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Trail Blazers: 3 impact trades to help ease Jusuf Nurkic’s eventual return

By Ryan Gaskin

PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 25: Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets during their game at Moda Center on March 25, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 25: Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets during their game at Moda Center on March 25, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Option No. 2: Kevin Love

Kevin Love is yet another All-Star who seems to be stuck on a mediocre roster for the foreseeable future. While Cleveland have actually started the season pretty well, and have a couple of nice looking young guards, they won’t be ruffling any feathers in the playoffs for at least a few years. Kevin Love doesn’t really have time for that.

Since LeBron James left Cleveland two years ago to head to LakerLand, Love has been stuck in limbo, putting up the same solid numbers on a horrible Cavaliers team. The forward has averaged 18 points a game in what has been a successful career; he was a star in Minnesota, and then helped the Cavs to that famous championship from 3-1 down.

Love is 31 and has had his share of injury problems in the past, and his clock is ticking. He has a few more years of quality for sure, but he needs to act now if he wants another significant stint on a playoff team. Love can play center as well as his favored power forward position, but isn’t on the same level defensively as Draymond, so this trade would depend on Nurkic’s fitness more than the previous slide.

So how would Love fit in? In Cleveland, he was the third option, and he’d likely play a similar role in Portland behind Dame and CJ. Love would give the Blazers a more significant post threat than Zach Collins, and he can shoot the ball considerably better than Hassan Whiteside. Even if the Blazers did roll the dice on Nurkic’s fitness this season, and part ways with Whiteside, Love could fill in at the 5, and create a small-ball lineup to finish playoff games. He’d give them all kinds of shooting options, and they’d like outscore most teams they played.

Kevin Love would also give the Blazers zero chemistry issues, given the fact he grew up in Portland. He seems to still really love the place, and spent some of his summer reminiscing of his childhood, which sparked trade rumors.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bza30pwA-LM/

The Blazers could potentially flip Hassan Whiteside’s expiring contract, and either Kent Bazemore, or even better, retain Bazemore and offer Nassir Little, Portland’s recent first round draft pick. Cleveland are currently compiling young pieces in an attempt at rebuilding, and are guard heavy in this department, with Colin Sexton and Darius Garland looking like a pretty solid backcourt for years to come. Because of this, the Blazers could retain Anfernee Simons, who is looking like a key scoring option off of the bench.

Here’s what the trade may look like.