Blazers Receive Haul From Knicks in Massive Trade Proposal

The Portland Trail Blazers may be headed nowhere fast on purpose for the fourth straight season this year, but the team has proven to be surprisingly competent lately — especially against the Minnesota Timberwolves, whom it has just beaten twice in the last two days.

So is it time for Portland, which is a semi-respectable 5-8 on the 2024-25 season, to start ditching some contracts in pursuit of bottoming out a bit more, with top 2025 NBA Draft prospects Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Harper setting the college world ablaze?

Perhaps, although in fairness the Trail Blazers are still just the West’s No. 13 seed, in an absolutely loaded conference.

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report recently proposed a fascinating deal to offload the trade-bait contract of one-time All-Defensive Team center Robert Williams III, plus a very tantalizing young forward, in exchange for essentially two contracts and a 2025 first rounder.

New York Knicks Receive: Toumani Camara, Robert Williams III

Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Cameron Payne, Mitchell Robinson, 2025 first-round pick (via Washington; top-10 protection in 2025; top-eight protection in 2026; turns into two seconds if not conveyed)

This deal will undoubtedly worsen Portland’s present. Robinson gets hurt just as much as Williams, though when healthy he is a better rebounder. Payne is far from his Phoenix Suns prime as a serviceable reserve, and would likely be buried on a Blazers club looking to feature young guards Shaedon Sharpe, Anfernee Simons and Scoot Henderson.

The Knicks’ 2025 first round pick, via the Washington Wizards, is the true prize of the deal. It is top-10 and top-eight protected in 2025 and 2026, respectively. At 2-8, the Wizards are once again one of the NBA’s worst teams, and would likely need some lottery luck to fall out of the top 10 this year. Depending on a lot of factors, it is at least possible the Wizards would improve enough to help the pick convey in 2026.

The Knicks desperately need a player just like Toumani Camara, who just might be the best draft pick Portland added in a year it also drafted Henderson in the lottery, as well as Kris Murray later in the first round. The 6-foot-8 former Dayton forward has started every single game for the team this season, and is averaging 9.2 points on .463/.442/.706 shooting splits, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals. He is a lengthy, intriguing defensive player, and his offensive efficiency speaks to an appetizing two-way upside.

Surrendering Camara, still on a rookie-scale contract, for what could wind up being just two second round draft picks, seems unnecessarily risky. The Trail Blazers should hold steady, at least until a better offer comes along.

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