The Portland Trail Blazers began the 2024-25 NBA season with modest aspirations, a youthful roster, and the ambition to rebuild toward a brighter future. However, the team’s ongoing struggles underscore an urgent need for reinforcements that align with their long-term goals. With a disappointing 12-22 record, Portland is faced with a pressing question: who should they target to strengthen their roster and ensure their rebuild is both effective and impactful?

Question Marks

Blazers' Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant with question marks

As the 2025 NBA trade deadline nears, the Blazers could be among the more active teams in the market. With just over a month to orchestrate moves, all indications point to the Blazers taking action. With Damian Lillard’s departure now firmly in the rearview mirror following 2023’s blockbuster trade, the Blazers have shifted their focus toward crafting a new identity. To advance their rebuild, Portland must remain proactive in the trade market. They need to target players who can complement their current core while addressing critical areas of need.

Much of the speculation surrounding Portland will center on players they might part with. These include Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Deandre Ayton, and Robert Williams III. However, the Blazers also need immediate help. Relying solely on speculative future draft picks won’t suffice. The addition of young, promising, and talented players is a must to invigorate Portland’s locker room.

Here we will discuss the top three players whom the Portland Trail Blazers must consider as trade targets for the 2024-25 season.

Jalen Suggs

The Orlando Magic’s deep backcourt makes Jalen Suggs an intriguing trade option for the Blazers. The former No. 5 overall pick has struggled to find a consistent role within Orlando’s crowded guard rotation. However, Suggs possesses the defensive intensity and athleticism that Portland sorely lacks.

At 24 years old and in the final year of his rookie contract, Suggs is set to begin a five-year, $150 million extension next season. This keeps him under team control until the 2030-31 campaign. Sure, this commitment ensures long-term stability. However, it also positions him as a valuable trade asset as he approaches his prime years. Suggs’ potential to develop further makes him a strong candidate for Portland as they build toward the future.

Currently, Suggs is enjoying the best season of his career, averaging 16.0 points per game while shooting 40 percent from the field. Despite the Magic’s injury-plagued season, he has been a key contributor. This showcases his value as both a scorer and defender. However, a recent non-contact injury, which required him to leave the court in a wheelchair, raises concerns about his immediate availability. Yesm, his absence might open opportunities for others in Orlando’s rotation. That said, it could also prompt the Magic to consider trade scenarios.

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) lays on the court after being injured against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Scotiabank Arena..
Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Jarace Walker

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
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At just 21 years old, Jarace Walker presents an exciting option for Portland as a potential power forward of the future. Remember that Jerami Grant could potentially move at the trade deadline. As such, Walker’s blend of outside shooting and defensive versatility makes him a natural fit for the Blazers’ needs.

The Blazers should actively pursue Walker. He aligns perfectly with their timeline and their need for wing depth. Despite limited playing time, Walker has demonstrated flashes of brilliance as a 3-and-D player. Indiana’s crowded frontcourt, which features Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin, makes him more accessible in trade discussions.

Adding Walker to Portland’s roster would bolster their defensive capabilities while providing valuable floor spacing. Pairing him with young, defensive-minded wings like Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara would give the Blazers a core of elite role players capable of anchoring their rebuild. Sure, Walker may not yet be an All-Star. Still, his upside as a foundational piece is undeniable.

Ousmane Dieng

Ousmane Dieng is still only 21 years old. He is another high-upside prospect the Blazers should target. Despite entering his third season, Dieng has struggled to secure meaningful minutes in Oklahoma City’s loaded rotation. His current role hampers his development. This makes him a candidate for a change of scenery.

Dieng’s frame offers tremendous defensive potential, but his offensive game remains a work in progress. His career three-point percentage of 27.5 percent is a significant drawback for a Blazers team that urgently needs more reliable shooting. However, with more playing time and focused development in Portland, Dieng could grow into a versatile forward capable of contributing on both ends of the floor.

The Thunder’s depth in the frontcourt makes Dieng an expendable piece. As such, the Blazers could acquire him at a reasonable cost. Yes, he remains a project. However, his potential to thrive in a larger role aligns with Portland’s rebuilding strategy. By taking a chance on Dieng, the Blazers would be investing in a player with the tools to become a key piece of their future core.

Looking ahead

The Portland Trail Blazers find themselves at a crossroads, needing to balance immediate development with long-term aspirations. By targeting players like Jalen Suggs, Jarace Walker, and Ousmane Dieng, the Blazers have a chance to reinforce their roster with youthful talent that complements their existing core. Each of these players presents unique opportunities to address Portland’s pressing needs while building a foundation for sustained success. Whether through bold moves or calculated risks, the trade market offers the Blazers a pathway to accelerate their rebuild and give their fanbase hope for a brighter future.