ESPN’s NBA insiders suggested five blockbuster trades that could significantly impact the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. One notable proposal features a three-team trade between the Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets, and Los Angeles Lakers. In this scenario, the Blazers, who rank among the league’s worst in three-point shooting, would target Dalton Knecht to help resolve their biggest offensive weakness.
Here is the deal in full:
Lakers get their center, Nets stockpile assets, Blazers add shooting
Bobby Marks outlines a potential three-team trade scenario in which the Los Angeles Lakers acquire the No. 8 overall pick to draft Duke’s Khaman Maluach, aiming to fix their biggest postseason weakness: the lack of a reliable lob threat for Luka Doncic. The team’s early playoff exit revealed how critical that piece is, making Maluach a top priority this offseason.
However, if Maluach is taken before No. 8, the logic behind the Lakers giving up both Dalton Knecht and an unprotected 2031 first-round pick starts to fall apart. The drop-off between Maluach and the next-best center prospect is steep, and prospects like Derik Queen — who had an underwhelming combine and an ill-fitting style for a Doncic-led offense — don’t offer the same upside.
The trade’s viability also hinges on Brooklyn’s position in the draft. According to insider Jake Fischer, the Nets are eyeing Jeremiah Fears. But if he’s selected before their pick — as projected in ESPN’s latest mock draft, which sends him to the Pelicans at No. 7 — Brooklyn may prefer to trade down and continue accumulating future draft capital. With three first-rounders already in hand this year and 12 more over the next seven seasons, the Nets are well-positioned to take the long view.
Meanwhile, the Blazers would land Knecht, directly addressing their league-worst three-point shooting — but it comes at a steep price. As all three teams weigh their options, the success of this trade could ultimately hinge on how the top of the draft board unfolds.
Blazers get the short end of the stick in this deal
Bobby Marks draws a parallel between this proposed deal and Portland’s acquisition of Deni Avdija last summer — a move that showed GM Joe Cronin is willing to use draft capital for the right fit. But as noted, there’s a clear disparity in value: Knecht isn’t Avdija. While Avdija brought versatile defense and playmaking upside, Knecht struggled to stay in JJ Redick’s rotation during meaningful minutes and is already 24 years old, limiting his long-term potential.
Knecht did shoot 37.6% from three as a rookie and would complement Portland’s young core offensively, but he slipped to No. 17 in a weaker draft for a reason. It raises a valid question: why would the Blazers give up a higher pick in a deeper 2025 class for a player with modest upside?
If Portland’s main goal is simply to add shooting, they could find a better value in this class — perhaps someone like Cedric Coward — without sacrificing future flexibility.
Also worth questioning is the value of the 2027 first-rounder from New York. That pick is unlikely to land high, considering the Knicks’ core is locked in through at least the 2026–27 season and they remain one of the East’s strongest teams. The trade may bolster the Blazers’ depth but doesn’t provide the type of premium asset needed to meaningfully raise their ceiling.
Instead, holding onto the No. 11 pick gives Portland a better shot at landing a high-upside talent — a necessary move for a team still in search of a true star. Trading that pick for a role player like Knecht could ultimately be a short-sighted move in their longer rebuild.
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