The Portland Trail Blazers could easily become one of the active teams at the trade deadline as NBA trade rumors are dominated by big men.
The Blazers have a collection of young talent centered on their star Damian Lillard. However, they have one of the highest payrolls in the league at $120 million, second only to the Cleveland Cavaliers and they're not at all a contender. This leads to speculation that they spent to keep their players in the fold, but only to use them as trade assets.
This is the basis of the prediction made by Sporting News that the Blazers will land Brook Lopez via trade.
"Seeing their chances of returning to the playoffs fading quickly, the Blazers will trade Allen Crabbe to the Nets in exchange for Brook Lopez. Crabbe was signed to a four-year, $75 million offer sheet by Brooklyn last summer, only to have Portland match it for their restricted free agent. But dealing off Crabbe for Lopez is a must to help strengthen the Blazers' frontcourt, even if Lopez isn't a top defender or rebounder."
Lopez will fill a need, specifically the inside scoring that the Blazers enjoyed with LaMarcus Aldridge. But the prediction rained on the Portland parade when they declared that "the trade does not move the needle for both teams."
They argue that the Blazers need a center who defends and rebounds (doesn't everybody?) which is why trading for Nerlens Noel was floated last month by Andrew Sharp of Sports Illustrated.
"If the Blazers send Allen Crabbe and a protected first-round pick to the Sixers, this can work. Philly needs Crabbe's shooting around Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and they don't have to worry about the cap space Crabbe would occupy," Sharp said.
The trade makes sense as a frontline defense for perimeter offense trade-one that fills a need for both teams involved. However, Noel's value is at its lowest and the Blazers will not trade straight up for him now. In this light, the Sixers are willing to let Noel ride it out until his trade value improves.
As it is, the Blazers may ask for draft picks along with Noel if they are sending Crabbe. The Sixers refuse to trade in panic so this trade might take a while.