How Does the CJ McCollum Trade Impact the Thunder?
With the trade deadline looming, and trades already being agreed upon, the direction of many franchises could be decided shortly.
For example, the New Orleans Pelicans, who currently sit at 10th in the Western Conference, have reportedly traded for Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum. The 30-year-old is averaging 20.5 points per game this season on 43.6% shooting.
Here are the full trade details:
Yesterday, New Orleans and Portland were back-to-back in the Western Conferences standings with just a half game of seperste on between the 10th and 11th spot. By trading for McCollum, the Pelicans have committed to winning now, while the Blazers will look to retool their roster to try and keep Damian Lillard this off-season.
If this move can attract Zion Williamson to stay in New Orleans, then it may be worth it for the Pelicans. If Williamson can’t find his way back on the court, and contract extension negotiations go awry, this could be a costly move. The Pelicans have now committed to McCollum’s massive $33 million contract and gave up a promising young prospect in Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
The Pelicans and the Thunder are headed in completely different directions, now, as it seemed like New Orleans may be a threat OKC’s draft position. It seems like the Pelicans are forcing moved to stay relevant, while the Thunder are committed to playing the long game.
Portland, however, swaps spots with New Orleans in the reverse standings, essentially just switching directions. OKC has a 3.5 game head start on the Blazers in the reverse standings that will position each team for the lottery.
The Blazers, after freeing up exceptional cap space and a large trade exception, will be in a spot this off-season to trade for a star. That possibility increases if the Blazers end up with a top five pick, as that would be the best trade bait possible.
If New Orleans’ pick lands within the 5-to-14 range, it conveys to Portland. From that stand point, each team could still end up in the lottery, but both picks would go to the Blazers. From that standpoint, not much changes for the Thunder.
With the Blazers committed to a full tank for just this season, though, Oklahoma City needs to be on high alert if they want to secure the top five draft pick they badly want.
While the Pelicans' move may not elevate them to contender status, it certainly makes them an interesting team to watch that could make a playoff push this season. It will all pay off if the move convinces Williamson to sign an extension. For Portland, they will be near Oklahoma City fighting for draft position.
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still sidelined, these next few weeks will be crucial for the Thunder's draft pick.
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