The Portland Trail Blazers blockbuster trade for Ja Morant was quite the surprise, but it's more predictable than you'd think, in retrospect.
New owner Tom Dundon had a previous history running an entire franchise in the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes. He recently even won the Stanley Cup, in part because of his successful roster-building strategy. Morant wasn't a great fit for Portland, but for Dundon it was an opportunity to buy low on a distressed asset.
Considering this was Dundon's first offseason with the Blazers, one would have to assume he'll eventually follow a similar blueprint. The only question is, who's the next cheap star on the market?
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Sometimes the right answer is the obvious one. Zion hasn't met sky-high draft expectations and is running out of time to prove he's the go-to option in New Orleans.
In terms of trade talks, the Pelicans have valued their young core far higher than one would expect for a team that just won 26 games. This team is in need of a shakeup as they aren't going anywhere in the West as currently constructed. Zion is the logical trade candidate if they want to embrace a new era, and Portland could be around when that happens.
Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors (?)
What team is Brandon Ingram even going to be on to start the season? The Kawhi Leonard trade saga somehow carries into August. Regardless of whether Portland ultimately has to deal with the Raptors or Clippers, this could be the next buy-low opportunity.
With Ingram, it's fair to wonder where he fits within the offensive hierarchy as a contender. That, and his $40 million contract should be baked into the asking price for Portland, however.
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
This one is more of a projection where Williamson and Ingram could more quickly happen in the short term, whether the Pelicans start out the season slow or the team finally landing Ingram wants to flip him. Still, it's a realistic scenario that Portland should be prepared for.
CBS Sports' Sam Quinn even suggested on The Third Apron podcast that the Magic should proactively trade Paolo Banchero before he experiences a rapid decline in value like the Celtics just went through with Jaylen Brown.
The Eastern Conference is only getting stronger, and the Magic are only getting further out of the contender conversation. So there's a scenario in which the narrative about Banchero being unable to guide a true contender goes too far, diminishing his value and giving Portland a chance to bring him back to the Pacific Northwest.
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