CJ McCollum to the Pelicans

[footey]

New Orleans starting lineup:

Jonas V
Zion (if he ever play)
Brandon Ingram
C J McCollum
Devonta Graham

Larry Nance
Jaxon Hayes
Herb Jones
G. Hernangomez

Not bad but need more bench power

Herb Jones should start for them next year. He is a great pick.

[Atzar]

if healthy, that's most definitely a playoff team -- especially if they keep the play-in format.  key for them is to get a good combo guard for the bench or better yet a better starting PG

Yeah, Someone like Ball would be a good fit.  Yeah, maybe tenth... Mostly because of how awful the teams below them are. But not really good...

You're underestimating the offensive firepower in that group.  They won't stop anybody but they'll win a lot of shootouts.  And I wouldn't really call any of them me-first scorers - they can all play off-ball when necessary and they can all make plays for others.  So I don't think the "only one ball" problem would hit them like it has, say, the Knicks. I actually really like that team offensively if Zion ever gets healthy. 

Defense is an issue, and it might make sense to trade JV for some defense and spacing.  But that's a fun group IMHO. 

[liam]

if healthy, that's most definitely a playoff team -- especially if they keep the play-in format.  key for them is to get a good combo guard for the bench or better yet a better starting PG

Yeah, Someone like Ball would be a good fit.  Yeah, maybe tenth... Mostly because of how awful the teams below them are. But not really good...

You're underestimating the offensive firepower in that group.  They won't stop anybody but they'll win a lot of shootouts.  And I wouldn't really call any of them me-first scorers - they can all play off-ball when necessary and they can all make plays for others.  So I don't think the "only one ball" problem would hit them like it has, say, the Knicks. I actually really like that team offensively if Zion ever gets healthy. 

Defense is an issue, and it might make sense to trade JV for some defense and spacing.  But that's a fun group IMHO.

If your goal is the 10th spot year after year it's good group.

[Atzar]

if healthy, that's most definitely a playoff team -- especially if they keep the play-in format.  key for them is to get a good combo guard for the bench or better yet a better starting PG

Yeah, Someone like Ball would be a good fit.  Yeah, maybe tenth... Mostly because of how awful the teams below them are. But not really good...

You're underestimating the offensive firepower in that group.  They won't stop anybody but they'll win a lot of shootouts.  And I wouldn't really call any of them me-first scorers - they can all play off-ball when necessary and they can all make plays for others.  So I don't think the "only one ball" problem would hit them like it has, say, the Knicks. I actually really like that team offensively if Zion ever gets healthy. 

Defense is an issue, and it might make sense to trade JV for some defense and spacing.  But that's a fun group IMHO.

If your goal is the 10th spot year after year it's good group.

My man, they're tenth right now - with Ingram missing time this season, no Zion, and with CJ yet to suit up for them. 

You don't think that team at full power would be better than they are right now?  I don't know what to tell you. 

[Celtics2021]

if healthy, that's most definitely a playoff team -- especially if they keep the play-in format.  key for them is to get a good combo guard for the bench or better yet a better starting PG

Yeah, Someone like Ball would be a good fit.  Yeah, maybe tenth... Mostly because of how awful the teams below them are. But not really good...

You're underestimating the offensive firepower in that group.  They won't stop anybody but they'll win a lot of shootouts.  And I wouldn't really call any of them me-first scorers - they can all play off-ball when necessary and they can all make plays for others.  So I don't think the "only one ball" problem would hit them like it has, say, the Knicks. I actually really like that team offensively if Zion ever gets healthy. 

Defense is an issue, and it might make sense to trade JV for some defense and spacing.  But that's a fun group IMHO.

If your goal is the 10th spot year after year it's good group.

My man, they're tenth right now - with Ingram missing time this season, no Zion, and with CJ yet to suit up for them. 

You don't think that team at full power would be better than they are right now?  I don't know what to tell you.

They could have won 25% more games and still be 10th.

[liam]

if healthy, that's most definitely a playoff team -- especially if they keep the play-in format.  key for them is to get a good combo guard for the bench or better yet a better starting PG

Yeah, Someone like Ball would be a good fit.  Yeah, maybe tenth... Mostly because of how awful the teams below them are. But not really good...

You're underestimating the offensive firepower in that group.  They won't stop anybody but they'll win a lot of shootouts.  And I wouldn't really call any of them me-first scorers - they can all play off-ball when necessary and they can all make plays for others.  So I don't think the "only one ball" problem would hit them like it has, say, the Knicks. I actually really like that team offensively if Zion ever gets healthy. 

Defense is an issue, and it might make sense to trade JV for some defense and spacing.  But that's a fun group IMHO.

If your goal is the 10th spot year after year it's good group.

My man, they're tenth right now - with Ingram missing time this season, no Zion, and with CJ yet to suit up for them. 

You don't think that team at full power would be better than they are right now?  I don't know what to tell you.

Yeah, Who would they pass?

[Vermont Green]

if healthy, that's most definitely a playoff team -- especially if they keep the play-in format.  key for them is to get a good combo guard for the bench or better yet a better starting PG

Yeah, Someone like Ball would be a good fit.  Yeah, maybe tenth... Mostly because of how awful the teams below them are. But not really good...

You're underestimating the offensive firepower in that group.  They won't stop anybody but they'll win a lot of shootouts.  And I wouldn't really call any of them me-first scorers - they can all play off-ball when necessary and they can all make plays for others.  So I don't think the "only one ball" problem would hit them like it has, say, the Knicks. I actually really like that team offensively if Zion ever gets healthy. 

Defense is an issue, and it might make sense to trade JV for some defense and spacing.  But that's a fun group IMHO.

If your goal is the 10th spot year after year it's good group.

My man, they're tenth right now - with Ingram missing time this season, no Zion, and with CJ yet to suit up for them. 

You don't think that team at full power would be better than they are right now?  I don't know what to tell you.

I think Zion, Ingram, McCollum is a very solid top 3.  It is to be seen of course if Zion can stay on the court but if he can, he is MVP caliber.  Compare this to Giannis, Middleton, Holiday.  Not suggesting that Zion is better than Giannis, at least not right now, and durability is a major concern, but he put up 27/7 last season at age 20.  Giannis didn't start putting up those kinds of numbers until he was 23/24.  I think in the end, Zion is going to leave but this trade makes that decision harder.  Sure, they will need to add some depth but that is true of every team these days.  The Bucks are trying to add Grant Williams because they have no PF depth.

I score this a great trade for NOP.

[Moranis]

It is fair to question whether trying to rebuild around Lillard is a good idea or not.  It is possible that with cap space, tradeable assets, and TPE, that they could quickly get a team around Lillard.  Get players like Jerami Grant for example, maybe they find a way to score Sabonis.  Maybe Brogdon.   Harden, Kyrie, Gordon, Harrison Barnes, Hield, there are players out there.  That is a pathway, at least potentially, in theory.

I guess their plan is to try that or at least try that first rather than trading Lillard.  There are no guarantees in either case.

Tobias Harris or Ben Simmons is absolutely in play if Harden wants to go to the Sixers next year and the Sixers don't want to sign and trade for him.

[Celtics4ever]

Until Zion manages his weight, he never be a reliable player.

[BruceBanner18]

I just read Portland is now after Jerami Grant. This makes sense. I am hoping Grant comes off the board so Washington has less options to keep Beal happy

[liam]

Until Zion manages his weight, he never be a reliable player.

He needs to lose 40 pounds, maybe more...

[todd_days_41]

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1491086586351882241?s=20&t=UDdSgjIAhgO1HbRPnAjzDA

Good luck with that plan lol

In a weak free agent class in a small market. Good thinking.

posturing plain and simple

I'm not sure why that's "plain and simple" posturing....

• Rumor mill has been pretty consistent for some time that POR does NOT intend to move Lillard
• Their team stinks -- a backcourt of Lillard and McCollum has been in question for some time, has been regressing, and is going nowhere
• Simons looks like a keeper in McCollum's place
• Josh Hart is still young, as are Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Didi Louzada. A flier on NAW is a reasonable risk / reward as a secondary trade piece
• Blazers were also able to clear Powell's money in an effort to create the flexibility described

Isn't this how teams rebuild on the fly? Get out in front of dealing soon declining guys by clearing cap room and acquiring assets in the process? Wouldn't it be "profoundly stupid' to keep McCollum and hope they magically stop heading down the lottery?

As for the small market bit, Woj specifically calls out the trade exception. And you don't have to sign players outright as UFAs to use your cap space.

The more I look at the details of this deal, the more I think the Blazers got excellent value on a number of levels (lottery pick, couple more seconds, some good prospects, solid veteran, serious financial flexibility). Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply inflating McCollum's value -- especially considering he's significantly overpaid.

[pokeKingCurtis]

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1491086586351882241?s=20&t=UDdSgjIAhgO1HbRPnAjzDA

Good luck with that plan lol

In a weak free agent class in a small market. Good thinking.

posturing plain and simple

I'm not sure why that's "plain and simple" posturing....

• Rumor mill has been pretty consistent for some time that POR does NOT intend to move Lillard
• Their team stinks -- a backcourt of Lillard and McCollum has been in question for some time, has been regressing, and is going nowhere
• Simons looks like a keeper in McCollum's place
• Josh Hart is still young, as are Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Didi Louzada. A flier on NAW is a reasonable risk / reward as a secondary trade piece
• Blazers were also able to clear Powell's money in an effort to create the flexibility described

Isn't this how teams rebuild on the fly? Get out in front of dealing soon declining guys by clearing cap room and acquiring assets in the process? Wouldn't it be "profoundly stupid' to keep McCollum and hope they magically stop heading down the lottery?

As for the small market bit, Woj specifically calls out the trade exception. And you don't have to sign players outright as UFAs to use your cap space.

The more I look at the details of this deal, the more I think the Blazers got excellent value on a number of levels (lottery pick, couple more seconds, some good prospects, solid veteran, serious financial flexibility). Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply inflating McCollum's value -- especially considering he's significantly overpaid.

Maybe I'm naive and not cutthroat like some of the other posters.

But defensive wings (Hart, Snell) plus Dame Lillard looks like a pretty good foundation to build on. Tell me where I'm wrong?

[Who]

Portland did well in this trade. I thought it was very bad for them at first but as more information came out about this trade it showed they actually did well for themselves. To get a mid-to-low lottery pick for McCollum is a good return for an older undersized combo guard on a big salary. It is the equivalent of getting a good young prospect in return + cap relief / flexibility. That is a good deal.

I was angry at first that Boston was not in on this given the low price until we knew more about that pick and, given how valuable that pick is, it is hard to see how Boston could have beaten that offer (3 1sts? even that is no guarantee) and landed McCollum who I would have loved to have had here.

Fair dues to Portland. Good move.

Unfortunately it looks like they are going to follow this up by keeping Lillard which would be a terrible move but well in line with how that team has been run over the last 7-8 years.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Did anyone else hear this report that the Pelicans waived the physical for McCullom to complete this trade?

Yikes.