At a pedestrian 3-4 on the season following an active offseason, Portland Blazers news will more than likely focus on more upgrades ahead of the March NBA trade deadline. That could potentially include bringing in a three-time NBA champion from the conference rival Warriors.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic (h/t NBC Sports Bay Area), Blazers star guard Damian Lillard has been campaigning for the team to trade for Draymond Green.
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Blazers news: Could a Draymond Green trade be in the cards?
“If we were handicapping Draymond trade destinations if the Warriors decided to blow it up, that’s the one,” Amick reported. “Damian and his group have for the last couple years been campaigning for that.”
It’s also important to note that recent NBA rumors have concluded that the Warriors could very well put Draymond Green on the trade block should things go horribly wrong for the team over the next couple months.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Warriors, check out their rumors, rankings, and news here
Golden State sits at 4-3 on the season and has won four of its past five. The team is 2-1 since Green returned from injury, including a win over these Blazers last week that saw Stephen Curry torch Damian Lillard and Co. for a career-high 62 points.
With that said, this latest piece of Blazers news is not too surprising. Golden State boasts a stud young power forward in that of Eric Paschall, who is averaging 10.7 points off the bench early in his sophomore season. The former second-round pick looks every bit the part of a starter in the NBA.
For his part, the 30-year-old Draymond Green is averaging a mere 2.0 points to go with 4.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists in three games this season. In no way does that tell the entire story.
He can play the role of floor general, giving Lillard an opportunity to be more of an off-ball guard. Green also remains one of the best all-around defenders in the NBA. That would obviously help the Blazers considering they are yielding an absurd 118.1 points per game this season.
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Blazers new: How would a Draymond Green trade look like?
Portland yielded its first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to the Houston Rockets in the Robert Covington trade this past offseason. That could handcuff the team when it comes to a potential Draymond Green trade due to the Warriors looking for draft pick assets and young players for the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Salaries would also have to match if this Blazers news were to come to fruition. Portland is right up against the luxury tax while the Warriors are $40.1 million over said tax after the Kelly Oubre trade this past fall.
So, here’s how a Green trade might look when taking that into account.
- Warriors get: Derrick Jones, Jusuf Nurkic, 2023 first-round pick
- Blazers get: Draymond Green
This trade couldn’t be completed until February 20 after Jones signed as a free agent with Portland during the fall. However, it makes sense for both sides.
Nurkic could help stud rookie James Wiseman improve as a mentor moving forward this season before being traded during the summer. Meanwhile, the athletic Jones would be a nice bench option for Golden State in the frontcourt.
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As for Portland, the team can go small ball with Green at the five and Covington manning the four. Talk about some elite-level talent on defense for the team.
Expect Blazers news to pick up in this regard should the team continue to struggle over the next month or so. As for the Warriors, how they perform during that span will also dictate whether Draymond Green is traded.
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Related: If you’re a fan of the Blazers, check out #RipCity rumors, rankings, and news here.