Portland Trail Blazers Receive: C Domantas Sabonis, F Oshae Brissett, F Kelan Martin
Indiana Pacers Receive: G Anfernee Simons, C Jusuf Nurkic, F Nassir Little, G Tony Snell, 2024 First-Round Pick
This trade would signal two things. The Portland Trail Blazers are committed to building around Damian Lillard and the Indiana Pacers are officially in asset collection mode.
This would be a trade that could rejuvenate a Portland fan base that has to be disappointed with how the team has looked thus far this season. Domantas Sabonis is the son of the great Arvydas Sabonis, who spent the entirety of his NBA playing career with the Trail Blazers.
Joining Sabonis in Portland are Oshae Brissett and Kelan Martin. The Trail Blazers have been on the lookout for some wing help and they get some here. Both would provide a boost and bring some versatility as wing players that can bump up into the frontcourt.
This is the exact kind of package a team embarking on a rebuild would be enticed by. Young players, expiring contracts and draft compensation. Jusuf Nurkic and Tony Snell are both on expiring deals, providing Indiana with multiple routes of action.
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Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little are 22 and 21-years old, respectively. They have great upside and could see their development take off with expanded roles in Indiana. Getting an extra first-round pick, even if it is a few years down the road, is always good.
How do the teams feel about this deal? Let’s take a look at it from each of their perspectives, starting with the Trail Blazers.