Group A: Could fetch multiple first-rounders
5. Donovan Clingan
The Blazers landed a steal in Donovan Clingan, who fell all the way to No. 7 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. It's apparent that teams would be interested in Clingan; per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Hawks strongly considered him the No. 1 overall pick, while other teams, like the Grizzlies, reportedly were interested in trading up to get the UConn center.
4. Deni Avdija
Deni Avidja's team-friendly contract, which is front-loaded, was a significant factor in why the Blazers should consider their Malcolm Brogdon trade with the Wizards a win. At only 23 years old, with two-way versatility and improved three-point shooting, Avdija is a coveted asset around the league.
3. Shaedon Sharpe
Shaedon Sharpe's ranking is primarily based on his incredibly high ceiling. He's shown flashes of eventually becoming an All-Star-level player in his first two seasons with the Blazers, but he was limited to just 32 games last season. He's poised for a major third-year breakout, which could further increase his trade value, although the Blazers seem set on making him a focal point of their rebuilding efforts.
2. Scoot Henderson
Another foundational piece in their rebuild is Scoot Henderson, who gets the slight nod over Sharpe due to the higher draft capital invested (No. 3 overall pick compared to No. 7). Despite Henderson's up-and-down rookie season, he remains a top trade asset on the Blazers' roster. He showed promise towards the end of the season and has all the tools to become an All-Star eventually.
1. Anfernee Simons
Anfernee Simons is the only Blazers player to make The Ringer's top 75 trade value rankings, coming in at No. 68. Portland has multiple players make the "toughest omissions" section, including Henderson, Sharpe, Avdija, and Grant. Simons was also named one of the top ten trade assets this summer by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report.
Simons, who is coming off his career-best season and just entering his prime at 25, has tremendous value around the league. Another bonus is his team-friendly contract, owed $25.9 million next season. The Blazers would be wise to cash in on his significant trade value.