<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-target-date-close-of-4-25-billion-franchise-sale');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers rumors: The target date for close of $4.25 billion franchise sale');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/NBA-Portland-Trail-Blazers-at-Memphis-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers rumors: The target date for close of $4.25 billion franchise sale</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-20T09:04:37-07:00">August 20th, 9:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-20T09:04:37-07:00">August 20th, 9:04am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The sale of the Portland Trail Blazers is moving forward with a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6563404/2025/08/19/potential-trail-blazers-ownership-close-deal-march/" rel="noopener">targeted closing date of March 31, 2026</a>, according to a report from Jason Quick of The Athletic on Tuesday. The plan calls for a purchase agreement to be signed in September, setting the stage for the franchise to change ownership before the end of the 2025-26 NBA season.</p><p>Last week, ESPN reported that Tom Dundon, owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, will <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-hurricanes-owner-reaches-agreement-buy-portland-franchise">purchase the Trail Blazers from the Paul Allen estate</a> for $4.25 billion. The estate has been working to sell both the Blazers and the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks in accordance with Allen’s will after his death in 2018.</p><p>The estate overseeing Allen’s holdings has indicated the franchise will remain in Oregon, with a source confirming to The Athletic that relocation is not expected.</p><p>Dundon, a Dallas businessman, is leading the purchase effort alongside Chicago-based investor Marc Zahr and Sheel Tyle, the co-CEO of Collective Global Management. Tyle, who is originally from Houston, has lived in the Portland area for the past two years. His wife, Sejal Hathi, currently serves as director of the Oregon Health Authority.</p><p>Once a purchase agreement is finalized, the NBA will schedule a vote by its Board of Governors to approve the sale. If approved on time, the new ownership group would assume control of the team with six games left in the 2025-26 regular season.</p><h2><b>Blazers face arena questions and roster overhaul as $4.25B sale moves forward</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Avdija-guards-James.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Attention has also turned to the team’s home arena. The Trail Blazers are under contract to play at the Moda Center through 2030, though Commissioner Adam Silver has publicly suggested the franchise may eventually require a new facility. While the building’s shortcomings — including cramped visitor locker rooms and aging suites — have been noted, a source told The Athletic that none of the issues are significant enough to block the deal.</p><p>“Nothing about the arena is a deal breaker on its own. It’s lots of little things that add up,” the source said.</p><p>If Dundon completes the purchase, the expectation is that success on the court will be his primary focus. His tenure with the Hurricanes reflected that approach. When he took over the franchise, Carolina had missed the postseason nine consecutive years. Since then, the team has reached the playoffs in seven straight seasons, making three trips to the Eastern Conference finals.</p><p>The Trail Blazers are currently undergoing a rebuild after finishing the 2024-25 season with a 36-46 record, placing 13th in the Western Conference. Over the offseason, the team reshaped its roster by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons-trade-blazers-catch">trading Anfernee Simons to the Boston Celtics for veteran guard Jrue Holiday</a>, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-damian-lillard-new-gig-alma-mater">signing Damian Lillard after his release from the Milwaukee Bucks</a> as he recovers from an Achilles injury, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-jrue-holiday-shouts-out-superstar-yang-hansen">drafting 7-foot center Yang Hansen</a> with the 16th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.</p><p>Portland will begin the 2025-26 campaign at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, Oct. 22.</p><p>If the sale closes on schedule, the Trail Blazers will enter a new ownership era as they continue to build toward returning to contention in the Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers rumors: The target date for close of $4.25 billion franchise sale

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-insiders-source-claims-new-owner-tried-trade-luka-doncic');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers rumors: Insider’s source claims new owner would’ve tried to trade for Luka Doncic');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Former-Mavericks-guard-Luka-Doncic_efd3ed.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers rumors: Insider’s source claims new owner would’ve tried to trade for Luka Doncic</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-20T08:55:27-07:00">August 20th, 8:55am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-20T08:55:27-07:00">August 20th, 8:55am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In light of the Portland <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-hurricanes-owner-reaches-agreement-buy-portland-franchise">Blazers’ sale to their new owner Tom Dundon</a>, an insider claims the bold new ownership group would have expressed interest in Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic before his trade from the Dallas Mavericks. After the most shocking trade in recent history saw the Mavericks trade the face of their franchise, following a trip to the NBA Finals in 2024, many teams could look back and think ‘What if?’</p><p>Ahead of making the agreed sale official, Dundon and his group are expected <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6563404/2025/08/19/potential-trail-blazers-ownership-close-deal-march/" rel="noopener">to bring a fresh new approach</a> to the Blazers franchise, per The Athletic’s Jason Quick.</p><p>“He brings a swagger,’’ the source said to <i>The Athletic</i>. “If Tom was the owner last year, he would have been trying to get Luka (Dončić). He would be like, ‘Why should the Lakers have him?’’’</p><p>“He’s a winner,” the source said. “He’s a straight shooter, and rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. He’s already talking basketball, and he already knows all the salaries of players and employees. He’s really invested in the players — he says you can’t compromise on players.”</p><p>Dundon, who also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, reached an official agreement with Blazers’ Paul Allen estate, thus no other potential buyers can negotiate with the franchise about a potential sale. The plan is to have a purchase agreement signed by September, which would make the sale official.</p><p>“He’s a winner,” the source said. “He’s a straight shooter, and rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. He’s already talking basketball, and he already knows all the salaries of players and employees. He’s really invested in the players — he says you can’t compromise on players.”</p><p>Both sides hope to close the deal by March 31, 2026. While Dundon is from Dallas, hence his reported hypothetical Blazers interest in Luka Doncic, he plans to keep the team in Portland. The purchase is reportedly worth $4.25 billion.</p><h2><b>Hurricanes owner agrees to buy Blazers for $4 billion</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Blazers-head-coach-Chauncey-Billups-GM-Joe-Cronin.jpg"><figcaption>Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Before the team’s sale, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-jrue-holiday-shouts-out-superstar-yang-hansen">Blazers traded for Jrue Holiday from the Celtics</a>. The 2024 NBA champion labeled rookie Yang Hansen “a star” as he enters his first season with the Blazers. The franchise <a href="https://www.sportico.com/business/team-sales/2025/dundon-portland-trail-blazers-sale-paul-allen-1234866910/" rel="noopener">agreed</a> with NHL owner Tom Dundon on a deal, per Sportico’s Scott Sochnick and Eben Novy-Williams.</p><p>“Others in the group include Blue Owl Capital co-president Marc Zahr and Portland-based Sheel Tyle, co-CEO of Collective Global, according to the people, who were granted anonymity because the details were private.”</p><p>The Blazers will open their preseason against the Warriors on October 8.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers rumors: Insider’s source claims new owner would’ve tried to trade for Luka Doncic

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-hurricanes-owner-reaches-agreement-buy-portland-franchise');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers rumors: Hurricanes owner reaches $4 billion agreement to buy Blazers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Blazers-GM-Joe-Cronin-left-owner-Jody-Allen-and-head-coach-Chauncey-Billups-stand-with-guard-Damian-Lillard.jpg"><figcaption>© Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers rumors: Hurricanes owner reaches $4 billion agreement to buy Blazers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-13T08:59:59-07:00">August 13th, 8:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-14T07:25:14-07:00">August 14th, 7:25am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Portland Trail Blazers have officially been sold away from Paul Allen’s estate, according to a recent report. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-paul-allen-30-year-tenure-owner">The Allen estate</a> had been attempting to sell <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-adam-silver-arena-challenge-owners">both the Blazers</a> and the Seattle Seahawks in accordance with his will after the team owner passed away in 2018, per media reports.</p><p>The party purchasing the Blazers <a href="https://www.sportico.com/business/team-sales/2025/dundon-portland-trail-blazers-sale-paul-allen-1234866910/" rel="noopener">will be led by</a> Tom Dundon, who is currently the owner of the NHL franchise, the Carolina Hurricanes, per Sportico.</p><p>The deal was reported by ESPN to be worth $4 billion, and of course, the parties will need the approval of the NBA before the sale officially goes through.</p><p>“Others in the group include Blue Owl Capital co-president Marc Zahr and Portland-based Sheel Tyle, co-CEO of Collective Global, according to the people, who were granted anonymity because the details were private,” reported Scott Sochnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico.</p><p>They also reported that the new ownership group has no plans to move the beloved Blazers away from Portland.</p><p>“We are excited,” Dundon said in a recent email regarding the sale.</p><p>The ownership change occurs during a bit of a transitional period for the Blazers franchise on the basketball court.</p><p>The team welcomed back franchise icon point guard Damian Lillard this summer as he rehabs his torn Achilles and also traded for former Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, but overall, Portland has shifted to more of a youth movement with Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and several other young players starting to make waves over the last couple years.</p><p>More details about the specifics of the sale and when it’s expected to go through are likely to be released over the coming days.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Blazers’ schedule for the 2025 NBA season is slated to be released at some point later on this week.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers rumors: Hurricanes owner reaches $4 billion agreement to buy Blazers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-scoot-henderson-super-enthusiastic-damian-lillard-signing');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers rumors: Scoot Henderson ‘super enthusiastic’ about Damian Lillard signing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Blazers-guard-Scoot-Henderson.jpg"><figcaption>Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers rumors: Scoot Henderson ‘super enthusiastic’ about Damian Lillard signing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-21T18:19:39-07:00">July 21st, 6:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-21T22:54:58-07:00">July 21st, 10:54pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the NBA world reacts to Portland <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-nba-watching-world-reacts-damian-lillard-portland-return">Blazers guard Damian Lillard’s surprising reunion</a> with the team that drafted him in 2012, one of his newest teammates, Scoot Henderson, is reportedly looking forward to Lillard’s arrival. With the nine-time All-Star ruled out for most of next season due to a ruptured Achilles, Henderson will have an increased role following Anfernee Simons’ trade to the Boston Celtics.</p><p>Henderson is reportedly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3ad5rNdAM8&amp;t=2585s" rel="noopener">excited to be teaming up</a> with a future Hall of Fame guard in Lillard, per Zach Lowe.</p><p>“Now, it’s a whole different team in Portland than it was when Dame left on not great terms. He wanted to go to Miami, they didn’t trade him to Miami. There was a war of spin after the trade, if you recall. Different details were perhaps emphasized. The wave and stretch with Milwaukee happened, and right away, they were in contact,” Lowe said. “And fences were mended to the degree they needed to be mended. I think time had ease some of the wounds already. Scoot Henderson was clued-in to what was going on to make sure he was cool with it.</p><p>“From what I’ve been told, he was super enthusiastic about it, not threatened at all. There was this undercurrent of “if I’m Scoot, I’m going to be angry,” like I’m gonna be back on the bench. The dude’s going to be out for a year. Scoot’s gonna have all the runway in the world,” Lowe concluded.</p><h2><b>‘Biggest factor’ behind Damian Lillard’s return to Trail Blazers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Blazers-guard-Damian-Lillard.jpg"><figcaption>Soobum Im-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Giving the veteran a chance to rehab while spending time with his family, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/shams-reveals-biggest-factor-behind-damian-lillards-return-to-trail-blazers">Damian Lillard’s return to the Blazers</a> makes sense for a Hall of Fame guard at this stage in his career. Lillard will get the chance to spend most of next season rehabbing before returning to the floor in 2026-27.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers rumors: Scoot Henderson ‘super enthusiastic’ about Damian Lillard signing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-damian-lillard-reunion-insiders-wondering-about-conspiracies');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers rumors: Damian Lillard reunion has insiders wondering about ‘conspiracies’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Damian-Lillard-chats-with-a-Blazers-fan.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers rumors: Damian Lillard reunion has insiders wondering about ‘conspiracies’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-21T11:32:12-07:00">July 21st, 11:32am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-21T11:37:21-07:00">July 21st, 11:37am</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There is no denying that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-kendrick-perkins-candid-response-damian-lillard-portland-return">Damian Lillard loves the Portland Trail Blazers</a> following his decision to reunite with the team in free agency, but the organization certainly made it difficult for him to refuse its offer. Owners do not typically award a three-year, $42 million contract to a 35-year-old recovering from a torn Achilles tendon unless they are confident the player will reward their investment. Although the Blazers are obviously inclined to take care of a franchise legend like Lillard, there are undeniable risks from a basketball standpoint.</p><p>Because Portland is in the throes of a rebuild, it risks stunting the development of Scoot Henderson and its <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-perfectly-shows-hes-ready-to-run-with-damian-lillard">other young players</a> by potentially making the aging Lillard a focal point of the offense during the 2026-27 season. Despite the elation Rip City is experiencing after this celebrated homecoming, one has to wonder if this signing makes sense based on the trajectory the Trail Blazers are currently navigating. That question may not be all that relevant, depending on who you ask.</p><p>Apparently, some within the league believe there there is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6505264/2025/07/21/nba-expansion-lillard-blazers-lebron-lakers-vegas/" rel="noopener">a strong motivating factor</a> that could be influencing the team’s offseason approach. “If you’re one of those people who likes to plot out multi-layered conspiracies with charts and arrows, there’s also plenty of room for that type of thinking,” The Athletic’s John Hollinger writes.</p><p>“Between the impending sale of the team, the Lillard move and the surprise selection of Chinese center Yang Hansen in the first round of June’s draft, a lot of the conversation in Vegas was about whether the Blazers are making purely basketball decisions right now. How much does the optics for a potential buyer influence the basketball choices?”</p><h2><b>Blazers great Damian Lillard is certainly good for business</b></h2><p>The idea that the Paul Allen estate would make moves designed to strengthen a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-adam-silver-arena-challenge-owners">potential ownership sale</a> does not appear too far-fetched. This is a business, after all, and a household name and local hero like Damian Lillard is easy to pitch to prospective buyers. The star point guard and Blazers’ all-time leading scorer (19,376 points) is an ideal person to serve as the face of the franchise during a power transition, particularly because of the profound connection he shares with the community.</p><p>Lillard potentially ending his Hall of Fame career in Portland ($14.1 million player option for 2027-28 campaign) could help fans stay optimistic amid possible concerns regarding a new regime. Beyond the financial implications that come with having a marketable talent on the roster, which is arguably amplified due to the reunion element, Lillard’s presence could positively affect the Trail Blazers’ basketball product.</p><p>The 2018 All-NBA First-Team selection and four-time All-NBA Second-Team selection posted 24.9 points and 7.1 assists while shooting 37.6 percent from beyond the arc before his 2024-25 season met its brutal end. Although he is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 campaign, Lillard can still share some of the knowledge he has gathered in his decade-plus run in The Association.</p><p>Oftentimes, a valuable veteran can hasten a squad’s rebuild and better position it for long-term success. And this veteran may just be the greatest player to ever don a Blazers uniform. Regardless of Portland’s motives, this sequel will generate significant interest in the next couple of years.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers rumors: Damian Lillard reunion has insiders wondering about ‘conspiracies’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/blazers-rumors-damian-lillard-reunion-on-the-table-after-bucks-release');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers rumors: Damian Lillard reunion on the table after Bucks release');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Damian-Lillard.jpg"><figcaption>Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers rumors: Damian Lillard reunion on the table after Bucks release</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-01T13:12:56-07:00">July 1st, 1:12pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-01T13:34:52-07:00">July 1st, 1:34pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The NBA world was shocked when the Milwaukee Bucks <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/bucks-rumors-giannis-antetokounmpo-not-pleased-damian-lillard-exit">made the decision to waive Damian Lillard</a>, as the star guard is still recovering from tearing his Achilles in the playoffs. With the Bucks trying to make moves to create space to make other moves to help them stay competitive, Lillard seemed to be on the outside looking in.</p><p>Lillard is now a free agent for the first time in his career, and there will be interest in him once he is close to ready to return. There are already two teams that are being <a href="https://x.com/ohnohedidnt24/status/1940094843788706054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1940094843788706054%7Ctwgr%5E0895e44bb0a7f134bb5e5fa99e0e372930c01d06%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoopshype.com%2Frumors%2F" rel="noopener">named as potential suitors</a>, with one of them being his former team, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.</p><p>“Teams have been reaching out and trying to gauge his interest. One of those teams to look out for is the Miami Heat,” Haynes said. “That was a team that was trying to trade for him when Dame did request a trade from Portland initially. That’s one team that’s going to be in the mix.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chris Haynes on who's interested in Dame:</p><p>"Look out for the Miami Heat. Throw Portland in there as well" <a href="https://t.co/G4YewlEFXG">pic.twitter.com/G4YewlEFXG</a></p><p>— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) <a href="https://twitter.com/ohnohedidnt24/status/1940094843788706054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Throw Portland in there as well, a team that could possibly make a reunion.”</p><p>Lillard returning to the Trail Blazers would be interesting, but it’s where everything started for him. At the same time, they’re not considered one of the top teams in the Western Conference, and Lillard wants to win, so it would be a sight to see him go back.</p><h2><b>Damian Lillard waived by the Bucks</b></h2><p>Lillard’s tenure with the Bucks probably did not go the way that he or the team wanted in his two years. They were able to make the playoffs, but injuries to Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the playoffs doomed them both years, as they were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers back-to-back.</p><p>Now, the Bucks are trying to revamp their roster, and Lillard will have to decide where he’ll be playing basketball next.</p><p>The Trail Blazers could use a player like Lillard if they want to see some substantial growth in their team, but they would have to wait until he comes back from injury.</p><p>They have young players that have shown potential, such as Scoot Henderson, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, and they recently added a veteran in Jrue Holiday. The Blazers will need a lot more if they want to be competitive, and they could add more pieces in free agency.</p><p>They also just <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/blazers-news-deandre-ayton-becomes-free-agent-center-portland-contract-buyout">bought out Deandre Ayton</a>, which means they’ll be moving forward with Clingan, Robert Williams III, and Yang Hansen as their center depth.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers rumors: Damian Lillard reunion on the table after Bucks release

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-brutal-deandre-ayton-blazers-revelations-lakers-pause');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Brutal Deandre Ayton Blazers revelations should give Lakers pause');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DeAndre-Ayton-looking-down.jpg"><figcaption>Sam Navarro-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Brutal Deandre Ayton Blazers revelations should give Lakers pause</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-01T06:48:12-07:00">July 1st, 6:48am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-01T06:48:12-07:00">July 1st, 6:48am</time><address><a>Jaren Kawada</a>Jaren Kawada is a former full-time sports bettor and is now a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media. Aside from football, Kawada is an avid combat sports and basketball bettor.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Since his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-deandre-ayton-becomes-free-agent-center-portland-contract-buyout">release from the Portland Trail Blazers, DeAndre Ayton</a> has received serious interest from the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. While the move makes sense on paper, the apparent reason why Ayton is available in the first place should concern any team looking to sign him.</p><p>Following Ayton’s release, details emerged suggesting the Blazers cut ties <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6463929/2025/06/30/deandre-ayton-portlant-trail-blazers-free-agency/" rel="noopener">due to his lack of discipline</a> and personality flaws rather than his on-court performances, according to The Athletic’s Jason Quick. While he has been disappointing since landing in Portland, it was Ayton’s reported “tardiness” and “tantrums” that did him in.</p><p>“See, the Blazers could live with Ayton missing shots or his man scoring on him,” Quick wrote. “They could even live with him being limited by injuries to 55 and 40 games in his two seasons in Portland. But in the end, they couldn’t live with his bad ways. The tardiness to team flights and practices, according to a team source. The skipping of rehabilitation appointments. Fans saw him slam chairs when he was taken out of games. And a team source said there were tantrums in the locker room when he was sidelined for poor effort.”</p><p>The Blazers’ release of Ayton was significant, considering he was the main piece they received from the blockbuster Damian Lillard trade in 2023. However, Portland seemingly prepared for the move a year ago when it selected Donovan Clingan in the 2024 NBA Draft.</p><p>Since joining the team, Ayton has averaged 15.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game over the last two years. While solid, his numbers have declined from his final two seasons with the Phoenix Suns, during which he averaged 17.2 and 18.0 points per game, respectively.</p><h2><b>Lakers’ interest in DeAndre Ayton following Blazers release</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lakers-rumors-Australian-center-emerges-as-LA-draft-target-with-45th-pick.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Despite the flaws in his performances, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-deandre-ayton-strong-possibility-nba-insider">Los Angeles Lakers have still aggressively pursued Ayton in free agency</a>. The Lakers have been on his tail since his release was announced, with a deal seemingly on the horizon.</p><p>The Lakers have desperately needed a center for several years, but seem to have urgency to resolve the situation in the 2025 offseason. Los Angeles has also targeted Brook Lopez, Clint Capela and Al Horford, among others.</p><p>Not only did the Lakers have a size issue in the 2024-2025 season, but they are also prepared to let Jaxson Hayes and Alex Len walk in free agency. Hayes and Len were the team’s top two centers late in the year after trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic and failing to acquire Mark Williams.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Brutal Deandre Ayton Blazers revelations should give Lakers pause

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-why-blazers-failed-find-deandre-ayton-trade-buyout');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Why Blazers failed to find Deandre Ayton trade before buyout');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Trail-Blazers-center-DeAndre-Ayton-i.jpg"><figcaption>Soobum Im-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Why Blazers failed to find Deandre Ayton trade before buyout</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T09:44:08-07:00">June 30th, 9:44am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T09:44:08-07:00">June 30th, 9:44am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA Stories</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Before reaching a buyout with their starting center, the Portland <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-portland-to-explore-deandre-ayton-jerami-grant-trade-markets">Blazers explored DeAndre Ayton’s market value</a>. However, there was one caveat that threw a wrench into the Blazers’ attempts, leading to a buyout that suddenly launched <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-deandre-ayton-becomes-free-agent-center-portland-contract-buyout">Ayton to become a sought-after center</a> in free agency. Still, Portland reportedly tried to land a deal centered around DeAndre.</p><p>However, the Blazers were very particular about <a href="https://x.com/MikeAScotto/status/1939568049406771295" rel="noopener">what they’d take back in return</a> for Ayton, per Hoopshype’s Michael Sotto.</p><p>“Portland had trade discussions with several teams interested in DeAndre Ayton,” Sotto reported. “However, the Trail Blazers made it clear they didn’t want to take on any multi-year contracts in return, which made it challenging to find contracts and players to match his $35 million salary.”</p><p>Now, Ayton will test the free agency waters with a new team, and potentially, a final chance at a long-term deal down the road, as the veteran center looks to rejuvenate his career amid new surroundings. However, any team that signs him is taking a risk, according to ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins.</p><h2><b>Kendrick Perkins hits DeAndre Ayton with ‘Diva’ label</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Trail-Blazers-center-DeAndre-Ayton-ii.jpg"><figcaption>Soobum Im-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>ESPN’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-kendrick-perkins-deandre-ayton-diva-cancer-labels">Kendrick Perkins addressed DeAndre Ayton’s reputation following a buyout</a> with the Blazers. While Perkins admits Ayton’s fit with the Lakers from a basketball standpoint, he worries that DeAndre’s drive and motivation may dwindle <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1939691826430070818" rel="noopener">based on the veteran center’s experience</a> with the Blazers.</p><p>“The Portland Trail Blazers were happy as hell that they got to this point with him,” Perkins said. “Right now, he’s been labeled as a diva, as a cancer in the locker room, and if I’m DeAndre Ayton, I gotta have a moment. I gotta have someone speak the real to me because we’re talking about a former number one pick that didn’t work out with the Phoenix Suns, the team that drafted him number one.”</p><p>For Perkins, Ayton’s next stop could be his final chance.</p><p>“When you have guys like DeAndre Ayton, you believe that things can happen to you. And I believe that he’s one situation away, the next situation, or next organization that he lands in, even if it’s the Lakers, he has to change a lot about himself, or he will find his career being shortened, and he will find himself out of the league,” Perkins added. “But can DeAndre Ayton help the Lakers? Absolutely, because Luka thrives in the lob threat. DeAndre Ayton can be a lob threat.</p><p>“When DeAndre Ayton is locked in, he’s focused, he’s losing himself in the team, he’s a hell of a player. Double-double. The problem is that it hasn’t been the case,” Perkins concluded.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"The word around the league is not good about Deandre Ayton… right now he's been labeled as a diva, as a cancer in the locker room… he has to change a lot about himself or he will find his career being shortened."</p><p>– Kendrick Perkins 😳<a href="https://t.co/YJxhDgdWt4">pic.twitter.com/YJxhDgdWt4</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1939691826430070818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The Lakers are one of the few teams reportedly connected to potentially signing Ayton.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Why Blazers failed to find Deandre Ayton trade before buyout

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-kendrick-perkins-deandre-ayton-diva-cancer-labels');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Kendrick Perkins hits Deandre Ayton with ‘diva, cancer’ labels');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Trail-Blazers-center-DeAndre-Ayton.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Kendrick Perkins hits Deandre Ayton with ‘diva, cancer’ labels</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T09:06:38-07:00">June 30th, 9:06am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T09:06:38-07:00">June 30th, 9:06am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA Stories</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After reaching a buyout agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-deandre-ayton-becomes-free-agent-center-portland-contract-buyout">DeAndre Ayton becomes a top free-agent center</a> ahead of the busiest time of the year for NBA executives. One of the few teams mentioned as early as a potential suitor is the Los Angeles Lakers, whom ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins agrees could help LeBron James and Luka Doncic, or check out at the first sign of trouble. It’s entirely up to Ayton.</p><p>Ayton’s skillset and reliability are <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1939691826430070818" rel="noopener">two very different things</a> that don’t always go hand in hand, Perkins said, per ESPN’s First Take.</p><p>“The word around the league is not good about DeAndre Ayton. The Portland Trail Blazers were happy as hell that they got to this point with him,” Perkins said. “Right now he’s been labeled as a diva, as a cancer in the locker room, and if I’m DeAndre Ayton, I gotta have a moment. I gotta have someone speak the real to me because we’re talking about a former number one pick that didn’t work out with the Phoenix Suns, the team that drafted him number one.”</p><p>For Perkins, Ayton’s next stop could be his final chance.</p><p>“When you have guys like DeAndre Ayton, you believe that things can happen to you. And I believe that he’s one situation away, the next situation, or next organization that he lands in, even if it’s the Lakers, he has to change a lot about himself, or he will find his career being shortened, and he will find himself out of the league,” Perkins added. “But can DeAndre Ayton help the Lakers? Absolutely, because Luka thrives in the lob threat. DeAndre Ayton can be a lob threat.</p><p>“When DeAndre Ayton is locked in, he’s focused, he’s losing himself in the team, he’s a hell of a player. Double-double. The problem is that it hasn’t been the case,” Perkins concluded.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"The word around the league is not good about Deandre Ayton… right now he's been labeled as a diva, as a cancer in the locker room… he has to change a lot about himself or he will find his career being shortened."</p><p>– Kendrick Perkins 😳<a href="https://t.co/YJxhDgdWt4">pic.twitter.com/YJxhDgdWt4</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1939691826430070818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p> </p><h2><b>DeAndre Ayton’s poor reputation with the Trail Blazers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Trail-Blazers-center-DeAndre-Ayton-2.jpg"><figcaption>Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Shortly after the buyout was announced, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-la-fans-already-recruiting-deandre-ayton-after-buyout">Lakers fans were quick to recruit DeAndre Ayton</a> to their team, a move that ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins cautions against, based on Ayton’s tenure with the Trail Blazers.</p><p>“Came off as selfish, unreliable, so many stories that were put out there last season that I just couldn’t believe,” Perkins said. “He was backed up in traffic. Something happened where he couldn’t get out of his driveway. I was like, man, c’mon man. What are we talking about?”</p><p>Perkins also added that Ayton couldn’t get along with Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Kendrick Perkins hits Deandre Ayton with ‘diva, cancer’ labels

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-insider-shoots-down-pissed-jrue-holiday-report-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers rumors: Insider shoots down ‘pissed’ Jrue Holiday report after trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Blazers-insider-shoots-down-Jrue-Holiday-unhappy-trade.jpg"><figcaption>© Eric Canha-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers rumors: Insider shoots down ‘pissed’ Jrue Holiday report after trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-25T07:40:15-07:00">June 25th, 7:40am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-25T07:40:15-07:00">June 25th, 7:40am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Just a few years ago, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers">the Portland Trail Blazers</a> traded for Jrue Holiday only to trade him four days later to the Boston Celtics. This time, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/3-reasons-celtics-won-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons-trade">Holiday and the Blazers are reunited once again</a> and seemingly for a longer period of time.</p><p>Less than two years ago, Portland effectively reshaped the Eastern Conference with a pair of trades, both of which involved Holiday. The first saw franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team deal that netted the Blazers DeAndre Ayton, Toumani Camara, a first-round pick, and Holiday. The second, some 100 hours following the first, sent Holiday to Boston for two first-rounders, Robert Williams III, and Malcolm Brogdon.</p><p>Now, Holiday is back with Portland as the Celtics attempt to clean up their cap sheet ahead of a year in which star player Jayson Tatum is not expected to play as a result of an Achilles tendon injury suffered in the playoffs. In <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-boston-pulls-off-stunning-jrue-holiday-trade-blazers-anfernee-simons">exchange for Holiday, the Blazers traded Anfernee Simons</a> and a pair of second-round draft picks.</p><p>This time around, the Blazers-Holiday partnership is expected to be a little more long-lasting and, contrary to a previous report, Holiday<a href="https://x.com/DannyMarang/status/1937731515233751382" rel="noopener"> is not mad about being</a> shipped to Portland, according to 1080 The FAN’s Danny Marang.</p><p>“Did some digging on the report that ‘Jrue Holiday is pissed he’s going to Portland’ in a Heavy.com article earlier, and according to someone with direct knowledge of the situation – have told me this report is not accurate,” Marang posted on X, formerly Twitter.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Did some digging on the report that “Jrue Holiday is pissed he’s going to Portland” in a <a href="https://t.co/ZQLM14xgc5">https://t.co/ZQLM14xgc5</a> article earlier, and according to someone with direct knowledge of the situation – have told me this report is not accurate. <a href="https://t.co/zsBE3RAquc">pic.twitter.com/zsBE3RAquc</a></p><p>— Danny Marang (@DannyMarang) <a href="https://twitter.com/DannyMarang/status/1937731515233751382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The original report came from Heavy senior NBA columnist Steve Bulpett, who reported, citing a “source close to the situation,” that Holiday <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-trade-up-2025-nba-draft/" rel="noopener">doesn’t want to stick</a> with the Blazers.</p><p>“Now, if he winds up staying there, I’m sure he’ll be the professional he’s always been and make a positive contribution,” the source said, according to Bulpett. “But he’s not happy with this deal. I’ll be surprised if Portland doesn’t move him on if they can, because right now he does not want to go there.”</p><p>Holiday would seemingly have little leverage to get out of Portland if he really does want to. While the 35-year-old guard’s skillset is certainly best suited for a legitimate contender, he is entering just the second season of a<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/players/a04e0912/jrue-holiday/contract"> four-year, $134.4 million contract extension</a> that he signed last April. Theoretically, he could opt out of his deal ahead of the 2027 offseason, but it would seem unlikely considering he would be 37 and slated to make $37.2 million that year if he exercises the option.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers rumors: Insider shoots down ‘pissed’ Jrue Holiday report after trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-nba-draft-target-emerges-after-jrue-holiday-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers rumors: NBA Draft target emerges after Jrue Holiday trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kasparas-Jakucionis-talks-to-the-media-during-the-2025-NBA-Draft-Combine-at-Marriott-Marquis-Chicago.jpg"><figcaption>© David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers rumors: NBA Draft target emerges after Jrue Holiday trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-24T11:54:45-07:00">June 24th, 11:54am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-24T11:54:45-07:00">June 24th, 11:54am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Portland Trail Blazers appear to have identified a primary draft target following their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/jrue-holiday-trade-grades-for-celtics-blazers-after-stunning-deal">recent acquisition of veteran guard Jrue Holiday</a>.</p><p>According to ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel, 19-year-old Illinois point guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-draft-big-board-5-0-76ers-final-ace-bailey-vj-edgecombe-decision">Kasparas Jakucionis has emerged as a serious option for Portland with the No. 11 pick</a> in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft. The report follows the Trail Blazers’ trade that sent Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Holiday on Monday.</p><p>“After the Trail Blazers traded Simons for Holiday, Kasparas Jakucionis suddenly emerged as a real target for Portland, sources said,” Siegel reported. “Jakucionis recently had a private workout with the team the day before this trade was made, and his playmaking abilities would instantly provide depth to the Blazers’ second unit.”</p><p>Jakucionis, who stands 6-foot-4.75 and weighs 205 pounds with a 6-foot-7.75 wingspan, <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/5214640/kasparas-jakucionis" rel="noopener">averaged</a> 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game for the Illinois Fighting Illini this past season. He shot 52.6% from the field and 20% from three-point range across 33 games. Regarded as one of the most skilled passers in the 2025 class, the Lithuanian-born guard offers size and versatility at the point guard position.</p><h2><b>Trail Blazers eye Kasparas Jakucionis after Jrue Holiday-Anfernee Simons swap</b></h2><p>Portland’s interest in Jakucionis appears tied to their broader roster strategy. Holiday, 35, is expected to take on a leadership role and start in the backcourt while the team looks to add youth and depth behind him. Jakucionis could potentially fill that reserve playmaker role.</p><p>Holiday <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/3-reasons-celtics-won-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons-trade">returns to Portland after helping the Boston Celtics win the 2024 NBA championship</a>. In the 2024–25 season, he averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals over 69 games. While he was originally acquired by the Blazers in the 2023 Damian Lillard deal, Holiday was quickly flipped to Boston. He now rejoins a retooled Portland roster aiming for long-term growth.</p><p>Simons, who had been a mainstay in Portland’s backcourt for seven seasons, averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists in 2024–25. The decision to move him signals a continued shift in team-building philosophy under general manager Joe Cronin.</p><p>The Trail Blazers finished the 2024–25 season with a 36-46 record and are focused on retooling around a young core that includes Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan. With the 11th overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft, Portland is expected to prioritize players who complement its long-term vision.</p><p>Jakucionis’ recent workout and growing interest from the Blazers position him as a strong candidate to be selected if still available. As Portland reshapes its roster, the team’s draft-day decisions will provide further clarity on its rebuilding direction.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers rumors: NBA Draft target emerges after Jrue Holiday trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-rumors-anfernee-simons-darius-garland-must-be-on-trade-radar');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic rumors: Anfernee Simons, Darius Garland must be on trade radar, says insider');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Darius-Garland-10-drives-against-Portland-Trail-Blazers-guard-Anfernee-Simons-1-in-the-fourth-quarter.jpg"><figcaption>© David Richard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Magic rumors: Anfernee Simons, Darius Garland must be on trade radar, says insider</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-07T14:03:07-07:00">June 7th, 2:03pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-07T15:44:58-07:00">June 7th, 3:44pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Cavaliers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-rumors-why-orlando-is-team-to-watch-in-trade-market">Orlando Magic continue to surface in trade speculation</a> as the franchise prepares for a pivotal offseason, and NBA insider Zach Lowe believes two prominent guards should be on the team’s radar: Anfernee Simons and Darius Garland.</p><p>On a recent episode of The Zach Lowe Show, Lowe discussed the potential availability of both guards and their fit with Orlando, stating that the Magic are among the teams that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHc0mSsSi2s" rel="noopener">should pursue upgrades</a> in the backcourt.</p><p>“Anfernee Simons is eligible for an extension that feels like a rubber meets the road moment for the Blazers and Simons,” Lowe said. “And I think there’d be teams that would be interested in Simons.</p><p>“The internet’s favorite fake trade for like three years has been Simons to the Magic. Yes, I don’t think that’s a miss by the internet. I think that makes a lot of sense. And the other guy for the Magic… if I were one of these teams in need of a guard, I will be trying like hell to get Darius Garland.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/nba-rumors-magic-linked-trade-100-million-blazers-star">Simons, 25, has long been linked to the Magic</a>, with trade rumors surrounding the Central Florida native for several seasons.</p><p>He is coming off a productive year with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 19.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.3% from beyond the arc. Simons appeared in 70 games during the 2024-25 season, playing 32.7 minutes per contest.</p><h2><b>Magic’s shift highlights possible Anfernee Simons, Darius Garland trade</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Darius-Garland-dribbles-Cavs.jpg"><figcaption>Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>He enters the final year of a four-year contract, carrying a $27.6 million salary for the 2025-26 season. According to a recent report by NBA insider Brett Siegel, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-portland-to-explore-deandre-ayton-jerami-grant-trade-markets">uncertainty remains about Simons’ long-term future in Portland</a> following a 36-46 campaign — a 15-win improvement from the season prior but still short of postseason contention.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-favored-for-potential-darius-garland-trade">Garland, also 25, has emerged as another name to watch</a> amid questions about the Cleveland Cavaliers’ direction <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/nba-rumors-cavs-darius-garland-jalen-suggs-trade-idea">following their second-round playoff exit</a>. Despite a 64-18 regular-season record and a franchise-best 16-game win streak, Cleveland fell to the Indiana Pacers in five games.</p><p>Garland, a two-time All-Star, posted regular-season averages of 20.6 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game on 47.2% shooting from the field and 40.1% from three-point range.</p><p>In the playoffs, Garland was limited to five appearances due to injury. He averaged 18.0 points and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 42% from the field and just 28.6% from three.</p><p>Garland is currently in the third year of a five-year, $197.2 million contract, with $39.4 million owed for the 2025-26 season. His potential availability could depend on Cleveland’s willingness to retool its core following a disappointing playoff run.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-rumors-orlando-wants-to-make-25-million-trade-to-help-paolo-banchero">Magic, who were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the first round</a> of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, have made it clear through recent comments that they are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-president-drops-win-now-truth-bomb-future">entering a “win-now” phase</a>. With Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner forming the foundation, Orlando is expected to explore trade options to strengthen its backcourt and improve one of the league’s least productive offenses.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic rumors: Anfernee Simons, Darius Garland must be on trade radar, says insider

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/nba-rumors-lakers-insider-drops-eye-opening-blazers-intel-on-potential-trade-candidate');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Lakers insider drops eye-opening Blazers intel on potential trade candidate');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/LeBron-James-23-drives-to-the-basket-during-the-second-half-against-Portland-Trail-Blazers-forward-Toumani-Camara-33.jpg"><figcaption>© Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Lakers insider drops eye-opening Blazers intel on potential trade candidate</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-22T10:04:23-07:00">May 22nd, 10:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-22T13:49:16-07:00">May 22nd, 1:49pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-insider-name-drops-ex-warriors-guard-as-possible-target">Los Angeles Lakers head into a pivotal offseason</a> focused on building around Luka Doncic and LeBron James, new trade scenarios continue to emerge. In a recent podcast, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha revealed fresh intel on how the Portland Trail Blazers are valuing their assets — and what it might mean for the Lakers’ potential targets.</p><p>When presented with a fan-suggested trade that included Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, and a first-round pick in exchange for Portland forward Toumani Camara, Buha <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICsYOkPU1r4" rel="noopener">offered a blunt assessment</a>.</p><p>“I’ve heard that the Blazers want two firsts for Camara. So I think maybe they view Dalton and a first as sufficient, but I think Portland probably says no,” Buha said.</p><h2><b>Lakers weigh risk-reward on Toumani Camara and Robert Williams III</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Robert-Williams-III-shooting.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Camara, a 6-foot-7 forward, is coming off his second NBA season where he averaged 11.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 45.8% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range, showing growth as a two-way contributor on a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/ranking-best-darius-garland-trade-destinations-if-cavs-blow-it-up">rebuilding Blazers roster</a>.</p><p>Buha also weighed in on another Portland player — center Robert Williams III. Although Williams hasn’t been mentioned in Lakers trade talks since the deadline, Buha noted that the 27-year-old could fit well in Los Angeles, albeit with caution regarding his health history.</p><p>“I like him… He fits well on both sides of the ball; he’s a good rim protector, good rebounder, and a good vertical lob threat,” Buha said. “The big issue with him is the health… I would not give up a first-round pick for him, but he’s also worth more than a low-value second.”</p><p>Williams played just 20 games this past season, averaging 5.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.1 assists in 17.6 minutes per game. He has not appeared in more than 40 games in a season since playing 61 for the Boston Celtics during the 2021-22 campaign, and injuries have limited him to just 61 total games over the last three years.</p><h2><b>Deandre Ayton’s contract and inconsistency raise questions</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Deandre-Ayton-2-signals-against-the-Miami-Heat.jpg"><figcaption>Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Another name raised during the discussion was Deandre Ayton. The former No. 1 overall pick — selected ahead of Luka Doncic in the 2018 NBA Draft — could be a target if the financial and roster logistics align, though Buha expressed skepticism about Ayton’s fit in a championship-caliber rotation.</p><p>“If the Lakers are getting a pick back, you can talk me more into it,” Buha said. “But he’s making $35 million… If Ayton hits and it’s the 2021 Ayton that helped the Suns get to the Finals… sure. But he just has not been that player since then.”</p><p>Ayton completed his seventh NBA season — second with the Trail Blazers — averaging 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game on 56.6% shooting over 40 appearances. His inconsistency, however, has made his contract a sticking point in any potential deal.</p><p>With the Lakers seeking cost-effective and durable frontcourt solutions, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-portland-to-explore-deandre-ayton-jerami-grant-trade-markets">intel on Portland’s stance and player valuations</a> adds another layer to what is shaping up to be a complex offseason in Los Angeles.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Lakers insider drops eye-opening Blazers intel on potential trade candidate

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-rumors-portland-to-explore-deandre-ayton-jerami-grant-trade-markets');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers rumors: Portland to explore Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant trade markets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DeAndre-Ayton-.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers rumors: Portland to explore Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant trade markets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-13T14:08:10-07:00">May 13th, 2:08pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-13T14:08:10-07:00">May 13th, 2:08pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-mock-draft-1-0-who-goes-no-2-after-mavericks-cooper-flagg">Portland Trail Blazers are expected to explore trade opportunities</a> involving center Deandre Ayton and forward Jerami Grant this offseason, according to NBA insider Brett Siegel.</p><p>The potential moves signal a continued reshaping of Portland’s roster following a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/1-player-blazers-must-trade-in-2025-nba-offseason">36-46 finish to the 2024-25 season</a>, a 15-win improvement from the year prior. The team is currently positioned with the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, scheduled for June 25 at Barclays Center.</p><p>Ayton, acquired from the Phoenix Suns in 2023, is entering the final year of his contract and is owed $35.5 million in 2025-26. In his seventh NBA season, the 7-foot center averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 56.6% from the field across 40 appearances.</p><h2><b>Blazers may look to trade Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant this offseason</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Jerami-Grant-vs.-Lakers.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Portland’s interest in exploring Ayton’s trade market is reportedly tied to the development of rookie center Donovan Clingan, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Clingan averaged 6.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 53.9% from the field and 28.6% from three in 67 games.</p><p>Grant, a veteran forward entering the third year of a five-year, $160 million contract, also appears to be on the trade block. He holds a player option for the 2027-28 season. In 2024-25, the 11-year veteran averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting a career-low 37.3% from the field. He shot 36.5% from beyond the arc across 47 games.</p><p>Siegel also noted uncertainty regarding the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/nba-rumors-magic-linked-trade-100-million-blazers-star">Blazers’ long-term plans for guard Anfernee Simons</a>. Simons, 25, will enter the final season of his contract in 2025-26. He averaged 19.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.3% from three in 70 games.</p><p>Portland’s front office faces several key decisions this summer as the team balances its development timeline with the contracts of veteran players. General manager Joe Cronin will look to continue reshaping the roster around a younger core that includes Clingan, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe.</p><p>The Blazers have not reached the playoffs since 2021 and are positioning themselves for a longer-term rebuild, with a focus on building through the draft and player development. Trading high-salary veterans such as Ayton and Grant could provide the team with additional cap flexibility and future draft capital.</p><p>Portland’s activity ahead of the draft and into free agency will offer further insight into its direction heading into the 2025-26 season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers rumors: Portland to explore Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant trade markets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/nba-rumors-magic-linked-trade-100-million-blazers-star');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Magic linked to trade for $100 million Blazers star');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Magic-linked-traded-100-million-Blazers.jpg"><figcaption>© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Magic linked to trade for $100 million Blazers star</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-05T09:35:39-07:00">May 5th, 9:35am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-05T09:41:17-07:00">May 5th, 9:41am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Orlando Magic’s season ended in the first round of the NBA playoffs for the second consecutive season, and that likely means <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-gm-makes-aggressive-offseason-promise-after-quiet-trade-deadline-backfires">Orlando will take a swing</a> this offseason.</p><p>While the Magic have proved to be a tough team to beat over the past two years, they have notably <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-rumors-insider-orlando-jordan-poole-collin-sexton-trades">lacked creation and shooting</a> in the backcourt that is often needed among contenders. With a call to Portland, though, some of those woes can be addressed.</p><p>“When Damian Lillard was on the trade block in Portland before the 2023-24 season, league sources say that more than a few rival teams — as well as Lillard’s camp — wondered whether Orlando would be joining the trade pursuit for him,” Jake Fischer and Marc Stein wrote for The Stein Line.</p><p>“As a new offseason beckons, another Trail Blazer has been increasingly projected as an Orlando target: Lillard’s former Blazers backcourt mate Anfernee Simons. The 25-year-old is an Orlando native who would certainly blend in nicely from a timeline perspective alongside [Paolo] Banchero (22) <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-what-franz-wagner-is-focused-on-amid-orlando-win-now-approach">and [Franz] Wagner</a> (23).”</p><p>Although Simons posted his 3-point percentage this past season in the last five years, he is a career 38.1% 3-point shooter and consistently among the best free-throw shooters, which could be a sign that he can improve his perimeter shooting numbers with a different role outside of Portland. Additionally, Simons has averaged 4.5 assists over the last four seasons.</p><p>Simons would certainly be an immediate boost to the Magic’s offense, which was the fourth-worst in terms of rating. The three teams behind them were the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, and Brooklyn Nets, who went a combined 63-183 this season. The offensive rating for Orlando was so bad, in fact, that the team’s net rating was -0.2 despite posting the second-best defensive rating (109.1) in the NBA.</p><p>Part of the Magic’s offensive troubles likely stemmed from injuries <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-jalen-suggs-makes-defiant-promise-for-injury-return">to Jalen Suggs</a> and Mo Wagner. Suggs, in particular, averaged a career-high 16.2 points per game, as well as 3.7 assists, before going down with a season-ending injury in January. Off the bench, Wagner was averaging a career-high 12.9 points and shot 36.0% on 3-pointers before tearing his ACL in December.</p><p>In addition to the Magic’s troubles, the Blazers could feel motivated to make the deal.</p><p>“Teams have called the Blazers about Simons in the past, but there has never been an immediate sense that he was close to being dealt. That could change in the offseason, as Simons will be entering the final year of his contract and making $27.7 million,” <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/how-nba-new-208-million-second-apron-impacts-trades-free-agency-siegels-scoop" rel="noopener">ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel</a> wrote.</p><p>Simons, a native of Altamonte Springs, Florida who attended high school in Orlando, is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 at age 27.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Magic linked to trade for $100 million Blazers star

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/nba-rumors-blazers-anfernee-simons-trade-talks-to-gain-traction-in-offseason');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Blazers’ Anfernee Simons trade talks to gain traction in offseason');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NBA-rumors-Blazers-Anfernee-Simons-trade-talks-to-gain-traction-in-offseason.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Blazers’ Anfernee Simons trade talks to gain traction in offseason</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-28T22:41:43-07:00">March 28th, 10:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-28T22:41:43-07:00">March 28th, 10:41pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Portland Trail Blazers have been more competitive during the 2024-25 season than many people expected, which bodes well for their future as their young core matures. But it looks like the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/2-best-trades-blazers-must-make-2025-nba-trade-deadline">Blazers have some serious roster decisions to make</a> as they navigate the tricky jump between being an exciting young team and being a contending squad in the loaded Western Conference.</p><p>To that end, ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/how-nba-new-208-million-second-apron-impacts-trades-free-agency-siegels-scoop">believes that trade talks surrounding Blazers guard Anfernee Simons</a> will be picking up in the offseason.</p><p>“The young guard is the main trade asset to keep an eye on in Portland. There has been plenty of chatter linking Simons to the Orlando Magic since he is from Florida and attended IMG Academy, which is south of the Tampa area. Another team discussed as a potential landing spot for Simons is the Miami Heat, sources said,” Siegel wrote.</p><p>A team such as the Magic are in desperate need of an offensive infusion, and Simons would provide exactly that for them. A backcourt consisting of Simons and Jalen Suggs looks very good on paper, as Simons can take care of the team’s need for perimeter shooting and scoring while Suggs can cover up for Simons’ defensive struggles. Even Jusuf Nurkic, Simons’ former teammate, is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/why-anfernee-simons-magic-blazers-trade-could-happen">lobbying for the Magic to go and trade</a> for the 25-year-old guard.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Heat would be a more awkward fit for Simons, considering that they already have Tyler Herro in the backcourt. Herro and Simons’ games are very similar, and after Herro’s breakout season, it might be better for Miami to <a href="https://www.nba.com/heat/roster" rel="noopener">pursue another</a> 3 and D wing.</p><p>However, there could be a dark horse suitor waiting in the wings to trade for the Blazers guard.</p><h2><b>Lakers to trade for Anfernee Simons?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Blazers-Anfernee-Simons.jpg"><figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Lakers have more pressing needs to deal with; after trading Anthony Davis away in the Luka Doncic deal, they are very thin in the frontcourt and need a legitimate rim protector and lob threat to pair Doncic and LeBron James with. Thus, trading for Anfernee Simons doesn’t seem to be the smartest use of resources, especially when they already have Austin Reaves in the backcourt.</p><p>Nonetheless, Siegel brought up the Lakers as a potential trade destination for the Blazers guard. Crazier things have happened before in the NBA, so this is not something that cannot be ruled out even if this doesn’t make a lick of sense.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Blazers’ Anfernee Simons trade talks to gain traction in offseason

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-deandre-ayton-becoming-odd-man-out-for-blazers');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Deandre Ayton becoming ‘odd man out’ for Blazers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NBA-rumors-Deandre-Ayton-becoming-odd-man-out-for-Blazers.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Deandre Ayton becoming ‘odd man out’ for Blazers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-10T10:58:59-08:00">January 10th, 10:58am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-10T10:58:59-08:00">January 10th, 10:58am</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Despite their 13-24 record, the Portland Trail Blazers’ 2024-25 <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/standings" rel="noopener">tank is rolling along</a>. Ultimately, the Blazers want to win big in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, not the regular season. With some established veterans on their roster, like big man Deandre Ayton, that could throw a wrench in things. So, with the annual NBA trade deadline looming, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/3-top-trail-blazers-trade-targets-2024-25-season">Portland could look to move on</a> from Ayton. However, based on recent reporting from ClutchPoints insider Brett Siegel, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/siegels-scoop-why-jimmy-butler-future-doesnt-control-trade-deadline">Ayton’s days with the Trail Blazers could be numbered</a>.</p><p>Portland’s big man rotation is already cluttered between Ayton, rookie Donovan Clingan, and Robert Williams III. However, according to Siegel, the Blazers are higher on Williams III than some initially thought. According to Siegel, Portland specifically targeted Williams in their trade with the Boston Celtics involving Jrue Holiday before the 2023-24 season. Because of that admiration of Williams, the Blazers aren’t actively shopping him, meaning they won’t be looking to dump him for a slew of second-round picks.</p><p>Considering Portland values Williams and Clingan as franchise cornerstones, it makes sense that the Blazers might trade Ayton. Unfortunately, according to Siegel, Ayton isn’t garnering robust interest in the trade market. With less than a month to go, the Blazers will have to figure out this situation, especially if Ayton is no longer a part of their future plans.</p><h2><b>How did the Blazers and Deandre Ayton end up here?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Deandre-Ayton-shoots-Blazers-Mavs.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Ayton’s time with the Blazers has been uneven. He possesses significant talent as a big man. However, he has issues that may hinder a developing team. He often becomes a ball-stopper, taking charge of plays with his mid-range and paint scoring. Although he rebounds well, he shies away from physical contact. This reluctance leads to a low free-throw rate.</p><p>After taking him with their top pick in last year’s draft, Donovan Clingan is seen as the Blazers’ future center. This puts Deandre Ayton’s time in Portland in jeopardy. The initial plan was for Clingan to adapt to the league slowly. However, fully investing in him now could be the team’s best strategy. With Clingan’s potential, it makes sense to shift focus and pave the way for his development.</p><p>With that in mind, trading Ayton appears to be a sensible decision. However, securing a suitable deal might prove difficult. His inconsistent play has made him less desirable than other big men in the league. Furthermore, his hefty contract could deter teams from pursuing a trade. These factors complicate the situation for Ayton and the Blazers. But with it clear that Ayton isn’t part of the future in Portland, the pressure is on to move on from the former No. 1 pick.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Deandre Ayton becoming ‘odd man out’ for Blazers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-3-key-blazers-drawing-trade-interest');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: 3 key Blazers drawing trade interest');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-rumors-3-key-Blazers-drawing-trade-interest.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: 3 key Blazers drawing trade interest</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-10T09:25:56-08:00">December 10th, 9:25am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-10T09:25:56-08:00">December 10th, 9:25am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Portland Trail Blazers may undergo a significant roster shake-up as multiple teams express interest in three key players: Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Robert Williams III, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>“Multiple teams have begun expressing interest in a group of Portland’s veterans — Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons and Robert Williams III — as the Trail Blazers make decisions on the roster, sources said,” Charania <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/42878390/shams-charania-nba-pass-trade-intel-jimmy-butler-brandon-ingram-golden-state-warriors" rel="noopener">reported</a>.</p><p>With the Trail Blazers sitting in 13th place in the Western Conference with an 8-16 record, the team could look to offload valuable veterans and fully commit to a rebuilding phase. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-bronny-james-rookie-treatment-lebron-anthony-davis">recent 107-98 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers</a> highlighted ongoing struggles for Portland, making trade discussions even more pressing.</p><h2><b>Jerami Grant a high-priced two-way scorer with veteran leadership</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jerami-Grant-9-drives-past-Los-Angeles-Lakers-forward-Anthony-Davis-3.jpg"><figcaption>© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jerami Grant, one of the most experienced players on the Trail Blazers’ roster, signed a lucrative five-year, $160 million contract in the 2023 offseason. The deal includes a $36.4 million player option for the 2027-28 season. This year, Grant is earning $29.7 million, making him the team’s most expensive player.</p><p>Grant is currently averaging 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 blocks, and one steal per game while shooting 38% from the field and 35.5% from three. His production has dipped compared to last season when he averaged 21 points per game on 45.1% shooting. Grant’s availability has also been a concern, as injuries limited him to 54 games last season.</p><p>Despite these challenges, Grant remains an appealing target for teams seeking a versatile forward who can contribute on both ends of the floor. His ability to stretch the defense and defend multiple positions makes him a valuable asset, even as his contract could present a financial hurdle for potential suitors.</p><h2><b>Anfernee Simons a rising star with scoring upside</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Anfernee-Simons-1-shoots-against-Los-Angeles-Clippers-guard-Amir-Coffey-7.jpg"><figcaption>© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Anfernee Simons, now in his seventh NBA season, signed a four-year, $100 million extension in the 2022 offseason. With two years remaining on his contract, Simons is earning $25.9 million this season and $27.7 million next season.</p><p>This season, Simons is averaging 16.5 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 40.1% from the field and 32.3% from three-point range. These numbers <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/trail-blazers-biggest-disappointment-early-2024-25-season">represent a decline from his breakout 2023-24 campaign</a>, during which he averaged 22.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 38.5% from deep. However, injuries have continued to impact Simons’ availability, as he played in just 46 games last season.</p><p>At just 25 years old, Simons remains a hot commodity due to his scoring potential and ability to create shots off the dribble. Teams in need of backcourt depth and offensive firepower may find his relatively team-friendly contract appealing, especially given his age and room for growth.</p><h2><b>Robert Williams III a coveted big man with durability concerns</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jalen-Williams-8-drives-to-the-basket-against-Portland-Trail-Blazers-center-Robert-Williams-III-35.jpg"><figcaption>© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grading-celtics-blazers-jrue-holiday-blockbuster-trade">Robert Williams III, who joined the Blazers in the Jrue Holiday trade</a> last offseason, is arguably the most sought-after of Portland’s veterans. The 7-year center signed a four-year, $54 million deal with the Boston Celtics in 2021. He is set to earn $12.4 million this season and $13.3 million next season, making him an affordable option for contenders.</p><p>Known for his defensive versatility and efficiency, Williams is averaging 9.6 points, six rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting a stellar 71.1% from the field. However, injuries have been a persistent issue throughout his career. Williams has only played seven games this season and has missed the last six <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/blazers-news-jerami-grant-robert-williams-iii-exit-grizzlies-game-with-concerning-injuries">due to a concussion</a>.</p><p>The center’s history of durability issues includes never playing more than 65 games in a season and being limited to 41 games total in the past two seasons. Despite these setbacks, his ability to anchor a defense and contribute in limited minutes makes him an attractive target for teams in need of a reliable rim protector.</p><h2><b>NBA Trade season approaches</b></h2><p>As the December 15 date looms, when many players become trade-eligible, speculation around the Blazers’ veterans is expected to intensify ahead of the February 6 trade deadline. Grant, Simons, and Williams each offer unique skill sets that could help contending teams address critical roster needs.</p><p>Portland faces a pivotal decision on whether to retain its veteran core or embrace a full rebuild. While the injury histories of these players may give some teams pause, their potential impact when healthy could make them high-risk, high-reward additions for playoff-bound franchises.</p><p>The central question remains: Can they stay healthy?</p><p>The Trail Blazers’ current standing in the Western Conference adds urgency to these trade discussions, as the franchise looks to chart its future path amid growing interest in its most valuable assets.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: 3 key Blazers drawing trade interest

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-trail-blazers-trade-outlook-deandre-ayton-robert-williams-iii-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Blazers’ trade outlook on Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III gets update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/NBA-rumors-Blazers-trade-outlook-on-Deandre-Ayton-Robert-Williams-III-gets-update.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Blazers’ trade outlook on Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III gets update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-24T12:23:41-08:00">November 24th, 12:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-25T14:50:23-08:00">November 25th, 2:50pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Portland Trail Blazers seemed to still be in the middle of rebuilding their team, but they have some good, young talent on the team that is developing well. The center position is one area where they have a lot of talent, and with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/blazers-news-donovan-clingan-makes-first-nba-bucket-powerful-move-warriors">rise of Donovan Clingan</a>, the other two centers – Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III – may lead to a trade.</p><p>One of the questions asked is if Ayton will be the one that the Trail Blazers would be <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/sunday-best-all-my-latest-from-the-c5f?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=152086116&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">willing to trade</a> instead of Williams, according to Marc Stein.</p><p>“The natural presumption is <i>yes</i> given how well Williams has played since finally being activated, but Portland’s challenge would obviously be contractual,” Stein wrote.</p><p>“Ayton is earning $34 million this season and is owed $35.6 million next season in the final year of the contract he originally received thanks to a four-year, $133 million offer sheet from Indiana that was matched by Phoenix,” Stein continued. “Williams, despite his injury history, possesses a much more trade-friendly contract with only next season’s $13.3 million owed after this season’s $12.4 million.”</p><p>Out of the three centers, Ayton may be the one that has been the most underwhelming, but due to his contract, the Trail Blazers may not have a choice but to keep him.</p><h2>Donovan Clingan making early impact with Trail Blazers</h2><p>Donovan Clingan has been a great pick for the Trail Blazers, and it’s mostly for what he’s been able to do on defense. He <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/blazers-news-donovan-clingan-portland-feat-not-seen-since-bill-walton">recently surpassed one of Bill Walton’s records</a>, recording a block in 16 straight games as a rookie. Walton once held the record for 15 straight games in the 1974-75 season.</p><p>Clingan seems to be the center of the future for the Trail Blazers, and with his early impact on the court, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he got more minutes on the floor.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Blazers’ trade outlook on Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III gets update

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-blazers-center-very-tradable-not-deandre-ayton');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: The Blazers’ center who is ‘very tradable,’ and it’s not Deandre Ayton');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/The-Blazers-center-who-is-very-tradable-and-its-not-Deandre-Ayton.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: The Blazers’ center who is ‘very tradable,’ and it’s not Deandre Ayton</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-08T20:15:16-07:00">September 8th, 8:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-08T20:15:16-07:00">September 8th, 8:15pm</time><address><a>Michael Aaron Gomez</a>Michael Aaron Gomez is a creative writer and longtime NBA fan. He has been a fan of the Lakers since the three-peat but believes LeBron James is the greatest player of all time.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-news-damian-lillard-trade-blazers-suns">Trading Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks</a> signaled the start of the Portland Trail Blazers’ rebuild, finally deciding to go in a new direction after languishing in the playoffs with Lillard. The new-look Blazers look to develop <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/scoot-henderson-blazers-no-3-pick-2023-nba-draft">Scoot Henderson, the 2023 third overall pick</a>, even after a rookie season with several growing pains. Likewise, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/blazers-2024-nba-draft-grade-donovan-clingan">drafting big man Donovan Clingan seventh overall</a> in the latest draft means the Blazers might have to trade centers, but not Deandre Ayton, per rumors.</p><p>In a recent episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst discussed trade rumors in Portland.</p><p>“Jerami Grant–he’s probably one of the guys in the league that teams will look at,” Windhorst said. “But I would also say, with Donovan Clingan getting drafted there and Deandre Ayton on the roster, I don’t think Ayton is very tradable. A guy to watch who is very tradable is ‘The Time Lord,’ one of the great nicknames in the whole NBA, Robert Williams.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"></figure><h2><b>Blazers rumors</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/DeAndre-Ayton-trying-a-layup-amid-two-defenders.jpg"><figcaption>© Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Windhorst then <a href="https://hoopshype.com/rumor/3149470/" rel="noopener">explained why he believes</a> the Blazers might want to send out Williams in a potential deal.</p><p>“Coming back off injury, obviously, he’s a guy who had repeated injury problems, but he makes $13 million. They may be willing to part with him, and he could go to a contender and be a significant piece if he is healthy,” the ESPN analyst added.</p><p>In the Damian Lillard trade, the Blazers acquired Jrue Holiday, who they then traded to the Celtics in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III. The former Celtic big man was a defensive menace who earned a selection to the 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive Team.</p><p>During that season, Williams averaged 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. He was also the team’s starting center in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, who eventually won in six games.</p><p>However, a torn ligament cut his first season with the Blazers short. The team is confident that could recover in time for the 2024-25 season, whether as an active player or a trade asset. His relatively affordable contract and defensive capabilities should entice a contender in the Western Conference minefield to trade for him.</p><p>Meanwhile, Deandre Ayton averaged 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds in 55 games with the Blazers, hoping to revitalize his career after the Phoenix Suns traded him to make way for Damian Lillard to arrive at the Bucks. Since January 2023, the Ayton averaged 20.2 points and 12.2 rebounds, giving fans a glimpse to the long-gestating promise he’d shown but never really delivered.</p><p>Further, accusations of a questionable motor hound the former first overall draft pick, and he will have to prove himself again especially if the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/anonymous-exec-claims-dukes-cooper-flagg-could-start-in-nba-today">Blazers end up drafting Cooper Flagg</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Portland
Trail Blazers RUMORS

PORTLAND

TRAIL BLAZERS

PortlandTrail Blazers RUMORS

PORTLAND

TRAIL BLAZERS

Portland
Trail Blazers RUMORS