The 2026 NBA offseason has seen plenty of star movement, and the Portland Trail Blazers have contributed to that.
In July, the Blazers landed multi-time All-Star point guard Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies in a move that has fans both excited and left scratching their chin.
Morant, 26, is only just entering his prime and, despite his hefty contract, is worth taking a chance on. But the Blazers already had a glut of guards. Overall, the Morant trade is just one part of a not-too-shabby offseason for Portland, as ESPN’s Zach Kram noted.
“Portland re-signed (Robert) Williams to a great extension, which both keeps the valuable role player on its roster and gives the team protection if the injury-prone center misses more time,” Kram wrote. “The Trail Blazers also traded for Morant, which makes sense as a pure talent play but comes with serious fit questions, as new coach Micah Nori will now have to juggle a backcourt of Morant, (Damian) Lillard, Sharpe, Scoot Henderson and (Jrue) Holiday, to say nothing of All-Star forward (Deni) Avdija, who was at his best playing on the ball last season.”
A Solution to Clarify the Backcourt: Trade Damian Lillard to the Knicks
That’s right. Let’s go ahead and do the league a favor and make the reigning NBA champions better. (Ha!)
Interestingly enough, the Blazers and Knicks can help each other get better though one simple yet not-to-simple blockbuster trade. It may be a matter of time before Portland moves one of its guards — because playing four guys who need the basketball major minutes can’t be a winning formula! — whether that’s franchise icon Damian Lillard (again) or Jrue Holiday.
So, what could the Blazers grab in a deal with the Knicks?
Blazers receive: Josh Hart, a 2027 second round pick (via WAS) and a 2033 first round pick
Knicks receive: Damian Lillard
In this hypothetical trade, the Blazers trim their guard rotation and add a consistent playmaker at forward, where Portland could use a bit of a boost. The Knicks, meanwhile, assemble one of the league’s premier backcourts featuring Lillard, a nine-time All-Star and a walking 30 points, and reigning Finals MVP Jalen Brunson.
If there’s one area the champion Knicks could use some help — actually, maybe two areas after Mitchell Robinson left in free agency — it’s in the backcourt. The Knicks don’t have a table-setter or play initiator at the guard position off the bench.
Portland would welcome back Hart, who played just one season for the franchise after a February 2022 trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. With the 31-year-old swingman at forward, the Blazers would add some needed versatility on defense and someone who could act as a veteran guiding hand for the rising Blazers.
The pair of draft picks are a nice little sweetener, too.
Why Portland Needs to Trade One of Their Guards
The Blazers’ future likely revolves around Morant and the 22-year-old Scoot Henderson. But, as ESPN’s Ben Golliver touched on, neither player can maximize their potential if they are sharing the backcourt with two other legitimate stars.
“First-time head coach Nori, who was hired in June, will have real talent at his disposal, but his roster is heavy on scoring-minded guards and light on frontcourt difference-makers. Lillard, Morant, Avdija and Holiday boast All-Star credentials, while Henderson and Sharpe are recent lottery picks. Even if Nori, a former Minnesota Timberwolves assistant, gets creative with his lineups, there aren’t enough touches and shots to go around,” Golliver wrote.
The Blazers baby steps toward contention last season, muddling through the play-in tournament before winding up against the eventual Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. That series was highly competitive in bursts, but then the Spurs showed why they have a shot to co-run the West with the Oklahoma City Thunder over the next decade.
There is a strong argument to be made that the Blazers could rise up the West ranks faster if they allow the Morant-Henderson guard pairing to develop and add talent to other areas on the roster.
Knicks Proposed to Trade Josh Hart for 9x All-Star Guard in 3-Player NBA Trade