The Portland Trail Blazers could upgrade their roster in the coming days with the Feb. 5 trade deadline fast approaching. They're closely monitoring the situation surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo and looking for ways to sneak into a multi-team deal between Portland, Milwaukee, and Giannis' next potential landing spot.
One team emerging as a favorite in the Giannis sweepstakes is the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors have suddenly become more open to the idea of sacrificing their future to land a star now that Giannis is on the table, and rightfully so.
ESPN's Anthony Slater recently reported that Golden State is willing to go all-in for Giannis. That could mean up to four first-round picks, either Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green, and young assets like Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandon Podziemski.
Slater adds that Milwaukee previously had interest in Kuminga. But that's fine; the Bucks can have the player who lost Steve Kerr's trust. Moses Moody is the player Portland should want.
Blazers should target Moses Moody at the trade deadline
The Arkansas product is averaging 11.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Most importantly, he's shooting a career-best 40.2% from beyond the arc on a high volume of 5.8 attempts per game.
Portland's lack of floor spacing has been its Achilles heel throughout this entire rebuild. This season, they're currently tied for dead last in three-point efficiency (33.7%) with the New Orleans Pelicans. To make matters worse, they somehow attempt the third-most threes in the league (41.6 per game), behind only the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics.
Something has to give. It's clear they need to either change their playstyle or, better yet, roster construction. Because of that, Moody is the exact type of role piece they should be looking to address this glaring problem by the deadline.
He's just 23 years old and under contract for three more seasons, giving the Blazers a legitimate long-term piece that would grow alongside the rest of their young core. It's impressive that Deni Avdija and, to a lesser extent, Shaedon Sharpe have achieved their respective levels of success this season, with Portland having little to no reliable shooters to decongest the paint. Moody will not only help the Blazers get back to the postseason by fixing an obvious roster flaw, but also help develop their existing core.
The biggest question about landing Moody in this hypothetical deal is what Portland would ultimately have to include. Of course, the Bucks want their draft capital back, but the value of those picks is increasing by the day. Giving back just one of Milwaukee's first-round picks in either 2028 or 2030 could be realistic, but even that seems like a steep price.
Ideally, the Blazers would find a way to steal the Warriors' sharpshooter without sacrificing any of those picks. But given Moody's perfect fit in Portland, it's worth exploring the asking price.