NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
What will the Portland Trail Blazers do this offseason? It appears that a move could be made with the 3rd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft that could land them Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors. While that may ensure a few more wins on the season, is it enough to make them contenders in the tough Western Conference?
According to Bleacher Report, the Blazers would send Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson, and the No. 3 pick to Toronto, while the Raptors send the Blazers Siakam. All this will be done to appease Damian Lillard. over the years, Lillard has remained faithful to the Blazers and has gone on record many times saying he wants to remain with Portland.
While this is respectful and shows his loyalty, in a sense, he’s doing the Blazers more harm than good. Think back, when was the last time the Blazers were viewed as contenders? Not just playoff contenders, but actual NBA NBA Finals contenders? Over the past few years, the front office has done everything in its power to try and build around Lillard and has nothing to show for it.
The only way this trade will work is if the Blazers managed to keep Jerami Grant. He’s a free agent and will have plenty of suitors this offseason. But then comes the question of money. Siakam is signed through this coming season at $34m but will be a free agent in 2024. Resigning Grant will cost the team another possible $25-30M per. Is Siakam just a one-year rental for the Portland Trail Blazers?
Will Portland Trail Blazers Trade The No. 3 Pick
Losing Simons who came on last season will be a huge blow and then losing the No. 3 pick that could be used to help the post-Lillard era will also be a hard pill to swallow. So, for now, this is a Blazers’ front office letting Lillard keep them hostage. At 33 years of age during this coming season, Lillard is showing no signs of slowing down, so a move here will have to be for at least another 2-3 years, and by doing so, they must become contenders.
A lineup that features Lillard, Siakam, Grant, Jusuf Nurkic, and Shaedon Sharpe has potential but is it enough to delay a reset? If this fails, who will take the blame, Lillard or the Blazers? Also, the team will be giving up two role players who played in over 40 games each last season.
And while all that is going on, one thing is not being mentioned. What happens if injuries or something hit and this team fails again? Lillard, although saying all the right things in the past regarding his loyalty to the Blazers, recently has stated he’s not interested in a rebuild. But a year older after 2024 and with Siakam becoming a free agent, will the Portland Trail Blazers be willing to continue to bet the house on a Lillard-led team? And if they do, who’s to say that Lillard will want to remain with them?
This trade is a gamble in so many ways, unlike most of the other teams being mentioned in NBA trade rumors. It’s win in 2024 for Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers or it’s time to move on for both parties. Losing that No. 3 pick could come back to haunt them Sam Bowie style.
