When the Pelicans awkwardly suffered a 1-12 start at the beginning of the game, it is estimated that even their own fans did not expect that in the end they could get the last ticket to the playoff last train, under the leadership of young coach Willie Green, the Pelicans began to show their infinite vitality as the season progressed.
Thanks to the Blazers, the Pelicans were able to make it to the playoffs, and CJ's strong joining was too critical
And in the blockbuster deal before the trade deadline, after the Blazers traded CJ McCollum, an elite scorer, the Pelicans also added wings, and then played a wave of winning streaks, winning 36-46 in the regular season, the eighth place in the West, and this ranking can directly enter the playoffs if placed in the past few seasons. However, because of the introduction of the play-off format, the Pelicans must play the playoffs, although in the first game they unfortunately lost to the Timberwolves, but in today's life-and-death battle, the Pelicans seized the opportunity, won the last playoff ticket, and directly entered the playoff stage as the eighth in the West.
The Pelicans entered the playoffs, the Blazers and first-round picks passed by, and the team's future prospects were not optimistic
With the Pelicans successfully reaching the playoffs, the Blazers also unfortunately became the wrongdoer, before this year's trade deadline, the Blazers sent two CJ, Nance Jr., Snell, from the Pelicans got Hart, Alexander Walker, Satoransky and a future protected first-round pick, but this first-round pick is to meet certain requirements to be able to return to the Blazers side (5-14 picks belong to the Blazers, 15-30 picks are Hornets), and with the Pelicans into the playoffs, The signing will become a 25-year Bucks first-round pick (1-4 pick protection), but the 25-year Bucks are likely to be playoff regulars, so this signing is not very valuable.
After sending the second boss out, although the Blazers clearly stated that they will not rebuild, but to reshuffle around Lillard, but in reality, the small ball market such as the Blazers is difficult to attract stars to join, throughout their years, whether it is Lillard or CJ, they are cultivated by their own hands, so it is particularly important to form a competitive lineup and pick potential new stars at the draft conference, but the first round of picks traded from the Pelicans and themselves passed by. In that trade, the Blazers only got Hart as a forward player (Walker later went to the Jazz, and Satoransky returned to the Wizards).
With just one Hart, the Blazers and Pelicans lost money on the deal
It is true that after coming to the Blazers, Hart also ushered in a strong outbreak, averaging a career-best 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, but it is a bit far-fetched to want to form another pair of "Portland Double Guns" with Lillard for the Blazers. Compared with Hart, the team's other self-cultivated backcourt star Anfenni Simmons seems to be more worth looking forward to, this season he can average a career-best 17.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, especially after CJ's departure, Simmons has played a stable performance of 20+ in succession, looking like a Blazers star, and after Lillard returns from injury next year, Simmons and he may be another double gun for the Blazers, and Hart may continue to play an auxiliary 3D role.
For the Blazers, the quasi-All-Star players they have painstakingly cultivated have been "sent" to the Pelicans in vain, watching them enter the playoffs, and their future prospects are confused, and they do not know how the Blazers fans feel at this moment.