How This Trade Impacts Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers front office looks like they have accepted the fact that they need to rebuild. But, their first trade signaling that with the LA Clippers leaves a lot to be desired.
Portland shipped out Norman Powell, who they traded Rodney Hood and Gary Trent Jr. for less than a year ago, and Robert Covington, who cost them two first-round picks, and Trevor Ariza. They didn’t get a first-round pick back in the deal, acquiring Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a future second-round pick.
That deal certainly won’t convince Damian Lillard that they can build a sustainable winner around him in Portland. This deal with the Philadelphia 76ers likely won’t accomplish that either.
Trading away CJ McCollum is one thing. Getting back a win-now type of player in Tobias Harris is another. This deal accomplishes the opposite of the one they completed with the Clippers, as Harris is someone that would have been a good player to help keep things afloat before they traded two starters to the Clippers.
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The one positive takeaway is that the Trail Blazers are actually getting a first-round pick back in this deal from the 76ers. This trade, however, would mean Portland is going all-in on Anfernee Simons and handing him the keys to the offense.
Ultimately, if the Trail Blazers do trade McCollum ahead of the NBA trade deadline, expect trade chatter centered around Lillard to heat up as they will actually be further away from contending than they were when he opted to undergo surgery on his abdomen.
