Indiana Pacers Receive: G CJ McCollum, F Robert Covington
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F TJ Warren, C Myles Turner, G Jeremy Lamb, 2022 first-round pick (lottery protection)
If the Portland Trail Blazers want to shake it up and Damian Lillard wants to stay, CJ McCollum would be the piece sent away. He is the next best trade piece that the franchise has and he is valuable.
The Trail Blazers would be able to retool and put some other pieces around Damian Lillard at different positions. This begins with Myles Turner. He has solidified himself as one of the best defenders in the league and brings a toughness down low.
For a team who was as poor as the Trail Blazers were defensively in 2020-21, being able to bring in a rim protector of Turner’s caliber could raise the floor of the group in a much needed way.
TJ Warren can score from the perimeter while Jeremy Lamb brings depth. Warren is entering the final-year of his current contract, so the Pacers could be more inclined to consider potential NBA trade scenarios that net a potential return. Portland would also be able to add a draft pick here.
READ MORE: Predictions for NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Lillard, Hield, Ingles, Siakam
The Pacers, on the other hand, would bring in a needed shot creator in the backcourt and would then have the capability to move on from Malcolm Brogdon and move forward with Caris LeVert in the backcourt, if desired. That’s certainly not required, though.
Let’s take a closer look and see how this NBA trade scenario centered around CJ McCollum would impact both the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers.
