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NBA Mock Draft 16.0: Shocking new No. 1 emerges; Spurs add two potential stars

In one of our final NBA Mock Drafts of the season, a surprising new No. 1 prospect emerges.

By Michael Saenz

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7. Portland Trail Blazers - Tidjane Salaun, F, France

Having the No. 7 overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft is not ideal by any means for a team that is looking to find another foundational piece for their build. Nevertheless, there's still going to be a chance that the Portland Trail Blazers can make lemonade out of lemons. One way they can attempt to do so is by drafting one of the prospects with the highest ceiling. That player is Tidjane Salaun. With the natural skill set to potentially develop into a star player at the next level, there's a chance that Salaun could end up developing into the best player from this year's draft class in a few years.

It will take time and the Blazers will have to be patient, but I'd imagine they'd be willing to go down this path with Salaun. Quite frankly, Portland isn't ready to compete for a playoff spot at the moment. That means taking a prospect as raw as Salaun may end up being shouldn't be that big of a hindrance for the team.

And for the Blazers, this is one risk that could end up being a huge reward in the end. If he does develop into a star, he could be a huge piece to their next build as a franchise.

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