Grade the trade: Trail Blazers stock up, Lillard joins Zion in wild proposal
By Tyler Watts
Laying out the New Orleans Pelicans proposal for Damian Lillard
Portland’s focus should be young players and draft capital. Trading Lillard means shifting to Scoot Henderson’s timeline. The 19-year-old rookie needs a few years to grow and develop before becoming a superstar.
The Trail Blazers may want a scorer or two to take the pressure off him as a rookie, but the focus should be on pieces that can help him make the franchise a contender in his third season.
Portland does not want C.J. McCollum, but the Pelicans have to trade him for salary-matching purposes in this hypothetical deal. The Clippers are searching for a guard and enter as a logical third team to take McCollum.
The Pelicans flip C.J. McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Kira Lewis Jr., and three first-round picks into Lillard. It gives them a Big 3 with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram flanking the seven-time All-Star point guard. The Pelicans are eager to contend. This trade gets them closer, but Zion must stay healthy for New Orleans to be a serious threat.
The Clippers trade Norman Powell, Marcus Morris Sr., and Brandon Boston Jr. for C.J. McCollum, which feels like a steal for LA. They want to trade Morris Sr. and Powell, so upgrading to a fringe-All-Star is a massive victory.
The Clippers and Pelicans would be on board, but do the Portland Trail Blazers trade Damian Lillard for that package?