Blazers Will be Dangerous With Trade Deadline Done Despite Quiet Afternoon

The Portland Trail Blazers had one of the most anxious rosters in the NBA heading into the February 5 trade deadline because of how many distinct possibilities existed that could've shaken the locker room to its core.

High-priced veterans could've been out the door. Several expiring contracts could've been shipped off. Instead, Joe Cronin and Co. made a singular move, swapping out Duop Reath, a 2027 second- and a 2030 second-round pick for Vit Krejci.

The team couldn't sound happier at how everything shook out, and acquired something major at the deadline: peace of mind.

“The players were joking around a little bit, (saying) ‘We’re all back,’” Blazers acting coach Tiago Splitter said after the deadline passed. “I get it. There’s a little bit of tension. But I’m glad everybody’s back. Everybody’s happy to be here and ready to move forward and finish the season.

“It’s almost like too many guys sometimes, like you don’t know what to do. But jokes aside, it was good to see everybody being part of practice, working out, getting better. We have different combinations that we can use, so that part is a relief.”

Robert Williams III, someone who could've easily been flipped to a contender like the Los Angeles Lakers or his former team, the Boston Celtics, confirmed how happy the locker room is about the minimal changes.

“We still for sure believe in ourselves,” backup center Robert Williams III said. “We’ve got that chance to fight. … We haven’t had a completely healthy team in a while. Thankfully we’re getting there. So we’ve got to capitalize on this.”

Blazers Win the Trade Deadline by Standing Pat

The way the Western Conference teams around Portland in the standings operated at the deadline proved that there was no need to shake things up. Several teams questionably made themselves worse, like the Golden State Warriors, who may not even get much of a healthy Kristaps Porzingis, the Memphis Grizzlies, who traded away their defensive anchor, Jaren Jackson Jr., the LA Clippers, which got rid of Ivica Zubac and James Harden, getting considerably smaller by bringing back Darius Garland in return, or the Dallas Mavericks, which got rid of Anthony Davis for a modest return.

The Utah Jazz got better, but if the Blazers only have to fend them off, the team's playoff path is de facto easier.

Easier enough to get out of an NBA Play-In Tournament slot? Maybe, if the pre-deadline anxiety that's leaving the locker room turns out to be a bigger addition by subtraction than previously thought.