3 Trail Blazers whose stocks are skyrocketing, 2 that are fading fast

The Portland Trail Blazers are a team to monitor leading up to February's trade deadline, as they have a roster in disarray. With that being the case, it will be essential for GM Joe Cronin to evaluate the perceived trade values of each Blazers player around the league to determine who is worth trading and who is worth keeping around.

However, it's also a catch-22, as players doing well are also the ones that the Blazers should likely keep around. It all depends on the trade value, roster fit, and perhaps most importantly, timeline fit, as the Blazers are still years away from being considered legitimate playoff contenders.

Shaedon Sharpe's stock is skyrocketing

Shaedon Sharpe is providing a much-needed spark for the Blazers' offense, which is ranked second to last in offensive rating (105.2), ahead of only the Washington Wizards. Portland needs a go-to player, and Sharpe seems to be taking on the role. He's scoring at all three levels and consistently getting to the free-throw line.

However, the most underrated aspect of Sharpe's game at this point in his career is his playmaking. He has excellent court vision and is much better at setting up teammates and making the correct read than his 1.9 assists per game this season indicate.

If the Blazers had an "untouchables list," Sharpe should be at the very top.

Scoot Henderson's stock is fading fast

Scoot Henderson had one of his best games of the season in the Blazers' most recent loss against the Pacers, with 17 points, nine assists, two rebounds, and just one turnover. He also made 3 of 4 of his three-point attempts, but that level of success from beyond the arc has not been the case throughout the season.

In November, Henderson is averaging less than ten points a game on 39/28/77 shooting splits. His five assists and 3.2 turnovers this month aren't ideal as a playmaker, either. Scoot's recent game is promising, but time will tell whether or not this is something that he can sustain, as his play has been wildly inconsistent and unreliable so far.

Robert Williams III's stock is skyrocketing

Time Lord is back! Well, he's currently in concussion protocol, but he's looked great for the Blazers when he's been on the court so far this season. Robert Williams III looks like the Celtics version of himself, who was an All-Defensive Second Team member in 2022. RW3 is undersized at 6-foot-9, but that makes him an ideal modern-day big man capable of switching out onto smaller guards on the perimeter.

Williams and Donovan Clingan have a dynamic defensive anchor duo going. It will be hard for Cronin to decide what to do with Williams and whether to trade him while his value is sky-high.

Deandre Ayton's stock is fading fast

Deandre Ayton played well against the Pacers with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks. But prior to that, he had two games with six or fewer points. And on the season, he's averaging 13.3 points and 0.5 blocks per game, both of which are career lows for the former No. 1 overall pick.

With the Blazers having success at the center position between Williams and Clingan (when healthy), they could also lose leverage in potential trade negotiations involving Ayton. Teams know they should be very open to moving him, given he's the highest-paid player on the team ($34 million this season).

Deni Avdija's stock is skyrocketing

Deni Avdija's ceiling is directly tied to his ability to stretch the floor. His floor is still extremely high, and he is a great role player who can contribute in multiple aspects (rebounding, playmaking, defense, versatility, etc.). Still, when he's a threat from deep, he's worthy of being in the starting lineup.

In Avdija's last ten games, he's made 36.1 percent of his threes. Combine that with the rest of his contributions, his age (23), and his team-friendly contract, and it's finally starting to look like the Blazers won the trade with the Wizards.