New NBA Trade Rumors Reveal Untouchable Player in Giannis, Jaylen Brown Talks from Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers reportedly have no interest in trading Deni Avdija, even for some of the best players in the league.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Sunday the forward "was not on the table" in trade discussions for Giannis Antetokounmpo and "remains off the table" in talks with the Boston Celtics regarding Jaylen Brown.

Ironically, Brown was part of discussions between the Milwaukee Bucks and Celtics for Antetokounmpo before the latter was traded to the Miami Heat.

According to Scotto, Portland is willing to include some of its young players, including Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, to land Brown. Scotto also listed Donovan Clingan and Toumani Camara as players Boston could want since it is "considering center upgrades and needing to replace Brown's position if he's traded."

While the Trail Blazers haven't offered either of them, it seems like Avdija is much more untouchable in potential deals if the team wasn't even willing to include him in Antetokounmpo talks.

Avdija is just 25 years old and coming off his first All-Star season in which he averaged 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from deep.

He was also largely excellent in Portland's first-round loss to the San Antonio Spurs, including when he notched a double-double of 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Game 1. He went basket-for-basket with Victor Wembanyama for extended stretches of that contest and hinted at his overall potential.

Portland would be much better off pairing that potential with an All-NBA player like Brown than giving it up in a deal. A Brown and Avdija combination would be difficult for opposing defenses to deal with and help close the gap on some of the top contenders in the Western Conference.

The Trail Blazers' front office surely knows this as well and reportedly is not interested in trading Avdija at all.