Michael Porter Jr. had a disappointing playoff performance with the Nuggets and could be the odd man out in Denver this summer. Could that present a buy-low opportunity for the Portland Trail Blazers? Bailey Bassett of Clutch Points presents a trade idea that lands MPJ in Portland.
Here is the deal in full:
Portland should consider moving on from Anfernee Simons to clear the backcourt for Scoot Henderson. However, it's not entirely black and white, as Simons is one of the Trail Blazers' only reliable three-point shooters on a team where shooting is their biggest weakness.
In any Simons return, Portland must ensure that they are filling that void, whether through an additional draft pick or someone like Porter.
Should the Blazers take a flier on Michael Porter Jr.?
It's worth noting that Porter, along with Zion Williamson and Jonathan Kuminga, were named the Blazers' three dream targets by Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz. At 26, Porter would fit in well with the Trail Blazers' young core as a 6-foot-10 forward who's a career 40.6 percent three-point shooter.
He still put together a solid season for the Nuggets, averaging 18.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on efficient 50/40/77 shooting splits. His poor postseason outing can also be partially attributed to a shoulder injury, meaning Portland could acquire a valuable player at a discount (to a lesser extent, similar to how they stole Deni Avdija last offseason).
However, injury concerns remain for MPJ, who fell to the No. 14 pick in 2018 despite being a top-ranked prospect because of them. That's not ideal for someone who is owed roughly $80 million over the next two seasons, especially with how conservative teams must be under the new CBA.
The 2031 first-round pick does mitigate some of the risks, as MPJ not panning out wouldn't entirely derail their rebuild. And if Portland can land that without any protections, it could even wind up being one of the league's most coveted assets should Nikola Jokic go elsewhere. Just look at how their Bucks' picks are currently gaining value with all the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade speculation.
Robert Williams III's unfortunate injury history and Portland's crowded center rotation make him much more expendable. Swapping Simons for Porter would solve their backcourt logjam while addressing their forward depth without compromising their much-needed shooting.
Throw the first-round pick into the equation, and this could be a deal worth taking, depending on what Simons' market is this summer.
Grade: B