The Portland Trail Blazers front office wants to see player growth above all else this season. Whether that's from 19-year-old rookie Scoot Henderson, 20-year-old sophomore Shaedon Sharpe or 25-year-old center Deandre Ayton, it's head coach Chauncey Billups' responsibility to improve from within.
With the franchise in the embryonic stages of a complete rebuild, general manager Joe Cronin isn't going to swing for the fences to acquire any veterans at this year's trade deadline - or during the offseason or at next year's trade deadline, for that matter. If anything, the Blazers will be shipping out vets with trade value in return for assets that will help continue to build for the future.
The Trail Blazers could trade Jerami Grant and/or Malcolm Brogdon
The two players who fit that mold best are Jerami Grant and Malcolm Brogdon. That pair has driven Portland to at least half of its six wins this season, perhaps more. They've formed the Trail Blazers' most consistent and productive duo.
It stands to reason, then, that both will be put on the market by February's trade deadline, with Brogdon being the most likely of the two to be dealt as Grant is only beginning a five-year, $160 million contract.
One recently proposed trade idea presents Cronin with an interesting proposition - what would it take to move Brogdon, or would it be a smarter move to simply keep him in Portland? Here's a potential deal to consider.
Blazers trade Malcolm Brogdon to Jazz for vets, future protected pick
A recent trade proposal from Sports Illustrated's Utah Jazz blog looks like this:
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Jazz could be in the market for a veteran point guard "at some point this season to provide veteran stability."
That's exactly what Brogdon is in Portland for. While he helps Billups' squad play through the mistakes of Henderson and Sharpe, Utah Head Coach Will Hardy is dealing with the growing pains of a rookie guard himself in Keyonte George.
George and fellow backcourt mate Jordan Clarkson are score-first guards rather than floor generals, and Brogdon has proven his ability to right a ship when needed while remaining productive himself. The 30-year-old is averaging 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 29.2 minutes with the Blazers this year.
That veteran leadership and production would arguably be more valuable in Utah than it currently is in Portland. The Jazz aren't NBA title contenders, but they have a more veteran squad that's searching for a postseason spot.
But is trading a useful player like Brogdon for Olynyk, Horton-Tucker and a future protected first-round selection good enough value for the Blazers?
Is this Brogdon trade worth it for the Trail Blazers?
Considering that Scotto reported Brogdon could be worth a protected first-round pick in 2024 if he's traded this season, getting such a lightly protected pick isn't terrible. If Portland were to land a pick in this year's draft, it would likely be protected more heavily.
Olynyk and Horton-Tucker are purely expiring salaries, Olynyk at $12.2 million and THT at $11 million. The 23-year-old Horton-Tucker has shown flashes of role-player potential and the 32-year-old Olynyk would be useful center depth with Robert Williams III out for the season, but the likelihood either stays put in Portland after this year is small.
So is $33 million in future cap space and a lightly protected pick six seasons from now worth losing Brogdon? Even if it means Scoot and Sharpe get more minutes (Sharpe is fourth in the league in total minutes as it is, by the way), the answer is no.
Keeping Brogdon around as a steady backcourt contributor and leader for one of the youngest teams in the NBA is worth more than what the Jazz are offering in this scenario.
Blazers trade grade: D