Portland Trail Blazers' biggest mistake at 2025 NBA trade deadline

02/15/2025 02:15 PM

Considering how the Portland Trail Blazers are in the midst of a rebuild, many found their trade deadline inactivity quite surprising. There were even criticisms in the form of harsh grades from various outlets. The reactions are a no-brainer; After all, one look at the roster and it’s easy to see that the team has moveable pieces.

Okay, maybe the sudden influx of wins leading up to the deadline may have played a part in the decision to stay put, but it seems like reality has struck again. The Blazers fell in their last three outings, all of which had final scores with double-digit point differentials. In fact, this past Monday, the team lost by 29 points to the Denver Nuggets. As it stands, the Blazers hold a 23-32 record, sitting at 13th place in the West.

So going back, yes, Portland could have used a tweak or two prior to Feb. 6. What exactly should have been done? To put it simply, the acquisition of assets for the future. And for that to have happened, the Blazers could have shipped away a couple of players who don’t fit the long-term picture.

Why the Blazers should have moved on from Robert Williams III 

It’s hard to see a number of players in the current roster donning the Blazers jersey years from now. Probably the most obvious of these include Robert Williams III and Jerami Grant, two names who have been swirling around in trade rumors before the deadline. Here’s a rundown of why.

Starting with Time Lord, the main reason involves the ongoing logjam at the center position. Presently, the Blazers have plenty of depth at the five spot…too much actually. Deandre Ayton is first in line due to the offense that he brings. Behind him, there’s Donovan Clingan and Williams. Clingan is clearly a long-term developing piece, so that puts Williams in an uncertain spot.

Additionally, there’s his health. When fully healthy, Williams is a bona fide anchor in the middle. But that’s the thing; The big man’s injuries continue to be a hindrance to consistent usage. It doesn’t help how he has a track record of being hurt, as seen by how he’s played just 234 regular season games since entering the league in 2018 (per Basketball Reference). All that being said, it’s probably best that the Blazers should have parted ways with the athletic rim protector.

Why the Blazers should have moved on from Jerami Grant

Then there’s Grant, a reliable source of offense for the team. While he does average 14.7 ppg and shoots 37.1% from downtown, the main concerns with the forward are his contract and age. When the Blazers granted him a 5-year, $160,000,000 deal ahead of the 2023-24 season, Grant was still a 20-point-per-game scorer. Now, with rising star Shaedon Sharpe’s continuous improvement, the forward has had to take a step back and play behind the Simmons-Sharpe duo. Besides the drop in ppg, Grant’s overall field goal percentage has also taken a dip (45.1% last season, 38.3% at present).

With that in mind, the amount of money he gets doesn’t seem to go hand in hand with his numbers anymore, and could also be an obstacle for an optimal rebuild moving forward. As for his age, Grant is already 30 years old, and there’s no telling if he can sustain being a quality third option in the long run. But as long as he’s still able to perform, there will always be suitors for the two-way forward. They’ll just have to wait until the next trade window though.

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