Portland Trail Blazers Receive: C Jakob Poeltl

San Antonio Spurs Receive: F Nassir Little, G Keon Johnson, G Didi Louzada

On the surface, this is another deal that meets the San Antonio Spurs’ needs. They’re moving Poeltl for young players with upside who’re unlikely to contribute at his level in 2022-23.

The question is, would the Trail Blazers accept this trade?

It’s hard to say. On the one hand, the Trail Blazers just re-signed big man Jusuf Nurkic to a significant contract. They may feel that they already have their starting center set. On the other hand, might they benefit from a platoon?

After all, Nurkic is solid. He’s also unlikely to find himself in the All-Star conversation in 2022-23. In fact, the same could be said for Poeltl. They also have contrasting skill sets: Nurkic is a stronger inside scorer, whereas Poeltl is a better defensive player.

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If the Trail Blazers want to be able to get a range of play from their big men, they’ll bite on Poeltl. None of the players they’re parting with here will be as impactful as him next season. For both of these teams, that’s exactly the point.