It makes perfect sense for the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers to be active at the trade deadline. They have established players who don't fit their timeline and an excess of centers in a market seeking that position. But with perhaps the most potential trade candidates in the league—Robert Williams III, Deandre Ayton, Duop Reath, Jerami Grant, Matisse Thybulle, and Anfernee Simons—who exactly should they move?
GM Joe Cronin can answer that with another question: Who are Portland's building blocks, and which veterans are getting in the way of their development? By reverse-engineering their ideal future starting lineup, they can determine who no longer fits and needs to be traded.
Blazers must move Deandre Ayton to build around Donovan Clingan
The case for trading Ayton
Deandre Ayton is a double-double machine; he's 14th in rebounds this year at ten per game. And his midrange game is amongst the best in the league at his position. But his impact on winning outside of scoring and rebounding doesn't justify his $34 million contract. Portland has younger and cheaper alternatives that can make more of an impact on the defensive end.
The case for starting Clingan
The Blazers invested high draft capital into the UConn big man, and it's already been paying dividends when he's been healthy. Everything that made him a coveted prospect and in consideration for Atlanta's No. 1 overall pick—his 7-foot-2 frame, rim protection, rebounding, passing, and overall feel for the game—has immediately translated to the NBA as expected.
Clingan's unique zero point, 19 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and three block-game against the Rockets showcases the type of special talent he is as he doesn't need the ball in his hands to make an impact—the anti-Ayton, who is $27.2 million cheaper this season.
Anfernee Simons needs to be traded to make room for Scoot Henderson
The case for trading Simons
Anfernee Simons is shooting 32.3 percent from three this season and has been wildly inconsistent as both a shooter and a playmaker. The positional fit is wonky as he's not a true point guard, yet Shaedon Sharpe is firmly entrenched as their shooting guard going forward. Not to mention defensive concerns surrounding his size, which goes against the identity of the Blazers' young core.
Simons' contract also expires at the end of the 2025-26 season. Do the Blazers really want to potentially pay him north of $30 million to keep him around long-term? With the new tax apron restrictions, teams are going to be much more squeezed financially. Simons could be a coveted trade target around the league that the Blazers could get legitimate value on, and they should cash in now before having to decide whether to let him walk for nothing or overpay him.
The case for starting Henderson
Scoot Henderson isn't consistently showing promising signs of developing in key areas. Finishing at the paint is the main area where he's improved since being a rookie. Still, significant issues remain surrounding his shooting, decision-making/turnovers, and defense.
Despite the relatively disappointing start to his career, Portland isn't that far removed from spending a No. 3 overall pick on their young guard. It's still too early to throw in the towel on his development completely. And with that being the case, the Blazers should do everything they can to put him in an optimal position to succeed.
There's little reason for a rebuilding team like the Blazers to play Henderson less than 30 minutes a game, regardless of his struggles. At the very least, Portland needs to know what they have in him and whether or not they have their point guard position solidified going forward in their rebuild.
Jerami Grant is blocking Deni Avdija’s path to a starting role
The case for trading Grant
The case for moving Jerami Grant is simple. He's the oldest player who doesn't fit their rebuilding timeline at 30 years old and is on a massive contract, owed $29.8 million this season, which increases to a $36.4 million player option in 2027-28 when he will be past his prime.
Similarly to Ayton and Simons, Grant is having a down year so far in Portland, averaging 15.3 points on inefficient 38/36/82 shooting splits. His struggles and the added complexity of getting trades done with the new CBA make it challenging to find a deal, especially since Joe Cronin is still asking for two first-round picks for a player "some view as a neutral asset," according to Hoops Hype's Michael Scotto.
But if the Blazers can find a decent deal, they should take it, even if it means lowering their asking price, as keeping Grant around is doing more harm than good for their rebuild.
The case for starting Avdija
We previously made a more in-depth case for why Deni Avdija deserves to start for the Blazers. The main reasons they should start him are similar to why they traded significant assets for him in the first place. He fits their rebuilding timeline at 23 and is on a team-friendly frontloaded contract.
But on the court, he has been arguably their most consistent player over the last month. He's a great two-way defender with his combination of length and agility and has improved key weaknesses for Portland with his well-rounded game. With his three-point shot finally falling, the Blazers must start Avdija, an overlooked foundational piece of their young core going forward.
Here's what the Blazers' starting five would look like, along with their ages:
- PG: Scoot Henderson - 20
- SG: Shaedon Sharpe - 21
- SF: Deni Avdija - 23
- PF: Toumani Camara - 24
- C: Donovan Clingan - 20
That would make second-year Toumani Camara the "veteran" in their starting lineup, with an average age of 21.6. Currently, the Oklahoma City Thunder have the youngest starting lineup in the league at 24.2, with Portland second at 25.2.
This potential starting lineup consists of arguably the five most essential players in the Blazers' rebuild. It makes sense to give them more opportunities, not just for development but to see what they have in their young core and what needs further addressing.