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After the Portland Trail Blazers unloaded two of their key pieces in Norman Powell and Robert Covington, the word around the NBA is that they could be looking to move CJ McCollum next as they continue to rebuild the roster around Damian Lillard.
The Blazers are still trying to make major moves under the tutelage of interim GM Joe Cronin. Jusuf Nurkic is on an expiring contract while Larry Nance Jr. has two more seasons, so they are more realistic assets to be traded given the potential suitors they can get. On the other hand, it could be tougher to trade McCollum since his contract lasts for two more seasons after 2021-22, with his final year close to $36 million.
Even with that predicament, there are some franchises who must formulate packages in trying to lure McCollum. Here are the best trade destinations for the Blazers guard.
CJ McCollum Trade Destinations
The missing link for the Cleveland Cavaliers is obvious: they need a playmaker and a secondary scorer who can create his own shots alongside All-Star guard Darius Garland. There have been a bunch of names floating around, but CJ McCollum has not been seriously linked with this squad.
His age is not similar to their core, but McCollum could be a calculated risk since Garland and Evan Mobley are still on their rookie contracts.
Kevin Love and McCollum would be the mentors and veteran presence for the ascending Cavs organization. Moreover, Garland would get a much-needed help when defenses blitzes or traps him on pick-and-roll situations. McCollum could create for Mobley and Jarrett Allen or even their other proficient shooters.
Additionally, JB Bickerstaff could mitigate McCollum's weaknesses on defense through their twin tower combination anchoring the paint.
Over the past month, the Dallas Mavericks have been the second-best defense in the league behind the Boston Celtics. Coach Jason Kidd has imparted a magnificent system, but one consistent glaring hole in Dallas is a secondary shot creator and ball handler alongside Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic.
While Jalen Brunson has been phenomenal after Kidd inserted him in the first unit to lessen the load on Doncic, the offense could still use a much-needed boost if Dallas wants to compete for the title.
Even with Doncic and Brunson, Dallas still needs an individual like McCollum who is better Brunson in terms of long-range shooting and scoring. Tim Hardaway Jr.'s foot injury has magnified the importance of adding another wing on their roster. Thus, convincing Portland to trade McCollum without giving up Kristaps Porzingis would be an incredible move for Mark Cuban and the Mavs.
With the New York Knicks having seven players paid over $8 million this year, they must try their best to combine those players to acquire a more proven asset like McCollum. After their fourth seed run least season, they invested too much of their future on the current roster, which hindered their flexibility for a struggling season like this current one.
For the aforementioned Powell and Covington trade, the Los Angeles Clippers were able to add two exceptional individuals without giving up that much in return. If Portland is willing to fully rebuild and construct a new iteration under Lillard, the Knicks have young assets like Obi Toppin or Immanuel Quickley along with reliable role players like Alec Burks, Kemba Walker, Mitchell Robinson or Nerlens Noel. This move gives Portland more flexibility rather than keeping three undersized guards in Lillard, McCollum and Anfernee Simons for the long term.
McCollum's name has been thrown in trade rumors for numerous seasons already, but one must realize that his contract would be tough to acquire for any organization. He is terrific offensively, but it is difficult to commit on someone who is undersized as a two-guard who could be exploited defensively. Even with these weaknesses, the three teams mentioned could afford to risk it on McCollum and improve immensely on their current standing in the wide-open NBA season.
