The Portland Trail Blazers' inactivity at the trade deadline, paired with the development of their young core, suggests that significant changes could be made this offseason. They will likely end up in "no man's land" in terms of falling short of the play-in race and ending up with a late lottery pick, but this has been a successful season overall.
The progress they've made from last year's 21-win team -- sparked by last summer's Deni Avdija deal -- is a step in the right direction. Now that the Blazers have established a proof of concept by finding success through their young core, the next step in their rebuild should be to clear a path for that core and find complementary pieces to surround them. If that is indeed the goal, several of Portland's veterans could be on the move this summer.
1. Anfernee Simons
The Blazers need to decide which of their three promising guards -- Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe -- is the odd man out, as they can't effectively play together. Henderson and Sharpe have shown enough promising flashes for the Blazers to officially move forward with that duo as the future backcourt.
GM Joe Cronin should feel comfortable moving on from Simons now more than ever. That clarity came at an ideal time, too, with Simons' contract set to expire after next season.
2. Deandre Ayton
Deandre Ayton is the highest-paid player on the Blazers' roster, making $34 million this season and $35.6 million next year. How well Portland has played in Ayton's absence makes him more expendable, as his impact on winning doesn't justify that massive contract. Donovan Clingan has been as advertised in his rookie campaign and gives the Blazers better rim protection and intangibles at a fraction of the price.
Finding someone willing to take on Ayton's contract could be challenging, especially since he's not an ideal fit for a modern-day center. But the fact that he will be on an expiring deal should make finding a landing spot at least somewhat easier.
3. Jerami Grant
Another player who will be hard to find a trade partner for is the Blazers' $160 million forward, Jerami Grant. The length of his contract is more problematic as he has a $36.4 million player option in 2027-28. But the good news is that the summer will be easier for teams to take on that substantial salary as they will have more roster and financial flexibility.
Similarly to Ayton, keeping Grant around is hindering the development of the Blazers' youth movement, which has been evident while Grant has been sidelined with injury. That alone makes it imperative that the Blazers try to move on from Grant or, at the very least, have him come off the bench in a more limited role.
4. Matisse Thybulle
Matisse Thybulle has a $11.6 million player option next season. That's reasonable value for one of the league's premier wing defenders. Now that he's healthy, it's possible he will decline it and explore options elsewhere, whether for more money or to join a contender (he would have been a great addition to contending teams at the deadline).
But if Thybulle does stay in Portland, they have to consider moving him. He doesn't quite fit their timeline at 28 years old, and the Blazers already have their own younger, cheaper lockdown defender in Toumani Camara.
5. Duop Reath
Duop Reath's stock has been on the rise as he's seen an increased role with Ayton and Williams out with injuries. But when the Blazers' roster is healthy, Reath is buried at the end of the bench, averaging under ten minutes.
Chauncey Billups doesn't seem to fully trust Reath, sometimes electing to play small ball with Avdija or even Jabari Walker at the five over him. Portland may have a new coach next season who could value Reath's stretch-five ability more. But if Billups remains the coach, it doesn't make sense to keep Reath around, given how little he utilizes him.