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Several trade rumors have started to pop up as the 2022 NBA trade deadline draws closer, with the latest update involving the New Orleans Pelicans and the Portland Trail Blazers. Both teams have underperformed up to this point, and have the pieces for a mutually beneficial deal.
Reports suggest that the Pelicans have expressed interest in a trade involving Trail Blazers Robert Covington and CJ McCollum. With no timetable for Williamson's return, a player of McCollum's caliber could keep the Pelicans in the hunt for a playoff seed.
For Portland, the chance to shed McCollum's $29 million salary shouldn't be dismissed. This deal could free up enough cap space to accommodate the addition of another star to partner with Damian Lillard.
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The firing of Blazers general manager Neil Olshey indicates that there is a sense of urgency within the organization to surround their franchise player with sufficient talent to bring Portland its first championship since 1977.
"The Pelicans have become repeatedly linked to Rockets guard Eric Gordon. New Orleans has registered interest in various Trail Blazers, particularly (Robert) Covington and CJ McCollum. The Pelicans are also said to be revisiting a trade package for Sacramento's Harrison Barnes that was discussed as a potential sign-and-trade for Josh Hart this past offseason."
The Portland Trail Blazers have had a disappointing season so far
The Trail Blazers haven't shown any improvement since their first-round exit in the 2021 playoffs. Hoping to breathe life into the squad, the Blazers replaced long-time head coach Terry Stotts with Chauncey Billups, but the change has yet to pan out for the team.
The Trail Blazers record of 21-30 puts them as the 10th seed in a competitive Western Conference, a position that slots them into the play-in tournament's final seed. This isn't ideal for a team that entered the season with championship aspirations.
