Deandre Ayton is the highest-paid player on the Portland Trail Blazers' roster, owed $35.6 million in 2025-26. His massive salary and the emergence of No. 7 overall pick Donovan Clingan make him the odd man out of Portland's crowded center rotation.
Clingan was as good, if not better, than Ayton, providing the Trail Blazers with rim protection, rebounding, and underrated traits such as passing and screen setting. The end-of-season stretch Portland went on when Ayton was out further confirmed what we expected all along -- Clingan is already ready for a more permanent increased role.
But rather than letting him walk for nothing, Ayton could be a valuable trade piece for the Trail Blazers this summer. Not necessarily because he has a ton of value himself, but more because he would be a salary filler due to his expiring deal.
That will be crucial if Portland wants to make a deal work financially to land a star. And Ayton makes much more sense to include in a potential blockbuster deal than someone like Jerami Grant because his expiring contract doesn't make him as much of a negative asset.
Blazers use Ayton's salary to facilitate Giannis trade
Bucks receive: Deandre Ayton, Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, 4 first-round picks (via San Antonio), 2028 and 2030 Milwaukee swap rights extinguished (via Portland)
Trail Blazers receive: Devin Vassell, Blake Wesley
Spurs receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Duop Reath
The San Antonio Spurs' best realistic trade offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo could involve keeping their backcourt trio of Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, and De'Aaron Fox intact while paying a steep price in draft capital and young role players.
The Trail Blazers facilitate the three-team deal by extinguishing Milwaukee's pick swaps, giving them more incentive to tank during their post-Giannis era. The Bucks would also be a great landing spot for Ayton as they desperately need to address their center spot with a 37-year-old Brook Lopez and limited depth.
Portland still manages to keep Milwaukee's 2029 first-rounder, as Devin Vassell isn't quite worth surrendering all of the Bucks' picks back to them, especially since he's owed roughly $106 million over the next four seasons. Vassell isn't the star to put them back into contention, but the 24-year-old Florida State product would fit nicely along with Portland's young core as a career 36.9 percent three-point shooter.
Portland upgrades frontcourt with Markkanen
Jazz receive: Deandre Ayton, Anfernee Simons, 2025 No. 11 overall pick, 2 second-round picks
Trail Blazers receive: Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson
The Trail Blazers shouldn't blow up their future to land Lauri Markkanen, and we recently wrote about how they should avoid this Bleacher Report trade proposal where Portland surrenders three first-rounders. But if they can manage to land him for this year's first-round pick, they should consider it.
Danny Ainge has had a steep asking price for Markkanen in the past. But his down year and Anfernee Simons being included in the deal could incentivize Utah to take on less draft capital here. Utah has a handful of young assets, but I'm not confident many will pan out as starters on their next playoff team. Simons would immediately be their best backcourt player and is still young enough for them to build around.
Markkanen would be the Trail Blazers' missing All-Star and a seamless addition to their young core, given his size and floor-spacing ability. Jordan Clarkson would also be an underrated addition as a sparkplug off the bench. And although he's 32 years old, Portland has suddenly become too talented to tank and has playoff aspirations for next season. Veterans like Clarkson will help them get closer to that ambitious goal.
Blazers fix a past Neil Olshey mistake
Bulls receive: Deandre Ayton, Kris Murray, second-round pick
Trail Blazers receive: Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, their own protected first-round pick back
Ayton and Nikola Vucevic are overpaid centers on expiring deals. But in this case, the two potential salary fillers are swapped for each other. Ayton doesn't have many landing spots that make sense around the league, potentially making it challenging for Portland to offload him. But Chicago desperately needs another center that better aligns with its young core than the 34-year-old Vucevic.
Ayton could be acquired for cheap, as Portland would be getting back their protected pick as the headliner. Under Neil Olshey, the Trail Blazers were part of a baffling three-team deal with the Bulls and Cavaliers where they landed Larry Nance Jr. from Cleveland, sending Chicago a first-round pick that is lottery-protected through 2028 (it becomes a second-round pick if not conveyed before then).
The Trail Blazers are looking to build off their 15-win improvement, and making the playoffs by 2028 has suddenly become much more realistic. Given recent developments, they would be wise to get that pick back from Chicago.