Only 30 games remain on the schedule for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023-24. As the year winds down, the team has made it clear what their objective is going forward. They may not look like a championship contender, but management believes they can make a playoff push next season.
Portland had the opportunity to sell off several of their highly-valued players at the deadline and get back draft capital. Instead, they opted to keep everyone around, only making one minor move to acquire Dalano Banton from the Celtics.
Jerami Grant, Malcolm Brogdon, and Robert Williams will all be around for at least the remainder of the current season for the Blazers. Minus Williams who is still sidelined post-surgery, the rest of the core will be able to continue building consistency playing with one another.
With the organization wanting to get the team to the playoffs next year, here is what the dream offseason could look like for the Trail Blazers.
Offload Deandre Ayton
Plain and simple, Portland must move on from Deandre Ayton if they are to be taken seriously as a playoff contender. Some may scoff at this suggestion given that he is good for 15 and 10 every night, but it seems that his mentality and intangibles could be holding the team back.
Ayton's initial months with the Blazers were reportedly "defined by tardiness and tantrums." He has done nothing to dispel the notion that he is difficult to have as a teammate, a label that he first acquired with the Phoenix Suns.
Sometimes a player's on-court impact can be minimized or even negated by a bad attitude that hinders their production and detracts from what would otherwise be an excellent player. Ayton can still shed this narrative by changing his mindset as he matures, but right now, he is not a good fit in Portland.
Find a wing or big in the draft
In order to supplant Ayton's production, the Trail Blazers will have to do their due diligence when the draft rolls around in June. Deandre has been Portland's starter at center all season long, and while he has not necessarily been the best influence, his production will still be missed if and when the team opts to trade him elsewhere.
If they are not able to acquire an immediate answer for Ayton's lost value via trade, the Blazers will be turning to the draft to help them find an answer. One school of thought says that they would simply look for a standout prospect at center to directly replace Ayton.
But they could also opt to pursue a wing player, especially if a wing is the best player available when their name flashes across the screen at the draft. In this case, they would likely look to fill the center spot with either a player currently on the roster, or they would hope to find a suitable replacement in free agency.
Some of the best wing and center prospects that could be in the Blazers' range in this upcoming draft are Cody Williams, Ron Holland, and Kyle Filipowski. Any one of these guys would be likely to be an excellent fit in Portland.
Retain the veterans
One thing that has been true for all of NBA history and will continue to echo as an undeniable fact is that teams cannot win a championship without proper veteran leadership. To clarify, the word 'proper' is important here. Deandre Ayton may be a six-year vet, but he is not the kind of player you want as one of the top guiding influences in your locker room.
Loading up a roster with a healthy balance of talent is important, and appropriate leadership from veterans will always matter. No matter how talented a team's young players are, they will eventually fail without the proper guidance and know-how of guys who have been in those situations many times before.
As such, it will be vital for the Trail Blazers to retain the likes of Jerami Grant, Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams. All three of those players have unquestioned integrity in the locker room, and each will be vital to helping Portland make a legitimate playoff push next year.
The shot-creating ability of Grant, the ball handling and floor vision of Brogdon, and the dominant post play of Williams will all be big factors on the court next season. But their strong leadership qualities are arguably their biggest assets to this team.
Hit a home run in free agency
It is no secret that the Portland Trail Blazers are not exactly the hottest free agent destination in the NBA. In fact, they are not even one of the top choices for many players on the West Coast. Many free agents are going to prefer to go to Los Angeles or the Bay Area to play with big name stars before opting to come to the Pacific Northwest.
Out East, Miami, New York and Boston are among the biggest free agent draws. The Blazers obviously face an uphill battle from day one when it comes to attracting players in the offseason. But this summer, they will be able to take a big step forward if they can land a big name to put alongside their core of veterans.
Portland is currently over on cap space, so a sign-and-trade would likely need to be executed in order to clear the proper salary space to sign a big time target. But if they can make it happen, the Blazers should make a run at Paul George in the offseason.
The Clippers' star has a player option for next season. If Portland can make a good enough pitch to lure him away from LA, he can always decline his option. This may feel like something of a pipe dream, but the Blazers have a better situation than a lot of teams with a losing record around the league. George would be an excellent fit with Portland's core next season, and signing him would complete the team's dream offseason.