Don’t look now, but the Portland Trail Blazers are quietly inching their way into the playoff picture-and with the trade deadline looming, they suddenly find themselves in a position to shake up the Western Conference arms race. This isn’t the typical rebuild-and-wait scenario. Portland has a handful of intriguing trade chips and just enough momentum to make things interesting.
Two names that immediately jump off the page are Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle. Williams, when healthy, is a game-changer in the paint-an elite rim protector with vertical pop and defensive instincts you can’t teach.
But that "when healthy" caveat looms large. His injury history is well-documented, and he's already missed significant time this season.
Thybulle, meanwhile, is a defensive pest on the wing, but availability has been a concern there, too. He’s appeared in just four games this year and has averaged only 34 games per season since arriving in Portland.
So here’s the rub: if Portland moves off Williams, they can’t afford to leave a hole at center. They’d need someone who can at least eat minutes in the middle, preferably with some upside.
Shooters and defenders are always welcome, especially on a team trying to build around young talent like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. And that’s where a proposed trade scenario comes into play-one that checks all the boxes: youth, positional need, and a potential long-term payoff.
The Deal: Portland targets Jonathan Kuminga, sends out veterans
In this mock trade, the Blazers ship out a package of veterans and take a swing on Jonathan Kuminga, the athletic forward from Golden State. Now, on paper, this deal leans heavily in Portland’s favor. The Warriors give up their starting center, opting instead to lean into a Draymond Green-at-center approach-something they’ve done before, but not without risk.
There’s also a 2026 second-round pick involved, but don’t get too excited. That pick is only conveyed to Portland if it falls between 43 and 60 in the draft order.
If it doesn’t, it stays with the Clippers via Memphis. Given the Grizzlies’ current trajectory and their willingness to move on from key pieces like Ja Morant, the odds of that pick conveying are slim.
One name in the deal that might stir up some mixed feelings in Rip City: Gary Payton II. His previous stint in Portland ended with the infamous Toradol-gate controversy, but from a pure basketball standpoint, he fits the mold of what the Blazers need-essentially a more available version of Thybulle with a similar defensive profile. He brings toughness, perimeter defense, and championship experience.
Also included is a big man who could step into the backup center role-filling the void left by Williams. He’s not a household name, but he brings size and enough skill to hold down second-unit minutes.
Portland doesn’t need a star at backup center; they need someone serviceable. He checks that box.
But the centerpiece here is Kuminga. That’s the swing. That’s the upside play.
Kuminga’s role in Golden State has always been a bit of a puzzle. He’s shown flashes-high-flying athleticism, defensive versatility, and a relentless motor-but hasn’t quite carved out a consistent niche.
Interestingly, a third of his NBA minutes have come at small-ball center, a wrinkle that could appeal to Portland’s coaching staff. The Blazers love versatility, and Kuminga brings that in spades-even if he hasn’t fully put it all together yet.
At just 23 years old, with a team option on his deal for next season, Kuminga offers a low-risk, high-reward proposition. He’s still developing, still figuring out how to harness his physical gifts into consistent production. Like Scoot Henderson and Sidy Cissoko, Kuminga came through the G-League Ignite program-an experimental path to the NBA that’s produced talent with raw upside but often requires a longer developmental timeline.
If Kuminga can find his groove in Portland-if the Blazers can give him the minutes, the role, and the runway-this could be a steal. He doesn’t have to be a star right away.
He just has to show enough to justify the investment. And on a young, evolving Blazers roster, there’s room for him to grow.
Bottom line: Portland has a chance to get younger, more athletic, and potentially more dangerous, all while staying competitive in the short term. For a team that’s been walking the line between rebuilding and retooling, this kind of move could be the bridge between both worlds.