The Portland Trail Blazers acquire a young two-way wing from the Golden State Warriors
Why this trade works:
One of the best things that came from the Golden State Warriors injury-riddled 2019-2020 season was the revelation of former second-round pick Eric Paschall.
With Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson sidelined for the season, Paschall came in and earned his spot as the Warriors requisite number one option on offense.
He performed well in his rookie season, averaging 14 points and 4.6 rebounds while slashing 50/29/77. He proved that he’s an NBA-level athlete, capable of guarding both forward spots. His opportunities decreased this year with the return of Curry, but his deep shooting improved, ticking up to 33 percent for the season.
The Portland Trail Blazers could use a wing with his stature and versatility off their bench.
In return, the Warriors receive a young player with a much higher ceiling than Paschall as well as a future first-rounder. This replenishes their assets for use in any moves they make moving forward.
The Portland Trail Blazers trade for an elite guard defender from the San Antonio Spurs
Derrick White made a name for himself in the San Antonio Spurs first-round loss against the Denver Nuggets in the 2019 NBA playoffs. As a sophomore in his second-ever playoff series, he averaged 15.1 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds, while shooting 55 percent from the floor.
Since then, his ceiling has lowered, but he’s established himself as a very useful player that any NBA team could use on their roster.
He’s one of the best defenders at his position, can play either the point or shooting guard spots, can score from all three levels, and can reliably create offense for others as well.
White would be the best guard defender on the Blazers roster and would provide consistent bench scoring and playmaking to Portland’s reserve unit.
In return, the Spurs get two young players to add to their rebuild in Derrick Jones Jr. and Nassir Little; both of whom have the versatility and prototype skills that the Spurs are famous for coercing the best out of in players.
They also get an additional, likely late, first-round pick with which they can try to add another gem in the draft.