The Portland Trail Blazers are approaching a pivotal offseason as they look to take that next step in their rebuild. This surprising season was successful in that it helped provide newly extended GM Joe Cronin more clarity to make these roster decisions.
We know which veterans the Blazers should consider moving, including Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Deandre Ayton. But the more difficult question is, who can the Cronin trade these pieces for? Draft capital is the obvious and ideal answer for the rebuilding Blazers, but Cronin has proven that he's also open to trading for more established players if it makes sense.
We'll have to wait and see how the playoffs shake out, as eliminated teams could create surprising trade opportunities. But there are already a few trade candidates to keep an eye on. Some players were discussed at the deadline but ultimately stayed put, making them strong candidates to be moved this summer. One of which is Brooklyn Nets sharpshooter Cameron Johnson.
.@MikeAScotto joins @Meghan_Triplett to discuss news around the NBA and potential Cam Johnson trade interest. pic.twitter.com/66qKwCllNG
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 9, 2025
There's a question of how his age (29) fits into Portland's timeline, but Johnson is the type of player who can be impactful well beyond his prime, as shooting is typically the last thing to go. Shooting is also one of the Blazers' biggest needs this offseason, as they have ranked bottom five in three-point percentage the past two seasons.
Blazers make an aggressive move for Cam Johnson
However, Johnson is a coveted asset that won't come cheap. Here is one mock proposal that was created on Fanspo:
The 2027 first-round pick would be top 10 protected. That would be good insurance, but it would likely still convey to Brooklyn. Portland is a team that expects to pick outside the top ten in the coming seasons, given the trajectory of their young roster, especially if they made an aggresive move to add Johnson into the mix.
This trade would put the Blazers firmly in play-in contention next season as one of the ten best teams in the Western Conference. Depending on who else would be moved this summer, they could have a starting five of Anfernee Simons, Toumani Camara, Johnson, Deni Avdija, and Deandre Ayton. Going from Grant to Johnson is a more significant upgrade than we would've thought just one year ago. He's a much more efficient scorer with 48/39/89 shooting splits this season.
Having reliable shooters in Simons, Camara, and Johnson would help Avdija continue to grow into his point-forward role as a primary offensive initiator. Teams would have difficulty helping out on his physical drives when there's a knockdown three-point shooter in the corner.
We view Grant as a negative or neutral asset, and the Blazers need to trade him by almost any means necessary this summer. Looking at this deal from that perspective, it's reasonable value to surrender two first-round picks for Johnson.
The most concerning issue with taking this deal is that Johnson is another B-tier player. He's best served as a third or fourth-best option on a championship team, as he was utilized in Phoenix during their NBA Finals run.
He's a solid player, and we'd love to have him if Portland's roster was just a Johnson addition away from being contenders, but that's not the case. The Blazers should preserve their draft capital, whether to add a prospect to their young core or leverage it in a blockbuster deal for a more bona fide star.
This trade makes sense because the Blazers need to get off Grant and add shooting. But it's also myopic and risks landing them in NBA purgatory by making an aggresive move that doesn't move the needle enough.
Grade: C-