3 trades the Trail Blazers can make following CJ McCollum’s injury

The full-court heave: Setting up a new 1-2 punch in Portland

This one guts the Blazers young core in favor of adding the dominant Towns, who would be Damian Lillard’s new best friend. He’s going to cost a bundle, but he’s as dominant a frontcourt player as there is in the league, and he’s still just 26 and improving.

Minnesota has lost five in a row to fall to 11-15 and just out of the playoff picture, so they’re not ready to burn it all down yet, but they’ll potentially be in a different spot as the trade deadline approaches.

The Timberwolves are a perennial lost cause, and one would think that their resident überstar would be frustrated and looking for a way out of town, but Towns has been Lillard-esque in stating his desire to stay.

Maybe the opportunity to play with Dame and not having to shovel snow six months out of the year will persuade him to come west.

Everyone in this deal other than McCollum, Towns, and Simons is on an expiring deal, and Simons is eligible for his fourth-year qualifying offer this offseason. Beverley is in the fourth quarter of his career, but can still help the Blazers defensively.

Let’s face it, if Cronin can bring in anyone who can guard two or three positions better than the Turnstile Crew the Blazers have been running out there most of the season, I’ll pick them up from the airport and buy them a welcome taco.