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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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(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Portland Trail Blazers small forward target – Royce O’Neale

Royce O’Neale of the Utah Jazz is a 27-year-old six-foot-four wing.

Though he has had just three years in the league, O’Neale has a great rep already as a three and d forward who can play both the two and the three.

O’Neale was undrafted after a four-year college career at Denver and Baylor and was then signed to a three-year rookie deal by the Jazz.

Though he has never played more than 29 minutes a game or taken more than 5 shots a game, he has been an underrated part of a pretty strong Jazz team.

Although it’s only on 2.4 attempts a night, he is a career 40 percent shooter. He doesn’t have a massive amount of shot attempts, but he performs his offensive role well, and he is also a great passer. As a passer, he has never finished lower than the 86th percentile in his position in his three years in the league.

As a finisher at the rim, he is strong, and though his numbers have been inconsistent, I can see him moving into a bigger role and getting more attempts there.

As a defender, O’Neale is one of the strong up and coming forwards. Though he is just six-foot-four, he has a massive six-foot-ten wingspan, meaning he can guard both the shooting guard and small forward positions as well as some power forwards.

He can help at the rim, he can force turnovers, and because he is 230 pounds, he can guard some of the league’s best wings.

The Jazz are in an interesting payroll position in the upcoming season with the pending supermax deal of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert’s free agency. They may need to cut salary by moving someone like O’Neale. If they brought in Ariza, they could get off four years in future salary.

For the Blazers, they would bring in a combo wing who could either defend bigger players or guards and alternate minutes with Gary Trent Jr.