie will have to earn his minutes. If he’s able to prove he can play more on the wing and showcase that versatility, there’s a more clear pathway to minutes.
Sharpe leading the bench unit as a high-level scorer would be an ideal situation for the Blazers.
As good as Jabari Walker looked in NBA Summer League, the power forward position is locked down by Jerami Grant and Nassir Little. As it relates to minutes, Walker will also have to compete with Greg Brown and Justise Winslow during training camp and early into the season.
What’s most likely is that Walker spends some time developing in the G League, but could provide value throughout the season if injuries arise.
Projections
Sharpe should thrive if he’s given the chance to be a leader in the second unit. Given he hasn’t played much formalized basketball over the past two years, he may struggle early on.
Sharpe might not produce at a starter level over the first few months of his career, but he could ultimately end up in the starting lineup as time goes on in the 2022-23 campaign. For him, it’s all about being put in the right situations.
Walker does provide versatility at the forward with his ability to knock down triples. In short spurts throughout games, he could be an impactful player if given the chance.
Portland had one of the first and one of the last picks in the 2022 NBA Draft but ultimately landed two really solid players.
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