Though it's not a trade they were at the heart of, the 2021 deal that centered around Lauri Markkanen going to the Cleveland Cavaliers has aged like milk in the sun for the Portland Trail Blazers. It's a deal that many have forgotten about, but the 2026 NBA Draft has opened up old wounds.
The silver lining is that Portland can finally move on. The downside, however, is that they gave up Derrick Jones Jr. and a lottery-protected pick that became Dailyn Swain in order to land Larry Nance Jr. and trade him mere months later.
Headlines about the trade centered around Markkanen being traded to the Cavaliers. Portland went all-in on Nance, however, as they gave up Jones and a first-round draft pick just to land him—and then trade him after 37 games.
Thankfully, Portland is finally able to move on from an egregious trade that cost them a first-round pick and a high-level defensive wing.
Portland delayed the conveyance of their lottery protected first-round pick by four years, but after making the playoffs in 2026, it finally conveyed.
Bulls select Dailyn Swain with pick Blazers traded for Larry Nance Jr.
The trade stings on multiple levels. For one, Portland could've utilized the No. 15 overall selection in the 2026 NBA Draft to improve a young and promising roster that still has question marks in regard to three-point shooting, wing depth, and point guard play.
After watching Chicago select Swain, Portland can only wonder what could've been had they added one of the more intriguing scoring wings in this class.
What makes the trade for Nance even worse is that Jones has become one of the best defensive wings in the NBA. He helped the Dallas Mavericks reach the NBA Finals just three years later, playing 23.5 minutes per game during the regular season and 29.4 during the playoffs.
Now a member of the LA Clippers, Jones has built upon that breakout season by ranking in the 94th percentile in perimeter isolation defense during the 2025-26 season, per Basketball Index.
Portland is nothing to scoff at on defense, of course, but Jones has become the type of 3-and-D wing they need. He's shot 35.6 percent or better from beyond the arc in each of the past two seasons and now joins Swain as potentially valuable pieces the Trail Blazers let get away.
Thankfully, Portland can move forward from the Nance debacle and make better decisions moving forward after the first-round pick finally conveyed.
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