Latest Mock Trade Send Trial Blazers Point Guard And Center To San Antonio Spurs

Blazers rearrange their roster in this mock deal involving Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III.

The Portland Trail Blazers need to make a trade this summer to improve their murky financial situation. Malcolm Brogdon, former Sixth Man of the Year, is the most obvious trade candidate. At 31, Brogdon doesn’t fit Portland’s rebuilding timeline. He’s also on an expiring deal, and the Blazers shouldn’t have much incentive to bring him back, given his expected contract size and their excess guard depth.

Mock trade sends Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III to San Antonio Spurs

Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale and Grant Hughes recently published an article proposing one trade idea for every team not in the 2024 NBA Finals. It makes sense, given the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics are the only teams that should be content with their roster. Everyone else should be looking to upgrade some aspect of their team this offseason to get back to Finals contention, whether that means trying to contend immediately or rebuilding to get there eventually.

In the piece, Hughes proposes a trade scenario in which the Blazers send Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III to the Spurs; this move would finally pair Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama with an established veteran point guard in Brogdon.

Blazers receive Keldon Johnson from Spurs in proposal

Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins

San Antonio Spurs Receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, 2024 No. 34 Pick

San Antonio desperately needs a reliable starting point guard to complement Wembanayma’s generational talent. Ideally, the guard would excel in pick-and-rolls and floor spacing (also known as giving Wemby the ball and staying out of his way). In that sense, Brogdon, who averaged 5.5 assists per game and shot 41.2 percent from three this season, could be an ideal addition.

The Spurs have the No. 4 and No. 8 picks in the upcoming NBA 2024 Draft. They could use them to address their point guard need, with intriguing prospects like Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, Stephon Castle, and Nikola Topic all potentially available when they are on the clock. However, San Antonio could also be interested in accelerating their rebuild since Wembanyama is already an established star in the league despite being 20 years old. They could thread the needle between the two options by acquiring Brogdon, who is on an expiring contract.

Brogdon could be the Spurs’ short-term point guard solution without giving up a draft pick and sacrificing their future. San Antonio could especially target Brogdon in a trade if they select Topic in the draft. Topic has a partially torn ACL and could be out his entire first NBA season.

The proposed trade seems to address both teams’ needs, but the question remains: are Johnson and Collins enticing enough for Portland to make the move?

Grading the Trail Blazers’ mock trade

Keldon Johnson is an underrated player in the league and hasn’t even reached his prime yet. The 6-foot-5 forward would fit seamlessly into Portland’s starting lineup, regardless of what that ultimately looks like after this uncertain offseason. He has a well-rounded game and would be an excellent complementary piece to pair with Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe as part of the Blazers’ future core.

Rip City would certainly miss both Brogdon and Williams. However, Williams hasn’t proven that he should be part of Portland’s long-term plans, given his inability to stay on the court. Moving Brogdon would also help the Blazers address their log jam of guards.

Most other mock deals involving Brogdon have been in exchange for a first-round pick. Draft prospects are never a sure thing to pan out, especially in a weak class. The Blazers receiving Johnson back in this scenario rather than a pick is more intriguing. Johnson, 24, fits their timeline, fills a positional need, and has already proven himself to be an established starter in the league.

Zach Collins makes the deal slightly less appealing, given his two-year, $35 million contract. But the Blazers are already in a difficult financial situation and can’t add a big-name free agent this season. Besides the unpredictable draft, acquiring someone like Johnson via trade is Portland’s only chance at making a much-needed significant change to their roster.

This trade for Keldon Johnson would provide a much clearer vision and sense of direction for the Blazers’ rebuilding roster. If this were a real offer, they should accept it.