2 Reasons Why the Blazers Should Trade Shaedon Sharpe

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe has a lot of uncertainty surrounding him going into the 2026-27 season. After appearing in only 50 games this past season due to injury, his status as one of Portland's top building blocks is up in the air.

Sharpe, 23, is coming off of his greatest offensive season by averaging 20.8 points per game, but he only averaged 13.4 minutes per contest during the team's five-game playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs. Part of that was due to him coming back from injury, but it didn't breed a ton of confidence in having him as part of the core moving forward.

Here's a look at two reasons why it makes sense for the Blazers to trade Sharpe sooner rather than later.

1. Sharpe's Value Might Not Ever Grow Higher

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe against the Phoenix Suns. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's not every day that teams are looking to trade 20-point scorers, but Portland could find value in moving on from Sharpe. This offseason, the team acquired Ja Morant in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, and it remains to be seen how he will mesh with Sharpe in the backcourt.

The Blazers will also bring back Damian Lillard, who sat out the entire 2025-26 campaign as he was recovering from a torn Achilles. Morant and Lillard are expected to be the starters for the Blazers in the backcourt, which would send Sharpe off to the bench.

Sharpe's usage rate is expected to decline going into the season with so many point guards in the mix, which could hurt his overall scoring averages. The ball won't be in his hands as often with Lillard, Morant and other ball-dominant guards like Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson sharing the floor.

If Sharpe becomes a sixth or seventh man in the Blazers rotation, he won't be viewed as high as he was this past season. Sharpe is incredibly talented, but the league is as deep as it's ever been. He could find himself lost in the shuffle in Portland if he doesn't contribute. Therefore, the Blazers should consider selling high and trading him while he is still valued and viewed as a starter.

Atlanta Hawks On SI contributor Rohan Raman suggested a trade that would send Sharpe to Atlanta for Buddy Hield, Jarred Vanderbilt and two first-round pick swaps in a three-team deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. It isn't a groundbreaking deal, but it's an idea of what kind of package the Blazers could get for him.

2. It Opens Up Money

The Blazers have Deni Avdija on one of the most team-friendly deals in the NBA. As a 2026 All-Star, Avdija is only making $13 million next season, and he's on the books for just under $12 million in 2027-28, which is the final year of his current deal. Once the 2028-29 campaign comes, he will be due for a massive raise.

The table below represents how much Sharpe, Avdija, Donovan Clingan and Ja Morant will make for the upcoming four seasons.

Contract	Shaedon Sharpe	Deni Avdija	Donovan Clingan	Ja Morant
2026-27	$20.1 million	$13.1 million	$7.5 million	$42.1 million
2027-28	$21.6 million	$11.8 million	$9.5 million	$48.8 million
2028-29	$23.3 million	UFA	RFA	UFA
2029-30	$24.9 million

There's an argument to be made that his next contract will be the prime of his career and that Portland has yet to see the best of its All-Star forward. Therefore, the Blazers are going to want to figure out how to pay Avdija while keeping Morant and Clingan on board as well. By moving off of Sharpe's contract, it gives the Blazers more flexibility with their other core players.

The Blazers have two years of contending with this current window, but if they were to trade Sharpe, they could give themselves another season or two to work with this current core.

Portland will likely give this group a year before making a decision on Sharpe. The Blazers still like what Sharpe can provide, as he still has a lot of growth in his game. It's clear, given the team's timeline, that a decision is going to need to be made within the next year or so.

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