East All-Star Being Linked to Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are entering this upcoming offseason with a lot to prove. After a strong finish to the year, Portland showed that it may be ready to take that next step in terms of overall contention.

Due to the growth of the young core, the front office in Portland could be looking to make some big moves this summer. Portland has plenty of contracts that opposing teams may be interested in, offering them a chance to heavily improve.

One name that could make some sense for the Trail Blazers is star guard LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets. There have been rumors about Charlotte looking to trade Ball, with the Trail Blazers being a strong landing spot.

NBA writer Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report linked Ball as a potential trade target for the Trail Blazers this offseason. Ball could be the missing piece for this Portland team, and the fit makes a lot of sense.

"Wouldn't it be exciting to see Ball leading a dynamic transition attack alongside Shaedon Sharpe while getting tons of defensive support from Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija and backline stalwart Donovan Clingan?

"Ball's stock is down after yet another injury-marred season, but he's a tide-lifting offensive leader when healthy. And his shot-creation has never been buttressed by the kind of defensive infrastructure the Blazers boast.

"Portland put up a strong second half last season on the strength of a defense that ranked fifth in the league after the All-Star break. Imagine what the Blazers could accomplish with Ball elevating an offense that ranked just 22nd in that same span."

Portland could offer the Hornets a decent deal for the All-Star guard, while also keeping a strong core together. Charlotte has been in NBA purgatory for years, and moving off Ball could be a needed move to jumpstart things.

Ball averaged 25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game this past season. The guard did deal with some injury issues, but when he was on the court, Ball was electric as always.

The guard could offer Portland a "go-to" type of player, and could be the piece to help get them back to the postseason. It remains to be seen how aggressive the front office will be, but Ball could be an interesting option.

Blazers Could Move on From Robert Williams to Land All-Star

For more news and notes on the Portland Trail Blazers, head on over to Portland Trail Blazers on SI.