The Portland Trail Blazers are out of the NBA Playoffs. This is a bit of a shame because they dealt with injuries all year and lost their key defensive contributors’ last offseason. They managed to snag Carmelo Anthony halfway through the season and got back a very key player in Jusuf Nurkic and clawed their way to the 8th seed. Led by superstar Damian Lillard, they had a legitimate shot of knocking off the Lakers.
But that didn’t happen, because they simply cannot defend. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are too good to handle, and the Blazers fell in 5 games. As a result, the Blazers might make some moves this summer. Specifically, they might want to make a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.
In a trade that benefits both teams, the Blazers might want to move on from their second-best player C.J. McCollum for a chance to go younger and add a forward with endless potential in Kyle Kuzma. The Lakers are in win-now mode while the Blazers need more presence in the front line, so here is why a swap will help both teams.
Trade Package: CJ McCollum For Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, and Talen Horton-Tucker
Kuzma Provides Length, Youth, and A Potential Star
The Trail Blazers have a dynamic duo with C.J. and Dame on offense, but they simply offer too little resistance on defense. They are both miniature and cannot handle the athletic guards in today’s game, so they can give up points as much as they score. Damian Lillard is clearly untouchable as one of the 10 best players in the league, so McCollum has to be the sacrificial lamb to keep the Blazers competitive.
It is unlikely that Portland will ever win with Dame and C.J., and Kyle Kuzma might be the X-Factor in building for the future. Kuzma has the potential to be an All-Star and offers a larger and more physical body than McCollum. The Blazers need to surround Lillard with size, and Kuzma provides that along with natural skill and confidence. Kuzma and Nurkic can be excellent pieces alongside Dame, and the Trail Blazers can continue to add pieces to make them a legitimate contender in the West. Kuzma had an average season this year by averaging 12.8 PPG on 43.6% FG shooting but his potential is clear to see.
CJ Is The Perfect Player For The Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have two of the best five players in the NBA, which should be enough on paper to win it all. That might be the case, but there is stiff competition in the NBA right now. The Clippers have two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, while the Bucks have the reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even the likes of Denver, Boston, and Houston have All-Stars that get the job done every night. If the Lakers want to win a few titles before LeBron retires, McCollum might be the piece that needs.
The Lakers sorely need another ball-handler and perimeter scorer besides LeBron James. He does everything, from passing the ball to scoring the ball. LeBron James simply cannot handle this type of load for much longer, and he needs a dominant perimeter player alongside him to help extend his career. McCollum, although not a playmaker in nature, is a scoring machine and he grabs a ton of defensive attention.
The Lakers need McCollum to be the third-best player and possibly the second-leading scorer on the squad to allow LeBron to dominate the game with his playmaking. McCollum is a fringe All-Star who is averaging 22.2 PPG on 45.1% shooting this season, making him a very attractive commodity for the Purple and Gold.
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