The Trail Blazers already made their first big move this summer, and it really feels like just the start of a bigger plan after a productive 2025-26 season. The Blazers went out and got Ja Morant from the Grizzlies, sending over Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. What’s impressive is that they kept Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, and didn’t even trade a first-round pick.
Of course, Morant is risky. He only played 20 games last season; his shooting wasn’t great, and the off-court stuff has been around for a while. But Morant is just 26, he’s a former All-NBA player, and when he’s healthy, he can still become one of the best guards in the entire league.
This trade also shows how hungry the Blazers have been. They were interested in Giannis Antetokounmpo before, but it never went anywhere because Giannis would choose where to land, as he avoided the West and ended up with the Heat in a blockbuster earlier this month.
Now people are looking more at Jaylen Brown. After adding Morant, he could be the next move, as Marc Stein already signaled the Blazers were interested in him, and he may not return to the Celtics after being shopped in the Giannis talks.
The backcourt is suddenly loaded with Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Ja Morant, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. They also have Avdija, Toumani Camara, and Clingan. That’s a lot of solid players.
So the question is, are they just stacking talent or building for the next big star?
Morant brings big energy to the backcourt, but it also creates problems. Can he and Scoot really play together long-term? Is Sharpe still in the future plans or the best piece to trade? And what happens with Holiday? Does he stay or become a salary they move?
The Blazers could very well be done making moves in the market. But after landing a former NBA superstar in Ja Morant, who might go back to his best self with a change of scenery, they still have a lot of pieces they could move this summer to become a West powerhouse again.
1. A Blockbuster Trade For Jaylen Brown
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics Receive: Jrue Holiday, Shaedon Sharpe, Robert Williams III, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick
This would be a massive trade. The Blazers protected their core young pieces in the Morant deal, keeping Henderson, Sharpe, Avdija, Clingan and all their picks. That gives them the flexibility to make another significant trade.
Right now, Portland has too many guards they can move for a wing upgrade. Jaylen Brown would bring the kind of two-way wing they still need to balance the roster. He remains one of the better wings in the league, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season.
The Celtics would never accept a lowball offer for him, and reports from ESPN suggest they have asked for big packages with four first-round picks. That’s why the Blazers would likely have to include Jrue Holiday as the salary anchor, Sharpe as the upside piece, and two future first-rounders.
Holiday, who is making $34.8 million next season, already knows the Celtics system, brings his leadership, solid defense, and playmaking. Last season, he averaged 16.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. Sharpe, on the other hand, offers youth, athleticism, and scoring potential at $20.1 million on his extension. Robert Williams III would be added mainly for salary purposes and frontcourt depth as a sign-and-trade piece, especially with the Celtics interested in a new center upgrade, given the Jalen Duren links recently.
Brown’s $57.1 million salary lines up reasonably with Holiday and Sharpe combined. For Portland, Brown would give them another proven scorer next to Morant and Lillard, while Avdija and Clingan handle the connecting and defensive roles. It would be expensive, yes, but after getting Morant that cheap, they still have the pieces to make it happen.
2. Sign Mitchell Robinson As The Backup Center
Beyond the big swing, the Blazers also need to add depth at center behind Donovan Clingan. Clingan is the long-term starter, but they can’t go through an entire season relying on just one rim-protecting center if they want to compete now.
Mitchell Robinson would be a solid, no-mistake addition. He wouldn’t start, but he could give them 18-22 solid minutes of rebounding, rim protection, screens and easy finishes. Last season, he put up 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds for the championship Knicks. His value comes from doing the dirty work with offensive rebounding, vertical spacing, and physical presence in the paint.
Robinson’s postseason was actually great for his market, as he didn’t really excel in scoring with 4.8 points per game, but his offensive rebounding and defensive toughness in the Finals while facing off against Victor Wembanyama in some minutes show why the Blazers could use him, given that Wembanyama had two games over 25 points (27 and 35) against them in the First Round, shooting a letal 58% from the field in that series.
There’s no such thing as a Wemby stopper right now, even with Karl-Anthony Towns doing an incredible job in the Finals. But if the Blazers feel they will have to climb over that wall again in the playoffs with Ja Morant on the team, adding a defensive specialist like Robinson could prove the missing piece to solve that puzzle on that end.
Portland could target him with the full mid-level exception, which is projected around $15 million. With the Knicks facing apron restrictions, they probably won’t be able to bring Robinson back. That opens a path for Portland. A two-year deal worth $26-30 million with a team option would make sense for them. Committing more than that on guaranteed money feels risky, especially considering his injury history and some uneven playoff performances in the past.
3. Take A Swing On Marcus Smart
Marcus Smart is another name worth watching, but this one depends on the price, which is still uncertain. After turning down his $5.4 million player option with the Lakers, he’s clearly looking for more than a bench-type deal, which he might actually deserve.
Last season, Smart put up 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals across 62 games. His scoring has never been the main attraction, but his defense would be needed in this scenario. With Portland’s backcourt now full of offensive players like Morant, Lillard, Scoot and Sharpe, Smart could bring the toughness, ball pressure, and veteran presence they might need on that end.
Still, Smart had some great scoring showings in his Lakers tenure, as he’s widely expected to seek new opportunities in the open market. Smart even averaged 12.9 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 10 games this past postseason, and he already knows how to guard the bigger guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, and the rest of the main perimeter threats the West has to offer.
If the Blazers end up trading Holiday in a Jaylen Brown deal, Smart starts to look even more interesting as a cheaper way to replace some of that defensive intensity. Still, if they use most of the mid-level exception on Mitchell Robinson, Smart only makes sense on a short-term deal around $6-7 million. Anything higher than $10 million would be tough to justify with how crowded the guard position already is.
At the end of the day, Portland has some clear priorities. Brown would be the big move to raise the team’s ceiling, Robinson would solve the backup center need, and Smart would be a great fitting addition if the contract talks work out. They can’t chase every big free agent, but after the Morant trade, they still have the flexibility to keep building this roster.
What The Roster Could Look Like
If the Blazers keep pushing this timeline, the roster would look very different pretty fast. The Ja Morant trade already flipped the backcourt, and bringing in Jaylen Brown would change the entire outlook of the team.
The projected lineup could become one of the best in the entire league:
PG: Ja Morant
SG: Damian Lillard
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Deni Avdija
C: Donovan Clingan
Bench Rotation
Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara, Marcus Smart, Mitchell Robinson, Caleb Love, Matisse Thybulle, Yang Hansen
This team would instantly become a title contender, no doubt about it. Maybe they won’t be the main favorites, but the pillars of a contender for years to come would be there.
Morant would finally give Portland the kind of guard they’ve lacked. He can collapse defenses and create easy looks for others with ease. Lillard brings the spacing and big-shot ability once back from injury; Brown becomes the first, second, or third option depending on who is playing better; while Avdija serves as the all-around forward and Clingan protects the paint.
Defense will still be a concern at times, especially with Morant and Lillard sharing the floor. That’s why Brown, Avdija, Camara and Clingan will be key. Portland would have to surround those two guards with size and defenders almost every minute.
Off the bench, Scoot Henderson might actually benefit from a sixth-man role, where he can run the second unit and attack tired defenses. Camara would give them a defensive wing who can close games when needed. Smart, at the right price, would bring his toughness and on-ball pressure. Robinson would be the backup center who gives Clingan some rest and helps against teams that try to exploit him in foul trouble.
Closing lineups would depend on the opponent. Against quicker teams, it could be Morant, Lillard, Brown, Avdija, and Clingan. Against more physical sides, they might go bigger with Camara sliding in. For the first time in a while, the Blazers would have a pretty feared squad.
There are still some issues to solve. They need better shooting overall, and health will be critical. Morant’s jumper remains inconsistent, Brown’s deal is expensive, Lillard is on the older side, and Clingan still has to show he can handle heavy playoff games. Even with those questions, the jump in talent would be tremendous.
After getting Morant without surrendering any future picks, Portland has a real opportunity to turn this into a powerhouse. If they can actually land Jaylen Brown, that move could make the Blazers a team other Western Conference contenders have to take very seriously.
