Before the trade deadline, the NBA finally ushered in its first big deal during the Lunar New Year. The Blazers officially announced that the team sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to get Bledsoe, Winslow, 2021 No. 21 Keane Johnson and a 2025 second-round pick (from the Pistons) from the Clippers.
As a fan, the first reaction is definitely: Blazers blood loss, Clippers blood money.
However, from the perspective of the Blazers, under the premise that the return date of the core Lillard is undecided, it is basically difficult to do anything this season, and even if it reaches the playoffs, it is difficult to go further. Meanwhile, the deal puts the Trail Blazers' total salary this season below the luxury tax line and will create a $6.5 million deal exception, while sending Powell away also gives Amphoni Simmons room to grow.
But for the Clippers, Jerry West's deal is enough to exchange a few scraps for 2 pieces of the title puzzle. Bledsoe has been wandering around in recent seasons and struggling to qualify as a point guard for a playoff team; Winslow was a good flanking defender earlier, but his form has declined significantly after returning from a major injury, and now he only averages 4.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game; second-round pick Keane Johnson has yet to prove himself, and a 2025 second-round pick can only be regarded as a head start.
Norman Powell, on the other hand, is a proven guard, averaging 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1 steal this season, shooting 40.6 percent from three-point range, and has been consistently providing vitality in the days when CJ and Lillard have been absent. As for Covington, he is even the only player on the Trail Blazers who can be trusted in his defense, and he is also a good one in the current market.
Powell and Covington joined, the Clippers directly got 2 starters, and when Leonard and George returned, the Clippers' outside defense would scare the entire league. Putting these 4 people on the court at the same time, the Clippers will be at ease whether they play in the big lineup or the small lineup.
Look at the Lakers next door, who preferred to choose Westbrook and gave up the opportunity to trade Fox or DeRozan, and always treated Tucker Jr. as a baby, but let Caruso go. Today, with a winning percentage of less than 50%, it is still struggling to make the team have no chemistry, and even the trade can't come up with attractive chips.
A few days ago, the Lakers management canceled the team's famous Jerry West's lifetime season ticket, and seeing the Clippers such an aggressive deal, it may even be done to tear off the retired jersey of the logo master in the future, right?