NBA: Portland Trail Blazers want a star this off-season
After a down year last season, former Western Conference finalists Portland Trailblazers want to become a serious force in the west again.
FollowAccording to NBA Insider Kevin O’Connor, the Portland Trail Blazers want another star to add next to Damian Lillard through Free Agency or a Trade. The biggest names the team is targeting are All-Star free agents Zach Lavine and Bradley Beal. Lavine, who had another great season in Chicago, was Lillard’s teammate with Team USA when it won the Olympic gold. Bradley Beal is also an unrestricted Free Agent who would bolster the Blazers’ backcourt. Besides a couple of star shooting guards, the Blazers also engage in wings Miles Bridges and Jerami Grant. Bridges is a restricted free agent who is coming off a breakout season.
Grant is a more known commodity whose primary role on a contender will likely be a ‘3&D’ wing with some ball-handling ability. The Blazers have a surprising amount of ways to pursue big names. Their biggest asset is their seventh overall from this year’s draft. They have a $20.8 million trade exception, a rising talent in Josh Hart, and future picks. There’s also a potential sign-and-trade with Jusuf Nurkic, or more drastically, flipping Anfernee Simons, a 22-year-old coming off a career-best season and entering restricted free agency.
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O’Connor said the following about the Blazers’ off-season outlook in his recent piece: “League sources say the Blazers are exploring trades for veterans who can help Damian Lillard lead the team back to the postseason. The Blazers have the seventh pick in the draft, so that’s their most prominent asset in potential deals. But, they also have many young players that could be used in trades to accomplish the same goal. On top of that, Portland also has pathways to create max space to sign a significant free agent outright. Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine are potential targets, according to sources.”
“Lillard befriended Beal through their experience with Team USA, and the Wizards star has a player option for next season. So, he could make his way to Portland either as a free agent or via trade. Sources say another player to keep in mind is Hornets forward Miles Bridges. Pistons forward Jerami Grant is often mentioned as a target for the Blazers. One other player frequently said to be on Portland’s radar is Atlanta’s John Collins, a lob threat that could provide more defensive versatility than Jusuf Nurkic,” he added.
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“The Blazers have many ways to pursue big names aside from dealing with their lottery pick. They have a $20.8 million trade exception, Eric Bledsoe’s lightly guaranteed contract [$3.9 million], a rising talent in Josh Hart, and future picks. There’s also a potential sign-and-trade with Nurkic, or more drastically, flipping Anfernee Simons, a 22-year-old coming off a career-best season and entering restricted free agency, he concluded.
