The Portland Trail Blazers traded CJ McCollum and Norman Powell before the trade deadline in order to ignite dramatic losing for the rest of the season and to acquire assets for a quick rebuild this offseason.
Friday night, both players will go head-to-head in a play-in game involving their respective teams that will have a big impact on the Blazers’ offseason goals.
The winner of the 7 p.m. game featuring McCollum and the New Orleans Pelicans playing at Powell and the LA Clippers will advance to the NBA playoffs while the loser will enter the NBA draft lottery.
Adding intrigue is that the Clippers will be without All-Star forward Paul George, who has entered the league’s health and safety protocols.
The Blazers have been banking on adding the Pelicans’ 2022 draft pick to their arsenal of assets. But that can only happen should that pick fall between No. 5 and No. 14. The NBA draft lottery is May 17.
On Tuesday, the Clippers lost 109-105 at the Minnesota Timberwolves, who advanced to the playoffs. That game forced the Clippers to play Friday night. The Pelicans won their first play-in game on Wednesday, 113-103 over San Antonio with McCollum scoring 32 points with seven assists and six rebounds.
Powell, who had 16 points off the bench during his team’s loss at Minnesota, will likely see a larger role Friday night with George sidelined. So too will forward Robert Covington, dealt along with Powell to the Clippers. Covington game off of the bench to score nine points in 18 minutes against the Spurs. George scored 34.
Should the Blazers, who finished with the sixth-worst record in the NBA, lose out on the Pelicans’ pick Portland would then get Milwaukee’s first-round pick in 2025 (owned by New Orleans and top-four protected). But that pick could be unlikely to fall into the lottery should the Pelicans get back a healthy Zion Williamson next season to play alongside McCollum and All-Star forward Brandon Ingram.
The Blazers believe they have the assets and the personalities to go out and attract free agents and convince trade targets to want to play in Portland long-term. Pulling off any trade for an impact star would be made a lot easier with an added lottery pick to work with.
-- Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook).
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