This post was originally published on this site.
The Portland Trail Blazers, like all 30 NBA franchises, are knee-deep in the blowing storm of the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline. Players are moving in large numbers, with several talented stars and near-stars switching teams. Plenty of people are wondering if the Blazers have moves in the offing, either high-profile (hello, Giannis Antetokounmpo!) or more lowkey like their recent acquisition of reserve guard Vit Krejci.
At this point, the Blazer’s Edge Mailbag is brimming with questions, up to and including the overarching one, “Why are [General Manager] Joe Cronin and the Blazers sitting out the event while players like Jaren Jackson, Jr. (and now Anthony Davis) are changing hands?”
It’s hard to predict what the Blazers will do. They have assets on hand, but no particular urgency to trade them at this point. Draft picks and young players need time in the oven to determine value. Trying to forecast their worth, or what’s worthwhile to do with them, is precarious work.
We can, however, look at the other side of the equation, asking what the Blazers need at this year’s Trade Deadline. That will bring focus to the kind of players they might be looking for. It’d also answer the implied question if they don’t pick up anybody else. They didn’t make a move because either:
A. Nobody was available who filled a need. Or…
B. The players available were too expensive. Or…
C. The players the Blazers wanted to move didn’t have enough value.
So here, in a nutshell, are the areas the Blazers could use some help in and/or their presumed priorities as they consider trades.
The first, and most obvious, need is consistent three-point shooting. The Blazers are third in the league in attempts beyond the arc, dead last in accuracy. This is exactly why they picked up Krejci. (He went 1-6 in his first game with Portland, but you could see his form and the straight line he shot took to the rim. Not a bad pick-up in this regard!) They need more. The number of possessions wasted as quick penetration morphs into a kick-out and…BONK! is staggering. Krejci is a shooter. Jerami Grant has a track record and started hot this year, but has fallen off. Everyone else is sketchy. Any shooting that comes bundled with a reasonable NBA skill and/or position would be welcome.
The Blazers also need some clarity at the center position, if not now, at least eventually. Donovan Clingan is an Earth Elemental pivot, a fearsome force when he is touching the ground and delivering an automatic 32 HP of damage per hit. When he plays, though, Portland has trouble guarding the arc and high screens. When he doesn’t play, the Blazers lose much of their interior defense and rebounding. (And yes, most of the time that includes when Robert Williams III takes over.) It’s an “either-or” situation, not “and”. Modern NBA teams will BBQ anybody who leaves them an opening like that, no matter where on the court it comes. Portland needs an alternative backing up Clingan—or if they ever go this direction, supplanting him—that doesn’t cost them quite so heavily. If Yang Hansen is that guy, so be it. If not, a reserve center or a stouter power forward might be on the wish list.
Speaking of, Deni Avdija has turned into quite a matchup problem for opponents at point guard. Yet the Blazers have multiple point guards waiting in the wings: Scoot Henderson, Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard, even Blake Wesley. What the heck are they going to do with all of them? Is any of them the answer? Avdija is a barrel of fireworks, but he also commits more turnovers than anybody in the league outside of Luka Doncic. Henderson is unproven. Holiday is great when he’s great but he’s also aging. Lillard can’t play yet because of injury. Wesley looks fleet and promising but he’s untried. Could any of these players become trade bait in the name of consolidation, if nothing else?
And finally, I’ll take flak for this, but moving at least one of Portland’s “elder statesman” contracts might be a wise choice, either at this deadline or during the summer. Grant and Holiday each make $32 million per year. That’s not a problem. It’s a salary commensurate with their status as not-quite stars, veterans with glittery track records, forecast as starters (or at least key players) for the team. But those contracts run through 2028 and rise within shouting distance of $40 million. At that point Holiday will be 37, Grant 33 with high mileage. They already look to be slowing down on the court compared to two years ago. They’ve got younger players behind them. The Blazers can’t carry both contracts to full term, can they? Yet it feels like every passing season Grant and Holiday are going to get less attractive on the trade market. Even more than trading expiring contracts, the Blazers might want to focus on trading “flypaper” deals that won’t expire.
P.S. It’s not a need, but Matisse Thybulle, if healthy, could help a contender. He’s playing on an expiring $11.5 million contract. The Blazers have six people who play Thybulle’s position. That confluence sticks out like a sore thumb. Will Portland move him before the deadline? Williams is less urgent, but he makes $13.3 million, also on an expiring deal. This would go in the same category as trades for Holiday or Grant: tidying up the roster, streamlining the books, while acquiring talent with utility beyond the present.
The biggest question at hand is whether the Blazers need another star in the process. At this juncture, I’d say yes. Watching them without Avdija on the court is like watching a Middle School Dance: cute and promising, but awkward. Another key player to galvanize around would sure help, not just in depth, but execution. With the amount of talent changing hands right now, there’s hope. The fields will be richer over the summer, but it’s hard to ignore the lack of proven depth and consistent execution right now. If they have the opportunity, I’d say go for it. Draft picks in 2029 aren’t going to help this generation, and this generation’s ceiling is too low to bank on without help. If it costs a key player and some (but not all) of those picks, it’d probably be a wise move.
What other needs do you see? Share in the comments section below. And if you can, please help us send kids to see the Blazers play Coby White and the Charlotte Hornets on March 10th by donating tickets to Blazer’s Edge Night! Each seat starts at $13 and every one donated sends someone who otherwise couldn’t see the Blazers play to the game! It’s easy, fun, and makes a huge difference!