In the wake of Friday’s trade that sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Clippers, many executives around the league expect the Trail Blazers to move CJ McCollum either before the deadline or during the offseason, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Pelicans and Mavericks are among the teams with interest in McCollum, Scotto adds.
Joe Cronin, the interim general manager in Portland, said the trade with L.A. was designed to create more playing time for Anfernee Simons, who has emerged as a potential star in his fourth NBA season. Cronin calls Simons, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, a “core piece” and said the team “wanted to create a runway here for him.” The same reasoning could apply to moving the 30-year-old McCollum, who will make $69.13MM over the next two seasons.
Scotto shares a few more trade-related tidbits:
- After Friday’s trade was completed, several teams called the Clippers to see if they were interested in flipping Covington, who has a $12.975MM expiring contract. However, L.A. sees Covington as insurance if Nicolas Batum decides to turn down his $3.3MM player option this summer and would consider re-signing him even if Batum remains with the team. Scotto views Serge Ibaka as the next Clipper who might be traded.
- Sources tell Scotto that the Mavericks passed on an offer of a potential late-lottery pick in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith. The 28-year-old forward will be a free agent this summer, but Scotto cites “sentiment around the league” that Finney-Smith is outplaying his maximum extension of $55.6MM over four years.
- Pacers center Myles Turner is among the names the Raptors have considered in their search for help in the middle. Scotto identifies Jakob Poeltl, Robert Williams, Nicolas Claxton and Jusuf Nurkic as other potential Toronto targets, saying the Raptors have considered offering a first-round pick to the Spurs for Poeltl. The price for Turner would be even higher, as Indiana wants either two first-round picks or one first-rounder and a young player with potential.
- The Raptors are among several teams with interest in acquiring veteran forward Danilo Gallinari from the Hawks. Scotto notes that Goran Dragic, who hasn’t played since November, could be used to help match salaries in a deal with Atlanta.
The Raptors own first rounder (currently 19th, but one good week from about 25th) doesn’t get them Poeltl. They can debate offering it all they like.
That’s fine, but if I’m the Raptors, I’m not even sure if I would want to give up a 1st round pick for Poeltl, considering how well the Raptors draft. That pick could very well be worth more to Toronto than it would be to any other team.
No offense, but the drafting excellence take is pretty lame. Why not just trade back into the second round every year and get more assets if that’s the case?
I just don’t see what TOR has that would
realistically move SAS on Poeltl at this point.
Well, there’s plenty of alternative options available to the Raptors. Its not like Poeltl is the only or the best centre available on the trade market. So if that doesn’t move the needle for SA, so be it.
The Raptors drafting well is not a “lame” take by any means. I don’t even know what “lame” is supposed to mean in this context. Regardless, everybody except you apparently knows the Raptors are one of the better drafting teams ever since Masai has been in charge. I won’t even bother listing the names.
Theone come up with your own takes lol bill Simmons fan over here
I don’t know if you were going for figurative or literal, but Dragic has played 5 games.
Brunson and Finnie Smith have little trade value for Luxury tax teams like Jazz and Suns but huge value for Knicks
? Ok lol but what about non luxury tax teams
Oh, that’s a hot take. DoeDoe is not going anywhere unless it’s an upgrade. Ditto for Brunson, who has been the Mav’s second-best player this year. I’m not saying that it is impossible that they will be moved, but a shooter needs to be coming back.
Celtics would be fools to trade Robert Williams. They are playing well now, currently 29-25 and only 5 games out of the first place spot. Celtics should keep the roster and add to it instead of dumping salaries.
Celtic should add but they have cheap owners.
It would be foolish to trade Rob Williams. They have invested 3 years in him and now he’s starting to scratch the surface. Plus his 54/4 contract looks now like a bargain. He may be the center that we celtics fans have been waiting for years
TOR—> Jakob + Thad
SAS—> Dragic’s contract + Precious + 2023 FRP
LOLOL NO way. If that’s the asking price, Toronto hangs up the phone and walks away. You’re acting like Poeltl is the only big man on the block. It also seems like some of you South of the border folks generally don’t understand, recognize, or appreciate the level of basketball operations leader Masai Ujiri is. Hes not going to take any of these bum offers many of you are suggesting. I remember having to combat months and months of trade proposals on this site involving salary dumping Siakam for a scrub package, and having to defend the dude. Now he’s beasting.
Point is, Dragic and a 2nd sure. Not a first. Take it or deal Jakob elsewhere or keep him, Raptors really couldn’t and wouldn’t care less.
I don’t think that proposed deal was a bad one. Dragic is 37, and not playing- Precious has some promise, but not really playing as well as he did last year. Poeltl has been good this year and Thad Young, while not playing recently, has been an excellent defender vs. Giannis in his career, a great asset to have in the playoffs. Toronto’s 1st which will likely range from 18-24, is a small price to pay in this deal.
Why would the hawks trade for Dragic when they already have Lou Will and Delon handling back up PG and Shariffe Cooper waiting in the wings? Unless picks are included it doesn’t make any sense to me.
Save money in the future. Dragic is an expiring contract and they have luxury tax concerns next year with extensions kicking. Shedding Gallinari seems the wisest choice if that is the goal based on the roster. He seems to be the least valuable of the high salaried guys next year.
23 cap Harry
Agree WillDS , I thought it was crazy even mentioning Collins being avail. Dissolving Galli always seemed more logical even if its for scraps.
It Takes the training wheels off a little more for Oko Hunter and Huerter as well which is ATL’s future (or at least they need answers to if it is sooner rather than later )
If Hawks move Gallinari as a salary dump. It’s a bad sign to me. Shows they have no faith on this team. They can do better than a salary dump. Although it seems it’s all about salary cap with Hawks now. Can’t be a contender if that’s a priority.
ATL needs to get rid of Gallinari or Bogdan for them to extend Hunter who’s a vastly more important and talented player. Their GM reluctant to bite the bullet as the 2 were signed as free agents in his watch. Raps would want Bogdan only for Dragic .
Again it seems Hawks are about salary cap now. Both those players have value. And can help better team in a trade. If they really want to move them. CJ is the player they should be monitoring.
I combined a couple of Mavs trade ideas into one ridiculous, huge 4 team trade. It goes something like this:
Knicks receive Brunson, future Mavs 2nd
Kings receive THJ, M.Robinson, Burke, S.Brown 2023 Mavs 1st (from Knicks) <— protections removed
Blazers receive Powell, Bullock, Kleber, Mavs 2025 1st
Mavs receive McCollum, Hield, Holmes, Kemba
Mavs get nothing that would make their team better.
A potential late-lottery pick? Late lottery isn’t really a predictable draft range at this stage of the year. A top 10-12 protected pick? They used to just be called that.