The Portland Trail Blazers will not trade guard Shaedon Sharpe this summer, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Portland has told teams that Sharpe is untouchable in trade talks.
“There’s nothing promised about Portland’s future at this juncture, either,” Fischer wrote. “But one detail has emerged from early trade conversations around the league: Trail Blazers officials have left inquiring teams with the impression that Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 pick in last year’s draft, is off limits in any dialogue regarding the No. 3 pick.”
Sharpe appeared in 80 games for the Blazers this season. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 47.2% from the field, 36.0% from beyond the arc and 71.4% from the free-throw line.
The Blazers drafted Sharpe with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Portland has the third overall pick in this year’s draft and the front office could package the pick with some players to acquire a star.
However, Sharpe will not be included in any deal. The Ontario native finished this season very strong, averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists over his final 10 games. The Blazers went only 33-49 in 2022-23, so Sharpe was one of the team’s bright spots.
Portland could make a blockbuster trade this summer involving combo guard Anfernee Simons and the third overall pick in the draft. According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, the Blazers could package Simons and the third pick to acquire an “elite small forward.”
“Note that I said ‘the team at No. 3’ because of widespread speculation the Trail Blazers, who currently own the pick, will seek to trade out of the third position rather than select another young player,” Hollinger wrote.
“With Portland in ‘win it for Dame’ mode and the Blazers desperate for playable wings (even presuming they re-sign Jerami Grant), speculation is already widespread that a package of the third pick and Anfernee Simons might be used to snag an elite small forward.”
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