It hasn't exactly been the best of seasons for the Portland Trail Blazers, who have won just 20 of 46 games this season, are expected to finish second-to-last in their division, and could be looking at making major changes during the offseason or near the February 10 trade deadline.
As it stands, the Blazers could go in two opposite directions, one of which focuses on winning now, and the other being a full-on teardown with the notion of spending the next half decade building through the draft.
If the Blazers were to choose the first option, they immediately run into substantial challenges.
Turning assets into better assets
If the Blazers are to make a valiant effort in leveling up towards the league's elite, one major priority is hanging onto superstar Damian Lillard. That shouldn't be much of a problem given that Lillard is locked in for another three years after the conclusion of this season, at over $136 million.
What would be a problem is the mission of turning the pieces around him now into significantly better versions of those pieces. Teams aren't exactly inclined to accept inferior talent for giving up something good, unless draft picks are attached as additional currency. However, with Portland limited in what they can send out in regards to draft picks, that option is also limited.
Essentially, interim general manager Joe Cronin will have to find a way to sprinkle fairy dust over his current group of players, wish upon a star, and land better players without offering much in terms of additional value.
Note: It remains to be seen whether Cronin is calling the shots after the season, as the Blazers could be looking for a long-term replacement. If they hire rumored target Marc Eversley, currently the general manager of the Chicago Bulls, things could change due to his strong relationship with several notable players.
Even so, the Blazers aren't loaded with assets.
Robert Covington, one of the better 3&D wings over the past decade, has regressed for two years now and looks like a limited offensive contributor moving forward. While his defensive prowess is still solid, it's fair to expect his price tag to be somewhat modest.
C.J. McCollum, the most established player outside of Lillard, has been rumored as a trade piece for years and could be headed out of town for players that better fit Lillard's game. However, at 30 and owed over $69 million over his next two seasons, McCollum is a costly contract to acquire, and that's after relinquishing assets to even get him in the first place. Would potential buyers be willing to fork over significant value for the chance to pay McCollum a contract that might be slightly overvalued compared to his production?
Norman Powell should be an attractive asset due to age (28) and contract ($90 million over five years), but he may be necessary to hang onto if the Blazers move away from McCollum.
And as for Jusuf Nurkic, he’s going to enter unrestricted free agency after the conclusion of this season, lowering what Portland could realistically ask for him.
The big trade chip
That leaves one name that has gotten a lot of attention in recent weeks. Anfernee Simons.
The 6’4 combo guard is on a hot streak, averaging 25 points and 7.2 assists per game over his past 10 outings. The 22-year-old is the biggest trade chip on the roster outside of Lillard, and several teams would assuredly get in line to acquire him, even if they have to deal with restricted free agency in the summer.
That said, would the Blazers get a significant upgrade in any Simons trade? Based off his current play, any potential target would have to not only outproduce him, but also be a better fit with Lillard. No one seems to currently fit that description outside of Boston’s Jaylen Brown, but are the Celtics willing to relinquish the All-Star wing in a trade? Logically, they have little reason to.
In short, there’s risk in trading Simons. The Blazers simply might not get enough additional value for him, which negates the idea of moving him in the first place, especially if what they can get for the above grouping of players prove uninspiring.
That puts the Blazers in a pickle, if they were to choose the competitive option. While undoubtedly an admirable mission, Portland would have to win every trade they find themselves in, and by quite a lot, to field a proper championship contender around Lillard.
