Blazers Could Take Damian Lillard Replacement in NBA Draft

The Portland Trail Blazers could soon find their point guard of the future.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers are making a run towards qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2021.

The team is currently sitting at No. 9 in the Western Conference standings, which would qualify for the Play-In Tournament. However, there are some people within the organization thinking ahead to the summer for the 2026 NBA Draft. This is a very stacked draft class, especially in the lottery, where the Blazers will end up if they fail to make it out of the Play-In Tournament.

NBA Draft On SI writer Derek Parker conducted a mock draft where the Blazers selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon.

"Portland sits in interesting position, with a swath of young players that make up a budding core, but a bevy of win-now veterans and former stars as well. Smack dab in the middle sits current All-Star Deni Avdija. Here, they get what could be their last lottery pick for some time, taking a swing in a lead guard prospect in Alabama’s Labaron Philon," Parker wrote.

"Between Scoot Henderson, Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard, the Trail Blazers have point guard options, but there’s no guarantee any of the three are elite in the long-term, making one more try plausible. 

"Philon’s been a revelation in his second season with the Tide, boosting his production to 21.5 points on 40% 3-point shooting, with 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals. He has a tight handle and shot-making instincts, and feels like a good bet at a solid all-around guard."

Labaron Philon Jr. celebrates the win as Auburn Tigers take on Alabama Crimson Tide. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Labaron Philon Could Be Blazers Point Guard

Philon, a sophomore from Mobile Ala., is averaging 21.5 points per game for the Crimson Tide this season, putting him in the top 10 in the entire country when it comes to scoring.

Only Daeshun Ruffin (Jackson State), Dominique Daniels Jr. (California Baptist), JT Toppin (Texas Tech), Ebuka Okorie (Stanford), Nick Martinelli (Northwestern), Jordan Riley (East Carolina), PJ Hagerty (Kansas State), Cameron Boozer (Duke), and AJ Dybantsa (BYU) are averaging more points than Philon this season.

It's hard to imagine the Blazers targeting another guard, but with Henderson's free agency approaching in 2027 and Holiday and Lillard closer to the end of their careers, it would make sense for Portland to draft a guard that could emerge in two or three seasons. The Blazers could allow Philon to develop for a year or two behind talented veterans and eventually come into his own.