The Portland Trail Blazers have made their intentions clear this offseason: they want to win, and they want to win now. Since they have already accelerated their rebuilding timeline, Portland could want to continue swinging the pendulum in that direction by adding the star power they need to compete for a playoff spot in the stacked Western Conference.
One solution recently proposed by Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley is for the Blazers to acquire All-Star guard Tyler Herro from the Miami Heat.
Here is the deal in full:
Note: The 2029 first-round pick would be most favorable between Portland, Boston, and Milwaukee.
Blazers must prioritize long-term upside
Bringing in veterans Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard should help Portland get back to the postseason in the near future. However, the Blazers still find themselves on the outside looking in of the teams that should be considered legitimate playoff threats. A starting lineup of Holiday, Herro, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija, and Donovan Clingan could be enough to change that equation.
Herro is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 assists, 5.2 rebounds on efficient 47/38/88 shooting splits. His offensive skill set is exactly what the Blazers need, and his shooting, in particular, would be a significant upgrade over that of Shaedon Sharpe. At 25 years old, Herro would fit in perfectly with the timeline of Portland's core players, such as Avdija and Camara. Not to mention, Portland's defensive weapons would compensate for any concerns surrounding Herro on that end.
However, Portland is essentially in no man's land and needs to consider if Herro is truly a needle mover for this roster to become sustainable contenders. Getting off Grant would be a massive win for Portland and should be factored into this deal as another draft pick Portland could be sending away to offload his salary. Still, sacrificing Sharpe and the 2029 first-round pick is a very steep price to pay in terms of upside.
The Blazers would be a solid team with Herro, and he'd immediately address significant roster flaws. We love the fit, but we don't love the assets required to land him.
Sam Quinn of CBS Sports ranked the Bucks' 2029 pick as the second most valuable traded draft asset. The Blazers would be kicking themselves if Sharpe becomes close to Herro's level of a player or later finds out they traded away a top draft pick in 2029, both of which are real possibilities.
If the Blazers want to become a playoff team, this is the type of trade that would help get them there. If they truly want a chance at winning it all, their best chance lies in the upside of Sharpe and their bet against an aging and flawed Bucks roster.