As the NBA offseason rages on, the Portland Trailblazers continue to be one of the most talked about teams in the NBA. This is primarily due to the status of Damian Lillard while rumors continue to swirl surrounding his potential trade. Although he has remained loyal to the Blazers over the years, this year was the first where Lillard emphasized that he was willing to accept a trade away if the Blazers opted for a rebuild. There is still no confirmation of whether or not he will be traded, but the possibility remains open. With that being said, the Blazers could still try and build a contender in Portland in order to convince Damian Lillard that the right decision would be to stay. After a busy 2023 NBA Draft, the Blazers now look ahead to NBA free agency in order to show Lillard that they can win in Rip City. With free agency officially starting on Friday, the Blazers need to focus on targets Draymond Green and Jerami Grant.

It was recently rumored that Damian Lillard would love for the Blazers to bring Draymond Green to Portland to help Rip City compete for an NBA Finals. It seems unlikely that Green leaves the Golden State Warriors, but the possibility remains for now. Jerami Grant on the other hand needs to be resigned by the Blazers after being their second best scorer last season. Injury kept him out for much of the second half of the season, but he proved to be a seamless addition alongside Lillard in the starting lineup. When NBA free agency starts on Friday, these two guys are the primary targets that the Blazers need to go after. If they fail to do so, then a Damian Lillard trade could become a much higher possibility.

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Draymond Green

Draymond Green has established himself as a winner in the NBA. The only thing he hasn't done is do so for another team besides the Warriors; signing with the Blazers in free agency could prove that Green is a winner anywhere he is and he could step out of Stephen Curry's shadow. The tea leaves indicate that Green wants to remain in Golden State, however Lillard's desire to play with Green could definitely entice the Warriors forward. He has proven to be a massive asset for a three-point shooting guard like Curry, so coming to play alongside Lillard would not be very hard for him.

While going after Draymond Green could be tricky, the Blazers might have to pull it off in order to keep Damian Lillard. Drafting Scoot Henderson was a great move, but other draft picks Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert don't figure to propel the Blazers into a contender anytime soon. If they want to compete next year, bringing in a player like Green becomes paramount. The price tag for Draymond Green will be pretty lofty, but he is the ideal target in order to give Damian Lillard the team that he wants.

Jerami Grant

Jerami Grant will probably be the most important signing of the summer for the Blazers. Losing Grant would all but guarantee the Blazers could not build a contender around Damian Lillard; their second best player from last season would be gone, and the roster would be left with Lillard and a contingent of young guys. Being able to keep their own is the most important part of NBA free agency for the Blazers, as this will allow them to focus on trying to just get one more star to play alongside Lillard. Not to mention, drafting Henderson solidifies the Blazers in the backcourt, with Anfernee Simons as well. Forward and center is the most important position, which makes Jerami Grant a massive signing that they need to have.

Retaining Grant won't be impossible, but it definitely will be a tall task. Plenty of interest will be given to the 29-year-old forward who seemingly improves every season, particularly with his perimeter shot. Seeing what the Denver Nuggets did this season, Jerami Grant looks like the perfect prototype of an athletic forward that can give valuable minutes to a championship team. This is what the Blazers are trying to create in order to keep Damian Lillard, so losing Jerami Grant would wreak havoc on the organization. Losing Grant would not be good news in terms of trying to convince Lillard to stay; signing Grant should be the number one priority as of right now. At the very start of NBA free agency on Friday, it should be clear that the Blazers number one target is Jerami Grant.