NBA trade chatter is officially picking up with less than two weeks remaining until the February 6th deadline! The Portland Trail Blazers are one of several teams to keep an eye on leading up to the deadline as they continue to sort out their roster in their post-Damian Lillard era.
However, they have been relatively quiet so far. There's been more talk about what players the Blazers can't trade than the ones they might move. Despite the lack of activity, fans have a growing sense of urgency for the Blazers to make a trade, as holding onto so many veterans is hindering their rebuild.
Portland clears the path for Scoot Henderson
The Miami Heat acquired Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets for Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick roughly one year ago. That trade has significantly backfired for them as Rozier, a 20-plus point scorer in Charlotte, is averaging just 11.9 points on inefficient 40/29/92 shooting splits this season.
Miami desperately needs to get Tyler Herro more help in the backcourt. A Herro-Anfernee Simons pairing would be lethal on the offensive end, and the two combo guards could complement each other's style of play well. After all, Miami had an interest in trading for Damian Lillard, and Simons is an eerily similar type of player for Portland.
Jabari Walker is a throw-in piece, but he is the epitome of a "Heat Culture" player who wins possessions with his energy and effort.
Rozier and Josh Richardson would be salary fillers, with Rozier's deal up after next season and Richardson on an expiring contract.
Simons' trade value is difficult to gauge, but if the Blazers can land an unprotected first-round pick somewhere, they should pull the trigger. Scoot Henderson's play as of late should inspire confidence in Rip City building around him as their long-term point guard going forward.
Robert Williams III goes from Rip City to Space City
The second-seeded Houston Rockets want to win now, and the rebuilding Blazers don't (or at least shouldn't want to). Williams is owed $12.4 million, while Adams is on the books for $12.6 million, so the contracts match up perfectly for a one-for-one swap, which seems rare in today's NBA, where multi-team trades are becoming more common.
Williams would be a perfect fit for the Rockets as a backup to Alperen Sengun, and it would also reunite him with defensive-minded coach Ime Udoka.
The amount of draft capital attached could go either way -- the Blazers are high on Williams, and he's been playing great in limited stretches this season. Could it now take a late first-rounder for Portland to part ways? Or does his injury history make him only worth two second-round picks? We split the difference here, but we'll find out soon how highly Portland truly values him.
Blazers get off Grant's contract as Kings make playoff push
Note: To make this work, Portland would have to waive a player.
Sacramento bringing DeMar DeRozan into the mix this past offseason has forced their hand to accelerate their timeline, so they could potentially be more open to the idea of locking themselves into Grant's contract than other teams.
According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Kings are interested in Cam Johnson, but the Nets require more than one first-round pick to part ways with their sharpshooter. If that asking price is too steep for Sacramento, Grant could provide a similar skill set as a floor-spacing wing at a much more attainable cost.
Scotto mentions that one package that has been brought up with the Kings, in general, is Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, and draft capital. That's not bad from Portland's standpoint, as Huerter would help address their shooting woes, and Lyles is on an expiring deal.
Blazers fans may want more for Grant, but it's fair to wonder whether he's worth a first-round pick these days, given his contract and declining play. Grant's value is listed as "salary matching and second-rounders" on The Athletic's NBA Trade Board.
"The Blazers have seemingly set a high price tag for him over the years, but I don't think he's worth a first-rounder right now. This is undeniably one of the worst contracts in the NBA," writes Sam Vecenie.
Portland doesn't land a first-round pick. But adding Huerter and second-round picks while freeing themselves from Grant's contract may be the best they can do at this point.