NBA Trade Deadline: Outlining 8 sensible trades for deadline day
By Alex Saenz
Blazers upgrade on the wing
Pacers send: T.J. Warren
Trail Blazers send: Derrick Jones Jr., Nassir Little, a future first-round pick (heavily protected)
Assuming T.J. Warren is still on track to return from his navicular fracture this season, Portland injects some much-needed offensive dynamism next to Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
The backcourt has never been better – it’s imperative that the team surrounds them with two-way players (i.e. not closing games with Carmelo Anthony) who will hold up in the playoffs.
Retaining all of their top-five players was always going to be tough for Indiana with a payroll crunch incoming. This move allows them to continue kicking the can down the road while building for the future.