Trail Blazers News: Mock Trade Envisions Portland Offloading Vet for Major Draft Equity
The Portland Trail Blazers missed the playoffs for the third straight season, finishing the year with a disappointing record of 21-61. While nobody saw Portland as a threat this season, there was some hope for improvement with all the young pieces on the roster.
After trading away star Damian Lillard last offseason, the Trail Blazers are now in a new era of Portland basketball. They have multiple young players to work with, making this coming offseason a crucial one. Portland also has a few veterans on the roster, including guard Malcolm Brogdon.
Brogdon could be a key trade chip for the Trail Blazers this summer, entering next year on an expiring contract. He will be making $22.5 million this coming season and could provide a contending team with a quality guard.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report put together a potential trade package for Brogdon that would send him to the Golden State Warriors. In the three-team deal with Golden State and the Philadelphia 76ers, Portland would send out Brogdon and Robert Williams III, while retaining center Kevon Looney and the No. 16 pick in the NBA Draft.
"Getting another first (No. 16 from Philadelphia) may be the best return it can get for Brogdon and Williams. Brogdon, 31, doesn’t fit the team’s timeline and has a $22.3 million expiring contract. Williams is coming off a knee injury and has two years left on his deal ($25.7-$28.9 million, depending on incentives)."
Portland already has the Warriors No. 14 pick so they could grab another top-20 selection in this draft class with this deal. The Trail Blazers would get rid of the oft-injured WIlliams III and essentially trade Brogdon for a first-round pick.
It's not a bad deal by any means and one that Portland could look into. They may want to stack draft capital for a potential trade or even to continue adding to their young core. This summer is an important one for the development of this organization and they need to keep their options open throughout.
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MATT LEVINE
Matt earned a Master of Science degree in Sport Management from Louisiana State University in 2021. He was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, covering all Southern California sports in his career.