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Portland Trail Blazers: Three trades to bring in an ideal small forward

By Stevie Cozens

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 28: Cedi Osman #16 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at the Smoothie King Center on February 28, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 28: Cedi Osman #16 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at the Smoothie King Center on February 28, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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This Portland Trail Blazers squad is one key piece away from contending in the 2021 season. Which small forwards could they trade for to fill this gap?

The Portland Trail Blazers only have one true small forward on their roster; the 35-year-old Trevor Ariza. Though Ariza had a great 21 games in town, he may only have one or two more years left at the level we saw him play at this season.

The small forward position is one of utmost importance in the NBA these days. If the Blazers want to compete for finals appearances and the ultimate goal of a championship, then they need a plus small forward who can score efficiently and potentially defend at a high level too.

Because of the small backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, the small forward position is important to compensate for that lack of size.

There may be teams that look to cut payroll this season because of the COVID related financial issues and a lower cap. The lower salary cap of 2021 could mean that many teams are in the luxury tax and could potentially need to trade players to get under the tax.

Which three small forwards could the Blazers potentially trade for?