Blazers involved in three-way trade with Spurs and Jazz

Portland Trail Blazers interim General Manager Joe Cronin continues to wheel and deal prior to Thursday’s trade deadline

The Portland Trail Blazers flipped two of their latest acquisitions as part of a three-team deal with San Antonio and Utah on Wednesday.

Incoming:

Joe Ingles and Elijah Hughes, along with a second-round pick from the Utah Jazz.

Outgoing:

Guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who Portland acquired Tuesday from New Orleans, to Utah. San Antonio will receive guard Tomáš Satoranský, who was acquired along with Alexander-Walker, and a second-round pick from the Jazz. The Spurs sent forward Juancho Hernangómez to Utah.

What does this mean for the Blazers?:

It’s likely Ingles, 34, will never appear in a game for Portland, as he suffered a season-ending knee injury last month, and he will be a free agent at the end of this season. It is also possible Ingles is sent as filler involving another trade yet to come. ESPN’s Tim Macmahon reported,

"“The Blazers value Hughes as a developmental prospect and continued to create financial flexibility by trading for Ingles who, is making $14 million in the final season of his contract.”"

The 23-year-old 6’5″ small forward Hughes was drafted No. 39 in the second round of the 2020 Draft out of Syracuse. He appeared in 14 games this season, averaging 3.1 points per game. Prior to his injury, Ingles was scoring 7.2 points and 3.5 assists in 45 games averaging 24.9 minutes.

The small forward/shooting guard went undrafted in the 2009 NBA Draft from South Australia. He made his NBA debut in 2014, after playing for several clubs overseas from 2005-to 2014.

The trade deadline is today at 3PM Eastern, and the Blazers are reportedly targeting the Pistons’ Jerami Grant, among others. With their apparent willingness to tank completely for this season and maximize the value of their own first round pick, expect Portland to make another move or two today.