Blockbuster Trade Proposal Has Blazers Land All-Star From West Rival

Portland lands a major All-Star in this theoretical trade.

Nov 19, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) tries to get past Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images / Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers have once again finished well clear of an actual postseason berth, for the fourth consecutive year under head coach Chauncey Billups.

But there's plenty to like about the young Blazers, who really turned things around in the new year despite the team falling short of even the play-in tournament.

Forward Toumani Camara has emerged as a future All-Defensive Team mainstay, with a ferocious, swarming approach to the game. Offseason trade acquisition Deni Avdija has looked reinvigorated during his first season with Portland, and is suddenly a triple-double machine. Both are just 24, with plenty of room to grow.

Read More: Blazers Officially Eliminated From Playoffs After Big Win

Shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe, point guard Scoot Henderson, and center Donovan Clingan are all just 21, but already look like legitimate NBA talents.

Billups has a team option for the final season of his current contract, but could be in line for an extension thanks to Portland's relative competence this season.

More Portland Trail Blazers: Chauncey Billups Receives Major Update on Contract Extension With Blazers

Can Portland make some moves in the 2025 offseason to become a true postseason threat?

In a recent piece unpacking 10 intriguing possible trade targets, Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley proposes an intriguing deal that could see Portland jettison some overpaid, underperforming veterans who don't with the youth movement's timeline for a more talented veteran who could increase their ceiling right now.

Portland Trail Blazers receive: Lauri Markkanen

Utah Jazz receive: Jerami Grant, Robert Williams III and two future first-round picks

"Perhaps Portland's pluckiness convinces the front office this roster is closer to competitive than people thought coming into the campaign," Buckley posits as an explanation for this move. "If the Blazers are bullish about their young perimeter players, maybe they'd see a frontcourt upgrade like Markkanen as the missing piece. His two-way talents feel like perfect on-court fits in between Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan."

Utah, of course, is further behind in its own rebuild, and seems likely to want further opportunities to make lottery draft picks in the years to come.

"Regardless what happens at next month's draft lottery, the Jazz won't be able to get their roster on the same timeline as Markkanen's. Not soon enough to justify the cost of his colossal contract, at least. Getting two firsts for him given the year he's having and the money he's owed feels like a big win, even if Grant is similarly overpaid (but not for as long or as much) and Williams is a walking injury risk."

Veteran center Deandre Ayton and seasoned point guard Anfernee Simons would still be on the team's roster after this year. Ayton in particular was looking impressive, before suffering a calf injury two months ago.

Markkanen would add major scoring punch and offensive versatility in the frontcourt for Portland.

Across 47 healthy contests for the 17-64 Jazz this year, the 7-footer out of Arizona, 27, averaged 19.0 points on .423/.346/.876 shooting splits, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists a night.

Despite the limited dishing, Markkanen can be a solid passer from the high post, which could unlock a lot of offense for the Trail Blazers.

The Jazz are 15-4 since Collin Sexton entered the starting lineup and Lauri Markkanen returned from injury.

Sexton is averaging 22-5-3 on 65% TS as a starter and Lauri is averaging 24-9-3 on 67% over that span (17 games for him). pic.twitter.com/9I5NYXJOIq

— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) January 16, 2024

Though he was thought of as a unique floor-spacing big man in years past, he has fallen back to earth a bit of late. In fact, Markkanen's 34.6 percent 3-point shooting this year was the worst such rate on his team.

Each team’s least accurate 3 point shooter this season…

Takeaways? pic.twitter.com/yUGQ7adwEH

— NBA University (@NBA_University) April 12, 2025

In fairness, this is a new, modern NBA, so plenty of high-usage players have developed a long range jumper.

More Portland Trail Blazers:

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Former Blazers Hall of Famer Calls Out Organization

New Trade Proposal Sees Blazers Send Out Center to Lakers

Blazers Could Send $100M Vet to Lakers in Massive New Trade Proposal: Report

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