mollyfamwatThe NBA trade deadline is upon us again. This year, in a market where the salary cap is limiting every teams ability to spend, franchises have to be creative to make trades in order to add the right pieces to improve their team. In that vein, the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers made a pair of trades that will shake up the Western Conference playoff picture in the summer.
The Blazers were already a pretty bad team, but when Jusuf Nurkic was lost for the season, it was pretty much a death sentence. What better way to fix the Blazers than to get rid of their best player and get a young stud like Kristaps Porzingis? The Blazers should of traded McCollum to the Knicks a while back, but they were too scared of losing him. It is time to trade Porzingis to the Knicks and get McCollum back so he can play with his buddy, Porzingis.
While the Blazers have been able to rely on Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum for a consistent scorer this season, the Mavs have had to turn to rookie Dennis Smith, Jr. to pick up the slack in the absence of Dirk Nowitzki. While Nowitzki is still expected to return to the Mavs in the next few weeks, the Mavericks were not willing to wait that long for an answer to their scoring problems.. Read more about kristaps porzingis trade knicks and let us know what you think.The Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers have been eliminated in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Mavs and Portland are now wondering how best to surround their star players (Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard) this season. Here’s an idea: How about these two teams make a great trade and send C.J. McCollum to Dallas and Kristaps Porzingis to the Blazers?
Why the Dallas Mavs are pulling the trigger
Porzingis is a great player and a great talent, but he’s essentially relegated to the role of suspension shooter and occasional slasher, a role that doesn’t justify a $30+ million salary. You could say McCollum is a perfect fit for the Mavericks. Have the Mavericks relied too much, or at least too much, on their ability to score points this season? McCollum had a season in which he scored a record 8.9 three-pointers per game. At the same time, McCollum is not only a great shooter, but also a great scorer. He gets to the rim with his dribble, shoots efficiently and has averaged over 20 points per game in each of the last six seasons. McCollum is 29 and in the prime of his career and will be a good complement to Doncic. The former will be the second option in the offense and a solid isolation option for coach Rick Carlisle. Too often, the Mavs were forced to let Doncic play the hero or let whoever had the ball shoot three-point baskets before the clock expired. With McCollum, the Mavericks have added a player who can shoot deep and use his scoring ability to take the offense to the next level. Dallas has players who can play both up front and in the middle, like Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber, to fill the void that Porzingis’ departure will create. The Mavericks have $20 million at their disposal this season, which could be used to strengthen the team and/or contract Tim Hardaway Jr.
Why the Portland Trail Blazers are pulling the trigger
Lillard and McCollum are among the best players in the NBA, but they have never won the Western Conference Finals in six seasons together. With Terry Stotts gone, the Trail Blazers can continue their rebuild by passing McCollum and embracing the talent of Porzingis. Yes, we just talked about Porzingis’ mysterious transfer to Dallas, but the elite talent of this big man is abundantly clear. He can put the ball on the floor, shoot well from outside the perimeter, finish safely in the paint and reflect shots at a high level. The team can win if Porzingis scores the second goal. Maybe the Blazers can get his career back on track? There was a time with the Blazers when the raw Damian Lillard shared the spotlight with All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge. Porzingis has a similar situation, but he is more athletic with the ball in his hands than Aldridge. Portland has one of the best, if not the best, deep ball shooters in the game in Lillard. By operating in the half court, Porzingis can regain more contact in the paint and in the post. Porzingis will also get Lillard’s attention, which could allow him to make more free throws from long range. The Trail Blazers could focus on attracting more defensive flank players and pure shooters for their new star duo. In fact, they held their own in the West this season when McCollum was out for two months. With the familiar faces leaving the building, it’s time for the Trail Blazers to take their chances on the trade market.
Mavs and Trail Blazers have nothing to lose and everything to gain
Yeah, it’s never a perfect intra-conference trade, especially with a team you’re fighting with for a playoff spot. So what do these two teams have to lose? The Trail Blazers continue to run into a wall in the playoffs, and the Mavericks should start winning playoff series with Doncic. Can the Trail Blazers ever win the West, let alone the NBA Finals, with Lillard and McCollum leading the way? With his impact and performance diminishing with each game, can Porzingis ever recover from the max contract the Mavericks signed him to? At this point, McCollum and Porzingis will never have more trade value for their teams than they have now. The Mavericks may need to add another player or a couple of second-round picks to offset the cost with the Blazers. Even if they have to, it’s worth it because McCollum and Porzingis have nearly identical contracts (McCollum is going to make about $99 million and Porzingis about $102 million over the next three seasons). The Trail Blazers model doesn’t work. Porzingis gives them diversity in attack. As for Dallas, they’re trying to be a team that scores a lot of points while paying for a contract he can’t fulfill; McCollum fits perfectly into their offense. Sports facilities are limited. NBA prospects have a short shelf life. The Trail Blazers are on life support and the Mavericks have made minimal, noticeable progress this season. This deal is a win-win and increases both teams’ chances of making the playoffs.After the Rockets traded for disgruntled Jazz guard Alec Burks on Monday, the NBA rumor mill started churning. The Rockets gave up the 6th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and a protected 2019 lottery pick to the Jazz for Burks, a player who couldn’t even crack the rotation of a 17-19 team. At the time, it seemed like a huge risk for the Rockets. The team still has its superstar in James Harden, and Houston has been making strides in the Western Conference. But the trade has worked out so far for both teams. The Rockets are a top 4 seed in the Western Conference, and the Jazz are currently in the top 10.. Read more about kristaps porzingis stats and let us know what you think.
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