Sullinger has turned himself into a deep threat since coming to the NBA, but the 2015-16 season has seen his progress slow. Offseason additions of David Lee and Amir Johnson has the Celtics big man rotation severely over crowded. Now in a smaller role, the former Ohio State power forward is averaging 9.7 PPG along with 8.6 RPG.
At 23 years old, Sullinger fits the timeline for the Trail Blazers’ future. He would likely step right into the starting power forward spot if he is acquired by Portland. Sullinger is headed for restricted free agency this summer, so Neil Olshey would at least have the option to match a long term offer.
Even though it feels like Young has been in the league forever, he is only 27 years old. With that being said, he is still likely to be too old before Brooklyn is relevant again. The Nets should be looking to clear as much cap space as possible and Portland is the perfect partner to offload contracts onto.
Young is not your traditional stretch four, as he lacks the ability to shoot from beyond the arc consistently. His athletic ability makes up for it though, as he constantly gets good looks at the basket by exploiting slower defenders. Having Young and Al-Farouq Aminu in the same lineup would present Terry Stotts with a massive amount of flexibility on the defensive end.
Markieff Morris / Ryan Anderson
Both players are on teams that are under achieving and both players are likely to be moved before the deadline. It is also becoming clear that both teams (Suns, Pelicans) are asking above market value for these assets. The last thing Portland should do is overpay for players at this point.
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