- The Pelicans emerged from the trade deadline with an open roster spot. They’ll likely target a defensive-minded wing on the buyout market, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune tweets.
- CJ McCollum said he was involved in the process of the Trail Blazers’ negotiations to trade him, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets. McCollum was intrigued with the idea of joining the Pelicans due to their young talent and the opportunity to play with Brandon Ingram.
- Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will have more scans done on his injured right foot at the end of next week or the following week, Andrew Lopez of ESPN tweets. GM Trajan Langdon visited with Williamson in Oregon last week and said Williamson “feels good.”
Despite trading a protected first-round pick for Cam Reddish last month, the Knicks haven’t shut down inquiries about their new young wing, as Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays. Reddish was brought up in trade discussions with at least one other team, although it’s not clear who initiated the conversation.
As Begley notes, at 24-31 and having lost 10 of their last 12 games, nothing should be considered off the table for the Knicks, so they’re likely just seeing how other teams value Reddish.
Because he was just traded, Reddish can’t be aggregated with another player in a larger deal for salary-matching purposes — he could still be dealt in a multi-player trade, but New York wouldn’t be able to add his salary to another player’s within that trade in order to acquire a higher-salaried player.
Begley believes the Knicks are unlikely to flip Reddish at the deadline unless they receive a “significant player” on a similar contract.
Here’s more from New York:
- In a separate article for SNY, Begley writes that the Knicks have had trade discussions involving Evan Fournier. The Knicks and Pelicans had dialogue about Fournier with New Orleans receiving draft compensation, but the talks fell apart. The Pelicans have since traded for CJ McCollum, so they’re likely no longer interested in Fournier.
- The Knicks called the Trail Blazers about McCollum prior to him being traded, but were unable to provide the cap relief Portland was after, Begley surmises.
- Begley notes that Alec Burks continues to be involved in trade calls. It’s unclear which teams might be interested in his services.
- For his part, Fournier hopes the Knicks stand pat at the deadline, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I really do believe we have the right pieces. We have talent, we have toughness, we have everything. And we’re not that far from playing better and getting wins. It’s just about finding a way to play and sticking with that and building confidence and all that,” Fournier said after the Knicks were blown out by the Nuggets Tuesday.
- Several teams, including the Kings, have been interested in Julius Randle, but after the Domantas Sabonis trade, Randle would be redundant in Sacramento, writes Begley.
Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard tells Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com that he and longtime teammate CJ McCollum had talked for years about the possibility that they may eventually end up playing on different teams. However, that didn’t necessarily cushion the blow when Lillard learned that McCollum was being traded to New Orleans.
“As a friend and a teammate, I love CJ, that’s like a real friend of mine, not just my teammate,” Lillard said. “… It is what it is, we both knew that this point would be coming. But that don’t make it no easier to deal with. I think that’s where I am now. Me and him literally talked about it happening, the possibility of it and it was likely and stuff like that, and I still woke up this morning like, sad. It’s actually done. When I’m seeing ‘CJ to the Pelicans’ and stuff like that, it’s like damn, ain’t no coming back from this, this is it. It ain’t gonna be no every day, pull up to the house, dinner on the road, all that stuff. It’s done, he’s on a new team.
“As much as I understood it and he understood it and we kind of have always communicated in a transparent way, it don’t make it any easier to deal with or to look at. Like man, is it really over? Is the run really over? And that’s where we are.”
While McCollum’s time as a Trail Blazer has come to an end, the team reportedly has no plans to move Lillard and hopes to reshape the roster around him. For his part, Portland’s star point guard sounds like he’s on board with that plan.
“For me, my heart is Portland Trail Blazer,” Lillard said, per Holdahl. “I want to win it. I know that I have a plan that’s going to put me on my best level when I come back to play. And I want our team to fit that.
“I’m a huge fan of Chauncey Billups. I love Chauncey, we’ve got a great relationship and I think he’ll continue to grow into the head coach that he wants to be. And I’m a Joe Cronin fan. In his position I think it takes being bold and doing bold things, doing what you see fit and standing on it. He’s told me that our plan is to build a winning team, not to rebuild. Because we had a prior relationship to him becoming GM, I trust his word.”
Here’s more on the Blazers:
- Echoing Adrian Wojnarowski’s reporting, Chris Mannix of SI.com says the Trail Blazers may shift from selling to buying before Thursday’s deadline, using their newly-acquired assets to add pieces that could help them win as soon as next season. Mannix, like other reporters, has heard that Pistons forward Jerami Grant is a possible trade target for Portland.
- The Trail Blazers will receive the Pelicans‘ first-round pick in 2022 if it lands between No. 5 and No. 14. However, if it ends up in the top four or outside of the lottery, New Orleans will instead owe Portland the Bucks’ 2025 first-round pick (top-four protected), tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
- Jason Quick of The Athletic takes a look at the Blazers’ decision to finally move McCollum, suggesting that the move represented the team finally coming to grips with an uncomfortable truth.
With the NBA’s February 10 trade deadline around the corner, we’re taking a closer look at all 30 teams, breaking down their potential plans for the deadline and identifying their most likely trade candidates. We’re focusing today on the Southwest Division.
Dallas Mavericks
Trade deadline goals:
The Mavericks don’t have a single glaring hole on their roster, but could use some extra reinforcements at any number of spots.
It wouldn’t be a shock to see Dallas try to acquire another wing to replace the injured Tim Hardaway Jr.; or an extra big man as Kristaps Porzingis insurance; or even one more guard who can shoot, such as buyout candidate Goran Dragic.
The Mavs probably aren’t just one player away from legitimate title contention — or if they are, they don’t have the assets necessary to make a good deal that one player. So anything they do at the deadline will probably be about taking an incremental step forward. Ideally, they’d find a player who fits well alongside Luka Doncic and who can make the roster a little more dangerous in the playoffs.
Top trade candidates:
Any team that discusses trades with the Mavericks will likely want to talk about one of two players: Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith. They’re not exactly young prospects anymore – Brunson is 25 while Finney-Smith is 28 – but both players remain very much in their prime, have small cap hits, and are solid two-way contributors who would fit in just about any system. They’ll be unrestricted free agents this summer, but acquiring their Bird rights may appeal to a capped-out team.
The Mavs are in a tricky spot with Brunson and Finney-Smith. The team has insisted it wants to retain them and re-sign them this summer, but both guys may be in line for eight-figure raises, pushing Dallas into tax territory without even adding a single piece to the current roster. On the other hand, trading either player comes with its own risk — no Maverick besides Doncic has played more minutes than Brunson and Finney-Smith this season, so they’ve been important parts of the team’s success.
If the Mavs aren’t willing to move Brunson or Finney-Smith, their trade assets are limited. Hardaway isn’t a viable trade chip due to his injury and his contract. Dwight Powell and Reggie Bullock have been playing well as of late, but their multiyear guarantees will make some teams wary — they probably have marginal positive trade value, at best. Maxi Kleber, whose $9.2MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed, could be a trade candidate, though he has battled injuries this season, which may hurt his value.
Perhaps Dallas could drum up a little interest in a package that includes some combination of Josh Green, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, Moses Brown, and a future first-round pick (the next one the Mavs can unconditionally trade is their 2027 first-rounder), but that won’t be enough to land an impact player.
Houston Rockets
Trade deadline goals:
The full-scale rebuild that began when the Rockets traded away James Harden a year ago remains a work in progress.
At 15-39, Houston is in last place in the Western Conference and remains very much in contention for a top spot in this year’s draft lottery. They won’t be making any trades that benefit the team more in the short term than the long term — asset accumulation is still the goal here.
Of course, there are no trade candidates on the current roster who are as valuable as Harden was last year, but the Rockets still have a handful of veterans who will generate real trade interest, along with a couple other vets who will be more challenging to move.
Top trade candidates:
Let’s start with Houston’s most valuable trade candidates — Christian Wood is averaging a double-double while knocking down 37.4% of his three-pointers this season, making him an intriguing option for any team in need of frontcourt help.
Wood, who is under contract through 2022/23, won’t come cheap though. I’d expect the Rockets to seek multiple first-round picks – or the equivalent in young talent – in exchange for Wood. If no one is willing to meet that price, Houston will probably be comfortable hanging onto Wood and revisiting trade scenarios in the offseason.
Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon is enjoying a career year at the right time, knocking down 49.1% of his shots, including 42.7% of his threes, through 45 games. Gordon’s $18.2MM cap hit this season and his $19.6MM salary for next season will still be a little high for some teams’ liking, especially since he’ll turn 34 later this year. But I think the Rockets have a legitimate shot at getting a first-round pick for him, which I wouldn’t have expected entering the season.
Veteran center Daniel Theis hasn’t been at his best during his first year in Houston, but he has still drawn some interest from teams in need of a big man, based on his track record. Jae’Sean Tate would be popular if the Rockets made him available, but there’s no indication that has happened. Tate may be part of the club’s longer-term plans.
Of course, Houston would love to find new homes for point guards John Wall and D.J. Augustin, but they aren’t interested in giving up assets to make a deal happen. That essentially rules out a deal for Wall, whose $47.3MM player option for 2022/23 kills his value.
At $7MM, Augustin is a more realistic trade candidate, especially since he has been solid in his limited minutes. But unless Houston wants to take back multiyear money, it might be a challenge to acquire anything of real value for the veteran.
Memphis Grizzlies
Trade deadline goals:
The Grizzlies have been one of the best stories of the 2021/22 NBA season. After sneaking into the playoffs in ’20/21, Memphis has emerged as a serious threat to secure a top-three seed and to win a postseason series this year.
The Grizzlies control their own 2022 first-round pick and Utah’s, and would receive a third first-rounder if the Lakers’ pick falls between 11 and 30. With an ascendant roster and an excess of draft picks, you could make the case that the time is right for Memphis to make a major move at the trade deadline and push for a deep playoff run.
Still, it doesn’t appear that’s the plan for the Grizzlies, who have hardly been mentioned in trade rumors in the weeks leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline. Whether they don’t want to risk upsetting their chemistry, don’t feel they’re ready to push their chips into the middle, or want to wait until the offseason to see where their first-round picks land, the Grizzlies seem more inclined to stand pat than to take a big swing.
A smaller move remains possible. If Memphis makes a deal, the team will likely focus on fortifying its depth on the wing.
Top trade candidates:
Former lottery pick Jarrett Culver has occasionally flashed a little upside, particularly on the defensive end, but he’s not part of the Grizzlies’ rotation and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. His $6.4MM expiring contract could be a logical salary-matching piece in a minor move. Culver wouldn’t have more than neutral trade value, but it’s possible he’d draw a little interest from a lottery team interested in taking a flier on him.
Big man Xavier Tillman is another young player who has shown some promise but doesn’t have a place in Memphis’ current rotation. He’s on a minimum-salary contract, limiting the Grizzlies’ options with him unless they attach him to another player.
Unlike Culver and Tillman, reserve guard De’Anthony Melton and forward Kyle Anderson do play regular minutes, so the Grizzlies will be less motivated to move them. But if Memphis seeks out a more significant upgrade on the wing, Melton ($8.8MM) and Anderson ($9.9MM) would be the most logical trade candidates among the higher-salaried players on the team’s books.
New Orleans Pelicans
Trade deadline goals:
New Orleans had spent the entire season outside of the top 10 in the Western Conference until finally moving into 10th place for the first time on Sunday. Despite their underwhelming first-half performance, the Pelicans were in the market to buy in the weeks leading up to the deadline and found a deal they liked on Tuesday, acquiring CJ McCollum in a seven-player trade that also included three draft picks.
It was a logical move for the Pelicans, who had been on the lookout for backcourt help after Kira Lewis sustained a season-ending knee injury and former first-round pick Nickeil Alexander-Walker took a step backwards in his third NBA season.
McCollum is a reliable veteran capable of creating his own shot who will help Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas carry the offensive load. The deal makes the Pelicans an odds-on favorite to make the play-in tournament in the West, whether or not Zion Williamson returns in the second half.
Now that the Pelicans have already achieved their primary trade deadline goal of acquiring an impact backcourt player, it remains to be seen whether they’ll have anything else up their sleeves this week as they try to further fortify their roster in the hopes of pushing for a playoff spot.
Top trade candidates:
After trading away Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada, and Alexander-Walker in the McCollum deal, the list of viable Pelicans trade candidates has dwindled.
Third-year big man Jaxson Hayes remains a possible trade chip, but New Orleans has reportedly been encouraged by his recent play at power forward, and his legal issues will negatively impact his trade value. The Pelicans may be better off hanging onto Hayes.
Garrett Temple has averaged about 20 minutes per game this year for New Orleans despite having one of the worst shooting seasons of his career (.382 FG%, .319 3PT%). If they can find a way to upgrade on the wing using Temple as a trade chip, the Pelicans would probably welcome the opportunity.
Larry Nance Jr., who New Orleans received in the McCollum deal, is another player worth watching. As long as Williamson remains sidelined, Nance – once he’s healthy himself – will have a role in the Pels’ rotation, so I imagine he’s not a real candidate to be flipped this week. But the team’s frontcourt will be pretty crowded if and when everyone’s back, so Nance could eventually be the odd man out. That’s probably an issue the Pelicans will wait until the offeason to address.
Finally, it’s worth noting that even after sending a first-round pick and two second-rounders to Portland in the McCollum deal, the Pelicans is well-stocked with future draft picks as a result of the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades. They could dangle another pick or two in trade discussions this week if there’s another player they like.
San Antonio Spurs
Trade deadline goals:
The Spurs rarely make in-season trades. Entering the 2021/22 league year, they’d completed just two deals during the season since 2012, and neither one had much of an impact on their roster.
However, San Antonio has already made one trade this year, sending Bryn Forbes to Denver last month in a three-team deal in exchange for Juan Hernangomez, a future second-round pick, and cash.
Did that trade signal an increased willingness from San Antonio to make moves before the deadline? Or is expecting more than one in-season trade from the Spurs misguided?
It’s still too early to say, but if the Spurs stand pat at the deadline, it won’t be due to a lack of interest in their players. They’ve reportedly gotten calls on Derrick White, Dejounte Murray, Jakob Poeltl, and Thaddeus Young, among others.
Top trade candidates:
Murray is almost certainly off the table, but it’s not out of the question that the Spurs could move White, Poeltl, or Young.
Of the three, Young is the least likely to finish the season in San Antonio. The veteran forward hasn’t been a regular part of the Spurs’ rotation and is on an expiring $14MM+ contract. He has reportedly generated interest from Minnesota and Phoenix, and I imagine the Spurs would be eager to move him if they can get a second-round pick without taking back any multiyear money. If that sort of offer doesn’t emerge, Young will be a post-deadline buyout candidate.
Poeltl has reportedly generated interest from at least the Raptors, Bulls, and Hornets, but he’s having a very good season and is on an extremely team-friendly contract. It would likely take a pretty strong offer for the Spurs to seriously consider a deal — one report stated they’d want a first-round pick and a quality young player, which sounds about right.
I also wouldn’t expect the Spurs to move White during the season, but he at least seems more attainable than Murray, who was named to his first All-Star Game this week. Veteran sharpshooter Doug McDermott, who is hitting 43.5% of his three-point attempts, would likely be a popular target if San Antonio makes him available, but there has been no indication that he’s on the trade block.
Veteran Rockets point guard D.J. Augustin, 34, hopes to remain in Houston through the NBA trade deadline, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Should the Rockets opt not to pick up his partially-guaranteed deal this summer, the rebuilding club’s oldest player could become a free agent. The 5’11” guard is averaging 5.4 PPG and 2.2 APG in just 15.0 MPG this season.
“At this point in my career, man, whatever the team needs from me, whatever the coach needs from me, the organization needs, I’m going to do my job and do what I need to do,” Augustin said.
At times this season, head coach Stephen Silas has opted not to play Augustin at all, in favor of giving the team’s younger prospects more run. Augustin does concede that he would like a consistent role in the Rockets’ rotation, but accepts that that may not be what Houston requires.
“I would like minutes, period,” he said. “That’s not my role right now with this team.”
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- With NBA trade deadline chatter swirling, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas is trying to help his current Houston players focus on the task at hand as much as possible, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Feigen notes that the Rockets have been active at the trade deadline for the past 16 straight years. “It is our job as a coaching staff, as a management team to make sure everybody is pointed in the direction of things that you can control,” Silas said. “I know that there’s other stuff out there and rumors. There’s always rumors and false narratives going on. But really focusing on what you can control makes everybody’s job easier. Whatever happens, you adapt to that.”
- The 32-23 Mavericks could opt to develop their current chemistry at the trade deadline or make changes. In a roundtable, Callie Caplan, Brad Townsend and Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News debate how Dallas should move forward at the deadline. Sherrington cautions that it may prove difficult for the Mavericks to re-sign both Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith. Caplan suggests that the Mavericks maintain their core players, noting that the team seems capable of fending off most Western Conference contenders. Caplan adds that Raptors point guard Goran Dragic could make a nice addition with the Mavericks, should he get a buyout.
- After acquiring sharp-shooting guard CJ McCollum, forward Larry Nance Jr. and deep-bench reserve Tony Snell from the Trail Blazers today, the Pelicans are clearly hoping to make a play-in tournament push, writes Will Guillory of The Athletic. The club has gone 19-16 in its last 35 contests. Guillory notes that McCollum, an excellent scorer and ball-handler, could prove to be a stellar partner for star forwards Brandon Ingram and, when healthy, Zion Williamson. New Orleans is currently the tenth seed in the West, with a 22-32 record.
8:00pm: The trade is now official, according to press releases from the Pelicans and Trail Blazers. Portland waived Cody Zeller to create room on their 15-man roster for the incoming players.
The full deal looks like this:
- Pelicans acquire McCollum, Nance, and Snell.
- Trail Blazers acquire Hart, Satoransky, Alexander-Walker, Louzada, the Pelicans’ protected 2022 first-round pick, the Pelicans’ 2027 second-round pick, and either the Pelicans’ or Blazers’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable; New Orleans had previously acquired Portland’s 2026 second-rounder).
“On behalf of the Trail Blazers organization, I want to thank CJ McCollum for the integral role he has played in the success of the franchise over the last nine seasons and for his countless acts of service to the Portland community,” Blazers GM Joe Cronin said in a statement. “CJ has cemented himself in Trail Blazers history with his elite skill level and memorable moments on the court as well as with the work ethic, professionalism and generosity he displays behind the scenes.”
10:10am: The Pelicans and Blazers have reached an agreement, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter links), who reports that Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell are also headed to New Orleans in the deal, with Didi Louzada going to Portland.
The Blazers will receive a future first-round pick and two future second-rounder, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter). As Woj explains (via Twitter), the Blazers will get New Orleans’ 2022 first-round selection if it lands between No. 5 and No. 14. Otherwise, the Blazers will receive a future first-rounder. That Pelicans pick currently projects to be No. 9.
The inclusion of Nance, who has been out for the last month with a knee injury, will give the Pelicans another versatile two-way contributor in the frontcourt while clearing even more multiyear money off the Blazers’ books. The Pels will presumably acquire Nance and his $10.7MM cap hit using a portion of their $17MM trade exception. Nance is under contract for $9.7MM in 2022/23.
Because the Blazers have a full roster, they’ll have to trade or waive a player to accommodate the three-for-four swap.
9:24am: The Pelicans and Trail Blazers are finalizing a deal that will send CJ McCollum to New Orleans, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The package for McCollum will include Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and draft compensation, per Charania (Twitter link).
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who first reported that the two sides were engaged in serious talks, an agreement technically hasn’t been finalized yet and there’s still work to be done, but Woj says there’s optimism a deal will be completed (Twitter link).
McCollum, 30, has been a Blazer since entering the NBA in 2013, making up one-half of the team’s star backcourt alongside Damian Lillard. Portland made the postseason in each of McCollum’s first eight NBA seasons and got as far as the Western Conference Finals in 2019, but the team has taken a step back this year and is clearly in retooling mode, having sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Clippers last Friday.
Trading McCollum will create more future financial flexibility for the Blazers, who are reportedly interested in re-signing free-agents-to-be Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic this offseason. Based on the team’s moves so far, it appears Portland views those players, along with Lillard and Nassir Little, as keepers going forward, though there’s still time for things to change in the 48+ hours before Thursday’s trade deadline.
While we’ll have to wait to see what sort of draft compensation is headed from New Orleans to Portland in the trade, the Blazers did well to acquire a solid two-way player like Hart, and they’ll get a chance to take a flier on Alexander-Walker, who has struggled in 2021/22 after a promising sophomore performance last season.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, are on the verge of adding a talented shot creator to their backcourt as they continue their push for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. New Orleans currently leads Portland by a half-game for the No. 10 seed in the West.
McCollum has been hampered this season by health issues, including a collapsed lung, and his numbers have dipped a little as a result, but he’s still averaging 20.5 PPG and 4.5 APG on .436/.384/.706 shooting in 36 games (35.2 MPG).
McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Jonas Valanciunas will be the go-to offensive options in New Orleans for the time being. The Pelicans are also hoping to get Zion Williamson back in their lineup at some point in the second half, though it’s been a while since we’ve gotten an update on Williamson’s recovery from foot surgery.
McCollum is owed $30.9MM this season, $33.3MM in 2022/23, and $35.8MM in ’23/24 before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2024. Hart’s contract is more team-friendly — after earning $12MM this season, he has a $13MM non-guaranteed salary next season, with a $13MM player option (also non-guaranteed) for ’23/24.
Satoransky has an expiring $10MM contract, while Alexander-Walker is earning $3.3MM this season. Alexander-Walker is under contract for $5MM in 2022/23 and will be eligible this offseason for a rookie scale extension. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2023 if he doesn’t sign a new deal later this year.
The Hawks, Knicks, and Pacers were among the other teams said to have trade interest in McCollum.
The NBA has announced a full list of the participants for its three-point, slam dunk and skills challenge competitions ahead of the upcoming 2022 All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.
Per the NBA (Twitter link), the following players will partake in the Mountain Dew Three-Point Contest, which appears to have outpaced the dunk contest as the premiere event for established stars at All-Star Weekend. Four 2022 All-Stars will compete:
- Desmond Bane, Grizzlies
- Luke Kennard, Clippers
- Zach LaVine, Bulls
- CJ McCollum, Pelicans
- Patty Mills, Nets
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves
- Fred VanVleet, Raptors
- Trae Young, Hawks
According to the league (via Twitter), these are the contestants in the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest:
- Cole Anthony, Magic
- Jalen Green, Rockets
- Obi Toppin, Knicks
- Juan Toscano-Anderson, Warriors
Below are the NBA’s announced players for the newly revamped Taco Bell Skills Challenge (Twitter link). This year, the Skills Challenge will be divvied up into three teams: Antetokounmpo brothers (“Antetokounmpos”), Cavaliers players (“Cavs”), and rookies (“Rooks”).
- Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers
- Darius Garland, Cavaliers
- Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
- Alex Antetokounmpo, Raptors 905 (Antetokounmpos)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (Antetokounmpos)
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (Antetokounmpos)
- Scottie Barnes, Raptors (Rooks)
- Cade Cunningham, Pistons (Rooks)
- Josh Giddey, Thunder (Rooks)
These three events will take place on All-Star Saturday on February 19.
The Pelicans, who rank 28th in halfcourt scoring efficiency this season, addressed one of their biggest weaknesses when they agreed to acquire CJ McCollum from Portland, says Christian Clark of NOLA.com. McCollum’s new backcourt partner Devonte’ Graham is excited about the move.
“He’s got everything in his bag,” Graham said of McCollum, per Clark. “Obviously, he’s a hell of a player. He’s going to bring extremely good offense and take a lot of pressure off B (Brandon Ingram) in those 1-on-1 situations.”
As Clark notes, the deal hasn’t yet been officially announced, so it’s possible it will be expanded to include a third team before it’s formally finalized. However, if that happens, it seems more likely to affect the Blazers than the Pelicans, since Portland needs to trade or waive a player to complete the move.
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- Jaxson Hayes‘ recent success in a power forward role boosted his value among Pelicans staffers, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who suggests that’s one reason New Orleans put Nickeil Alexander-Walker and not Hayes into the deal for McCollum.
- Pelicans wing Garrett Temple exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will be available on Tuesday night vs. Houston, according to the team (Twitter link). Didi Louzada, who is headed from New Orleans to Portland in the McCollum trade, also cleared the protocols this week. There are now just two NBA players still in the protocols, including Pelicans center Willy Hernangomez.
- Zach Harper of The Athletic likes the McCollum trade more for the Pelicans than the Trail Blazers, giving New Orleans a grade of A-minus for the deal. However, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton isn’t as bullish on the trade from the Pelicans’ perspective, writing that the move reflects “tremendous internal pressure” to win now. Pelton gave the Pels a grade of C-minus.
Nuggets forward JaMychal Green and guard Facundo Campazzo are considered available in trade talks, reports Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Mike Singer of The Denver Post also recently identified Green and Campazzo as two players the Nuggets would probably be willing to move as they seek a defensive-oriented small forward.
The Nuggets’ ability to trade Green could be complicated by his ability to veto any trade that involves him. A source tells Singer that the veteran forward wouldn’t accept a move to a non-contending team.
Here are a few more trade rumors, courtesy of Fischer:
- The Knicks and Pelicans have held exploratory conversations for Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, says Fischer, whose report was published before New Orleans reached an agreement to acquire CJ McCollum — it’s probably safe to assume the Pels are no longer a candidate to pursue Fox.
- The Hornets are among the teams interested in Spurs center Jakob Poeltl, per Fischer. Toronto and Chicago have previously been reported as potential suitors for Poeltl.
- The Pistons remain very interested in Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, but may have to wait until free agency if they want to make a play for him, according to Fischer, who says Dallas is still committed to retaining Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith through the deadline.
- Nets big man Paul Millsap, Kings center Tristan Thompson, Rockets guard D.J. Augustin, and guard Tomas Satoransky (who is reportedly being traded to the Trail Blazers) are considered potential buyout candidates, writes Fischer.
CJ McCollum is now the biggest name that people around the NBA expect to be dealt before this Thursday’s trade deadline, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who confirms that the Pelicans, Knicks, and Hawks remain in the mix for the Trail Blazers guard. Fischer also reported that the Pacers are among the teams believed to have interest in McCollum.
While a handful of new clubs have been identified this week as potential suitors for McCollum, the Pelicans may still be the frontrunners. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), New Orleans and Portland are engaged in “serious” discussions about McCollum, with those talks ongoing today.
Sources tell Bleacher Report that the Blazers, after sending Norman Powell to the Clippers, remain focused on creating more financial flexibility going forward and have expressed little interest in taking back future salary in a potential McCollum deal.
As Fischer explains, Portland wants to sign Anfernee Simons to a long-term deal this offseason and appears increasingly unlikely to trade Jusuf Nurkic, since he and the team have mutual interest in working out a new contract this offseason. If they keep McCollum and sign Simons and Nurkic to lucrative new deals, the Blazers would be at risk of going back into luxury tax territory next season.
A Pelicans offer for McCollum seems likely to include some combination of Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Jaxson Hayes, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, according to Fischer, who notes that New Orleans also still has a surplus of first-round picks available to include as sweeteners, if necessary.
Fischer suggests that a Hawks proposal for McCollum may include Danilo Gallinari and Delon Wright‘s expiring contract. He’s skeptical that the Knicks would be able to make an appealing offer, pointing to Evan Fournier‘s and Julius Randle‘s long-term contracts as pieces Portland wouldn’t want to take back. Theoretically, New York could put together a package of players on shorter-term contracts, such as Alec Burks, Kemba Walker, and Nerlens Noel, but it’s unclear exactly which players the club would be willing to put on the table.
Marc Berman of The New York Post, confirming the Knicks have talked to Portland about McCollum, says New York also had interest in Powell before he was sent to Los Angeles.