Damian Lillard finally gave in to what his body had been telling him since the summer, undergoing a procedure on Thursday to address nagging abdominal tendinopathy. The Portland Trail Blazers announced that Lillard would be re-evaluated in six weeks, though his potential return to the floor this season depends largely on where the team sits in the Western Conference standings once he's cleared to play.
Interim general manager Joe Cronin and the Blazers were poised for a busy trade deadline even before Lillard went under the knife. Not only do they need to shed just over $3 million of salary to dip below the luxury tax, but Cronin made clear during his introductory press conference a few weeks ago that personnel changes loomed in Rip City. Lillard's uncertain status for the season's remainder puts the Blazers in an even greater state of flux, with a likely ceiling of the play-in tournament and the rare opportunity for a high lottery pick awaiting.
Here are three players Portland must try and move before the trade deadline comes and goes on February 10th.
Robert Covington
No player on the roster is more likely to be dealt than Covington. Demoted to the bench in early December amid sustained labors of Portland's incumbent starting lineup, Covington's come alive on both ends of late, re-cementing himself as an ultra-disruptive help defender and opportunistic, if streaky, three-point shooter.
Covington has at least four combined steals and blocks in six of his last 11 games. His 3.9 deflections per game since being benched rank fourth in the league, per NBA.com/stats. He's also been more aggressive offensively as the Blazers deal with ongoing absences of key cogs, supplementing improved long-range shooting with a bit more verve off the dribble attacking close-outs.
. @brookeolzendam: "When you went to join your team at center court, you yelled out a scream. Can I ask what you said?"@Holla_At_Rob33: "Great f*cking win."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 11, 2022
Covington has always been miscast as a primary stopper, and can't be counted on to knock down open jumpers like pure shooters. Every contender in the league could use a forward with his length, experience and penchant for wreaking havoc defensively as a back-line helper and digging down to the nail. His $12.9 million contract comes off the books this summer, too, making Covington even more attractive for a team looking for one last piece to burnish its title hopes.
Jusuf Nurkic
Hopes of Nurkic becoming a real focal point of Portland's offense never materialized this season. Though he's mostly kept disappointment stemming from that unsurprising development quiet, it's no secret that Nurkic hasn't been pleased with his ancillary role in Rip City over the past few seasons.
Like Covington, he's a free agent come summer. But Nurkic is a more difficult plug-and-play trade acquisition due to both the diminishing value of centers and his overall lack of flexibility on both sides of the ball. Still a defensive bellwether for Portland this season, he's no doubt better off playing a more conservative pick-and-roll scheme than Chauncey Billups' ultra-aggressive coverage. Nurkic isn't a lob threat at the rim nor the type of interior floor-spacer who opens up the court for his teammates.
The writing seems on the wall regarding Nurkic's tenure in Rip City. The question now is whether the Blazers are able to flip him for any type of asset before he likely walks on the open market come July.
C.J. McCollum
Anfernee Simons' breakout recent play while moonlighting as Portland's lead ball handler should encourage Portland to move McCollum. Both Simons and Billups pointed to the former's increased responsibilities with the ball as the driving force behind the most encouraging stretch of his career. Even if the Blazers ultimately decide to slot a different type of player next to Lillard in the backcourt going forward, it's never been more obvious that the extent of Simons' growth could be largely dependent on getting more touches.
Here's why Anfernee Simons is thriving without Damian Lillard #RipCityhttps://t.co/GB8CLxyx2c
— Blazers Nation (@BlazersNationCP) January 11, 2022
Moving McCollum is the surest means of affording Simons that high-usage role. His value is at an all-time low in wake of a collapsed right lung that's sidelined him the last five weeks, and McCollum wasn't exactly lighting it up before suffering the injury. At 30 years old with two seasons and roughly $69 million remaining on his current deal, McCollum is a tricky trade piece even before considering his lagging two-way versatility.
Odds are that McCollum remains in Rip City past the deadline unless the Philadelphia 76ers lower their steep asking price for Ben Simmons. Player movement always comes easier in the offseason. Either way, Cronin and the front office should be tirelessly working the phones to find prospective trade partners for the Blazers' biggest domino ahead of February 10th.
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