Portland Trail Blazers: Is Kevin Durant the final piece?
Kevin Durant trade rumors are circulating again. Could the Portland Trail Blazers be a good fit? And is KD worth the cost?
Talent to Contend
The last part to mention in this deal is that Portland has the depth to maintain a good rotation after a trade. Of course, Durant replaces Josh Hart in the starting lineup. But Portland still has Gary Payton ll to take on Hart’s jack-of-all-trades role.
Offensively, KD takes over Simons’s role on offense, with GPll handling Hart’s role on defense. A starting 5 of Lillard, Payton ll, Durant, Grant, and Nurkic, with Sharpe, eventually replacing Payton, looks like the best starting lineup the Portland Trail Blazers have put on the court since their contender days in the 1990s.
Factor in the bench depth, which includes whichever non-starter between Payton ll and Sharpe, along with Keon Johnson at guard. The departing Little’s minutes are divided by a combination of Justice Winslow, Trendon Watford, and Jabari Walker.
Breaking it down to a 9-10 man playoff rotation, the Portland Trail Blazers have a pretty solid, high-energy, all-around steady 2nd unit. There are also some definite defensive chops there.
It’s also likely in this scenario that Portland will pick up some additional low-cost help at or after the deadline. Someone who can help a contender will have his contract bought out. It happens every year.