Just Right Trade Package: Anfernee Simons and #3 pick for Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones
In any trade that involves the third pick, the Blazers will likely have to give up more than just the pick to get a star player back in a trade. Not only for salary purposes, but because whichever NBA team is trying to acquire the top draft pick will want to feel like they won the trade as well.
The Pelicans have fluctuated between looking like a future contender and a team that peaked too soon in a loaded Western Conference. They have great stars to build around in Ingram and Zion Williamson, young prospects in Dyson Daniels and Trey Murphy III, and some key veterans like CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas.
Even with this collection of talent, they’re still in need of a true point guard who can score the ball and create for others.
That’s what’s inspiring the Pelicans to go for Scoot. By adding another young guard like Simons, who scored over 20 points per game last season, New Orleans can combine its young star forward in Williamson with a pair of young guards in Henderson and Simons who are more along his developmental track.
The Blazers would get back both a star in Ingram and a defensive stopper in Herb Jones, who still has some three-and-D upside. Both wings would give the team elements they haven’t had in a few years, as a second star next to Lillard and a defensive stopper younger and better than Thybulle is worth giving up two good young prospects for a fit that’s just right.