NBA Trade Grades: CJ McCollum Deal Continues Teardown for Blazers

The guard is headed to New Orleans in a blockbuster deal.

Reinforcements are on the way for the Pelicans’ play-in push. New Orleans acquired CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell from the Blazers on Tuesday, in exchange for Josh Hart, Tomáš Satoranský, Nickeil Walker-Alexander, Didi Louzada, a protected first-round pick and two second-round picks, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

McCollum, 30, is averaging 20.5 points per game this season, and is signed through 2024. Nance, who has not played since Jan. 5 is signed through ’23.

The trade continues the teardown in Portland, which also dealt away Robert Covington and Norm Powell this week. Satoranský is in the final year of his contract and Hart’s contract is not guaranteed for next season, while Walker-Alexander and Louzada combine to make less than $10 million in 2022–23. Let’s grade the deal for both sides.

Pelicans: B-

I more so understand this move for New Orleans than I’m particularly hyped up for it. McCollum is an accomplished scorer, and the best one Brandon Ingram (and hopefully at some point Zion Williamson) will have played with in the Bayou. A hypothetical McCollum-Ingram-Zion trio should be potent offensively, with Herb Jones or Devonte’ Graham able to fill in the gaps around them. Meanwhile, Nance is a sneaky important part of this trade. He could be the type of bouncy, athletic part-time five man who can succeed defensively alongside Zion. He can also play next to Jonas Valančiūnas now, or anchor small groups next to Ingram. The trade does seemingly lock in a McCollum-Ingram-Zion core. Where that gets you in the West may rely on Williamson’s health more than anything else. Also, as nice as the core is on paper offensively, it's going to be a massive question mark defensively.

The Pelicans are also under a unique amount of pressure to build around Williamson, considering his injury history. Zion will almost certainly sign an extension once it’s put in front of him, but there are constant murmurs about him being a flight risk. Competing in the play-in and putting talent around Williamson may be a higher priority for New Orleans’s front office as opposed to a slow, methodical build. And for what it’s worth the Pels have gone 20–20 since their 1–12 start, and the team has added talent since. McCollum comes at a healthy price—both in terms of what’s being sent out and what he’ll cost moving forward—still it’s one the Pelicans are likely more compelled to pay for reasons not fully in their control.

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Blazers: C+

The biggest issue with this Blazers’ fire sale is the price they paid for the players they are now parting with. As has been pointed out by a few people now, Portland traded away three firsts to acquire Covington and Nance. Now those two players, as well as talented vets like Powell and McCollum have been shipped out, with only one first-round pick coming back in return. Of course, Portland’s current front office can only look forward, and the Blazers now have plenty more flexibility to put a new team around Damian Lillard—provided he still wants to stay.

Portland will have less than $70 million in salary commitments next season, giving them space to re-sign the emerging Anfernee Simons as well as chase a free agent or two. Hart can come off the books or be kept around for the next iteration of a playoff contender. (If the Blazers really do want to build around Dame still, keeping Hart seems logical.) And the first-round pick should be valuable, landing in Portland if it’s between selections five and 14 this year, or in the future if not.

Obviously, the Blazers were hoping to extract every last bit of draft capital and potential future contributors from their trades this week. For now, their future seems mostly tied to financial flexibility, and while not nothing, it is possibly the riskiest long-term play. Ultimately, the trades Portland makes now can’t really be judged until at least this upcoming offseason.