One team with several different ways to improve this offseason is the Portland Trail Blazers. They have the No 7 overall pick, but general manager Joe Cronin also has over $20 million in projected cap space at his disposal. There’s also the trade market, which could feature players such as OG Anunoby and Jerami Grant.
Blazers’ top target is OG Anunoby
The Blazers likely have re-signing Anfernee Simons as their top offseason priority, but when it comes to adding talent to the roster, they have a couple of other players in mind.
According to Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report, the Blazers have Anunoby as their primary offseason target and are also interested in trading for Grant.
Earlier this morning another Bleacher Report article from Jake Fischer suggested Anunoby might want out of Toronto, wanting a bigger offensive role elsewhere.
As is, Anunoby offers a high-level 3-and-D skill set on a great contract.
- OG Anunoby contract: $17.3 million in 2022-23, $18.6 million in 2023-24, $19.9 million player option in 2024-25
There’s been no strong indication, even with Fischer’s report, that the Raptors are looking to trade Anunoby, as he’s become a valued member of their core, but if he does become available, expect the Blazers to get involved.
The biggest question is whether the Blazers have enough to entice the Raptors into an agreement. Sure, the Blazers have the seventh overall pick to offer, but do the Raptors value that pick more than what they have in Anunoby? Would the Blazers even include their top selection in a potential Anunoby trade?
If not Anunoby, as Highkin mentions, there’s always pursuing a Jerami Grant trade instead, but that likely won’t be an inexpensive deal either. If there’s one thing we know, it’s that the Blazers should return in 2022 with a much better roster than the one that closed out last season, with Damian Lillard still on the sidelines at the time.