If you were Neil Olshey, which player would you swing a trade for?
Cozens: Danilo Gallinari and Justin Patton from the Thunder. Just give up our first-round pick and get a power forward and center back that we can re-sign and will be a great fit with Nurk and Collins next year. Gallo could also play now and would help this team on offense.
Brown: None. Like I advocated earlier this week, the Trail Blazers should pursue Montrezl Harrell in the off-season instead.
Gaskin: I’ve discussed this a little over the last few weeks — the prospect of flipping Hassan Whiteside for Gordon Hayward. Their contracts match up nicely, and this trade would benefit both teams. Blazers get their starting small forward, and Boston gets a big man to protect the paint. Portland could throw in Mario Hezonja and picks to sweeten the deal, nicely setting them up for 2020-21. Another one I like is Whiteside for Covington and Dieng. Dieng can be Nurk’s back-up, and Covington, while he can’t create his own shot the way Hayward can, is an elite defender, and shoots the ball extremely well.
Carroll: I know he’s a hot commodity and would probably be involved in a bidding war — which probably makes this a fantasy — but targeting a package of Robert Covington and Gorgui Dieng makes too much sense for Portland. The Trail Blazers get the 3-and-D presence they desperately need, and taking on Dieng’s dead weight salary could lower the asking price. Meanwhile, Minnesota clears $30 million off the books and collects assets they can use to finally swing a trade for D’Angelo Russell and hopefully keep KAT content.
Mandel: Robert Covington. He’s the perfect 3-and-D wing that the Blazers need. Gordon Hayward is also a good option, but it seems unrealistic that Boston would give him up.
Baker: Derrick Rose. Rose would give the Blazers playmaking and scoring off the bench, which is in my opinion, the Blazers’ biggest weakness right now.