The Trail Blazers missed out on the 2026 NBA draft entirely, but 2027 already offers a name worth filing away: Tajh Ariza.
That’s the son of Trevor Ariza, who played for Portland in 2020, and he looks like the kind of wing prospect the Blazers could use if he keeps developing on schedule. The younger Ariza is entering his freshman year at Oregon, and he’ll be 19 years old on 2027 draft night. He’s listed at 6’9”, 200 lb, and his appeal starts with the same kind of 3&D profile that carried his father through an 18-year NBA career.
The defensive tools jump out first. Ariza moves fluidly for his size, stays attached to the ball, and has the kind of versatility that lets him switch across multiple positions. He also brings active hands and long reach, which helped him pile up 22 steals across the 14 games logged on Synergy from last season.
The shot is there too. According to Synergy, Ariza knocked down 57.1% of his spot-up threes for Link Academy. He’s also comfortable letting it fly off the dribble from deep or from the mid-range, which gives him a little more juice than a one-dimensional catch-and-shoot wing.
Of course, there’s still work to do. Ariza is not much of a passer right now, and his finishing at the rim is limited unless he’s got a clean runway to dunk. For him to become a real NBA wing, he’ll need to keep sharpening the defensive end while expanding what he can do offensively.
That’s why he fits as a name for Portland to keep close tabs on. The biggest issue in the Blazers’ rotation heading into the 2026-27 season is the backup wing group.
With Shaedon Sharpe injured, Portland’s options off the bench at the three and four currently include Vit Krejci, Sidy Cissoko, and two two-way players, John Tonje and Jayson Kent. As it stands, none of them look like obvious playoff-caliber answers.
The Blazers could try to fix that at the trade deadline or even before then, but they should also be thinking longer term. If Ariza eventually declares for the 2027 NBA Draft, he belongs on their board.
His playmaking and finishing are the parts of his game that can be hidden early while he develops. For now, the ask would be simple: defend, move, and hit open threes.
He may not even enter the draft-he’s raw, and NIL money matters a lot in today’s landscape. But if he does make the jump, Portland should be ready.
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Blazers Need One Big Answer From Vit Krejci This Camp
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Portlands interest is straightforward: Krej has size, can handle the ball a bit, and was brought in to help the perimeter game, but the shot has to come along for him to hold that role. He also has to prove he can stay on the floor after a calf injury interrupted his finish to last season, leaving the Blazers with one big question as camp opens: is this the version of Krej they can count on? [Read more 🡒]