Followers of the Portland Path Blazers had been heartbroken final week when it was introduced the group was buying and selling away longtime Blazers icon CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans.
In whole, the commerce package deal included McCollum, Larry Nance Jr, and Tony Snell in change for Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, a protected 2022 first-round decide, and two second-round picks.
Portland’s plan is to totally reshape roster round Damian Lillard now. Portland created a $21M commerce exception right now, probably $60M in wage cap house this summer time, a number of draft picks and property through Pels and Clippers trades. Plan is to pursue high-end expertise now, not retreat.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022
For the Pelicans, the commerce gave them a sharpshooter who has lots of upside and will assist the group survive and push into the postseason, particularly because it appears like Zion Williamson isn’t coming again any time quickly.
For Portland, it implies that the group has firmly determined towards a rebuild and throwing all of their efforts and hopes into retaining Damian Lilllard.
In The Cash
The McCollum package deal has given Portland lots of one factor: cash.
And within the NBA commerce season, cash is energy.
At first, it appears like Portland agreed to a subpar deal and like they’re tearing down their whole roster.
CJ McCollum leaves Portland because the franchise’s fifth-leading scorer with 10,710 profession factors.
He made his mark in Blazers’ file books:
◻️ 2nd in 3-pointers (1,297)
◻️ 4th in discipline targets (4,110)
◻️ eighth in assists (1,839)
◻️ ninth in video games (564)@CJMcCollum | @trailblazers pic.twitter.com/wpzpgjhT2E— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 8, 2022
However in actuality, they’re really lining their pockets with money in hope of touchdown extra expertise.
After eliminating the $90 million contract of Norman Powell and the $100 nonetheless owed to McCollum, Portland has roughly $60 million in cap house.
In addition they have $21 million commerce exceptions too.
These will all be used as property if the group decides to make some commerce and land a serious star to play alongside Lillard.
The hefty cap house implies that they will goal some fairly massive names to assist bolster the roster.
In different phrases, the group is hoping the money they acquired will give them their decide of some stellar expertise within the offseason.
However don’t neglect that they nonetheless have a couple of playing cards up their sleeves, too.
Jusuf Nurkic, Keon Johnson, and Nassir Little might all be on the chopping block if Portland consists of them in a package deal to land different stars.
Other than Lillard and Anfernee Simons, the Blazers will doubtless be prepared to ship away anybody in hopes of constructing a stronger group.
Dame Time Continues?
The Portland-New Orleans commerce obtained some dangerous opinions from followers however in case you have a look at the bigger image, the deal is sweet information for anybody who needs Lillard to stay in Rose Metropolis.
It won’t result in instant success within the close to future however it has a great likelihood at guaranteeing victory, even when it doesn’t come till subsequent season.
The objective for Portland has at all times been to maintain Lillard and this commerce might need strengthened the possibility of doing that.
As a substitute of buying and selling Lillard away, the group has determined to double down on him and provides him what he wants for achievement.
Now Portland followers can eagerly await any future strikes to see if the group is ready to translate all this additional money into additional expertise.
This season could be a misplaced trigger however there may be now a slight purpose to assume the Blazers’ brighter days – with Lillard – actually could be forward.
