Trade Deadline: The 5th shoe has Dropped!

Per Brian Robb:

What were the motives for this deal?

The motives here appear to be relatively simple for both sides. The Clippers are a team that is firmly in win-now mode after trading away most of their draft stash to land Paul George and Kawhi Leonard a couple of summers ago. They may not be a contender this year with both of those players injured but Powell is under a long-term deal and gives them a great shooting weapon around those stars for the long term. Covington is an expiring contract but his Bird Rights will be valuable for the Clippers in a weak free agent market this offseason with most teams lacking serious cap room, which should allow him to be re-signed at a manageable price. Powell and Covington should improve the Clippers’ supporting cast in the next year or two and that’s why the Clippers were willing to swallow Powell’s pricy five-year deal.

It’s likely Portland isn’t done dealing at the deadline after the serious talent downgrade but this is a sign they are looking to take a step back in the present. Bledsoe is a backup at this stage of his career and will be cut after the season. Winslow has underwhelmed with the Clippers and Johnson hasn’t done anything after being drafted in the first round last year (he’s only 19). They gain more long-term flexibility in this deal and a free look at Johnson but that’s about it. Freeing up Powell’s money to pay Anfernee Simons should hold appeal for Portland’s new front office as will with him hitting restricted free agency.

What does this deal say about the Celtics’ market?

Obviously, Powell and Covington could have been had here (Boston has a big TPE that either could have fit into) but the Celtics obviously weren’t in the market to add that much money to the payroll (and into the tax) for a slightly above .500 team. Powell and Covington are good role players but aren’t difference makers.

The good news for Boston is that if there are limited sellers on the market, their own trade pieces just got more appealing with Covington and Powell getting traded this early. Richardson is a cheaper and better defensive version of Powell (albeit a weaker shooter). Covington was garnering a lot of trade interest as well from contenders looking for some defensive help on the wing.

Will the Celtics be able to take advantage of the limited market for defensive wings by asking for a haul for Marcus Smart or Richardson? Time will tell but this is just the first of many moves that will be financially motivated in the weeks to come as teams try to dodge the tax. Look for Boston to be on that list as well, even though they were wise to do most of their work early by dealing away Juancho Hernangomez.

Blazers To Trade CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. To Pelicans
by Luke Adams

10:10am: The Pelicans and Blazers have reached an agreement, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter links), who reports that Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell are also headed to New Orleans in the deal, with Didi Louzada going to Portland.

The Blazers will receive a future first-round pick and two future second-rounder, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter). As Woj explains (via Twitter), the Blazers will get New Orleans’ 2022 first-round selection if it lands between No. 5 and No. 14. Otherwise, the Blazers will receive a future first-rounder. That Pelicans pick currently projects to be No. 9.

The inclusion of Nance, who has been out for the last month with a knee injury, will give the Pelicans another versatile two-way contributor in the frontcourt while clearing even more multiyear money off the Blazers’ books. The Pels will presumably acquire Nance and his $10.7MM cap hit using a portion of their $17MM trade exception. Nance is under contract for $9.7MM in 2022/23.

The full deal looks like this:

Pelicans acquire McCollum, Nance, and Snell.

Trail Blazers acquire Hart, Satoransky, Alexander-Walker, Louzada, the Pelicans’ protected 2022 first-round pick, and two future second-round picks.

Because the Blazers have a full roster, they’ll have to trade or waive a player to accommodate the three-for-four swap.