Draymond Green has certainly made his impact on the NBA over the past few years. A player who made his name off of defense and hustle plays, the former Defensive Player of the Year is one of the most impactful stars in the league. However, his true value is shown with a great team like the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors are without Klay Thompson this season, so expectations are very low for the franchise without a secondary shooter to support Stephen Curry. On the other hand, the Portland Trail Blazers have their own superstar point guard in Damian Lillard but have a key flaw in their defense. In a blockbuster deal between these two teams, there is a way to get both franchises on track for postseason contention.
Trade Package: CJ McCollum, Robert Covington, Anfernee Simons, two future first-round picks for Draymond Green and Kelly Oubre Jr
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, CJ McCollum Are A Great Problem To Have
It is obvious that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are the most successful duo in the NBA. They won 3 rings playing alongside each other and complement each other perfectly thanks to their shooting. Adding a third shooter and volume scorer in CJ McCollum isn’t the best idea, as it may take away shots from Klay Thompson especially. But this is a “problem” that will work in today’s NBA.
The league has never been as offensively inclined as it has been the past 2 or 3 seasons. The defense has basically been removed from the game and superstar scorers are the ones determining the outcomes of games. This means that the more scorers on the floor, the more points on the board and the more wins a team can get. We have seen how the Warriors with Kevin Durant or the Houston Rockets led by James Harden have flourished with the offense. If the Warriors acquire McCollum, they will have 3 guys capable of going off at once next year. For this year, McCollum immediately replaces Thompson’s scoring.
McCollum is averaging 26.8 PPG on 45.5% shooting this season, which far surpasses any scoring output Klay managed in a single season. While McCollum isn’t as good as Klay defensively, he will be a blessing for Stephen Curry who is seeing double and triple teams every night this season. Not to mention, Robert Covington is one of the best 3-and-D players in the league. Losing Draymond Green hurts, but they are getting Covington who can replace his defense and an immediate replacement for Klay Thompson.
The Trail Blazers Can Make The Western Conference Finals With Draymond Green
The Portland Trail Blazers have a legitimate superstar in Damian Lillard. He is averaging 27.6 PPG on 44.4% shooting from the field so far this season, and no player strikes fear in opponent’s hearts in the clutch like him. As good as McCollum is for Portland, the Trail Blazers go as Damian Lillard goes. Lillard’s performances will dictate the outcome of Portland’s season and adding a player like Draymond Green will boost Portland’s shoddy defense.
The Trail Blazers have a deep squad with the likes of Jusuf Nurkic, Zach Collins, and Carmelo Anthony backing up Lillard but they lack defense. Draymond Green is one of the greatest defensive power forwards in NBA history and he can also be a playmaker as well. As long as Portland have a player like Lillard on the team, they will score a ton of points. So adding Draymond Green to pair with Jusuf Nurkic creates a monster defensive duo that will thrive together, especially when Collins returns from injury.
Overall, Portland needs to part ways with Mccollum’s offense to get Green’s defense and basketball IQ. A player like Oubre Jr also helps, despite his down year, because he can do a lot of things on the court and he is fresh off of averaging 18.7 PPG last season. If Portland can rediscover Oubre’s best form and with the addition of Green, they have a legitimate shot at making the Western Conference Finals.
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