Trail Blazers, Rockets Reportedly Open to Trading Top Picks in 2023 NBA Draft

Less than 24 hours removed from the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery, two of the top-four pick-getters are already making noise on the trade market.

San Antonio and Charlotte, the two big winners on the night at picks No. 1 and 2, respectively, are likely to hold onto their assets. But Portland, who landed the third overall pick, and Houston, who fell to fourth overall, already have other plans.

Per ESPN's Zach Lowe, league executives expect the Blazers to shop the No. 3 overall pick in an attempt to land a veteran piece next to superstar Damian Lillard.

It’s not a completely unexpected move for the Trail Blazers, who have long sought after an NBA championship with Lillard at the helm. But landing the third pick in a relatively strong class, one though, could've potentially shifted their mindset towards the future.

Per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Rockets are also open to moving on from their top selection in order to land a significant win-now asset. Houston has long been thought of to make a push for James Harden in the offseason, but he’s reportedly only willing to sign with teams who are ready to win immediately.

With bottom two finishes in each of the last three seasons, that’s currently not the Rockets. But sending off the fourth overall pick is sure to land a decent asset that could be used to sway Harden home.

There could be a bevy of potential suitors for the those selections, with several teams in the NBA standing in no-man's land between contention and a rebuild.

The 2023 NBA Draft will kick off at 7 p.m. on June 22, 2023.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.