The Golden State Warriors have been the defining team of recent NBA history. This has been a dynasty. The Warriors have been in title contention for a decade.
Give this team the credit that they deserve – it’s been a remarkable run. After all, most teams don’t get there. Look at the Portland Trail Blazers. Over the last decade, this team has had one Conference Finals run to show for themselves.
It’s been a long time since it felt like the Blazers had a real chance at an NBA title. Moreover, they haven’t won one since the 1970s. That’s exactly why the Blazers are rebuilding.
With that in mind, the Warriors haven’t exactly looked like contenders this year either. This team could be a candidate to make a big trade before the deadline.
Could they make a trade with the Blazers?
NBA Trade Proposal: Golden State Warriors Land Portland Trail Blazers’ Jerami Grant
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G/F Klay Thompson, G/F Gary Payton III, 2026 First-Round Pick (GSW)
Golden State Warriors Receive: F Jerami Grant, G Malcolm Brogdon
We don’t mean to knock the Blazers. Building a champion is hard enough. Building a dynasty is practically impossible. We can’t use the Warriors as a bar for success.
That’s an unreasonable standard for the rest of the NBA. With that in mind, the Blazers were competitive for quite some time. The Damian Lillard era didn’t yield a championship.
Arguably, it didn’t even come close. Still, it did give Blazers fans a good reason to watch NBA basketball for a long time.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors Updates
Will that be the standard for the next era of Blazers basketball? Time will tell. One thing is clear: the Blazers have a bright future, but their short-term outlook is bleak.
Should they concede that by trading these veterans?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
Neither Grant nor Brogdon is likely to net the Blazers a first-rounder on their own. Grant is on a long-term deal, and Brogdon is injury-prone.
As talented as each player is, it’s unlikely that either is worth an unprotected first on the open market. What if they moved both? That could be a different story. Of course, doing so won’t be easy.
For Portland to move both Grant and Brogdon in one deal, they’ll have to take back a significant contract. That’s what they’re doing here.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors Updates
Luckily, that contract is expiring. The Blazers won’t think twice about adding Thompson to their roster for the rest of the year. All they care about here is receiving an unprotected first-rounder.
Should the Warriors give that pickup?
Why The Golden State Warriors Do The Deal
Typically, the Warriors have been patient on the trade market. Fair enough. We can’t question their methods – the Warriors have built a dynasty.
Still, it’s worth noting that this team does not look like a title contender in 2023-24. This deal should help. Grant is a versatile defensive wing who can space the floor and create his shot.
The Warriors would suddenly have a deep platoon of quality wings following this move. With that said, it also upgrades their backcourt. Sure, Thompson has been integral to their dynasty.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors Updates
His play has also fallen off dramatically. At this point, Brogdon is a better shooter and defender – and he’s also been a better playmaker. If he can stay healthy, he could help the Warriors extend their dynasty.
