The writing has been on the wall for weeks as rumors swirled that the Portland Trail Blazers were likely to move Josh Hart by the NBA trade deadline. Logically, trading Hart’s expiring deal was a move Portland General Manager Joe Cronin had to make, as the Blazers were unlikely to give him a contract extension.
The deal is now done. The Blazers traded Hart to the New York Knicks for Cam Reddish and a lottery-protected 2023 first-round pick, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Knicks also sent Svi Mykhailiuk and Ryan Arcidiacono to the Blazers in this deal.
Portland also brought in Matisse Thybulle, Kevin Knox, and a slew of picks, in addition to sending Gary Payton II to the Golden State Warriors and forwarding Mykhailiuk on to Charlotte in the Thybulle deal.
The Portland Trail Blazers updated roster and depth chart post-trade deadline
Cam Reddish was the headliner for Portland in the Hart trade, at least from a player perspective.
Reddish was drafted 10th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2019 NBA draft and traded to the Knicks last year.
Reddish is a versatile player who can play multiple positions on the court, including shooting guard and small forward. He has good size for his position at 6-foot-8 and has the ability to score from beyond the arc, as well as attack the rim and finish with athleticism.
He has also shown promise as a defender with the potential to guard multiple positions.
In his first four seasons in the NBA, Reddish has shown flashes of that potential, but has also faced some inconsistency, particularly with his shooting. He has also dealt with some injuries that have impacted his development.
Despite this, he remains an intriguing young player with a high ceiling, and the Blazers are hopeful that he will continue to improve and become a key player for the team in the future. If he struggles, the Blazers can decline his $8.1 million qualifying offer this summer.
Thybulle is one of the league’s best wing defenders. He’s been named to two NBA all-defense teams in his first three seasons in the league, but has fallen out of the 76ers rotation because of his lack of any offensive ability.
If he’s taking GP2’s spot off the bench, hopefully he can continue to focus on being one of the best defensive stoppers in the NBA and not worry too much about his offense.
Knox was the ninth overall pick in 2018 by the Knicks. The athleticism and scoring ability he showed in college at Kentucky was alluring, but he’s failed to develop into even a rotation-caliber player.
Arcidiacono is a point guard known for his toughness, leadership, and ability to run a team’s offense. He has good size at 6-3 and is a solid ball-handler and passer, able to set up his teammates for easy baskets. He is also a tenacious defender who uses his quickness and instincts to disrupt opposing offenses.
Arcidiacono remains with the Blazers after being salary filler in the Hart deal.
Updated depth chart:
PG: Damian Lillard, Shaedon Sharpe, Anfernee Simons, Ryan Arcidiacono
SG: Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Matisse Thybulle, Cam Reddish, Keon Johnson
SF: Nassir Little, Matisse Thybulle, Cam Reddish, Kevin Knox II, Keon Johnson
PF: Jerami Grant, Nassir Little, Kevin Knox II, Jabari Walker, Cam Reddish
C: Jusuf Nurkic, Drew Eubanks, Trendon Watford, Jabari Walker, John Butler Jr.