The Portland Trail Blazers are finally finding their rhythm, winning five of their last six games. They have found a working formula in their wing duo of Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara. Their offense, in general, is also moving the ball around much better as the youngest roster in the NBA becomes more comfortable playing off one another.
The Blazers have significantly improved from last season. But, as evidenced by their 18-29 record, plenty of areas still need to be addressed. It won't happen overnight, and the worst thing they could do is force the issue and aggressively try to solve all these problems at once.
GM Joe Cronin has emphasized trying to build a sustainable roster, which seems encouraging that the Blazers know their place as a rebuilding team and sellers as they approach the February 6 trade deadline.
Trade deadline boost: Shooting
The Blazers finished last season with the worst three-point percentage in the league (34.5). They're currently at 34.1 percent, which is third worst. That's unsurprising as they did very little this past offseason to address their most glaring need.
The silver lining is that their poor shooting is helping them land what will likely be a fourth consecutive top-ten draft selection. But it's still something they must urgently address as it's hindering the success of Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe by shrinking the floor for their young guards who like to attack the paint.
Trade deadline boost: Wing depth
Portland has found their two building blocks at the forward spots in Avdija and Camara. That's a refreshing thought and a significant upgrade. It's also a great starting point for developing a team identity, as they are both lengthy two-way wings.
But the Blazers don't have much reliable wing depth behind those two. Kris Murray is still struggling with his shot. Jerami Grant doesn't fit into their rebuilding timeline and could be traded as soon as this week. Jabari Walker is set to be a restricted free agent and could also be included as a trade piece.
Their lack of depth is concerning, considering forwards are arguably the most important players in the NBA. Besides Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic, a forward has won Finals MVP every season since 2012.
Trade to avoid: Orlando's Cole Anthony, Jett Howard package
If the Blazers send Anfernee Simons to Orlando, they should insist on the Magic including Anthony Black in the deal. If not, Portland should explore other trade options. They’d be better off landing a similar pick alongside a more intriguing package of players.
Cole Anthony and Jett Howard seem to be the most commonly pitched return for the Blazers to get for Simons. The thought process is that Anthony and Howard fit Portland's rebuilding timeline and still have some upside as recent lottery picks.
But what's overlooked is that Howard shouldn't have been that high of a selection in the first place, as Orlando reached for him at pick No. 11 in 2023. He was mainly selected that early because he is known as a shooter, and Orlando desperately needs more shooting to surround Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. But Howard is shooting just 31.5 percent from beyond the arc in his first two seasons.
The Blazers would also receive another inefficient guard in Anthony, who is averaging 8.2 points on 41/31/77 shooting splits this season.
It's one thing to be a fit for the timeline, but the package Portland gets back in this scenario isn't a great roster fit. Orlando and Portland have similar roster constructions, as both teams have tremendous length but also have playmaking and shooting woes that need to be addressed.
These players are contributing to the same problems in Orlando that they are expected to come in and solve for Portland.