In the past months, rumors have been swirling around veteran shooting guard CJ McCollum and his future with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Trail Blazers may not have shown a strong indication that they are planning to undergo a full-scale rebuild but if they decide to overhaul their roster around the face of the franchise, Damian Lillard, most people believe that McCollum would be the top trade candidate in Portland.
Once he becomes officially available on the trade market, several aspiring contenders are expected to express a strong interest in adding McCollum to their roster.
CJ McCollum To New York Knicks
One of the potential suitors of McCollum on the trade market is the New York Knicks. In a recent article, Jack Simone of Fansided’s Hoops Habit created a list of McCollum-centered trades that would shake things up in Portland. These include a hypothetical blockbuster deal that would send McCollum to Big Apple.
In the proposed trade scenario, the Knicks would be sending a package that includes Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, and Nerlens Noel to the Trail Blazers in exchange for McCollum and Tony Snell.
Why The Knicks Would Make The Trade
Trading for McCollum would make a lot of sense for the Knicks, especially if they are still serious about fully dominating the Eastern Conference and winning the NBA championship title this season. The Knicks may have won six of their last 10 games, but they obviously need more star power around Julius Randle and RJ Barrett to make a huge noise in the league.
McCollum won’t make the Knicks an instant favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2022 NBA Finals, but it would strengthen their chance of reaching the playoffs again this year.
CJ McCollum's On-Court Impact On Knicks
McCollum may not be a legitimate superstar, but he would still be an incredible addition to the Knicks. His potential arrival in New York would significantly improve their offensive efficiency that currently ranks No. 20 in the league, scoring 106.5 points per 100 possessions, per ESPN. He would give them a very reliable third-scoring option behind Randle and Barrett, as well as a decent playmaker, rebounder, and an elite three-point shooter.
This season, McCollum is averaging 20.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from the three-point range, per ESPN.
Is The Trade Worth Exploring For The Trail Blazers?
Though they won’t get another All-Star caliber player in return, Simone explained why the hypothetical trade would make sense for the Trail Blazers.
"Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers would be getting three quality rotation players to put around Lillard," Simone wrote. "Star power is important, but with the current duo not working, maybe they should try prioritizing depth. Fournier and Rose would be guards that could play heavy minutes for Portland. Meanwhile, Nerlens Noel would give the Blazers an elite defensive big man to bring off the bench."
]]>The Inquisitr
