Marvin Bagley III

Much like Terrence Ross, Marvin Bagley III is not going to change the Portland Trail Blazers’ fortunes, but he is a great young talent for them to add in their frontcourt. Robert Covington can only do so much and he is not really a low-post/paint threat, meaning that Jusef Nurkic and Cody Zeller are the only guys who are able to be true big men down low for Portland. 

Nurkic and Zeller are good at particular things, but having just these two guys in their frontcourt is not a good look for Portland. They are going to need another guy who can get things done down low and take pressure off of both Lillard and McCollum, so why not take a chance on a guy like Marvin Bagley III? 

Not only does Bagley want out of his current situation in Sacramento, but the Trail Blazers may be able to get him at a discount if the Kings are willing to move him. Being in the final year of his rookie contract, Marvin Bagley III is definitely an intriguing trade option for various teams around the league and the best part about acquiring him is that Portland would not be tied down to another long-term contract. 

They would owe Bagley $11.3M this upcoming season, but that is a contract they can absorb since Derrick Jones Jr. is owed $9.7M and can be moved to Sacramento, much like in the Ross-Magic deal. Plus, Jones Jr. may actually be someone the Kings are interested in since they need another player on the wing and are looking for athletic guys who are essentially “positionless” players. 

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Staying healthy and on the court has been a struggle for Bagley early on in his career, but through his first three seasons with the Kings, Marvin Bagley III has averaged 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and has shot 50.0% from the floor, 31.4% from three-point range. 

Portland needs another low-post threat, as mentioned earlier, and they could really benefit from adding another big man who can play pick-and-roll basketball in many different ways. The Blazers primarily play through Dame and McCollum in pick-and-roll sets and the best part about adding Bagley is that he is athletic enough to be a tough roller to stop in these sets. 

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The young Kings’ forward is definitely a guy who could come into Portland and make an impact in the starting rotation or off-the-bench, which is why they should be expressing interest in him. Whether or not the Kings are willing to take DJJ remains a question mark, but getting Bagley is do-able for the Portland Trail Blazers.