The Portland Trail Blazers ended their 2022-23 campaign on a sour note, as they missed the Play-In Tournament for the second consecutive year. This was despite another strong season from Damian Lillard, who is already 32 years old, and has continued to be the subject of several trade rumors. Portland has to decide whether they want to continue to try to build around Lillard, or if they want to finally blow things up and rebuild.
From the sounds of it, Lillard is giving Portland one last chance, so the opportunity for the Blazers to acquire someone like Pascal Siakam must be a major priority for them this offseason. There is a decent chance that Fred VanVleet or Gary Trent Jr. will be leaving in the offseason, so this might be the chance for Toronto to recalibrate their own roster. The Blazers have the opportunity to craft a package that could entice the Raptors, so let's look at the perfect offer Portland could make in an attempt to land Siakam.
Blazers receive: Pascal Siakam
Raptors receive: Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson, 2023 No. 3 pick
For the Blazers, pursuing Siakam will give the franchise a second All-Star to play alongside Lillard. Siakam has won a championship before, and his game will complement the style and approach of Lillard. It might not be enough to win a title right away, but the foundational pieces of Lillard and Siakam can attract other individuals to play with this incredible tandem.
Jerami Grant is one guy who can sign a new contract with Portland if he believes they will contend for a deep playoff run. The front office must sign a couple of role players, such as knockdown shooters and rugged big men to complete the core of the Blazers. They must continuously try to add pieces that will prove to Lillard that they care immensely about his future and the players around him.
The package they will send to Toronto will not compromise their roster because they will still have guys like Matisse Thybulle, Shaedon Sharpe, and Jusuf Nurkic. The Siakam trade will not complete the puzzle, but it is a springboard to the success their fanbase has deserved.
For the Raptors side of things, these negotiations will be a tough pill to swallow because they will need to admit that their current nucleus has reached its ceiling, and they will need to rebuild. Anfernee Simons can be the replacement for VanVleet at the guard position if he decides to move on from Toronto. The No. 3 selection can either be Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson, as either guy would be a massive help to the restructuring of Toronto's lineup.
The insertion of Nassir Little and Keon Johnson are done to make the salaries work and balance the trade for both sides. The backcourt duo of Simons and Henderson would be intriguing to watch for any NBA fan, along with the supporting cast of OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes.
The major winner of the trade will still be Portland because they added the best player in the deal. Siakam is still in the prime of his career at 29 years old, and he averaged 24.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 5.8 APG this year, which is arguably the best line of his career. Moreover, Lillard has expressed his concerns with Portland potentially rebuilding, so they have no choice but to move the needle, and there's no one better for them to get on the trade market than Siakam.
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