Blazers next move is obvious (but it won't be easy to find value)

The Portland Trail Blazers’ rebuild is in full swing, but there are several questions left to answer. They have three young guards competing for building block status and are still trying to add pieces. General manager Joe Cronin has put Scoot Henderson in a difficult spot, and the Blazers must make moves to balance out their roster.

Portland needs help on the wing. It is why they traded for Deni Avdija just before the draft. The Blazers still lack shooting and enough two-way options. They have too many guards and big men, which makes rotation decisions difficult for head coach Chauncey Billups.

The Trail Blazers drafted Donovan Clingan to be their center of the future. They were ecstatic he fell to the seventh overall pick after helping UConn win back-to-back national championships. Portland has Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III, and Doup Reath at the five, which makes Cronin’s next move obvious.

Blazers must trade Deandre Ayton to open a larger role for Clingan

Portland must figure out their building blocks, and if they can play Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe together in lineups. They have time. Simons has two years left on his contract and is only 25 years old. Letting their three guards develop is a smart play for a rebuilding franchise.

The Blazers do not believe in Ayton as their long-term option at the five. Clingan does not space the floor and is a 7’2 big man. Portland wants a rim-protector and roll man in the middle. Ayton has a unique skill set, but one the Trail Blazers do not want to build around it.

The former number-one overall pick has $69.5 million remaining on his contract over the next two seasons, and the front office should be searching for anyone willing to take on that money. It won’t be easy to find value, especially after Ayton played his way out of Phoenix. Portland should not give up draft capital to dump him, but it is time to move on.

If the Blazers cannot find a trade, they are in a sticky position, especially if Williams III is healthy. They will have four big men itching for minutes and not enough to go around. The floor will be severely cramped if Billups plays Clingan and Ayton together. The Trail Blazers should prioritize their rookie lottery pick and need to give him developmental reps to keep growing his game.

Can Joe Cronin and the Portland Trail Blazers find a Deandre Ayton trade? It won’t be easy given the money left on his contract. It is the team’s obvious next move, but things are complicated. Expect the franchise to explore the market. They will only make a trade if the right opportunity presents itself. It is just a waiting game.