The Portland Trail Blazers are in a solid position heading into training camp as they prepare for the 2024-25 NBA season. They will likely finish at the bottom of the Western Conference again and still have many questions to answer this upcoming season in terms of the construction of their roster and who they view to be long-term pieces to build around.
However, they have a clearly defined direction and an eventual path to success as a team that wants to be bad by design to secure the best odds of landing a top prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft. But the draft is extremely uncertain, both in terms of whether or not they actually land a top pick and how that prospect's NBA career fares.
Wing is the Blazers' biggest position of need, and these three forwards stand out as ones that they should consider trading for. All three fit their rebuilding timeline and could come at a relative discount given each team's circumstances.
3. De'Andre Hunter, Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin recently said on the "Dukes & Bell" podcast that Trae Young, who is 25, could be their oldest starter entering this upcoming season. Those comments suggest that 26-year-old De'Andre Hunter is considered somewhat expendable for Atlanta.
Last season, Hunter shot a career-best 38.5 percent from beyond the arc. The Blazers traded for another two-way wing coming off a career-best season from three in Deni Avdija, who connected on 37.4 percent of his attempts last season with the Wizards. If the Blazers also find a way to acquire Hunter, they could be buying low on these two players and taking calculated risks to assume that these shooting efficiencies are here to stay.
Hunter would be a seamless fit into the Blazers' starting lineup (assuming Jerami Grant is moved) as someone who can contribute without needing several plays drawn up for him. A former No. 4 overall pick in 2019, Hunter could still have room to grow in his NBA career if he can improve as an isolation scorer and playmaker.
He's worth a flier for the Blazers as he fits their rebuilding timeline, fills their most significant need, and could come at a reasonable asking price from Atlanta since they seem set on building around Jalen Johnson and No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher as their two wings going forward.