The Portland Trail Blazers will have to make their own luck.
After failing to strike it rich at the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery, Joe Cronin and the rest of Portland’s front office will have to figure out the best way to maximize their picks at seven, 36th and 57th if they’re to reach their goal of pulling off a expedient retool around Damian Lillard. Free agency will be important -- the midlevel is probably their most clear path to a useful rotation player this offseason -- and it seems likely they’ll execute a few trades this offseason -- one would imagine that missing out on a Top 4 pick greatly improved the chances of Portland making a deal prior to or on the night of the draft -- but coming away from the draft with at least one player who could crack the rotation next season seems like a necessity at this point.