A recent article by The Athletic included four Giannis Antetokounmpo trade proposals for the Milwaukee Bucks to consider this offseason. Although the Portland Trail Blazers aren't one of the teams expected to potentially land Giannis, they do hold the key to the sweepstakes after acquiring some of Milwaukee's future draft capital as part of the Damian Lillard deal.
One of the trades has the Blazers returning those picks to the Bucks, cashing in their chips to land Houston Rockets' All-Star big man Alperen Sengun as a part of a three-team deal.
Here is the proposed trade in its entirety:
Bucks get: Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore, Donovan Clingan, 2025 first (via Phoenix), 2027 first (via Phoenix), 2029 first (most favorable of Milwaukee, Portland or Washington), 2028 and 2030 Milwaukee swap rights extinguished
Rockets get: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jerami Grant
Trail Blazers get: Alperen Şengün, Jock Landale
This makes sense for the Bucks, but the Rockets should hang up
If the Bucks trade Giannis, it's in their best interest to get their picks back from the Blazers. Otherwise, they'd have less incentive to bottom out, which would risk long-term purgatory.
This is the exact type of package Milwaukee should be looking for. They get their picks back, valuable draft capital for a Suns team that's somehow in a worse position than they are, and rising stars in Jalen Green, Donovan Clingan, and, most importantly, Amen Thompson.
It's more challenging to see the Rockets signing off on this deal. Yes, they desperately need to add a superstar to become genuine contenders, and inquiring about Giannis or Kevin Durant makes perfect sense. But blowing up their young core, which led them to the second seed in the Western Conference, defeats that entire purpose.
If I were Houston, I'd be open to trading Green, especially since it will be challenging to retain their entire core from a financial standpoint under the new CBA. But Thompson is already a two-way stud in his second season and should be considered untouchable.
Should the Trail Blazers pull the trigger?
As for why the Blazers should consider this proposal, here's what Sam Vecenie wrote:
"Essentially, the Blazers get an All-Star center in Şengün for Clingan, a first-round pick in 2029 and extinguishing those swap rights with 2028 and 2030. They’re not losing picks in 2028 and 2030; they just won’t be able to swap with Milwaukee. They also get the value-add of getting off the massive Grant deal, which is one of the league’s worst contracts."
This is a steep price for Portland to pay. It's basically two first-round picks and two swaps, given that Clingan was a top-ten pick just last summer.
After another early playoff exit and Lillard's unfortunate Achilles tear, those Bucks picks are some of the most valuable draft capital in the league right now. However, the main appeal for the Blazers is using them as leverage in any potential trade because the Bucks will likely try to remain competitive if they don't get them back, lowering the value.
The Blazers have lofty playoff aspirations and need to acquire an All-Star to help them achieve that goal. But it's also essential that this player aligns with the timeline of their young core. Very few players potentially available this summer fit that criteria. Zion Williamson and Jaren Jackson Jr. are possible options, but 22-year-old Sengun also fits the bill.
Ideally, the Blazers would get more in return -- whether it's an emerging Rockets player like Tari Eason or Cam Whitmore or giving up one of Deandre Ayton/Robert Williams III instead of Clingan. Still, the fact that they get off Grant's massive contract is an asset in itself, as Vencie notes.
The one flaw in Alperen Sengun's game
Sengun is an exceptional talent who would fit nicely alongside Deni Avdija and Tomani Camara as the Blazers' frontcourt for years to come. The only hesitation with Sengun is that he's a bit like Domantas Sabonis in that he's in between a power forward and a center. Floor spacing is clunky if he plays the four, but rim protection is vulnerable if he plays the five.
That wasn't an issue throughout their series against the Warriors, as Steven Adams was an X-Factor against Golden State's undersized frontcourt. However, Sengun's weakness could be more of a liability in a different playoff matchup, similar to how Sabonis fell short versus the Dallas Mavericks during the play-in tournament.
This is nitpicking, as Sengun is one of the league's premier big men. But it's important to note because he doesn't fit into Portland's defensive-minded identity, of which Clingan is a considerable part.
This deal would set Portland up for success because they still have their own picks and upgrade their young core. But if the Blazers cash in their chips, it must be a perfect fit. It's fair to question if that's Sengun, especially if it means sacrificing Clingan.
Grade: C-