How This Trade Impacts Portland Trail Blazers

It is hard to imagine the Portland Trail Blazers accepting a package like this in exchange for CJ McCollum. They aren’t getting back anyone that can impact a game in the way that he can, as all have pretty much reached their ceiling.

Unless the Portland front office is bullish on Kevin Knox II and believes they can unlock his immense potential, there isn’t much upside to this deal. The first-round pick could have some value, but it looks like it will be a non-lottery pick, especially with McCollum helping the Knicks win games.

Portland would more than likely decline this deal, but some sense could be made of it. The Trail Blazers have remained steadfast in saying that any trades they make, they want to remain competitive. From that standpoint, if they want to shake things up, this trade with the New York Knicks would do that.

Portland would be getting some pieces to help fill out their rotation in Evan Fournier, Nerlens Noel and Knox. Fournier is a solid threat offensively and will help replace the scoring and playmaking lost by parting ways with McCollum.

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Noel would be a big boost for the frontcourt in terms of defense. Portland struggled mightily on the defensive side of the ball last season. Only the Sacramento Kings, who had the worst defensive rating in NBA history, finished with a worse rating than the Trail Blazers.

Knox has shown some flashes, and with minutes available in the frontcourt, could develop more than he was able to in New York. He was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and still only 22-years old, there is a chance he can get his career on track.

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Ultimately, if the Trail Blazers were to make McCollum available, it would be hard to imagine there wouldn’t be packages that could top this one.