The Portland Trail Blazers solved most of their offseason issues through the Malcolm Brogdon trade. They cleared their backcourt logjam, got under the luxury tax, and received a promising two-way wing in Deni Avdija. Still, they are in no position to be content with their roster after finishing last in the Western Conference with a 21-61 record.
As their record indicates, there are multiple holes for the Blazers to address. Adding Avdija and No. 7 overall draft pick Donovan Clingan is a significant step in the right direction, but numerous players could still be on the move as soon as this summer as they continue to focus on their rebuild.
5. Deandre Ayton
The Deandre Ayton trade rumors have gotten somewhat overblown following the Blazers' selection of Clingan. Currently, the Blazers seem set on opening the 2024-25 NBA season with Ayton and Clingan on their roster. Head coach Chauncey Billups has even mentioned his interest in testing a lineup with both Ayton and Clingan simultaneously on the floor; this isn't to say that Ayton is untouchable - the Blazers could ultimately decide to move forward with Clingan as their franchise center and trade away Ayton if playing the two together doesn't work - hence why he makes the list.
The Blazers seem to value Ayton higher than he is perceived around the league. He could still get traded away this summer, but given Ayton's inconsistent play this past season and the fact that he's owed $34 million next season, it's hard to envision a team making a significant offer.
4. Matisse Thybulle
Matisse Thybulle is one of the best defenders in the NBA and in his prime at 27 years old. The Blazers retained Thybulle in restricted free agency after he signed the three-year, $33 million offer sheet with the Dallas Mavericks. His $11 million annual salary average is team-friendly, making him an attractive asset and potential trade candidate this offseason.
Thybulle has a player option after the 2024-25 NBA season and could decide to walk away from the Trail Blazers if he prioritizes contending for a championship. As a result, it's in the Blazers' best interest to be proactive with Thybulle and trade him away rather than risk the possibility of letting him walk and receiving nothing in return.
The only reason Thybulle isn't higher is because there's no rush to trade him this offseason. He fills a need for the Blazers' roster as a defensive-minded wing. Portland could hold on to Thybulle until the trade deadline and gauge where they are at in terms of their record and the Western Conference standings.
If they are far out of the playoff hunt (which seems likely), the Blazers could then decide to ship Thybulle out for a team willing to take a flier on him being a one-year rental. There would still be interested suitors, as contending teams could always use a defensive wing-stopper to contain all the superstar forwards in the playoffs.
3. Robert Williams III
Robert Williams III is one of the more challenging players to predict if and when he will get traded from Portland. On the one hand, Williams is a likely trade candidate, given the fact that the Blazers now have four centers after selecting Donovan Clingan with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Williams is an elite defensive anchor when healthy due to his rim protection and versatility, and he could be an intriguing player for teams in need of a center.
On the other, his trade value is likely relatively low as teams are skeptical of his inability to stay healthy. The Blazers likely should have flipped Williams immediately after acquiring him from the Celtics as part of the Jrue Holiday trade. However, now that it's too late, they could be better off holding on to see if Williams can stay healthy and increase his trade value as a result.
If the Blazers don't feel confident in Williams' ability to remain on the court, they could still decide to ship him this summer before his trade value becomes even lower. General manager Joe Cronin and the Blazers will have to decide whether to sell low on Williams this summer or take the gamble, hoping he will increase his value by staying on the court, at least until the trade deadline.
2. Anfernee Simons
Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report recently had an article in which he mentions how Anfernee Simons appears open to being traded from the Trail Blazers. Highkin mentions two interesting takeaways that suggest a potential Simons trade.
The first is when Cronin leaves out Simons and says that the Blazers are committed to building around Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Another notable factor is that Simons has said that he wants to have "the opportunity to win." These comments, among other factors, indicate that both Simons and the Blazers could be interested in moving their sharpshooter as soon as this offseason.
Out of all the players seemingly made available for trade by Portland this offseason, the 25-year-old Simons has the highest trade value. That certainly has to play a role in the Blazers' looming decision on whether or not to trade one of their best players. If they don't view Simons as a long-term part of their rebuilding core and don't see him fitting alongside Henderson and Sharpe, then the Blazers seem open to trading him as soon as the right trade comes around.
Whether it's this offseason remains to be seen, but Simons is undoubtedly high on the list of Blazers to potentially be traded next due to his questionable fit and the assets the Blazers can get in return to better balance out their roster.
1. Jerami Grant
Of the players mentioned, Jerami Grant is the one who clearly doesn't fit the Blazers' rebuilding timeline at 30 years old. The Blazers don't need to trade him this offseason if no trade comes to fruition, but it would be wise if they explore all options with Grant. He's still owed over $100 million and has a player option worth $36.4 million for the 2027-28 season. Although the contract may seem better due to the projected increase in salary cap, Grant's production may be declining towards the end of his contract.
In other words, he may be at peak trade value this summer. While it's a ton of money to pay Grant, some teams are interested in acquiring the Blazers forward, most notably linked to the Los Angeles Lakers. Teams seem willing to part with significant trade pieces to acquire Grant, which suggests that his contract isn't a negative asset, as many initially thought.
Another reason the Blazers should pursue a Grant trade this summer is that most of the free agency and trade market has dried up—players like Paul George, DeMar DeRozan, and Dejounte Murray, to name a few, have already found different landing spots. Grant is one of the best remaining players available for trade, and the Blazers should use that leverage to their advantage.