2021 NBA Trade Deadline: 10 trades to shake up the season

Trade No. 8: Otto Porter to the Portland Trail Blazers

Every once in a while, we hear these rumors about the Portland Trail Blazers finally adding that “3rd star” to complete the roster and prove that they are more than just a second-round exit. It’s fair to say after all those years that the organization’s reluctance to part ways with their players will always be an X factor in discussing potential trades.

Okay, so maybe they won’t go out and pursue Nikola Vucevic or Kevin Love. What they can do, is trade for quality starters that will compliment the backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

Otto Porter is one of these players that would fit in perfectly in this Blazers team. He can play off-ball, allowing Dame and CJ the lion’s share of the ball. Porter is a great spot-up shooter and a great wing defender. Isn’t that exactly what the Blazers have been so desperately craving?

To put the cherry on top, Porter is set to hit free agency this summer, meaning that his trade stock has plummeted. His current contract is huge, though it isn’t anything the Blazers cannot match, as they can easily select from their bag of bad contracts in their payroll.

Additionally, one cannot discuss possible trade targets for the Blazers without at least mentioning Aaron Gordon. The forward might be on his way out of the Orlando Magic and the Blazers can take advantage of that, in a low-risk/high-reward type of investment.