The NBA offseason certainly hasn't disappointed this season. It seems like star trade candidates were put on a roulette wheel and just randomly ended up in surprising landing spots. Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami was predictable. But LaMelo Ball to Minnesota? Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia? Ja Morant to Portland? A Kawhi Leonard reunion in Toronto?
The Trail Blazers did make the list of teams acquiring a star, though it seems they got the short end of the stick compared to the rest. Morant was a distressed asset Portland bought low on, not a star they went all-in on.
They had their shot with Brown in particular, as they easily could've outbid the underwhelming package headlined by Paul George that Boston received from Philadelphia. Portland sat out those trade talks for analytical and financial reasons, but if they view Morant to be their big splash with no follow-up move to bolster this roster, they are going to be disappointed next season.
One star trade target who would be a far better fit for this roster is New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III, who Portland absolutely should pivot to.
Blazers need to join the list of teams interested in Trey Murphy III
Unfortunately, that seemingly remains in pipe-dream territory, as the Blazers seem content to let the rest of this offseason play out by filling out the roster on the margins.
HoopsHype's Michael Scotto recently provided an update on teams that have expressed varying degrees of interest in Murphy, including the Celtics, Pistons, Warriors, Clippers, and Hawks.
The Blazers are nowhere to be found.
However, he also added that following the Brown blockbuster, execs are wondering if a Murphy trade is the "next big trade domino to fall."
Blazers fans hoping for a Murphy trade can take solace in one fact: GM Joe Cronin moves in silence like lasagna (and Lil Wayne, if you get the reference).
Hopefully Joe Cronin isn't done cooking
The majority of moves he's made have come out of nowhere, whether it was the shocking Yang Hansen selection or trades for Deni Avdija, Jrue Holiday, and now, Morant.
In fact, the Blazers were involved in trade rumors for just about every other traded star other than Morant. They were connected to Antetokounmpo, Brown, and even had interest in Ball. At this point, it honestly may be a good thing that they aren't included in the list of potential Murphy suitors?
You almost have to start thinking in reverse when predicting Cronin's next steps for this roster, which could at least give fans a glimmer of hope that he's not done cooking this summer.
Hopefully, that is the case, and Portland isn't truly out of the running. It makes no sense for them not to at least explore what the asking price is, given how perfect a fit Murphy would be on this roster. The Blazers have little roster clarity as they continue to stockpile assets, but would have a much better sense of direction if they could somehow come away with the Pelicans' rising star.
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