As the Trail Blazers look to shake things up this offseason, improving their shooting needs to be the utmost priority. Lack of shotmaking is what ultimately sunk this team in the playoffs. Luckily, an intriguing trade candidate likely just became available after the Toronto Raptors' loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Gradey Dick would be a cheap get for Portland that could pay off in a big way.
Dick is a 22-year-old wing who was selected 13th overall in the 2023 NBA draft. He just wrapped up this third year with the Raptors, and it was his worst one yet. The Kansas product averaged career lows of 14.0 minutes and 6.0 points per game in the regular season. In Toronto’s series against Cleveland, he played just four total minutes. Former two-way players Jamison Battle and A.J. Lawson both overtook him in the rotation.
Things are rough for Dick right now. He hasn’t looked much at all like the exciting prospect he was coming out of college. That’s why it’s the perfect time for the Blazers to swoop in and take a chance on him.
Gradey Dick would be the perfect low-risk swing for the Blazers
In theory, Dick is exactly what Portland needs on the wing. First and foremost, he fits the timeline of the core. He also carries the reputation of a flamethrower shooter. Now, he hasn’t done much to prove himself as one of those at the NBA level. In 2025-26, he hit just 30.1% of his 2.4 three-point attempts per game. For his career, his success rate sits at just 34.3%, sub-league average.
But a few indicators point to Dick still having elite shooting ability somewhere buried inside him. In college, he was a 40.3% three-point marksman, and his long-range aptitude was his biggest draw. In the pros, he’s been a 86.4% free throw shooter, and usually, charity-stripe efficiency correlates with three-point shooting. He’s also been very unafraid to let it fly despite not finding the bottom of the net consistently, averaging 9.3 3PA per 100 possessions for his career.
Perhaps a change of scenery is all Dick needs to return to form and blossom into the player he’s supposed to be. He may just need a team to instill some confidence in him. In 2024-25, he averaged 14.4 points while starting 54 games. He wouldn’t play a role that big in Portland, but that’s still a sign of a positive contributor.
Dick’s trade value is as low as it’s ever been right now, especially after he rode the bench in the playoffs. Portland probably wouldn’t have to do anything but match salary to pry him away from Toronto. Sacrificing Kris Murray (and/or maybe Vit Krejci) would hurt a bit, but the upside for Gradey Dick is enticing, and the gamble could return real winnings for the Blazers.
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