Ranking the 3 things the Portland Trail Blazers need most at the trade deadline

For the first time in a while, the Portland Trail Blazers are entering the trade deadline as bonafide sellers.

Last season, the Blazers straddled the boundary between buyers and sellers, attempting to keep Damian Lillard satisfied without emptying the chest of future assets they would need to build around an emerging young core.

Although the Blazers have since turned the page on the Lillard era, they have retained a group of veterans whose experience and skill set should appeal to contending teams. Malcolm Brogdon has reportedly drawn the interest of the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks “have kept tabs” on Jerami Grant, and the Milwaukee Bucks see Matisse Thybulle as a potential target.

What should the Trail Blazers target most at the NBA trade deadline?

Cronin’s previous trades of veterans have demonstrated his willingness to sell, but reports indicate that the asking prices will be high for Brogdon and Grant, both of whom the Blazers value on the court and in the locker room.

In a market oversaturated with buyers, Cronin could capitalize on teams’ desperations to improve. If he chooses to trade his team's veterans, he will likely have a host of options, making it important to evaluate what the franchise's priorities should be in any such deals.

Here are three things Cronin should be targeting if he makes any deadline moves.