The Portland Trail Blazers future hinges on Deandre Ayton

After a seemingly endless standoff between the Portland Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard, his agent, Aaron Goodwin, and the Miami Heat, the Blazers and General Manager Joe Cronin finally found a deal that they found suitable for an NBA 75th Anniversary Team member's services, and it wasn't with Miami. Instead, Portland traded Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team deal with the Phoenix Suns. That deal landed the Blazers Deandre Ayton, Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee's 2029 unprotected first-round pick, and the rights to swap first-round selections with the Bucks in both 2028 and 2030. Portland and Cronin were ...