The Portland Trail Blazers have put themselves in a pretty enviable spot this offseason. Their future is in good shape, and the roster now comes with a few contracts that could be useful if they decide to swing for another major move while filling that final roster spot.
One of the most interesting names in that mix is Shaedon Sharpe. He could wind up as the odd man out in Portland’s backcourt, but that doesn’t make him any less valuable on the trade market.
At 23, he still has four seasons of team control left, and his cap hit never climbs above $25 million in any of those years. That kind of flexibility matters.
So does the production: Sharpe averaged 20.8 points per game, and he’s still waiting to hit his prime. If the Blazers believe a backcourt trio of Sharpe, Ja Morant, and Scoot Henderson can work, then a major deal probably isn’t coming.
If not, Sharpe’s contract makes him a very attractive chip.
Deni Avdija sits in a different category. He’s become one of the best value contracts in the league, and Portland would be highly unlikely to move him unless a superstar-level player was on the table.
Unlike Sharpe, Avdija fits neatly with the rest of the young core. He keeps getting better on offense, and he brings real value on defense too.
The contract only sharpens the appeal: he’s locked in for two more years at $13 million and $12 million. For a 26-year-old playing at that level, that’s a bargain and a major asset.
Robert Williams III gives Portland another tradeable piece, though for a different reason. He re-signed with the Blazers earlier this offseason on a three-year, $44 million deal.
His health and availability have been a concern in recent years, but the price is still manageable for a center who put up seven points and seven rebounds in under 20 minutes per game last season. He may not draw the same level of interest as Sharpe or Avdija, but if Portland wants to make a move without shaking up the core, Williams could be the name that comes into play.
Taken together, Sharpe, Avdija, and Williams give the Blazers a range of options. Portland has managed to add quality talent across the roster without overpaying, and that leaves them with a surplus of players who can either keep developing in-house or be turned into something bigger if the right opportunity appears.
In Other News...
Ja Morant Suddenly Puts Blazers Fans In A Tough Spot
Ja Morants arrival has put Portland fans in an awkward but familiar place: the kind of spot where talent and baggage show up together, and the long view suddenly matters as much as the short one. Morants career has already been shaped by off-court issues, suspensions and injuries, and those setbacks have taken a toll on both his production and the way the market has valued him.
For the Trail Blazers, the appeal is obvious. A player with Morants ceiling can change the direction of a franchise, and a fresh start gives him a chance to rebuild trust on and off the floor. The uncertainty is just as obvious, though, because what happens next depends on whether this new chapter becomes a reset or just another stop in a career that has been hard to pin down. [Read more 🡒]
Jrue Holiday Suddenly Holds The Key To Portlands Backcourt Mess
The Trail Blazers backcourt suddenly looks crowded after the addition of Ja Morant, and that has pushed Jrue Holiday into the center of the conversation. Holidays value goes well beyond one position, though, and that kind of versatility is exactly why Portland views him as such a useful piece while Micah Nori sorts through the lineup combinations.
Nori has plenty of options to weigh as he tries to fit the roster together, and the ripple effect reaches the starting group as much as the bench. Holidays ability to adapt gives Portland flexibility in a situation that could easily become awkward, especially with several players competing for the same minutes and roles still very much in flux. [Read more 🡒]