3 Players Portland Trail Blazers could target to replace Jusuf Nurkic before the NBA trade deadline

It's Deja vu for Portland Trail Blazers fans as their big man from Bosnia, Jusuf Nurkic, is out for long-term with a wrist injury. The Trail Blazers bolstered their roster in the offseason by adding more pieces to make a deep playoff run this campaign but are facing an issue with Nurkic's mileage.

The Portland Trail Blazers will now feature Enes Kanter as their primary center. Kanter has a great record with Portland as he played a pivotal part in their postseason run in 2019 that got them to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors.

Portland center Jusuf Nurkic will undergo surgery on his fractured right wrist and miss at least eight weeks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 15, 2021

3 Players Portland Trail Blazers could target before the NBA Trade deadline

As mentioned, the Portland Trail Blazers still have Kanter and Harry Giles to hold down the fort till Nurkic recovers, but there is another burning question they will need to answer. Do they replace him with a better candidate through a player swap or bring a viable third option, who can give them good minutes when required.

On that note, let's take a look at 3 players Portland Trail Blazers could target before the NBA trade deadline.

#1 JaVale McGee

JaVale McGee of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball against the Indiana Pacers

JaVale McGee has proven his worth as a premier center in the league. His presence on the defensive end can be felt on the court, powered by his 7-foot-6 wingspan that creates chaos for teams trying to penetrate the arc and make their way inside.

He is fresh off another championship season, this time with the LA Lakers, and could be open to joining an aspiring title contender in the Portland Trail Blazers this season. The Cavaliers brought over Jarrett Allen in the four-team blockbuster trade and have a lot of options in their frontcourt as a result.

JaVale had some disgusting blocks! HBD 3 x NBA Champion @JaValeMcGee pic.twitter.com/Esisg4ciME

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 19, 2021

Bringing over someone like McGee could help them regardless of Nurkic's return to the team. This season has proven that anything can happen between now and the playoffs, every team could use multiple players who can impact their game when it matters the most.

#2 John Collins

John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks dunks against Jaden McDaniels of the Minnesota Timberwolves

John Collins and the Atlanta Hawks failed to failed to agree on a new contract extension this past offseason. A few reports in the media have suggested that the 23-year-old is not happy in Atlanta. Although, it remains to be seen if the Hawks will move him this season as Collins inches closer to restricted free agency.

A trade that brings Collins over to Portland Trail Blazers would be nothing short of a blockbuster deal. It would have the potential to change the fortunes for the franchise as Collins is a beast on that offensive end of the court. He can turn the Trail Blazers into a more dangerous team in terms of firepower but like Kanter, he would not add much to them defensively.

There's a ball up there somewhere and JOHN COLLINS still got to it. pic.twitter.com/aCINl92Bhu

— FOX Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnFSSE) January 18, 2021

This trade would not go down without Portland Trail Blazers giving some draft capital and maybe even a role player to make this work. The craziest things have happened in the NBA, and this very well could be one of those. The risk-reward ratio for this trade will be high but so will be the payout.

#3 Robert Williams

Robert Williams of the Boston Celtics goes up for a slam dunk against the Toronto Raptors

The Portland Trail Blazers have been lighting it up on the offense this season. They possess one of the best backcourt duos in the league in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. That said, the Blazers Achilles heel has proven to be their defense, and they still have a lot of work to do on that front. While Kanter is a good center in his own right, his defensive skills have room for improvement. This is where someone like Robert Williams could step in.

Williams is known to be an athletic big who can make defensive stops and make things difficult for opposing teams. He can toughen the Portland Trail Blazers frontline and give the coaching staff an extra piece in the postseason they can call upon when the situation demands it.

The Celtics have three front line players who are taking care of business, leaving little playing time for Williams. Portland can cough up a reserve player and sweeten the pot with a future draft pick to make this trade work.