Portland Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin may have landed a star for cheap in Ja Morant, but he should still be working the phones this offseason to find a better roster balance. Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III is a dream trade target to pair alongside Deni Avdija. However, it seemed far-fetched, as New Orleans maintained a steep asking price to the point that it appeared intended to deter teams from even inquiring.
Fortunately, that trade stance has now changed, as the Pelicans' asking price has decreased from "the equivalent of four to three first-round picks," according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. That's far more reasonable value and should have Portland strongly considering reentering trade talks.
Blazers need to revisit Trey Murphy III trade talks as Pelicans lower asking price
Scotto adds that the Blazers were among the teams to express interest in trading for Murphy at February's deadline, though they haven't been as active this time around after landing Morant.
Still, you could make a compelling case that the Morant blockbuster gives Portland even more of a reason to target Murphy. It was a worthwhile deal in a vacuum, as we gave it a B- trade grade for the Blazers.
That said, the poor roster fit has resulted in Portland losing its defensive identity and, somehow, even more desperation to add reliable shooting this summer. Murphy not only checks both boxes, but also fits perfectly with the timeline of their core building blocks at 26 years old.
Three first-round picks doesn't exactly fit with new owner Tom Dundon's approach of buying low on distressed assets. But the Blazers have stockpiled a total of nine first-round picks over the next seven drafts, and are eligible to trade up to six of them. At some point, they are going to have to make a consolidation trade to elevate their ceiling and actually have a feasible chance at a deep playoff run.
If you look at it from the standpoint of Portland landing a talented but imperfect fit in Morant for cheap, then paying a premium to fix the resulting balance concerns with Murphy, the two trades offset each other. In other words, spending three first-round picks on Morant and Murphy combined is still a steal, and gives Portland a far more balanced roster.
Cronin is a firm negotiator, which has led to winning trades for Portland but also caused them to miss out on some in which they were overly conservative. Scotto adds that execs around the league are wondering if Murphy is the "next big trade domino to fall" now that Jaylen Brown is off the board.
There's a long list of potential suitors, and Portland absolutely needs to get back into the mix now that the asking price has finally dropped to a reasonable level.
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