Blazers Not Trading Vets Will Come Back to Bite Them

The rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers supposedly boasted a ton of trade chips heading into this season's February deadline.

Despite clearly looking to prioritize the future and a youth movement led by recent lottery picks Donovan Clingan, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe — plus possible eventual All-Defensive Team forward Toumani Camara and 24-year-old forward Deni Avdija — the team fielded a cadre of pricey veterans who could theoretically have held appeal for playoff-bound squads.

Although center Deandre Ayton's $34 million salary might have turned off prospective teams, he had started to look like his Phoenix Suns-era self before he went down with a month-long injury (and counting).

More Portland Trail Blazers: Blazers Forward Deni Avdija Reflects on Wizards Trade Amid Strong Run with Portland

Ayton was a big part of Portland's exciting run in January and February that may have compelled Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin to stand pat at this year's deadline.

Of course, he then got hurt with a strained left calf. As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype notes, the 7-footer averaged 17.9 points while shooting 57.4 percent from the field, 12.0 boards, 2.3 dimes and 1.0 rejections during a Trail Blazers hot streak between January 19-February 8.

Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton will miss at least a month with a left calf strain. Ayton played well amid Portland’s recent resurgence, averaging 17.9 points on 57.4% shooting, 12 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 blocks from January 19 - February 8 before suffering the injury. pic.twitter.com/OrqZS6VtkJ
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) February 12, 2025

The Trail Blazers are currently 30-39 and three games behind the No. 10-seeded Dallas Mavericks for a crack at the Western Conference's play-in tournament. More than likely, they will miss the playoffs.

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Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, 30, is a wily vet, but he's been regressing of late, and is in the second season of a five-year, $160 million deal he inked with Portland in the summer of 2023. He's making $29.8 million for 2024-25. Although his on-court production has waned and he has suffered major health issues for the second straight season, Grant remains at the very least a treasured locker room presence.

Jerami Grant is a national treasure 🫂 pic.twitter.com/j4UBN66yAH
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) March 9, 2025

The 3-and-D vet has missed 22 games and counting for Portland this season, and sat out 28 games last year.

When he has played, the Syracuse product has logged his poorest averages since 2019-20, which is a bit surprising given that he should theoretically ball out on a (likely) lottery-bound squad. He's averaging 14.4 points on .373/.365/.849 shooting splits, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals per bout.

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Starting point guard Anfernee Simons' $25.9 million deal felt movable, although whether he's a starter of a sixth man on a good team remains to be seen. Former All-Defensive Teamers Robert Williams III ($12.4 million) and Matisse Thybulle ($11 million) both could have been dealt, presumably.

With all of those players rostered through 2025-26, Cronin has a big decision to make. He could extend all of these players (although Thybulle's recent injury history is even worse than Grant's and Williams', so he will almost certainly not be extended if/when he picks up his player option for next season), he could try to move them, or he let them walk in free agency.

It behooves the Trail Blazers to explore all avenues when it comes to accruing trade assets. None of these veterans match the timelines of Portland's core. Williams and Grant seem like they could have the most value for rival teams, but it also might benefit the Trail Blazers to keep some solid veterans on the roster to help develop the rebuilding team's core. Ayton will eventually make way for Clingan (theoretically, although Clingan is pretty raw as a scorer) and Grant will be replaced by Avdija and Camara. But for the time being, their younger teammates could use their knowledge.

Both have been on playoff clubs that have gone pretty far (Ayton to the 2021 NBA Finals with the Suns, Grant to the 2020 Western Conference Finals with the Denver Nuggets), and both still have present-day value.

More Portland Trail Blazers:

Blazers Reportedly Have Mounting Interest in Keeping Chauncey Billups

LaMarcus Aldridge Reveals He Tried to Return to Blazers Multiple Times But Former General Manager Stopped It

Jabari Walker Makes Blazers History, Joining Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum

For more news and notes on the Portland Trail Blazers, visit Portland Trail Blazers on SI.