One prediction for every NBA team at the NBA Trade Deadline
By Corey Rausch
Portland Trail Blazers – Hold
It would be very tough for the Portland Trail Blazers to pull off any sort of trade with the roster in its current state. With so many players missing significant time due to injury it would take another team being intrigued by the likes of Anfernee Simons or Nassir Little to make a trade come together.
For a prediction, the Blazers will get back on the right track and climb the standings. Damian Lillard is keeping the team afloat while CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic are on the mend. Gary Trent Jr. and Carmelo Anthony have stepped up in their absence and the offense is good enough to hold until the rest of the team comes back.
For context, the Blazers are currently sixth in offensive efficiency. McCollum has missed nine games and looked like an All-Star before going out of the lineup. He is slated to be reevaluated next week and if he is able to get back shortly thereafter the offense will only get better.
As reasonable as it was to be worried about this team as they continued to lose players to injury the team has stabilized. The Blazers are used to this kind of season and with Lillard the overarching constant carrying them through the tough times it is not hard to imagine a playoff run in their future.