1. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers claim that they are looking to build a winner around Damian Lillard and restricted free agent Anfernee Simons, but they need to come to terms with reality and realize that this team needs to turn the page. This could mean parting ways with players like Jusuf Nurkic in free agency.
Let’s say that Nurkic was to be moved to Toronto in a sign-and-trade. Could Birch be on his way to the Pacific Northwest? Very few teams in this league need height and interior defense more than Portland does, so Birch could end up getting back on his feet in Oregon.
Will the Trail Blazers get Khem Birch from the Toronto Raptors?
While Drew Eubanks (who was a Raptor for a few hours) breathed some life into this frontcourt, banking on him sustaining that production could come back to bite them in the butt in a reasonably significant fashion. Birch gives them more short-term protection while looking for a long-term solution.
Birch might not be what he was in Tampa, but I find it hard to believe that he’s as bad as he was last year with the Raptors. Some guys just need a fresh start, and Portland will at least guarantee him shot attempts.