What Is Going On? CJ McCollum To New Orleans + The Kings Are DUMB!

In case you were wondering, I have had quite the afternoon. I planned on making a post for today, but then CJ McCollum got traded. So I pushed my original post from today to tomorrow.

After finishing my CJ McCollum trade grades, I thought my day was over. I was sadly mistaken. A trade involving Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers made my day even more complicated.

All of this is to say that I don’t know what the hell is going on. Here are my somewhat intelligible thoughts on the two big trades from today.

(If something doesn’t make sense in this article, blame the NBA, not me)

Grading The CJ McCollum Trade

As a Blazers fan, this trade gives me mixed feelings. Trading CJ was long overdue, but the reasoning for it worries me. Ever since the Norman Powell deal, interim GM Joe Cronin has preached “flexibility.” I have another word for that, one which I shall not utter, but it’s clear what the Blazers want (more on that later.)

For New Orleans, they’re trying to build around Zion. After a 1-12 start, they have their sights on the play-in tournament. They have a decent roster, but keeping Zion long-term is the goal. While we don’t even know if he’s going to play basketball until next year, appeasing the cornerstone is their motive.

Without further ado, here are my thoughts on this messy trade.

Blazers Receive: Josh Hart / Nickeil Alexander-Walker / 2022 Protected FRP / Two Future 2nd RP

Pelicans Receive: CJ McCollum / Larry Nance Jr / Tony Snell

New Orleans Pelicans

Again, New Orleans isn’t hiding their intentions with this move. Zion Williamson might be injured, but his massive hands have a firm grasp on this franchise. The Pelicans have improved this roster somewhat in his absence, but that’s beside the point. If they wanted to keep Zion long-term, they had to do something like this.

And by something like this, I mean something stupid. This trade makes no sense. They’re not getting equal value, desperately trying to get another star.

To start, they gave up a lot of assets. Josh Hart is an elite rebounder and provides a winning presence. He is insanely underpaid. While inconsistent, Nickeil Alexander-Walker had potential as a scorer.

They’re giving up two future second-round picks, another saying for two first-rounders. Unless the Pelicans blossom into contenders, those picks will be in the 30s.

They also gave up a first-round pick. Unless it’s in the top 4, the Pelicans won’t own that pick. Since they’re in the play-in hunt, this pick will be close to the lottery. If that’s the case, Portland gets a free first-rounder. Thanks!

This HAS To Work!

The Pelicans gave up a boatload. In return, their haul rivals Forrest Gump’s first attempts at shrimping. Sure, CJ McCollum is better than any of the assets they gave up. But is he going to move the needle for them? Is Zion going to stay because of this move? No and no.

CJ McCollum is a decent player, but he’s a third option. In New Orleans, he’ll play the same role as he did in Portland. The secondary scorer to Brandon Ingram, but someone who doesn’t give you enough to be a second option.

Instead of keeping your options open with those picks and youngsters, you went all-in for a 30-year old guard who has $100 million dollars left on his contract. Stocks.

I get that Larry Nance is a good piece for their frontcourt, but they are already loaded down there. Valanciunas, Hayes, and Williamson are a solid rotation. If Larry Nance Jr is your best return asset, then New Orleans royally botched this deal.

Drumroll Please…

This trade doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense for New Orleans, a team finally getting their feet under them. I don’t get why they did this. If they wanted to keep Zion, why not keep their options open until the offseason. Is CJ McCollum keeping Zion on this team? I don’t think so.

For a franchise dying for some stability, they just pulled the rug out from under themselves again.

Grade: C-

Portland Trail Blazers

Existence is torture.

The Blazers made another move to gain some of that precious cap space. After the baffling Norman Powell trade last week, this one has the same motives. Luckily, the return is far better.

Portland continues to build up trade assets. I would love to think that we’re simply rebuilding, but we’re not. Why would we? This move gives Portland (potentially) $60 million dollars to waste in free agency. The last time we shelled out money on a free agent? Evan Turner.

(Head in lap)

Portland also creates a $21 million dollar trade exception. We’re now $17.1 million under the tax. Money makes the world go round, and that’s Portland’s angle. Slim down on salary and make a big move this offseason.

The return is better than alright. Josh Hart is someone I would like to keep for the future. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is interesting. He has potential, but he could become an RFA next summer. I see him as a trade chip.

We get two second-round picks (which are essentially two firsts) plus a protected FRP. If that pick is anywhere between the 5th and 14th pick, the Blazers get to keep it. As of right now, Portland would get that pick.

Since we don’t have a first-round pick this year (thanks, Neil!), this is a chance to inject even more youth into this organization. If the pick doesn’t convey, we get a future first-rounder anyway. There’s no losing here.

This Is All Too Good To Be True

There’s a reason I put that last line in bold. Things never go this well for this franchise. We are the epitome of stupid. I know this trade seems like a home run, but let’s pump the brakes for a second.

This team should be rebuilding. This latest trade should make it clear that we have more assets to rebuild. Instead, in an attempt to keep Dame around, we’re going to shell out major money in free agency.

There aren’t any great free agents out there, none that will make us contenders. Zach Lavine is the best UFA on the market, but he’s not coming to Portland. Other than that, it’s mostly role players?

If we can’t get a legitimate co-star for Dame, what’s the point of all this? Isn’t it a better idea to rebuild and start fresh? Of course, we’re not going to do that. We’ll be the team stupid enough to pay Jerami Grant $112 million. Yay.

Grade: B-

(Oh yeah, are we sure that Dame still wants to stay?)

This Is Nothing New For The Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings have found new ways to disappoint me. Entering the 2022 season with promise, the Kings have been flatter than Kyrie’s version of the Earth. Their front office has prioritized talent over fit, which has led to this fiasco.

A crowded backcourt features some promising prospects, but there weren’t enough minutes to go around. The Kings had wanted to ship off the aging contracts of Barnes and Hield, but this? Somehow, this team has stooped to an even lower level than ever before.

Indiana is another team rumored to blow things up for months. They shipped off Caris Levert for a nice return package yesterday. Today, they made another move to shed Domantas Sabonis, their best player. In return, they might have just kickstarted their future. Thanks, Sacramento!

Here are my attempts to rationalize this mess;

Kings Receive: Domantas Sabonis / Jeremy Lamb / Justin Holiday / 2027 2nd RP

Pacers Receive: Tyrese Haliburton (wtf) / Buddy Hield / Tristan Thompson

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers have done a great job with their rebuilding ambitions. I know their upper management won’t call this rebuilding, but this is what it is. So far, so good.

Just a day after a nice return for Caris Levert, they absolutely fleece the Kings. You love to see it. Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday are expiring contracts. It makes sense to move them.

While Sabonis is a great low post player, there’s no point in keeping him. I assumed the return for Sabonis would be solid, not one of the biggest steals of all time.

911 What’s Your Emergency?

I am a BIG Tyrese Haliburton fan. He was my favorite prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft. I called him the steal of the draft when he fell to the 13th pick. I was right.

In his second season, just for fun, he’s turned into an elite player. He’s deadly efficient from all over the floor. His off-the-dribble game has rapidly improved. And he’s become one of the best playmakers in the NBA. If these numbers don’t tell the story, I don’t know what will;

Tyrese Haliburton (21 years old btw)

6th out of the 93 players that have taken 300+ jumpers this season (58.7 eFG%)
2nd out of the 49 players that have taken 100+ off-the-dribble 3’s (40.6)
11th in total assists and 12th in steals
No longer a Sacramento King!

In return for Sabonis, they get someone comparable to him, younger, and cheaper? What the hell! This trade couldn’t have gone better for the Pacers, who didn’t even have to give a first-round pick to convince the Kings not to trade their best player.

Myles Turner is (rightfully) elated that this happened. Now with Haliburton, Duarte, and Isaiah Jackson? The Pacers have a nice core in place, assembled simply because the Kings are dumb.

Did I mention that they upgraded their wing position with Buddy Hield? No, I think I missed that. Apologies to TJ Warren, but Hield is set to fit in nicely with Indiana.

I’m going on a limb here to say that this will be remembered as one of the best heists ever. It rivals Oceans 11 but there’s no Terry Benedict to stop this. As Rueben would say, this is a “gaudy monstrosity.”

Grade: A+++++++++++++++++++++

(Starts salivating at a Brogdon + Haliburton backcourt.)
((Also, Rick Carlisle must be happy right now.))
(((Will Myles Turner fully take over with Sabonis gone?)))

{Laughs Manically} Sacramento Kings

I can’t even begin to tell you how stupid the Kings are. How is it possible that with all your problems, you decide to trade Tyrese Haliburton? He was your best player, for god’s sake!

De’Aaron Fox has fallen off a cliff this season, proving that he’s likely not their franchise star. Meanwhile, with Fox limited with injuries, Haliburton blossomed. He was a double-double machine and a rising star.

With that in mind, the Kings traded him for an older Domantas Sabonis, who doesn’t have nearly the upside that Haliburton does. They now have to take on two veterans in Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday. All of this comes without any sort of draft pick sweetener. You’ve got to love the Kings, baby!

I don’t know why the Kings would ever trade Haliburton. They finally get a star via the draft, all for them to throw him away 1.5 years later? That doesn’t make any sense.

This trade doesn’t even solve anything for the Kings. Can Richuan Holmes and Domantas Sabonis coexist? Is De’Aaron Fox their franchise hope? Will Harrison Barnes be moved? What is going to happen with Davion Mitchell?

There is no logic behind this trade. You simply can’t justify it. There is no upside for the Kings, a team that continues to be a step behind everybody else. In a few months, expect them to trade for Ben Simmons. That’ll be fun.

I always try and make the best out of stupid moves, but in all my time covering this sport, the Kings might have made the dumbest move yet. One of the best fanbases in the world just got another sucker-punch, right to the gut.

Grade: G

How Does This Change The League?

Here are my rapid-fire thoughts on how this will change the NBA;

With Portland lining up for a big free agency, the play-in tournament becomes much more clear. The T-Wolves and Pelicans are all but guaranteed to make it now.
The Pelicans are preparing for a healthy Zion in 2023 – potential for a playoff run?
The Pacers might be bad this year, but they have retooled perfectly. Still can’t believe Tyrese Haliburton plays for them
The Kings [sigh], I don’t even know anymore. I’m assuming Sabonis won’t propel them to the playoffs, so it’ll be another year in the lottery. There, they will take yet another point guard because what is a balanced roster?

We’re not even at the trade deadline yet and we’ve seen two groundbreaking moves. CJ McCollum is in a new home. Domantas Sabonis is on the move. Tyrese Haliburton, a rising star, is on the move. Nothing could have prepared us for this day.

This might be the start of even more earth-shattering transactions. I wouldn’t be surprised if cats and dogs become friends. These next two days will be filled with suspense, waiting for the next big thing to happen.

I think today was a friendly reminder that in the NBA, anything can happen.

What Are Your Thoughts On All These Trades? Leave A Comment Down Below!

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What Is Going On? CJ McCollum To New Orleans + The Kings Are DUMB!