NBA Trades: 5 potential suitors for Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns

NBA Trades: 5 Deandre Ayton suitors for Phoenix Suns: 3. Portland Trail Blazers

As the Portland Trail Blazers prepare to restructure the roster around superstar Damian Lillard this offseason, pursuing Deandre Ayton could be a realistic possibility. If the Blazers want any chance at competing for a title in the short-term future, they need to acquire star talent that would complement Lillard.

After missing the playoffs while offloading key contributors in the process last season, Portland has positioned themselves to be aggressive this summer in an effort to become a contending team again. The Blazers have created comfortable cap space and accumulated draft picks that can be utilized to land top-tier producers such as Ayton.

Lillard reportedly likes the idea of teaming up with Ayton as well. Portland’s front office should be ultra-busy on the phones throughout the offseason, and it would be no surprise at all to see the organization inquire about Ayton at the start of free agency.

In addition, Deandre Ayton would surely value the opportunity to play alongside Damian Lillard and become a focal point of the Portland Trail Blazers for both the present and future. Portland could absorb Ayton with their cap space or offer pieces such as Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Hart, Nassir Little, or picks to entice the Phoenix Suns in a sign-and-trade deal.