The Portland Trail Blazers appeared to be on their way to the playoffs after a promising start to the season in which they went 15-10 before the wheels began to fall off. From New Year’s Day on, Portland went just 10-28 and missed the playoffs and even the play-in tournament. With superstar Damian Lillard nearing his mid-30s, the pressure is on the franchise to build a contender around him before his contract is up or he demands a trade.
Fortunately, they at least have the third overall pick in this year’s draft to work with. Moreover, they could include that pick as part of a win-now trade for a star in hopes of getting Lillard a worthy co-star.
That is easier said than done since the Blazers don’t have a track record of attracting stars. That being said, Lillard’s star power could help, and the Blazers, in theory, have enough assets to convince a team to trade them a star. With that in mind, let’s go through and take a look at 10 trades that could give Lillard a co-star.
Co-star #10: DeMar DeRozan
With the Chicago Bulls failing to make the playoffs and likely to lose their lottery pick, the team could look much different next season. Starting center Nikola Vucevic could leave in free agency, and there have been rumblings that DeMar DeRozan could also look to leave by requesting a trade. If he does, he could link up with Dame and Portland.
Trading for a 34-year-old probably doesn’t seem like a wise move for the Blazers, but if their goal is to improve next season, then acquiring DeRozan could help them do just that. After all, he is still a highly skilled scorer and playmaker and would help shoulder some of Dame’s offensive load. Moving on from DeRozan would allow the Bulls to begin to reset after failing to do much with the Zach LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic trio.
Acquiring Jusuf Nurkic would give the Bulls a younger replacement for Vucevic, whom they opted not to extend. They could still look to bring him back this summer, but he may want at least $20 million per year, an amount Chicago may balk at.
Although Nurkic’s contract is pricey, he will make under that amount for the next three seasons, and the salary cap is set to spike after next season. Additionally, they would receive two first-round picks, one for DeRozan and the other for taking back Nurkic’s contract, helping Chicago make up for two bad trades that cost them several assets.
As for the Blazers, they’d be able to keep Simons, Sharpe, and the third overall pick while getting off of Nurkic’s contract, all while adding a six-time all-star to pair with Lillard. It may not make them a contender, but it would help them improve, hold on to some of their assets, and potentially keep Dame happy.
Co-star #9: Victor Wembanyama
Of all of the trades on this list, this may be the most unorthodox one, but it would accomplish the goal of giving Dame a co-star. Depending on where Portland’s pick ends up, they could be in a position to trade up in the NBA Draft. For them to even be in that position would take some luck. Their pick is currently projected to be 6th, but there is a decent chance that they move up into the top 4 of the draft.
If they end up with the third overall pick, they could then potentially convince whoever is lucky enough to get the top pick to trade back. That may be difficult, but perhaps not impossible. Would a team turn down five first-round picks to move down two spots? Wembanyama is perhaps the greatest draft prospect ever, but a team offering five firsts is incredibly rare, as is turning them down.
In terms of potential, Wembanyama is definitely worth five first-round picks, but is he worth more than Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller and four picks? That is a harder question. Back to Portland, trading up to number one assumes that Wembanyama is the real deal and can make an immediate impact.
He may not be an immediate 20-point, 10-rebound, and 2-block center, but he could be a game-changer on the defensive end and draw enough attention on offense to make Lillard a more dangerous offensive weapon. It would be a risky long play for the Blazers, but trading up for Wembanyama would give Lillard a co-star and Portland a player to potentially build around post-Lillard.
Co-star #8: Dejounte Murray
Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray just finished his first season with the team, but he could be moved again. With the Hawks’ first-round exit and them reportedly willing to discuss trades for Trae Young, Murray could also be available. After all, he will be an unrestricted free agent after next season and will likely be expecting to sign a big deal after signing a cheap one with the Spurs.
Paying Young $40+ million and Murray $30+ million a season, respectively, in addition to the rest of the team probably isn’t realistic for the Hawks. As a result, they could shop him, and Portland should consider trading for him. Why? Of the players on this list, Murray is the best defensive player on the list as well as the most obtainable. Teams don’t tend to overpay for players on one-year contracts, and that will likely drive his value down.
Therefore, if Portland were to offer up Anfernee Simons, a 23-year-old rising star on an affordable contract, and a first-round pick, Atlanta might not get a better offer. Lillard and Murray may be less explosive than the Blazers’ current one, but Murray is a well-rounded player that can boost Portland’s backcourt. He’d allow Lillard to play more off-ball, defend the other team’s best guard, and even help Portland on the glass after ranking 27th in rebounding.
Co-star #7: Kawhi Leonard
It wasn’t that long ago that the Los Angeles Clippers were title contenders. Unfortunately for them, in the four years of the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George era, they have only made it as far as the West semifinals. Most of their failures are injury-related, particularly Leonard’s. This was supposed to be Leonard’s comeback season after missing last season with an ACL tear. He ended up missing 30 games this season, including the Clippers’ final two playoff games.
The Clippers could run it back next season and hope for the best, or they could cut their losses with Leonard and shop him. When healthy, he is a top-10 player, but teams likely won’t break the bank to try and land him. In that case, Portland could offer Simons and three first-rounders, including their top-six pick, to the Clippers. They would also trade a future first-round pick and Nurkic to the Spurs for Zach Collins, who had a terrific year and may be an upgrade over Nurkic while being on a cheap contract.
Portland’s offer might seem light on assets for Los Angeles, but it would also save them $21 million in salary cap and probably at least double in luxury tax payments. Receiving a good starting guard, the third overall pick, two additional firsts, as well as $60 million in savings, could be a competitive offer for a superstar in his 30s who can’t seem to stay healthy.
For the Blazers, gambling on Leonard being healthy is a risky proposition at best. But it is one that a small-market team such as Portland might have to make to give themselves a chance at contending for a title. Leonard would give the Blazers a dominant wing who can both score, create, and defend.
That is something Portland hasn’t had in the Lillard era. While he may only top out at around 60 regular-season games, aside from this year, he has mostly been healthy during the playoffs over his career. A healthy Leonard and Lillard could be a real problem in the playoffs, and that could be what the Blazers need to get back to the Western Conference Finals.
Co-star #6: Karl-Anthony Towns
Admittedly, Minnesota might be a year or two away from trading Karl-Anthony Towns, if they ever will. However, despite some questionable decision-making, it seems clear that the future of the team is Anthony Edwards, who had a terrific playoff showing.
With the terrible Rudy Gobert trade potentially handcuffing Minnesota going forward, especially financially, they could be amenable to taking offers on Towns. Any offer would likely need to include a stack of picks as well as young talent, like a Portland offer of Sharpe, Simons, and three first-round picks.
Receiving an offer that includes three firsts is rare and could be made better if Portland’s pick moves up into the top four in this year’s draft. Edwards is six years younger than Towns, meaning that when Edwards is entering his prime, Towns could be declining. Thus, the opportunity to pair Edwards with a top young prospect closer to his age might be intriguing to Minnesota. Would the draft rights to Scoot Henderson be enough to make this hypothetical a reality? Possibly.
For Portland, Towns would give Lillard another star to play with. In fact, they could form a terrific pick-and-pop pairing, ala Lilard, and former Blazers all-star LaMarcus Aldridge, with Towns being able to knock down threes. The Blazers haven’t had a top-tier offensive big man since Aldridge, and Towns would give the team a dramatically different look compared to recent years when their two best players were guards.
Landing him would also be huge for their future since it would decrease the risk of Lillard asking for a trade and increase the chances that he finishes his career in Portland. Towns would also give the team someone to build around post-Lillard. A Towns trade probably isn’t imminent, but if he becomes available, the Blazers could put together a strong offer, especially with the third overall pick.
Co-star #5: Bradley Beal
The Washington Wizards will be at a crossroads this off-season. Washington will select in the lottery for the second straight season, and two of their three best players will be free agents this summer. A lot of what they do will depend on where their draft pick will end up; if it moves up into the top four, they could look to rebuild, and that begins with trading Bradley Beal.
There are several teams that could be interested in trading for Beal, but the Blazers should be near the top of the list. Beal’s contract is enormous, and few teams can afford to acquire him without gutting their team or running afoul of the new, stricter CBA agreement. The Blazers could construct a trade consisting of Simons, Nurkic, and two first-rounders for Beal.
Trading Beal would allow the Wizards to hit the reset button and properly rebuild. They could use the assets received to lay the foundation while letting key free agents such as Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma leave in free agency. With Beal gone, they could bottom out and rebuild through the draft. Meanwhile, Portland would pair Dame with another top-tier scorer, and having both could lead to a third star joining the team.
Co-star #4: James Harden
Rumors of James Harden potentially leaving Philadelphia have been around for at least four months, and his former team, the Houston Rockets, may be gearing up to make a run at him. Nothing is set in stone, however.
Philadelphia could beat the Boston Celtics in the East Semifinals and defeat the winner of the New York Knicks-Miami Heat series en route to the NBA Finals. In that case, Harden could stay put. On the other hand, the 76ers could lose to Boston with yet another Joel Embiid post-season injury negatively affecting the Sixers’ title hopes.
That would open the door for the Rockets or even the Blazers to steal him away. While Harden obviously has ties to the Rockets, the Blazers have Lillard. Houston has several good young players and is in a position to add another in this year’s draft, but they don’t appear ready to compete for a championship in the immediate future.
Portland technically isn’t either, but Lillard and Harden would make for a terrific dynamic duo that could give the Blazers a chance to make the playoffs and make some noise. The Blazers would only be able to acquire Harden in a sign-and-trade, something the Sixers might be willing to do rather than have him leave for nothing in free agency. Therefore, a Simons and a first-round pick for Harden deal is at least possible.
Co-star #3: Trae Young
If the Atlanta Hawks decide to blow things up, this trade might be of some interest to them. After giving up three first-round picks and two pick swaps to land Dejounte Murray, the Hawks have few draft assets going forward.
As a result, if they look to move Young, then receiving picks and young players back will be important to try and replenish their assets. They could also trade Murray for even more assets, but receiving two from the Blazers is a good start.
Additionally, Simons had a breakout season, averaging 21 points per game while shooting 38% on 7.2 threes per game. At just 23, he is the same age as Young but much cheaper and doesn’t have the same baggage. Young, of course, is better, and the Blazers would be acquiring him to be a 1-A option beside Dame. It might not boost their ceiling all that much, but giving Lillard another legit star is a start.
Young is under contract for four seasons after this one, ensuring that he’ll stay put in Portland for the foreseeable future, which could persuade Lillard to stay too. At nearly 34 and with two years remaining on his contract, he is inching closer toward being a lifetime Blazer, and acquiring Young could seal the deal.
That would be an added bonus to a deal that could also ensure that Portland has its next star to build around when Lillard retires. This trade certainly makes sense for the Blazers, and possibly the Hawks, if they hit reset on their franchise.
Co-stars #2: Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby
With the writing on the wall for the Toronto Raptors, it seems likely that they will look to do a complete roster overhaul this summer. That could greatly benefit Lillard and the Blazers since they are likely to be buyers this off-season. Pascal Siakam has just one year remaining on his contract, and with the Raptors choosing to go in another direction, they may trade him rather than lose him for nothing. Additionally, OG Anunoby has been rumored to be available after reportedly being dissatisfied with his role.
He could draw a haul of picks, perhaps more if paired with Siakam in a trade. The Blazers could help the Raptors to jumpstart their rebuild by trading their top-six selection in this year’s draft, in addition to the Knicks’ 2023 first-round pick, Simons, Sharpe, Nurkic, and two other future unprotected firsts.
Receiving Simons as well as two firsts is a haul. While Nurkic’s contract isn’t all that desirable, he is still a starting-caliber center that would provide the Raptors insurance if Jakob Poeltl gets a huge offer that they don’t feel comfortable matching.
For the Blazers, they would give Dame a legit second option as well as another weapon in Anunoby. Considering that they were likely to trade at least one of their picks this year, moving one plus another first would probably be palatable to Portland. Particularly if it also gets them off of Nurkic, whom they shopped around the trade deadline.
Co-star #1: Zion Williamson
Much like the Blazers, the New Orleans Pelicans got off to a strong start this season only to have it slip away. At one point, they had the best record in the Western Conference, only to lose 10 straight games as their best players were shuffled in and out of the lineup. Superstar Zion Williamson, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, didn’t play after January 2nd.
The fact that he missed 53 games, in addition to all of last season, can’t make the Pelicans feel good about his future. Moreover, if he isn’t ready to play next season, his stock could take a huge hit. While New Orleans may be patient with him, they may also know something that other teams don’t and look to move on for him before he begins to lose value. The Blazers could be a perfect trade partner if they do.
Without Williamson, New Orleans isn’t a contender, and while they may try to trade him for another superstar, the uncertainty surrounding his health might make that difficult. Therefore, Portland could come in strong with an offer of Simons and the third pick in this year’s draft.
With so much uncertainty surrounding Williamson’s health, aggressively pursuing him this summer might allow Portland to beat other teams to the punch. Trading for him would obviously be a gamble, but if he can stay healthy, he and Lillard would make for a dangerous pairing.