Pelicans acquire McCollum in 7-player trade with Blazers
The New Orleans Pelicans have acquired guard CJ McCollum from the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a seven-player tradeFEBRUARY 8, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 13-26 · 13TH IN WESTERN CONFERENCE
13-26 · 13TH IN WESTERN CONFERENCE
Next Game vs Clippers · Fri 3:00AM
Didi Louzada - Dealt to Portland The Trail Blazers acquired Louzada (knee) on Tuesday along with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, a 2022 protected first-round pick and two future second-round...
Impact As a 23-year-old on a rookie deal, Louzada's developmental timeline theoretically aligns with Portland's rebuilding effort, but that doesn't mean that he's necessarily part of their long-term plans. Since making the jump from Australia to the NBA late in the 2020-21 season, Louzada made only five appearances for the Pelicans. A 25-game suspension earlier in the current season for violating the NBA's anti-drug program may have cost him some playing time, but the defensive-minded wing hadn't been included in the Pelicans' rotation anyway. Shortly after his suspension lapsed, Louzada was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee in late January and has since undergone surgery. Louzada also recently tested positive for COVID-19, but he's since cleared the health and safety protocols and will be able to report to Portland to have his rehab program monitored. Louzada is without an official timeline to return from surgery, but it's possible his absence extends through the remainder of the season.
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Larry Nance Jr headed to New Orleans What’s the buzz on Twitter? Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen With Pelicans moving Josh Hart to get C.J. McCollum, Pels will be without two p...
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • HOOPSHYPE.COM
CJ McCollum trade details: Trail Blazers close to sending veteran guard to Pelicans After years of stagnation and trade speculation involving one of their two foundational pieces, the Portland Trail Blazers are finally break...
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • SPORTINGNEWS.COM
Tomas Satoransky - Shipped to Portland in blockbuster The Trail Blazers acquired Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Josh Hart, Didi Louzada (knee) a protected 2022 first-round pick and two future second-round picks from the Pelican...
Impact Satoransky and Louzada should be viewed as throw-ins in the deal, as neither player is likely to emerge as a consistent rotation player for Portland in the second half of the season. After New Orleans acquired him from Chicago this offseason in the sign-and-trade deal that sent Lonzo Ball to the Bulls, Satoransky held a minor role in the rotation for the first two months of the campaign, averaging just 2.8 points, 2.4 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 0.4 steals in 15.0 minutes per game while shooting 29.9 percent from the field. Satoransky had appeared in just one game for New Orleans since the beginning of January, with undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado supplanting him in the rotation as the backup point guard. He likely won't be available to make his Trail Blazers debut until Wednesday's game against the Lakers.
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Nickeil Alexander-Walker - Bound for Portland The Trail Blazers agreed Tuesday to acquire Alexander-Walker, Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada (knee), a 2022 protected first-round pick and two future second-round picks...
Impact A popular sleeper heading into fantasy drafts this season, Alexander-Walker opened the season in a starting role for New Orleans, but a string of wretched shooting performances resulted in a move to the second unit. He came off the bench in 31 of his last 32 appearances and averaged 11.8 points, 2.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 three-pointers in 24.2 minutes per contest, but Alexander-Walker still only shot 37.6 percent from the field and 69.1 percent from the free-throw line. Though the 23-year-old hasn't provided much evidence that he's worthy of a big-minute role at the NBA level, the rebuilding Trail Blazers will likely give him an extended look over the final few months of the season to see if he's worthy of including in their long-term nucleus. The 2019 first-round pick is under contract through next season after the Pelicans exercised his $5.01 million team option for 2022-23 in October. With the trade not yet finalized, Alexander-Walker likely won't be available for Portland's game Tuesday against the Magic, but he could be ready to debut for his new team Wednesday versus the Lakers.
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Josh Hart - Headed to Portland The Trail Blazers agreed Tuesday to acquire Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada (knee), a 2022 protected first-round pick and two future second-round pic...
Impact Hart has enjoyed the best season of his career in his fifth year in the NBA in 2021-22, averaging 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 three-pointers in 33.5 minutes per game over 41 appearances. However, with New Orleans eager to add a more dynamic offensive option to its backcourt in McCollum, Hart was deemed expendable and was sent to Portland, where he'll be one of few healthy and established NBA rotation players on the roster. As such, Hart shouldn't be expected to see much of a reduction in playing time with the move to Portland, as his main competition for minutes at forward in the near term will come from CJ Elleby, Greg Brown and Justise Winslow. Hart could even see a slight uptick in scoring opportunities, given that McCollum's 25.6 percent usage rate on the season will have to be filtered somewhere. Assuming the Trail Blazers and Pelicans can make the deal official in the next day or two, Hart could make his Portland debut as early as Wednesday versus the Lakers.
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Trail Blazers vs Magic Prediction, Odds, Moneyline, Spread & Over/Under for February 8 Find Trail Blazers vs. Magic predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the February 8 NBA matchup.
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • FANDUEL.COM
NBA 75: Remembering the legendary Drazen Petrovic, and how basketball's 'Mozart' composed a path for future trailblazers If Petrovic, who joined the Trail Blazers in 1989, had to be the first of his kind in the NBA, he wanted to make sure he was not last.
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Trail Blazers Game Notes: Orlando Magic (12-43) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (21-33) ' Portland Trail Blazers PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (21-33) VS ORLANDO MAGIC (12-33)Tuesday, February 8 • 7:00 p.m. (Pacific) • Moda CenterPortland, OregonSERIES HISTORY...
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • NBA.COM
Eric Bledsoe - Out again Tuesday Bledsoe (Achilles) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Magic, Casey Holdahl of the Trail Blazers' official site reports.
Impact Bledsoe sat out Monday's practice and will again be sidelined as he continues to manage tendinitis in his left Achilles. The 32-year-old was absent from the injury report before being traded from the Clippers to the Trail Blazers last week, so the team may be holding him out ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Trendon Watford - Probable vs. Orlando Watford is listed as probable for Tuesday's game against the Magic due to a right ankle injury, Casey Holdahl of the Trail Blazers' official site reports.
Impact Watford has been battling an ankle issue of late but hasn't missed any game time. Barring any last-minute setbacks, expect the LSU product to be available Tuesday evening.
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Eric Bledsoe - Sits out practice Bledsoe (Achilles) did not participate in Monday's practice, Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report reports.
Impact While Friday's trade between Portland and the LA Clippers became official ahead of Saturday's game against Milwaukee, Bledsoe was held out due to a supposed left Achilles issue. It's worth noting that there was no mention of the injury before the trade. In fact, per Highkin, Bledsoe did not miss a single game or even appear on a single injury report as a member of the Clippers. Reading between the lines, it's very possible that Portland is simply holding Bledsoe out in case he's re-routed before Thursday afternoon's trade deadline. For now, it would be a surprise if Bledsoe plays in Tuesday night's game against the Magic.
FEBRUARY 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
POWER RANKINGS " Looking Different In Week 17 ' Portland Trail Blazers The Trail Blazers had a stretch of games this past week in which they held their opponents under 100 points in three consecutive games for t...
FEBRUARY 7, 2022 • NBA.COM
REPORT: Knicks Newest Suitor For CJ McCollum ' SLAM The NBA trade deadline is on Thursday, and teams across the League are looking to improve themselves any way they can. The Portland Trail Bl...
FEBRUARY 7, 2022 • SLAMONLINE.COM
Keon Johnson - Will miss time with ankle injury Johnson said Monday that he'll be sidelined for at least a couple weeks due to an ankle injury, Casey Holdahl of the Trail Blazers' official site reports.
Impact Johnson was recently traded to the Trail Blazers in the deal that sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Clippers. He didn't make his Portland debut during Saturday's matchup with the Bucks, but it wasn't clear until Monday that his absence was the result of an injury. Based on what he had to say about the matter, Johnson looks like he won't make his Portland debut until after the All-Star break.
FEBRUARY 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Knicks in the mix for CJ McCollum? The most interesting trade scenario I heard all weekend: Two rival teams say that the Knicks are emerging as a legitimate trade suitor for P...
FEBRUARY 7, 2022 • HOOPSHYPE.COM
Portland takes on Orlando, looks to end 5-game skid
Portland looks to stop its five-game slide when the Portland Trail Blazers play OrlandoFEBRUARY 7, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Larry Nance Jr. - Re-evaluation on tap after setback Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups said that Nance (knee) had a "little setback" earlier Sunday and will be re-evaluated, Jay Allen of NBC Sports Northwest Rip City Radio 62...
Impact Nance has missed 17 consecutive games due to right knee inflammation, but he appeared to be on the cusp of a return after Portland upgraded him to questionable before ruling him out ahead of Friday's 96-93 loss to the Thunder. He then proceeded to sit out the second half of the back-to-back set Saturday in a 137-108 loss to Milwaukee, with Billups providing an explanation behind Nance's continued absence when he met with the media Sunday. Based on Billups' comments, Nance can probably be ruled out for the Trail Blazers' upcoming Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back set versus the Magic and Lakers, respectively, but how much time the 29-year-old misses beyond that will hinge on just how serious his setback was.
FEBRUARY 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Trail Blazers get first look at Justise Winslow: 'Everybody who plays with him loves him' The oft-injured forward plays 20 minutes in his debut and shows that he can pass and defend.
FEBRUARY 6, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Bucks 137 - Trail Blazers 108 ' 2.5.22
FEBRUARY 6, 2022 • YOUTUBE
Jusuf Nurkic - Secures another double-double Nurkic recorded 11 points (5-6 FG, 1-3 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks over 25 minutes during Saturday's 137-108 loss to the Bucks.
Impact Nurkic saw only 25 minutes -- his lowest in over three weeks -- in the blowout loss, but the big man still managed to notch his third straight double-double. The veteran center is averaging 13.7 points and 13.0 boards over that span. Nurkic's primary weakness in terms of fantasy is his lack of blocked shots. He hasn't swatted more than two shots in any game this season and is averaging only 0.6 blocks per contest.
FEBRUARY 6, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Ben McLemore - Steps up with 19 points Saturday McLemore had 19 points (5-13 FG, 4-12 3Pt, 5-6 FT), four rebounds and two assists across 28 minutes during Saturday's 137-108 loss to Milwaukee.
Impact McLemore surprisingly tied Anfernee Simons for the team lead in scoring in the lopsided loss. It was McLemore's highest scoring effort since Jan. 10 and came on the heels of a rough four-game stretch during which he averaged only 3.5 points per contest. McLemore is capable of putting together big scoring performances on occasion, and he could see more playing time after Portland traded Robert Covington and Norman Powell to the Clippers, but you probably want to see a string of productive performances before plucking him off the fantasy waiver wire.
FEBRUARY 6, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Anfernee Simons - Mild performance in blowout loss Simons produced 19 points (7-17 FG, 5-13 3Pt), one rebound, three assists and one steal in 28 minutes during Saturday's 137-108 loss to Milwaukee.
Impact Simons tied for the team lead in scoring with 19 points in the contest, and he was solid from beyond the arc with five three-point makes. However, the fourth-year point guard didn't produce much else in the box score. Simons has scored exactly 19 points in each of his past three games and continues to hold a major role in Portland's game plan, so he should continue to be a strong source of scoring and triples -- as well as a much better source of assists -- moving forward.
FEBRUARY 6, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Trail Blazers Shot Down By Bucks In Second Of Back-To-Back ' Portland Trail Blazers PORTLAND -- The Portland Trail Blazers did a poor job of defending the three-point line Saturday night versus the reigning NBA championship...
FEBRUARY 6, 2022 • NBA.COM
