The NBA regular season continued, but the Blazers only changed a head coach in the absence of a free market, and the Blazers only achieved a record of 4 wins and 5 losses at the beginning of the new season. The team's number one star, Lillard, has been one of the most disappointing players since the new season, currently averaging only 17.8 points and 8.3 assists per game, averaging half as much as last season's playoffs, shooting a career low of only 33.7% and shooting only 22.1% from three-point range. The team is eager to add scorers to Lillard's side, so the Blazers want to reach a 2-for-4 deal with the Rockets, the specific trade plan is as follows: the Blazers sent McCollum + Nurkic to get the Rockets sent Gordon + Wood + Theis and the next two protected second-round picks.
The team sent McCollum is a helpless move, the Blazers have been wandering in the first round of the playoffs for many years, in order to stabilize Therad, they can only sacrifice McCollum, and McCollum's new season state has picked up, currently averaging 23 +4+4 per game, Nurkic has always been the Blazers' inner pillar, and they are used to get Gordon + Wood + Theis. The real purpose of the Blazers is still Wood, adding interior scorers to the team, and in the future, Wood will partner with Lillard to impact the championship. The team's move is entirely to keep Lillard, do not look at the new season, last season's playoffs can have an average of 34+ data per game, and Wood has averaged 20+ 12 per game since the new season, shooting 48%, three-point shooting rate of 38%, one can shoot and three points, and can defend, will form a new partner with Lillard, achieve a good chemical reaction, then entering the West is by no means a problem, and Wood's threat on the offensive end of the three-point line can open up space for Lillard and Powell. In this way, Lillard does not have to reluctantly stick to the outside to throw three points, and can play a better tactical cooperation with Wood.
As a trade addition, Gordon and Theis are also a good complement to the Blazers, Gordon's defense is significantly better than McCollum, with Gordon's experience with Harden's side, Gordon will be very comfortable playing next to Lillard. Gordon's new season is also not old, currently has an average of 14 points per game, shooting and three-point shooting rate is not worse than McCollum, and Although Theis is shorter than Nurkic, he still has a role similar to Nurkic, doing a good job in blue-collar work, and the Blazers will put up the first lineup of Lillard, Powell, Covington, Wood and Theis, Covington Vinton returned to the small forward position, and Wood's frontcourt combination, whether offensive or defensive is a combination of the top ten in the league, the Blazers aim more than the Western Conference, The Finals are also within reach.
The Rockets are rebuilding with three 19-year-old rising stars Kevin Potter Jr., Jaylen Green and Alperen Shinkin as the core. The problem of Wood facing a high-priced contract extension is naturally not in the team's reconstruction plan, in exchange for Nurkic and Shenjing are both Europeans, the arrival of the former, the team can help the team's young interior line such as Shenjing, Martin to grow, and the 19-year-old new star is expected to start with Nurkic. The point is mcCollum, although a guard player, has been trained in the Blazers organization in recent years, is a very good two-player, has a good team sense, can help the Rockets in the point guard position, is much stronger than Porter, and the latter is also a learning object. The starting lineup of McCollum, Green, Tate, Shenjing and Nurkic not only satisfies the role of training newcomers, but the record is not too bad, hitting young people, and it is undoubtedly profitable. In the future, once Green gains strength, the starters of McCollum, Porter, Green, Tate and Shen Jing are worth looking forward to.
The deal is still in the negotiation stage, and I believe it is not far from the official announcement. Are you bullish on the deal?