The Portland Trail Blazers' current four-game losing streak has been, at times, painful to watch. The second youngest team in the entire NBA is looking the part, whether it's poor shot selection, missed defensive assignments, unnecessary forced passes, little off-ball movement, etc. But it could be in the Blazers' best interest in the long term.
With an 8-16 record, they're finally sinking toward the rest of the league's bottom feeders in the standings and in the same realm as the Philadelphia 76ers (7-15), Charlotte Hornets (7-17), and Toronto Raptors (7-17).
At this rate, they could wind up being a bottom-five team in the NBA at the end of the season, especially if their third-worst point differential of -9.6 is any indication. That will help in the 2025 draft lottery, which Blazers fans have likely looked ahead to after their recent stretch of poor play.
However, to further improve their odds of landing a top pick, the rebuilding Blazers must trade their established players before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. In a perfect world, the Blazers would trade Jerami Grant, the oldest player on their roster, and on a massive deal, with a player option in 2027-28 for $36.4 million.
But there's uncertainty surrounding whether a deal for Grant will ever get done. According to Hoops Hype's Michael Scotto, GM Joe Cronin has reportedly remained firm on his steep asking price of two first-round picks.
That seems unreasonable, given Grant's age, contract, and play this season. Other teams around the league seem to agree, as Scotto brings up a "difference in opinion on his value." Not to mention, any deal involving a contract that large will be much more challenging with the CBA's new tax apron restrictions.
That change also complicates things in a potential trade for another overpaid Blazers player, Deandre Ayton, who is owed $34 million this season and $35.6 million in 2025-26. But if there's one thing the Blazers have going for them, it's their surplus of quality centers, which aligns perfectly with the strong buyers' market for teams seeking to upgrade that position.
For instance, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report mentioned how Robert Williams III is a name "that always gets mentioned for the Lakers." He also wrote about how the Blazers "received early calls" on Duop Reath, emphasizing the importance of minimum contracts with the new tax aprons making it more complicated to get a deal done.
The Blazers need to trade at least one and possibly two of their centers, depending on the value they can get. The available centers Scotto names as potential trade candidates include Clint Capela, Jonas Valanciunas, Walker Kessler, John Collins, Nick Richards, Robert Williams III, Deandre Ayton, and Mitchell Robinson.
With Fischer also reporting the interest in Reath, the Blazers command a third of the center trade market when accounting for already mentioned candidates (although there's bound to be more). It's an ideal spot to be in for a trade deadline that heavily revolves around teams' reported interest in the position.
Hopefully, the Blazers and GM Joe Cronin can capitalize on their ideal situation and take the next step in their rebuild by making Donovan Clingan the focal point and starting center of the future. They should look to turn their excess centers into future draft capital or up-and-coming players to address areas of need, including point guard, overall playmaking, three-point shooting, and 3-and-D wing depth.