The Portland Trail Blazers are viewed around the league as a potential buyer leading up to the Feb. 5 trade deadline. While we've expected that to be the case, it's been more challenging to pinpoint who exactly the Blazers would be interested in. Compared to other teams around the league, Portland tends to operate in silence, pulling moves out of left field, such as the trades for Deni Avdija and Jrue Holiday or the selection of Yang Hansen.
While plenty will inevitably change between now and the deadline, Portland finally appears to have expressed interest in a trade target: New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III.
Blazers expected to be buyers and have interest in Trey Murphy III
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype recently gathered plenty of trade intel. While the Blazers aren't named in the headliner targets such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis, Portland, along with the Golden State Warriors, are teams mentioned as potential landing spots for Murphy.
"Multiple executives have also circled the Portland Trail Blazers as a potential buyer ahead of the trade deadline and among the teams that like Murphy around the league," Scotto writes.
Given the Blazers' rebuilding timeline, prioritizing the 25-year-old Murphy over the household names makes perfect sense. He'd fit seamlessly into their young core, boosting their defensive identity while adding much-needed floor spacing. He's also signed through the 2028-29 season.
As a dream trade target, Murphy checks all the boxes for Portland. However, the issue is that Murphy checks all the boxes for just about every team. His 3-and-D player archetype is incredibly valuable around the league. The Pelicans may be listening to offers for the Virginia product, but they know that, too. They're even reported to have an asking price for Murphy that's so high that it's intended to turn teams away. It's like knocking on someone's door and asking to buy their house. It's going to take an awful lot to convince them to go through with that, likely an overpay.
That's precisely what happened with the Desmond Bane trade this offseason between the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic, when Orlando sacrificed four first-round picks and a pick swap. Scotto notes that executives around the league have wondered whether a similar package would be required to get New Orleans to sign off on a Murphy deal.
"While it's unlikely New Orleans would part with Murphy, it won't stop teams from inquiring leading up to the deadline in February," he added.
Should the Blazers include Shaedon Sharpe in a package for Trey Murphy?
While it's encouraging that Portland is interested in Murphy, we must also realize this isn't NBA2K. It's going to take significant assets for the Blazers to make the Murphy-Deni Avdija co-star pairing a reality. Even beyond the multiple first-rounders, it wouldn't be surprising if a potential package also included a valuable young asset such as Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe.
Given how rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen look with the ball in their hands, it makes much more sense for New Orleans to pursue a backcourt of Fears and Sharpe over Henderson. Not to mention, two 6-foot-3 guards sharing the backcourt is a defensive recipe for disaster.
Hypothetically, if New Orleans is open to shipping Murphy but tells Portland it will cost them Sharpe, that's a tough question to answer.
Both players hover around 21 points per game this season, but Murphy is currently much more impactful on winning with his defense. Sharpe also isn't the best fit for Portland's young core given his three-point woes, although he's drastically improved in that area over the past month.
That's why this is so difficult! Is Sharpe's shooting something the Blazers can rely on going forward? Can he improve his poor shot selection and defense? He's also three years younger and possesses an even higher ceiling than Murphy does if he's able to put it all together.
The Blazers somewhat already answered this question this offseason when they continued to invest in him long-term with an extension. Despite his questionable fit as someone who was coming off the bench just last season, they clearly believe in his career trajectory.
Ultimately, sacrificing Sharpe is worth it for Murphy. The Pelicans' wing is a sure-fire asset who is the perfect two-way piece required to become a contender. Still, it comes down to how steep the asking price is. If it's really a Bane-like package, the Blazers would be better off staying patient and making a smaller move to build on the edges.