Ideally, by the 2025 trade deadline, the Portland Trail Blazers will move one of Deandre Ayton or Robert Williams III. Who they should trade between the two, like with any deal, depends on the value they get in return. Ayton could be difficult to move given his contract, owed roughly $70 million over the next two seasons. However, receiving value in a trade involving Williams III will also be challenging until he proves he can stay healthy.
The Blazers eventually need to figure out their center logjam, but they could use their size to their advantage in their season opener against the Golden State Warriors.
Blazers' massive size advantage over Warriors
Although Williams III is ruled out as he recovers from a hamstring strain, the size differential between Portland and Golden State is immediately noticeable when comparing the two rosters. The Warriors will rely on Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, and Trayce Jackson-Davis, with 6-foot-9 being the tallest height between the trio.
Meanwhile, the Blazers have two seven-footers between Deandre Ayton and Donovan Clingan and multiple wings with great length, including Deni Avdija, Jerami Grant, and Toumani Camara.
The Warriors are only a few years removed from being NBA Champions. They will likely remain more talented than the rebuilding Blazers for as long as 36-year-old Stephen Curry remains on their roster. But the Blazers could pull off the season opener upset if they utilize their size advantage, especially at home.
To start the season 1-0, Portland must take advantage of their mismatches in the paint. As talented as Ayton is, he has a tendency to shy away from physicality. He needs to assert himself and become "DominAyton" for the Blazers to have a chance.
Three-point shooting favors Warriors
Despite the massive size difference, winning in today's NBA is extremely difficult if you significantly lose the three-point battle. That could be the case in this matchup. Last season, the Blazers finished worst in the NBA in three-point shooting; they didn't address this massive need in the offseason and are missing Malcolm Brogdon (trade) and Shaedon Sharpe (shoulder injury) on the perimeter.
Compare that to the Warriors, who finished sixth best in the league last year at 37.9 percent. They lost one of the best shooters of all time, Klay Thompson, to the Dallas Mavericks. Still, they have several knockdown shooters -- even outside of Curry -- including Buddy Hield, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody.
Not to mention, head coach Steve Kerr is arguably the best in the league when it comes to coming up with schemes to get shooters open. The Blazers' biggest strength may turn into a weakness if their size can't keep up with the Warriors' screens that Green, in particular, is so elite at setting to get shooters open.
Golden State is favored to win this game, as they have a much more talented roster that could compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Still, outcomes in the NBA heavily depend on matchups, and this particular one gives the Blazers a chance to pull off the upset at home.