Meet the 4 players headed to the Trail Blazers in the CJ McCollum trade

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Portland Trail Blazers, Josh Hart, CJ McCollum trade, Blazers trade

Jan 31, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Josh Hart (3) reacts in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

Josh Hart brings the most immediate on-court help to Portland

Hart is by far the most accomplished of the four players coming from New Orleans to Portland. He’s started 40 of his 41 games in his fifth season in the league after being drafted 30th in the 2017 NBA draft.

He’s increased his minutes played each season and is averaging a career-best 13.4 points and 4.1 assists in 33.5 minutes per game. While certainly not the scoring threat McCollum is, Hart is at least an average defender. And his 6’5″ frame is better suited for the three spot that Norman Powell was tasked with holding down for much of the season.

The Villanova product has a non-guaranteed contract for next year but gets a player option for 2023-24 if whoever holds his rights on June 25 decides to keep him. That may be the Blazers, or it may be another team in need of some salary cap space for next season. His just-under-$13 million number for each of those option years seems entirely reasonable for a solid rotation player capable of defending three positions.

Hart becomes one of many new Blazers with an uncertain future. His contract situation makes him valuable as a salary cap chip and his relatively low cost makes him a decent on-court value. He likely could be dealt before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, but the same could be said for everyone on the roster not named Anfernee Simons.