NBA Mock Draft 12.0: Wizards get lifeline at No. 1; Trae Young is traded in bold deal

The Washington Wizards get a lifeline at No. 1 and Trae Young is traded in a bold deal in our latest NBA Mock Draft.

Purdue v Connecticut
Purdue v Connecticut | Jamie Squire/GettyImages
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14. Portland Trail Blazers (via Golden State) - Kyle Filipowski, F, Duke

With this second lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, it'll be interesting to see what route the Portland Trail Blazers end up taking. If they're looking for more help in the frontcourt, there's one prospect that could be worthy of a selection late in the lottery. Kyle Filipowski, who has shown an intriguing skill set throughout his two seasons at Duke, could be a prospect of interest for the Blazers or any other team selecting from a point of luxury at this point in the lottery.

There's an argument to suggest that Filipowski's inconsistencies is what will ultimately make him fall in this year's NBA Draft. However, at the same time, his unique skill set as a 7-footer should offset many of those concerns. Filipowski isn't a full-fledged "unicorn," but there's no question he can do many things with the ball on the offensive end of the floor that not many other 7-footers in this year's draft class can do.

Because of that, he deserves to be taken in the lottery. Sure, there are concerns about his defensive ability at the next level, but that's the gamble you take with many players at this point in the draft.