The Portland Trail Blazers are taking a wait-and-see approach to their roster, content to open the 2026-27 season with a crowded backcourt following the Ja Morant deal.
October-February will be a crucial time to evaluate players and assess how these new pieces fit. The Blazers have high expectations entering the season, with their stated goal of 50+ wins and securing home-court advantage in the playoffs as a top-four seed in the Western Conference.
Talent shouldn't be an issue after adding Morant and Damian Lillard to a team that already was skilled enough to end a four-year playoff drought. Fit is the larger concern, meaning it wouldn't be surprising if general manager Joe Cronin made a deal at the deadline.
One ideal trade target the Blazers previously expressed interest in going back to last season's deadline is New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III.
Blazers should revisit trade talks for Trey Murphy III
The Pelicans' front office has held a firm, and borderline laughable, trade stance on their young core, valuing them significantly higher than you'd expect for a team coming off a 26-win season, tied with the Dallas Mavericks for the No. 11 seed in the West.
This conference may have lost stars to the Eastern Conference this summer, headlined by LeBron James' decision to take his talents to the City of Brotherly Love. Despite the East finally catching up to the West in terms of star power, the West should have even more depth this season compared to last.
Teams are not only healthier but also have far less incentive to bottom out with the drastic decision to flatten lottery odds in the league's response to tanking. The Pelicans front office likely should've realized this last season, but it could be in their best interest to take a step backward in the short term to better position themselves for the future.
Murphy may still fit their core at 26 years old, but this team's ceiling is incredibly limited with him as its go-to option. In Portland, Murphy would find a much more scalable two-way role, providing another 3-and-D weapon similarly to Toumani Camara. He'd even be an offensive upgrade over Camara in terms of shot creation, giving the Blazers another wing weapon to keep defenses honest so they don't overhelp on Deni Avdija.
Murphy's 3-and-D player archetype makes him a seamless fit in any team's system. He was already an ideal trade target to pair with this Blazers young core, but that's even more so the case following their moves this offseason. Portland needs these two-way stars able to contribute without demanding the ball, and Murphy is one of their best available trade targets.
Though there's nothing to suggest the Pelicans will deal their rising star anytime soon, this is a situation the Blazers should continue to monitor once New Orleans inevitably falls out of the playoff conversation.
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