Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin was initially criticized for Portland's bold Deni Avdija trade with the Washington Wizards. Many thought that a rebuilding team shouldn't sacrifice future draft capital for a more established player. But just two seasons later, Avdija has already become an All-Star, changing the narrative and making the deal look like a steal for Portland.
At the time of the trade, we actually liked Cronin's calculated bet on a potential rising star. Five reasons we highlighted included: Avdija's age aligned with Portland's timeline, the Blazers finally got the versatile wing they were seeking, Malcolm Brogdon's expiring contract, the low-value draft picks surrendered, and the fact that the deal solved Portland's luxury tax issue thanks to Deni's team-friendly contract.
Joe Cronin's bold trades have shaped Portland's rebuild
Cronin hasn't necessarily nailed the draft throughout the Blazers' rebuild, but he's compensated for that with bold and even controversial trades working out in their favor. The Damian Lillard, Deni Avdija, and most recently Jrue Holiday trades have all gotten Portland to this point.
With the Avdija trade in particular, Cronin proved that he's willing to sacrifice draft picks if it means adding a player who fits well both in terms of age and on-court fit.
The Blazers are expected to go star hunting this summer, not only to build on their postseason appearance but also to appease aggressive new owner Tom Dundon. Their two-timeline approach has created a closing window with aging stars in Lillard and Holiday. In other words, trading future draft capital for an established player wouldn't be as heavily criticized as it once was with Avdija.
Still, Cronin has shown he's not afraid to step outside conventional wisdom, whether that's via trades or the Yang Hansen selection that shocked the NBA world.
Avdija wasn't deemed a trade candidate when Portland acquired him. Nobody thought Cronin would take a draft gamble on Hansen, a widely projected second-round pick. Anfernee Simons was a trade candidate given his expiring contract, but the assumption was that Portland would turn him into future assets. Cronin took the opposite approach with a one-for-one swap for Holiday to take advantage of the Boston Celtics' financial situation.
Who could be the Blazers' next Deni Avdija this summer?
At first, we were going to point to Trey Murphy III as the trade target for Portland this summer. He fits the Avdija trade criteria that Cronin seems to prioritize: under contract for multiple seasons on a team-friendly deal, young enough to fit their secondary timeline, and a two-way wing with floor spacing ability that could be implemented seamlessly into any team's system.
While Murphy checks just about every box as Avdija did two seasons ago, he's missing one key aspect: asking price.
The Blazers somehow managed to steal Avdija for just two first-round picks. The New Orleans Pelicans have maintained a steep asking price for Murphy, even with the intent of deterring teams at the deadline.
Murphy may seem like the ideal and logical trade target for a Blazers team that needs shooting and values length and switchability on the perimeter. While Cronin should be working the phones with the Pelicans, if there's one thing we've learned throughout his tenure, it's that the realistic trade target is one nobody is really talking about.
Expect a similar approach to what was prioritized in the Avdija deal. Still, it wouldn't be surprising at all if the particular player Cronin and the Blazers come away with this summer is one currently flying under the radar.
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