The NBA trade rumors are shaping up as the season nears its first quarter milestone, and pundits place the Portland Trail Blazers is the team most likely to make a trade.
It's a combination of having too many redundant yet desirable pieces and a clear need for a second star to pair with Damian Lillard. Lillard is now a certified All-Star and while he has a dependable backcourt mate in CJ McCollum, they are still not considered a contender.
As the backcourt seems covered, the frontcourt may need some help. It's not a lack of personnel, but similar to the Boston Celtics, it's an issue of consolidating their assets. Sports site 12Up points out the positional gluts.
"Festus Ezeli, Meyers Leonard, and Mason Plumlee? One of them has got to go. There are a number of teams across the league that would dive on the chance to grab one of these talented bigs, and the Blazers could add a legitimate piece of the puzzle to make them a more complete team in return."
They also point out the Blazers' excess of guard/forward combos specifically Allen Crabbe, Maurice Harkless, and Evan Turner.
"Once again, there are simply too many players that are on a similar level of ability for Portland to hang on to them all. Sacrifice one (or a few) and get someone that can make real contributions in return," the site sums up.
Who can the Blazers target at the deadline? This is the season where a record number of centers are on the trading block along with other quality bigs and some expiring contracts. Here are the top 5 player that the Blazers could pursue.
1) DeMarcus Cousins
Definitely at the top of the heap, the Blazers have the pieces to assemble a package for the hapless Sacramento Kings. The deal-breaker would be CJ McCollum. If the Kings ask for him to be included, the Blazers could look elsewhere since there are a lot of options.
2) Brook Lopez
The Brooklyn Nets starting center consistently delivers near 20 points and 8 rebounds a game. He has dealt with injury and this year he came back strong. The Nets pursued Allen Crabbe in the summer, but they can't trade him to the Nets this season. Still, the two sides could work a deal.
3) Nikola Vucevic
The Orlando Magic starting center may be the odd man out as new coach Frank Vogel emphasizes defense in the frontline. Zach Lowe of ESPN pointed out that the Blazers still desire low-post, back to the basket scorers of Vucevic's mold and is actually Lowe's "favorite Vucevic landing spot."
4) Greg Monroe
Here's a chance for two teams, the Blazers and the Milwaukee Bucks, to get their money back. Monroe fits the mold of an offensive, low post scorer and Jason Kidd could use another oversized ball handler in Evan Turner. The only downside is that Monroe could opt out and become a free agent in the summer.
5) Blake Griffin
Speaking of free agents, this is the ultimate risk/reward move for the Blazers. The only way for a trade like this to happen is if the Clippers break down. Right now, they're on top of the heap.
If by any chance signs point to a Clippers collapse which would prompt CP3 to consider looking for another team, the Clips would do well to cash in on Blake with a young package from the Blazers (Harkless, Ed Davis or Mason Plumlee, Crabbe). For Blake, it gets him a chance to be paired with yet another top point guard.