Hanifan's Offseason Outlook: Evaluating the Portland Trail Blazers' 2024 offseason

Hot Hot Hoops senior writer Matt Hanifan will provide his take on the offseasons of all 30 teams for the next 30 days! Today, we are looking back on the Portland Trail Blazers’ offseason!

Previous Offseason Outlooks:

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Additions: Deni Avdija (trade), Devonte’ Graham, Bryce McGowens

Subtractions: Malcolm Brogdon (trade), Moses Brown, Ashton Hagans, Ibou Badji

Re-signed: Justin Minaya, Taze Moore

Draft: Donovan Clingan (No. 7 overall)

Hanifan’s Take: The rebuilding Trail Blazers were the worst team in the Western Conference last year and entered the 2024 NBA Draft with four draft picks. They only used one of them, however. Portland packaged No. 14–along with Malcolm Brogdon, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round picks–to Washington for Deni Avdija, a 23-year-old wing who’s coming off a career year on a team-friendly contract; they traded No. 34 to New York for three future second-round picks while trading No. 40 to Phoenix for cash. Their biggest offseason move otherwise was selecting Donovan Clingan No. 7 overall, adding to their deep stash of bigs of Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams and Duop Reath. They didn’t sell low on Williams, coming off yet another serious knee injury, while also not selling low on Ayton, coming off a down season with $70 million left on his contract. I didn’t love the Avdija trade at the time because of the cost, and I still don’t now. I think Clingan has a chance to be an elite defensive big, but there isn’t much structure around him. That’s an issue. I wonder what Joe Cronin will be able to swing for Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons–among others–ahead of the deadline to see if they replenish assets they lost for Avdija.