Trade:

2024 ATL 2nd --> Thybulle

With Harden restructuring his contract, they will be tiptoeing the line to actually use the full MLE. This trade has been talked about a lot, as the Blazers can clear that cap instantly with a trade exception. This gets the Blazers a point of defense perimeter stopper they need.

Free Agency:

Drop Bledsoe and pay his $3.9 mil guaranteed (shown with Chris Duarte)

Re-sign Nurk and Ant

Sign Jalen Smith to the full MLE for 4 years

Explanation:

Jalen Smith is the perfect player for the Blazers right now, he is an athletic floor spacing big with great length and instincts on defense. At 6'10" he can still hang with players on the perimeter, and his 7'2" wingspan allowed him to average 1 block per game in the 22 games he played with the Pacers. He is also only 22 years old, putting him in the same timeline as Nas, Ant, and Sharpe.

Their total salary will be sitting at about 154.5, which is notably below the new tax apron of $156.9, which they must remain below this season since they used the full MLE. Their rotation and 15 man roster (plus Brandon Williams on a 2-way) would looked like:

PG: Dame, Ant

SG: Ant, Hart, Sharpe,

SF: Thybulle, Nas, Hart

PF: Grant, Winslow, Nas

C: Nurk, Smith

Reserves: Johnson, Brown III, Didi, Watford, Walker, Williams (2-way)