On February 5, Beijing time, the NBA free agent market reached another deal, the two sides for the Clippers and the Blazers, involving a total of 5 players and a second-round draft pick. It was a 4-for-2 deal, and it happened very suddenly, and no news came out before, and the two teams were also considered to have taken what they needed.
The deals are: The Clippers send Bledsoe, Winslow, rookie Keane Johnson and a 2025 second-round pick (from the Pistons) to either Norman Powell and Robert Covington from the Blazers.
Seeing this plan, I believe that everyone will think that the Clippers have made a lot of money, and the result is indeed the same. The Clippers traded three bench players plus a second-round pick for two starters, a shooter and a defensive slamman.
Among the chips sent by the Clippers, the only big player is Bledsoe, but he is no longer the main player in the Clippers, averaging only 9.9 points and 4.2 assists per game. Winslow and Keane Johnson are both marginal players, averaging 4.2 points per game and 3.5 points per game, which is not expected to be able to exchange these three players for Powell and Covington. This also made Lakers fans very envious, and asked the question "Why can't the Lakers take Covington and Powell like the Clippers?" ”
Salary expert Bobby Marks also stood up to answer, "I see a lot of people asking why the Lakers can't take Down Covington and Powell." It's math, and the Lakers don't have a contract to match the two of them in $27 million in salary. ”
The Clippers have not been in a good situation this season, Leonard has not returned, George has suffered an injury, and thought they would give up this season, but they still maintain a 50% winning percentage. Now in the trading market to gain two big helpers, if the next pepper can come back, then their strength is still very good, the playoffs can really no team willing to meet them.
Powell is averaging 18.7 points and 40.6 percent from three-point range this season; Covington is averaging 7.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, 34.3 percent from three-point range. Their arrival will allow Tyronn Lu to rotate better, with one more shooting point on the offensive end. As for the $19 million extravagant tax, Clippers owner Ballmer doesn't care, he wants the team to become more competitive.
As the Blazers complete the deal, they lower their salaries below the luxury tax line, but the team is suddenly missing two outstanding players, which may hasten Lillard's departure. Now Lillard is recuperating from injury, but the team has traded the two starters Powell and Covington away, and has not exchanged more valuable players, which is completely an operation to release the pressure on salary. It seems that this year's offseason will also become more exciting.