NBA Trade Rumors featuring Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum heated up on Monday, just three days before the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline. The Blazers, in the midst of a losing season, carrying a bloated payroll, and looking to build toward the future, have more incentive to move McCollum now than at any time in the past nine years.
This evening freelance NBA writer Landon Buford, who has bylines with SI and Forbes among other places, suggested that the New Orleans Pelicans have offered a multi-player package and picks for Portland’s star guard.
Pelicans last offer to Blazers was: Satoransky, Hart, Hayes, Murphy, 2022 Lakers FRP, 2023 Pelicans FRP for C.J. McCollum, Per NBA Source.
Blazers want more assets but didn’t specify who.
The players in question are:
- 6’5 Forward Josh Hart, 26, averaging 13.4 points and 7.8 rebounds in 33.3 minutes per game, shooting 50.5% from the field and 32.3% from the three-point arc.
- 6’11 Center Jaxson Hayes, 21, averaging 8.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game, shooting 63.5% from the field and 30.4% from the arc. Hayes was the 8th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
- 6’7 combo guard Tomas Satoransky, 30, averaging 2.8 points and 2.4 assists in 15.0 minutes per game, shooting 29.9% from the field and 18.1% from the arc.
- 6’9 small forward Trey Murphy III, 21, in his rookie season, averaging 3.9 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game, shooting 33.8% from the field and 34.0% from the arc. Murphy was the 17th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
The 2022 first-round pick from the Lakers, if in play, has muddied applicability. It would only transfer to the Pelicans if it were Top 10 in the draft order. Otherwise it would go to the Memphis Grizzlies. It’s unclear what the back-up plan would be should New Orleans not receive the pick.
New Orleans’ own first-round pick in 2023 is free and clear to trade.
The names in play are in the realm of credibility, though the Blazers could not absorb all four players without trading back and/or cutting players currently on their roster.
The value in this rumor is likely more setting the wide boundaries of assets under discussion rather than nailing down an exact package.
McCollum is averaging 20.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 35.2 minutes per game for the Blazers this season, shooting 43.6% from the field and 38.4% from the three-point arc. His contract runs for two years beyond this one, peaking at $35.8 million in 2023-24. He’s earning $30.9 million this season.
Hart is making $12 million this year. His contract technically runs for two more years but next season is not guaranteed. Hayes and Murphy are still on rookie-scale contracts. Satoransky is making $10 million this season on an expiring contract.
