Blazers Could Move on From Crucial Contributor This Offseason

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton is one of the most talked-about names on the trade block, as the former No. 1 overall pick is still only 26 years old and possesses a significant amount of untapped potential that could attract teams.

The seven-footer has only one year left on his deal, making him less valuable as an expiring contract, but he could still fetch some assets for the rebuilding team.

He averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds, shooting 56.6% from the field. However, his averages do not tell the full story, as he would typically run hot or cold from game to game, proving to be inconsistent in which version of his play showed up.

Reporter Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian wrote a story on what kind of future Ayton has on the team and what they should do.

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"Ideally, they could move Ayton this summer for valuable assets and go with Donovan Clingan as the starter. He is coming off a solid rookie season," he wrote.

"Or, the Blazers enter the season with Ayton as the starter, hope he plays well, then deal him at the trade deadline.

"Should Ayton become a consistent force, the Blazers could consider keeping him, because a motivated and focused Ayton can help a team win games.

"Regardless of what happens next season, it’s possible that Ayton won’t ever have much trade value and the team would have to attach picks to his contract to get another team to take him for more desirable assets."

The team will likely need to move either Ayon or Robert Williams to give Donovan Clingan more minutes in his sophomore season, though both centers are on expiring deals and their return will not be significant.

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Additionally, Ayton and Williams have both struggled with injuries and have been unable to perform at their best over the past few years with the team.