The Portland Trail Blazers current strategy is confusing to say the least. They are not rebuilding, but they don’t profile as a championship contender. The Blazers did not trade Damian Lillard and brought back both Jusuf Nurkic and Anfernee Simons during the offseason. They made a few other moves that will benefit Portland down the road. But is there a specific major move the Blazers should have made?
Trail Blazers offseason move they needed to make
Blazers current roster and needs
What does this Blazers roster need to reach the next level?
They feature an impressive backcourt of Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons. If Lillard is able to enjoy a healthy 2022-2023 season, the Blazers backcourt could be among the best in the league.
Jusuf Nurkic is the center on their depth chart. Nurkic is a talented player that Portland decided to bring back in the fold. Meanwhile, Jerami Grant is another important post asset for this team.
Portland also brought in Gary Payton II. Payton II played a crucial role for the Golden State Warriors during their NBA Finals run a season ago. This was an underrated move that could pay major dividends this year.
So what do the Blazers need?
Sure, adding some more depth is always an option. But the one position which could use improvement is small forward. Nassir Little and Josh Hart are both options to start at the position. But Hart has the potential to be a quality Sixth Man for the Blazers. Little would be valuable in a bench role as well.
The Blazers needed to bring in a steady starting small forward option this offseason.
The offseason move they should have made
After the Blazers decided to run it back with Simons and Nurkic and not trade Damian Lillard, they were immediately linked to various different players in trade rumors. Portland was even linked to Kevin Durant for a while during the offseason.
But there is one player who they were linked to who would have made for a tremendous acquisition… but nothing ever came to fruition.
The Blazers and Toronto Raptors were rumored to be discussing an OG Anunoby deal over the offseason. But the asking price for Anunoby was reportedly too high for the Trail Blazers’ liking. However, he would have been a great fit on this team.
At 6’7 and 230 pounds, Anunoby is the prototypical small forward. His athleticism and scoring prowess make him a threat in multiple facets of the game. OG Anunoby is only 25 years old and has already shown signs of stardom. He averaged a career high 17.1 points per game last season. Anunoby shot over 44 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc. He added 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest.
Anunoby would have meshed well with the Blazers’ unselfish style of play. Even Lillard, as talented as he is, plays an unselfish brand of basketball.
Toronto wanted Portland’s no. 7 picks in the draft in return for Anunoby which ultimately derailed this trade from happening. The Blazers selected Shaedon Sharpe with the pick. Shaedon Sharpe has solid potential without question. But the Blazers could have acquired an emerging star in Anunoby.
In the end, OG Anunoby probably wouldn’t automatically place the Blazers in the NBA Finals. But he would have added a strong presence on both sides of the ball which would have made Portland an all-around better team.
