Anthony Davis is quickly becoming the kind of trade target the Portland Trail Blazers can’t ignore.
Portland and general manager Joe Cronin have already shown interest in Davis before, and the Blazers’ strong start has only sharpened the case for being aggressive ahead of February’s trade deadline. With Portland sitting at 8-3, the idea of adding another impact piece feels a lot more realistic now than it did when the season opened. And Davis, despite the Washington Wizards’ struggles, is producing at a level that makes him hard to overlook.
He’s averaging 25.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. That kind of production is exactly why he keeps popping back up as a name worth revisiting for Portland.
The Wizards, meanwhile, are 4-9 after a wild 2OT loss to the Detroit Pistons. If they’re still outside the playoff picture by the deadline, moving Davis and leaning into a rebuild around their No. 1 overall pick, AJ Dybantsa, would make sense.
For the Blazers, the fit is obvious on the defensive end. Davis would slide into a frontcourt that already includes Robert Williams III and Donovan Clingan, giving Portland a rim-protecting trio that would be the best in the league. That would only strengthen a defensive identity that has started to get a little blurry in a lineup that leans undersized and guard-heavy.
There’s no way around the injury concern, though. Davis carries that risk, and pairing him with Williams in the same frontcourt rotation would raise the stakes even more. Still, Portland has already shown how useful depth can be, especially with Ja Morant’s injury in the backcourt giving the team a chance to rotate and cover for one another.
Davis also brings a level of versatility that fits what Portland seems to value. He’s basically the frontcourt version of Jrue Holiday when it comes to switchability and defensive flexibility.
And he’s made it clear his preferred position is power forward. The Los anagles Lakers never really gave him that setup, but he’s thriving in the frontcourt with the Wizards.
That’s where the Blazers’ bigs could make the idea even more appealing. Clingan and Williams would handle much of the physical punishment, leaving Davis freer to play the finesse-heavy style he prefers at the four.
It could also help keep him healthier over the course of the season. Portland has done a strong job managing Williams’ injury maintenance, and the hope would be that Davis could benefit from a similar approach.
The challenge, of course, is getting the deal done. Cronin has liked Davis before, and new owner Tom Dundon has already said he’s more aggressive than most owners.
Portland has already seen that willingness in the Morant deal, even if that move was relatively buy-low in terms of assets sent out. Davis would cost more, especially with the way he’s playing to start the season.
But the payoff could be exactly what the Blazers need if they want to truly challenge the top teams in the Western Conference.
Then there’s the money. Davis is on the books for $58.5 million with a $62.8 million player option next year, which makes a midseason deal more complicated than an offseason one. Portland would likely have to move one, if not multiple, backcourt pieces to make the numbers work.
Ja Morant would make sense as salary filler, since he’s Portland’s highest-paid player at $42.2 million. Jrue Holiday is next at $34.8 million, and Shaedon Sharpe comes in third at $20.1 million, which would also have to be part of the conversation.
However it would be structured, Davis is the kind of player the Blazers should be watching closely as the season goes on. His fit in Portland, the Wizards’ slide, and the possibility of a star-level seller all point in the same direction: this is a name that belongs on the Blazers’ radar.
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