Victor Wembanyama put on a show in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, and he may have just shown that the Portland Trail Blazers need to think big if they want to win a title. Rolling out their current roster and hoping for internal development to work out may not be enough to beat Wembanyama’s Spurs or the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led Oklahoma City Thunder.
Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan are a great core. But can it beat Wembanyama in a seven-game series? Based on Game 1, probably not. And at just 22 years old, Wembanyama is probably only going to get better from here on out. That’s a problem for Portland.
If the Blazers want a chance at a title in the next 10 years, they probably need to think big.
Victor Wembanyama may force the Blazers to think big in trade talks
Portland is in a very tricky spot. Guys like Wembanyama don’t come around often, and when they do, it’s hard to dethrone them. But that’s the challenge the Blazers currently find themselves in.
Again, having guys like Avdija, Sharpe, and Clingan is a great starting point. Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson are great. Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard, and Jerami Grant are quality veterans.
But Portland is still missing its 1A guy. Their guy who can go blow-for-blow with Wembanyama when the game is on the line. Their leader who can take them to the promised land.
Perhaps the answer is Giannis Antetokounmpo. A big-swing trade for him this summer could help push the Blazers toward the top of the West, giving them a real chance at defeating Wembanyama’s Spurs.
Or maybe the best answer to the Blazers’ needs isn’t on the trade market yet. Maybe they need to wait a year or two, see what their core turns into, and act from there.
What if Anthony Edwards requests a trade to leave the Minnesota Timberwolves? Or what if the Orlando Magic decide to blow things up and Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner becomes available? Neither is a perfect answer, but any of those guys would help.
Tyrese Maxey’s time with the Philadelphia 76ers. Donovan Mitchell’s time with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Devin Booker’s time with the Phoenix Suns.
Every organization is on a clock nowadays.
But more than anything, Wembanyama’s performance in Game 1 of the WCF proved that the Blazers need to think big if they want to win a championship anytime soon.
Because what they have may never be good enough to take down Wembanyama.
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