Shams: New Orleans sends Hart+picks to Portland for CJ McCollum

[Euphonetiks]

So Nance may end up with a 3rd team. Who is interested in Nance and has a player making around $17M or under that fits with the Pels?

Joe Harris?

Unfortunately he doesn’t fit in the Adams TPE so that wouldn’t work.

[HartfordWhalers]

Pretty disperse set of responses

[BuddyBuckets]

I posted in other trade threads that had CJ to the Pels that I think it's the wrong direction, but I wouldn't be mad if I woke up and saw it had happened.

I think that trying to make the playoffs in a season where you're missing your best player and have some young guys to give lots of playing time to is silly, but here we are.

I loved the way Josh Hart competed and thought he was a great role model, but honestly his shooting was a let down so essentially replacing him with a 20ppg scorer that shoots a good % from 3 is a big win for the Pels.

If they keep Nance it'll be an interesting battle to see who gets minutes between him and Hayes, since Hayes has been super efficient and really impactful lately.

I'm a bit let down by the idea of giving away a lotto pick for an overpaid guy on the downhill side of his career whos one dimensional (scoring). But by the same token I think the Pels can make some noise next year if they're relatively healthy.

Jonas/Hayes
Zion/Nance? (Hayes)
Herb / Trey Murphy
CJ / Devonte
Ingram / Alvarado (Kira)

There's a lot of points in that team.

[Blazinaway]

Happy with this trade for Portland, gives us a ton of flexibility now or this summer. CJ is a great guy but needed to go, he'll be good for NO, especially if/when they get Zion back. POR "could" have two lotto picks this year and have a 20 mil TPE and depending on what they do they have the option for a lot of capspace this summer. We got some young guys to play a lot of minutes the rest of the season so that will be interesting as well. We were locked into mediocrity, now we have a lot more options. I didn't like the first trade all that much but I like this one a lot.

[Prospect Dong]

Pelicans making a move….to hopefully be an above average team lol. Don’t get it

Oldest story in the book. The GM doesn’t want to get fired, despite not acting in the best interests of the team long term

Yeah, I feel like Griffin has been trying to win-now since they drafted Zion - acting like he was building around a late prime Lebron rather than a teenager. The trouble is that the earlier win-now moves make it tough not to double down on more win-now moves, because you keep trading down and not hitting on your picks.

[buckboy]

I think it's a decent deal for New Orleans, but they are going to be a dreadful defensive team as constituted.

[MKWB]

[instagram][/instagram]

I think it's a decent deal for New Orleans, but they are going to be a dreadful defensive team as constituted.

I see why people are assuming that, but let's break it down.
-Herb Jones is legit one of the best defenders in the league already. He can guard 1-5 and cover for mistakes.
-Ingram has improved his defense so much this season. Switching, helping, talking on D. I'd say he's a plus on that end, but can say at least neutral.
-Grahan will probably come off the bench. So probably limited minutes with CJ and Graham in the backcourt together.
-JV is slow on switches, but still huge and a deterent in the paint and secures rebounds.
-Jose Alvarado is a plus defensive spark who should continue to provide significant minutes.
-Jaxson Hayes is a super-athlete offering shot-blocking and switch-D ability.
-Nance is a plus defender, versatile.

So overall, I think they'll be fine on defense. And the big boost on Offense will help put less pressure on their Defense.

[buckboy]

Of the 5 starters I don't think any other than Jones are average.

[Texas Chuck]

[instagram][/instagram]

I think it's a decent deal for New Orleans, but they are going to be a dreadful defensive team as constituted.

I see why people are assuming that, but let's break it down.
-Herb Jones is legit one of the best defenders in the league already. He can guard 1-5 and cover for mistakes.
-Ingram has improved his defense so much this season. Switching, helping, talking on D. I'd say he's a plus on that end, but can say at least neutral.
-Grahan will probably come off the bench. So probably limited minutes with CJ and Graham in the backcourt together.
-JV is slow on switches, but still huge and a deterent in the paint and secures rebounds.
-Jose Alvarado is a plus defensive spark who should continue to provide significant minutes.
-Jaxson Hayes is a super-athlete offering shot-blocking and switch-D ability.
-Nance is a plus defender, versatile.

So overall, I think they'll be fine on defense. And the big boost on Offense will help put less pressure on their Defense.

Is Nance going to play enough to where you would say the Pels defense looks better on paper today than yesterday? I would say no, right? And for all the positives you list this is a bottom 1/4 of the league defense at the moment.

I think CJ might get their offense up to about average though and that might be enough to keep them in the play-in mix. But despite those young defenders you like, the defense hasn't been good. Which makes me think the scheme might be bad?

[vxmike]

Maybe Portland is collecting assets for a bigger move?

Doubtful as they haven’t gotten much in way of assets for dumping multiple rotation players

The Clippers trade made zero sense.

[vxmike]

Ok now it's's REALLY easy to get max space

Yeah both the Wizards and Nets F.O. should be a little nervous here.

There was some smoke about Harden considering Portland on his list of teams last year, but I think that had to do with a personal connection to Neil Olshey and before this season that will likely end in them being one of the 7 worst teams in basketball

Portland does have a TON of strip clubs.

[zimpy27]

So this is the Pels?

Graham, McCollum, Ingram, Zion, Val -- Kira, Temple, TM3, Jones, Hayes

[BuddyBuckets]

So this is the Pels?

Graham, McCollum, Ingram, Zion, Val -- Kira, Temple, TM3, Jones, Hayes

Basically, yea, but it's likely Graham will come off the bench and Herb will stay in the starting 5 for defensive purposes.

If they can find a rugged reserve wing for scraps and picks, that would be ideal. Trey Murph is a year or two off being a contributer in a playoff series


EDIT: You forgot Nance, doubt Snell gets much burn

[zimpy27]

So this is the Pels?

Graham, McCollum, Ingram, Zion, Val -- Kira, Temple, TM3, Jones, Hayes

Basically, yea, but it's likely Graham will come off the bench and Herb will stay in the starting 5 for defensive purposes.

If they can find a rugged reserve wing for scraps and picks, that would be ideal. Trey Murph is a year or two off being a contributer in a playoff series


EDIT: You forgot Nance, doubt Snell gets much burn

Ok so:

McCollum, Ingram, Herb, Zion, Val -- Graham, Kira, TM3, Nance, Hayes

[Whole Truth]

[instagram][/instagram]

I think it's a decent deal for New Orleans, but they are going to be a dreadful defensive team as constituted.

I see why people are assuming that, but let's break it down.
-Herb Jones is legit one of the best defenders in the league already. He can guard 1-5 and cover for mistakes.
-Ingram has improved his defense so much this season. Switching, helping, talking on D. I'd say he's a plus on that end, but can say at least neutral.
-Grahan will probably come off the bench. So probably limited minutes with CJ and Graham in the backcourt together.
-JV is slow on switches, but still huge and a deterent in the paint and secures rebounds.
-Jose Alvarado is a plus defensive spark who should continue to provide significant minutes.
-Jaxson Hayes is a super-athlete offering shot-blocking and switch-D ability.
-Nance is a plus defender, versatile.

So overall, I think they'll be fine on defense. And the big boost on Offense will help put less pressure on their Defense.

Is Nance going to play enough to where you would say the Pels defense looks better on paper today than yesterday? I would say no, right? And for all the positives you list this is a bottom 1/4 of the league defense at the moment.

I think CJ might get their offense up to about average though and that might be enough to keep them in the play-in mix. But despite those young defenders you like, the defense hasn't been good. Which makes me think the scheme might be bad?

Are you factoring their slow 2-14 start skewing their defensive numbers ? because they're currently 2 games over 500 over their last 30 something games. CJ does nothing to upgrade Graham defensively but Graham is currently not much of a defender either.

Cost - Age, contract & the fact CJ doesn't upgrade Graham defensively is all the reason to not like the trade.

Cost was less than I was expecting - Hart was signed to be traded, NAW was negative value & the protected FRP can be negated

Age, contract & defense - I think NO's could have targeted a younger 3 & D option to better bolster the teams defense over risking CJ's overall defensive fit & max contract but he does bring shooting to the table where Graham has been streaky & neither Hart or NAW provided.

Personally, I don't love the trade target but understand NO's were already surging & playing themselves out of the top 10. Currently 2 games over 500 since their slow start heading into the easiest part of their schedule, 3.5 games back of Lakers 9th seed who own the current 12th pick, with Zion also potentially returning post break. Where if NO's can surpass LA for that 9th playin seeding.. The protection on the 22 FRP owed to both Portland & Charlotte would be surrendered (12-14) to Portland & 2, 2nds to Charlotte if they fail to make the PO's. Which makes it a win/win scenario. Playoff or lotto pick.

Lakers next 3 games are agianst Portland, GS, Utah where it's not hard to imagine a 1-2 record with them holding the 12th pick, a game up on Washington, 1.5 games up on Knicks & 3.5 games up on NO's, where if NO's make the surge for 9th seed, they will be effectively swapping PO potential & draft picks with LA as they will only need one of Washington or Knicks to put it together 1 game back for LA to be the 10th seed owed to NO's where they were already playing their way out of their own 10th pick without either addition of CJ & potentially Zion post break. Which I assume his return is reason behind targeting & bringing an overpaid vet

Not a fan of the trade target but I like the strategy &.thinking behind it.

[Whole Truth]

So this is the Pels?

Graham, McCollum, Ingram, Zion, Val -- Kira, Temple, TM3, Jones, Hayes

Besides his contract being designed for trade. Hart was moved in part to make way for Herb's play. He's not just one of the best rookie defenders, he's one of the leagues best defenders as a rookie, which is what will help balance the starting rotations defense.

CJ doesn't upgrade Graham defensively but Herb upgrades Hart defensively & he has range (40% on 2 APG) where Hart did not. Though I would have prefered a younger 3&D target on a better contract than CJ. He atleast upgrades all of Graham, Hart & Naw's inconsistency from range.

(3&D), Herb, BI, Zion, Val ---- Jose, Graham/TM3, Naji/TM3, Nance/Hermangomez, Hayes ---- is how I would have went. A younger option, better contract & better potential to upgrade the overall defense than either Graham or CJ provide.

[lordjeff05]

Just to echo what's been said here already, the Pels have been an average defensive team since Dec 1. If you believe, like I do, that the CJ and Lance will replace Graham and Hart, then I don't think we necessarily lose much defensively.

[Blazinaway]

Nance having knee surgery Friday - I assume Pels knew about this?

[Mrakar]

Nance having knee surgery Friday - I assume Pels knew about this?

Wouldnt surprise me if they didnt...
Estimated time of return is earliest aftet six weeks
That means he will be availible last 6-7 games at best...

[MKWB]

So this is the Pels?

Graham, McCollum, Ingram, Zion, Val -- Kira, Temple, TM3, Jones, Hayes

Besides his contract being designed for trade. Hart was moved in part to make way for Herb's play. He's not just one of the best rookie defenders, he's one of the leagues best defenders as a rookie, which is what will help balance the starting rotations defense.

CJ doesn't upgrade Graham defensively but Herb upgrades Hart defensively & he has range (40% on 2 APG) where Hart did not. Though I would have prefered a younger 3&D target on a better contract than CJ. He atleast upgrades all of Graham, Hart & Naw's inconsistency from range.

(3&D), Herb, BI, Zion, Val ---- Jose, Graham/TM3, Naji/TM3, Nance/Hermangomez, Hayes ---- is how I would have went. A younger option, better contract & better potential to upgrade the overall defense than either Graham or CJ provide.

This trade will def help the Pels, and I agree that I probably would have went a different direction. But one clear positive of this deal is no more unrealistic, bad Simmons to Pelicans trade ideas