3. Robert Williams III
It's no secret that Donovan Clingan is the center the Blazers view as their long-term starting center. Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report has previously mentioned he has a "strong suspicion" that Clingan was ranked atop their big board heading into the 2024 NBA Draft. Additionally, he's six years younger and roughly $55 million cheaper than Ayton ($69.5 million compared to $14 million) over the next two seasons.
While it will be difficult for Clingan to come close to Ayton's numbers as a scorer, there's a reason Clingan is a back-to-back NCAA national champion. Here's impactful in other aspects of winning, specifically as a rim protector, screener, and passer.
Knowing that Clingan is cemented as the starting center of the future makes Ayton and Robert Williams III much more expendable. But it's going to be difficult to find trade value for either big man. For one, many teams already have an established center that they are content rolling with heading into 2024-25, especially after the New York Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns.
There are also concerns surrounding trading for either of the Blazers' big men. For Ayton, it's whether or not he's impactful enough not only to pay that salary but also to give up trade assets to do so. Williams' issue is obviously his health, as he has already suffered a mild setback in the form of a grade 1 hamstring strain, which could be the case throughout the season.
However, Williams seems more likely to be traded because of his $12.4 million salary. Teams won't be as scared of gambling on his health if he comes at such a reasonable price. It also will help the Blazers find a potential trade partner much easier in terms of matching salaries and making the deal work financially.
The Blazers should hold onto Williams and play him for the next few months to increase his trade value. Of course, this is all contingent on Williams' status. If he's significantly injured again, it's going to be hard to convince any teams to take on that risk, regardless of the assets asked for in return.