Zion Williamson is now off the table for the Portland Trail Blazers. Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported that the New Orleans Pelicans are not expected to make him available in trade talks this summer.
That's disappointing for the Trail Blazers, as Williamson presented a rare opportunity for them to add a star without sacrificing their future in terms of him fitting their timeline and Portland not having to trade as many assets due to his injury history.
But the Trail Blazers will now have to set their sights elsewhere. These ideal targets stand out as players to monitor as they could potentially be available and would also fit Portland's roster well.
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Fischer also reported that executives around the league expect Ja Morant to be available soon. That's a situation that the Trail Blazers need to closely monitor as Morant could quickly become their missing star.
The Trail Blazers have a future starting five in place between Scoot Henderson/Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija, and Donovan Clingan. But their point guard spot has become the most significant question mark -- a surprising development for a team that previously had a surplus at the position.
There are pros and cons to the Trail Blazers proceeding with either Henderson or Simons as their long-term answer. But if they managed to bring in an outside star such as Morant, any concerns surrounding the position would be put to rest.
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Atlanta Hawks have Masai Ujiri on their front office wish list. If they do land Ujiri, it wouldn't be surprising to see Trae Young moved, as he is the antithesis of what Ujiri has emphasized and valued in Toronto, prioritizing lengthy, versatile, and switchable players.
Young is a polarizing star and there are serious question marks surrounding whether he can be the best player on a contending team. But the Trail Blazers are desperate for a star and would be well-equipped to compensate for his weaknesses, particularly on the defensive end.
Young would be a better version of what the Trail Blazers currently have with Simons. He's more of a traditional point guard and much better at setting up other teammates, and Portland desperately needs more playmakers.
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
Lauri Markkanen could be a potential buy-low candidate for the Trail Blazers to explore. If Utah is willing to part ways for a reasonable price after Markkanen's down year, he'd be a perfect frontcourt fit for Portland.
Not only would he be their All-Star solution, but Markkanen is the unique type of star that doesn't demand the ball in order to be successful. He's someone who, with his floor spacing, could seamlessly fit as the veteran for Portland's young core and help unlock it rather than hinder their development.
The important thing to emphasize with Markkenen is if it's the right price. He's a great player but not the type of franchise-altering star the Trail Blazers still need. In other words, making an all-in move for Markkanen doesn't make sense since they would still have to search for their 1a star elsewhere.
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
In one Giannis trade proposed by The Athletic, the Trail Blazers receive Alperen Sengun for Clingan, Jerami Grant, and the Bucks' picks. So there is a pathway to landing Sengun, who is perhaps the best player the Trail Blazers could realistically land.
His lack of floor spacing and rim protection could limit his ceiling on a true contender, but he's also such an exceptional talent with a skill set reminiscent of Pau Gasol. The Blazers need help generating more offense outside of Deni Avdija and Anfernee Simons, and Sengun could provide that with his elite footwork and underrated playmaking.
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Amen Thompson may be too steep of a price for the Rockets to pay, and they'd have to seriously consider whether or not Giannis is worth their rising star. However, Blazers insider Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report recently wrote this pertaining to Portland's position in the Giannis sweepstakes:
"This could give Portland an opportunity to offer Milwaukee a life raft and peel off whoever the premier young blue-chip prospect is in the trade (think Franz Wagner, Jalen Williams or Amen Thompson if one of their teams is the one trading for him)."
If Thompson is actually obtainable, he's someone worth going all-in for. He's already one of the league's premier defenders, and it's only a matter of time before his offensive arsenal catches up to his elite athleticism. The Trail Blazers would finally make right on their mistake of passing on Thompson to take Henderson No. 3 overall in 2023.
De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
If the Trail Blazers were a De'Aaron Fox-level player away from being true contenders, he'd be much more intriguing. Still, Fox would immediately become Portland's best player and give their uncertain backcourt much-needed stability.
At 27 years old, he's not quite the perfect fit for their rebuilding timeline. There's no guarantee that the Trail Blazers would even make the playoffs, even with Fox in the equation. And as a career 33 percent three-point shooter, he doesn't help address Portland's most glaring offensive weakness.
But as of now, it seems that if Giannis goes anywhere besides Milwaukee, San Antonio is the favorite landing spot. So if the Trail Blazers do want to play the facilitator role, someone like Fox makes sense to cash in those picks for.
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
Whether the Thunder would part ways with Chet Holmgren remains to be seen, but he should be a top target for the Trail Blazers to pursue should Oklahoma City get involved in the Giannis sweepstakes.
Holmgren would be a great frontcourt piece alongside Clingan, providing them with much-needed floor spacing while forming a terrifying one-two punch as rim protectors. His ability to play both the four and the five would also be valuable for the Blazers with Deandre Ayton and Robert WIlliams III's uncertain futures as expiring contracts (not to mention Williams' concerning injury history).
Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder are absolutely loaded and should only continue to improve in the coming years, which is a scary thought for the rest of the league. However, one question mark surrounding their roster is whether Jalen Williams is skilled enough to be the Robin to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Batman on a contender.
He's had an inconsistent series against the Denver Nuggets, but Williams is also only 24. He would immediately be the Trail Blazers' go-to option, fitting perfectly with their young core as a two-way star. Williams may be a pipe dream for Portland, but he's worth mentioning specifically if the Thunder try to pair two top-five players in the world between SGA and Giannis this summer.