In what has been an unexpected turn of events, the Western Conference isn't as stacked as everyone thought it would be. The Portland Trail Blazers can take advantage of that, sitting in 10th place with a 9-15 record, by being aggressive before the Feb. 5 deadline and finding the right player (s) to pair alongside Deni Avdija.
He impressed in his first full season in Portland in 2024-25, and in 2025-26, he's having his best season. Avdija is averaging a career-high 25.8 points (up from 16.9 last season), 7.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in 34.3 minutes per game, shooting 47.8% from the field, 38% from three, and 80.9% from the free throw line. He leads the Trail Blazers in points and assists per game.
This season, Avdija has been a primary playmaker for Portland, a role he has embraced, as he's averaging 2.5 more assists per game with the Trail Blazers than in his best season with the Wizards (and 2.4 more than last season). His expanded role is precisely what he wanted when Portland traded for him in 2024, a move that looks better by the day. Avdija is turning into a star in Oregon.
The Trail Blazers surprised many people last season when they finished with 36 wins, and they went on to trade for Jrue Holiday and sign Damian Lillard during the offseason. Portland made it clear that it wants to compete. With the Mavericks (9-16) and Clippers (6-18) starting the season a lot worse than most thought, the Trail Blazers could take advantage of a wide-open bottom half of the West.
What will the Trail Blazers do before the 2026 deadline?
Lillard is expected to return next season, and Portland wants to do what it can to win with its beloved star. The Avdija trade, although it happened a year before the Lillard reunion, saved the Trail Blazers, as without him, Portland's future would look dismal right now. They wouldn't be in a position even to try to make a playoff push in 2026.
The biggest name that could hit the market is Giannis Antetokounmpo. Although the odds of him wanting to play in Portland are very low, the Trail Blazers do have the assets and young players to make the Bucks a very competitive offer.
There are other realistic targets, like Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, that Portland could pursue after Jake Fischer's report that New Orleans is starting to listen to offers for both. As the deadline draws nearer, other potential targets will emerge.
The last time the Trail Blazers made it to the playoffs was in 2021, and while the current roster isn't a contender, they're still in a position to push their way into the first round, even if it's through the play-in tournament. A trade (or trades) will heighten those chances.