NBA Trades: 3 Western Conference teams that need to make a splash

NBA Trades: 3 West teams that need to make a splash – Portland Trail Blazers

Why? – The Portland Trail Blazers’ season has been a disaster both off and on the court so far. Rumors of Damian Lillard wanting out circulated this past summer, and then GM Neil Olshay was fired following an investigation into workplace culture.

On the court, things haven’t been much better. The Blazers are 12th in the West with a 14-22 record, and missing out on the playoffs for the first time since 2012-13 looks a real possibility.

Lillard and McCollum both missing game time has contributed to the team’s dismal record, but it has also shone a light on what has been some terrible roster construction around the two guards.

The team is obviously going to have its defensive vulnerabilities with the two on the court given their size and that they are both offensive-oriented players, but efforts to build a defense around them have been abysmal. Portland ranks second-to-last in defensive rating, giving up 114.3 points per 100 possessions.

The Blazers’ three-point defense has been especially bad, with the team ranking last in opponent’s three-point percentage at 37.6 percent.

Portland is seemingly intent on keeping Lillard and building a team that can contend around him. But with him being 31 years old, the franchise is running out of time to do so.

What does the team need? – Portland’s focus, like Sacramento, should be on improving on the defensive end. With Lillard on the floor, the team is always going to score, but the team simply cannot contend with its current defense.

Given how little time Portland has left with Lillard, making a move for an elite defensive player who can also contribute something on offense should be sought after. The front office should be looking at someone that can defend the three-point line and act as a stopper on the perimeter.

This might well mean having to send McCollum in the other direction, which would hamper the team’s offense. But Portland is not at the stage where it can afford to wait around for something to happen. The front office has to be active in taking risks.

Some additional playmaking would also help out this team, as they rank 24th in assists per game at 22.5. Someone that can pass and facilitate rather than act as an isolation scorer could help this team on offense, too.

Portland has long been touted as a potential destination for Simmons, and this seems like the obvious move to make if Philadelphia would take back McCollum. But there are also some other targets the Blazers could go for.

Possible targets – Ben Simmons, Marcus Smart, Lu Dort, Gary Harris