As the Portland Trail Blazers prepare for the start of a new NBA season, management has a lot of work to do in determining who will be a part of the team moving forward. Given that the Trail Blazers are not a competitive team at the moment, the key for them moving forward is determining who to build a core around.
Portland has some good young players who could become key contributors to the team, but their evaluation will be crucial. The Trail Blazers also need to determine who will become free agents and whether they want to retain players.
In just two years, several key members of the Trail Blazers are set to become free agents. Center Deandre Ayton, guard Anfernee Simons, center Robert Williams III, guard Scoot Henderson, center Donovan Clingan, forward Matisse Thybulle, guard Shaedon Sharpe and others are all potential free agents.
Some players have club options that the team will likely pick up, like Henderson and Clingan. Sharpe is a restricted free agent, which gives Portland the ability to match any offer that comes his way. He’s expected to be part of the core going forward, so the Trail Blazers are expected to keep him.
But for the others, it’s a matter of who makes the cut. Ayton is the biggest name on the roster and the Trail Blazers could choose to see how he fits with Clingan over the next two years.
With Clingan on the team, the need for Ayton diminishes significantly. Unless the rookie center becomes a failure, Ayton will likely leave in free agency or the Trail Blazers will trade him before his contract expires to avoid letting him walk away for nothing.
Simons has already seen his name in trade talks and there is still a possibility he could be traded. He has shown strong scoring ability and could be a valuable sixth man for another team.
Like Ayton, Portland will likely try to trade him before his contract is up to get something in return for his services. Williams III is the wild card.
He’s dealt with injuries over the years, but if he can show that he’s healthy, Portland could opt to keep him as Clingan’s backup. Williams brings bounce and energy to the court, something the Trail Blazers could use.
No matter how well Portland performs on the field over the next few seasons, management will have to make some tough decisions. With the new collective bargaining agreement now in place, roster building has become even more difficult and Portland could see some key pieces leave the team.
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