Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are pursuing a trade for Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant ahead of Thursday's deadline, according to B/R's Jake Fischer.

The Blazers have completely revamped their roster over the past week, jettisoning CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, Robert Covington and Larry Nance Jr. in a pair of blockbuster trades.

While conventional wisdom was that Damian Lillard would be next on the chopping block—either by Thursday or during the offseason—it's looking increasingly like this is a retooling, rather than rebuilding, effort. 

The Blazers could have upward of $60 million in cap space this summer and acquired a $21 million trade exception as part of the trade that sent McCollum and Nance to the New Orleans Pelicans, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Grant's $20 million salary could fit into that exception, which would expire if the Blazers choose to go into this summer operating as an under-the-cap team. Acquiring Grant now would take a chunk out of the Blazers' cap room over the summer but potentially allow them to move forward with a clearer picture of their future.

As for whether it would be a prudent move, that's a little more questionable. Grant has proved capable of handling a larger workload during his two seasons in Detroit, but it hasn't translated to winning basketball. The Pistons are 12-41 this season and finished with the NBA's second-worst record last season with Grant as their leading scorer.

While it's clear a change was needed, subbing out McCollum for Grant as Lillard's second in command isn't going to make the Blazers a championship contender. McCollum and Grant are essentially on the same good-but-not-great plane as a player; McCollum is a better shooter and Grant is a better defender, but there's not an overwhelming difference in tiers between the two.

This would be the type of wheel-spinning trade front offices tend to make when they can't admit it's time a full-scale rebuild is necessary. Taking one last shot at creating a contender is admirable, but Portland has no history of attracting top free agents and the team lacks assets to make a trade for a true All-Star.

Adding players like Grant is a recipe for swapping out one first-round exit core for a different first-round exit core. 

The Portland Trail Blazers reportedly continued their fire sale Tuesday, trading guard CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Blazers received Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada and the Pelicans' protected first-round pick in 2022.

The Blazers will receive the pick if it lands between Nos. 5 and 14, otherwise it will be a future first-rounder.

Wojnarowski added that the Pelicans will receive Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell along with McCollum.

McCollum, who has long been the Blazers' No. 2 offensive contributor behind Damian Lillard, is signed through the 2023-24 season after agreeing to a three-year, $100 million contract extension in 2019.

With McCollum set to enter the fold, the Pelicans' roster is made up of the following players:

PG: Devonte' Graham / Jose Alvarado / Kira Lewis Jr. (INJ)

SG: CJ McCollum / Tony Snell / Trey Murphy III

SF: Brandon Ingram / Garrett Temple / Naji Marshall

PF: Zion Williamson (INJ) / Larry Nance Jr. (INJ) / Herbert Jones / Gary Clark

C: Jonas Valanciunas / Jaxson Hayes / Willy Hernangomez

The Blazers' lineup looks like this after bringing in a ton of depth in the form of Hart, Alexander-Walker and Satoransky:

PG: Damian Lillard (INJ) / Eric Bledsoe / Dennis Smith Jr. / Tomas Satoransky

SG: Anfernee Simons / Nickeil Alexander-Walker / Keon Johnson / Keljin Blevins

SF: Nassir Little (INJ) / Ben McLemore / CJ Elleby / Trendon Watford / Didi Louzada

PF: Josh Hart / Justise Winslow / Greg Brown III

C: Jusuf Nurkic / Cody Zeller (INJ)

Portland will have to waive or trade a player to complete the trade, as Kevin Smith noted:

Portland will still need to waive a player to complete this trade. Or send another minimum salary player elsewhere.

Blazers have a lot of minimum salary guys they can pick from to open the roster spot necessary to complete the deal.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 8, 2022

Per Spotrac, the Pelicans now have a total salary cap number of $143,482,611 after the trade, while the Blazers' cap number is at $116,334,701.

This season has been a disappointing one for the Pels, who are just 21-32, but if the season were to end today, they would be part of the Western Conference postseason play-in tournament, as they are in 10th place.

New Orleans is just a half-game up on the Blazers, but Portland seems to be stripping down its roster and trading off its top assets aside from Lillard.

Prior to the McCollum trade, the Blazers already dealt Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers last week for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a 2025 second-round draft pick.

The Pelicans have missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, last making it in 2017-18, which was Anthony Davis' second-to-last season with the franchise.

A quick turnaround was expected after the Davis trade, as the Pels landed Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Hart and draft picks in the deal, plus they won the lottery for the No. 1 pick and took Zion Williamson 2019.

Ingram was an All-Star for the first time two seasons ago and has developed into a quality offensive player, but Ball and Hart are both gone, and Williamson hasn't played at all this season because of a foot injury.

Still, it is hard to not be excited about the Pelicans' future now that McCollum is part of a core that already included Williamson, Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas, among others.

While the 30-year-old McCollum has never been selected to an All-Star Game, he has averaged at least 20 points and 2.0 three-pointers made per game in six consecutive seasons and is on pace to make it seven.

In 36 games this season, McCollum is averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 three-pointers made per contest, while shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from beyond the arc.

McCollum gives the Pelicans another dynamic offensive player in addition to Ingram, not to mention the shooting ability of Devonte' Graham, Garrett Temple and others.

It is unclear if Williamson will play at all next season, but assuming he is healthy for the 2022-23 campaign, the Pelicans will be able to deploy a starting lineup of Valanciunas, Zion, Ingram, McCollum and Graham, which should make them strong playoff contenders in the West.

As for the Blazers, they seem to be entering into something of a rebuild, or at least a retooling around Lillard.

Lillard, who is a six-time All-Star, has been on the shelf with an abdominal injury and it is unclear when or if he will return this season.

One positive during his absence is that Anfernee Simons has enjoyed a career year, averaging 15.8 points per game. With McCollum gone, Simons should continue to shine and could be Lillard's new backcourt running mate moving forward.

While the Blazers are still in the playoff mix, it is difficult to envision them making it this season after trading McCollum, especially if Lillard doesn't return.

More than anything, the Blazers seem to be looking toward the future, as Jusuf Nurkic, Ben McLemore, Dennis Smith Jr., Cody Zeller and Snell are set to come off the books during the offseason, which could potentially make some room for new additions.

The Portland Trail Blazers are apparently not giving up on building around Damian Lillard.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Blazers are planning to pursue "high-end talent" to retool their roster around the All-Star point guard. Portland has as much as $60 million in potential cap room this summer and created a $21 million trade exception as part of a deal sending CJ McCollum, Larry Nance and Tony Snell to the New Orleans Pelicans.

The idea of retooling around Lillard sounds nice in theory. He's been incredibly loyal to the franchise despite a series of consistently questionable decisions from the front office and postseason failures.

With that said, it's hard to imagine a world where the Blazers acquire the type of talent necessary to make this roster a championship contender.

Portland has zero history of attracting top-level free agents. The top free-agent signing in franchise history, Kenny Anderson, was a one-time All-Star—and he didn't even make the team in Portland. Otherwise, you're looking at the likes of Brian Grant, Rod Strickland and Wesley Matthews, all of whom are fine but weren't All-Star-caliber talents.

This isn't the franchise that superstars flock to in order to create superteams. The Blazers, like most small-to-mid-market teams, have had their greatest runs of success when they've hit home runs in the draft.

It would be one of the most shocking transactions in league history if the likes of James Harden, Kyrie Irving or Bradley Beal signed with Portland this offseason Zach LaVine seems perfectly happy in Chicago and appears to be a mortal lock to sign a five-year max contract to stay with the Bulls.

Sans any of those four players deciding they want to trek to the Pacific Northwest, it's hard to see the Blazers building a roster better than the one they've spent the last week gutting. Deandre Ayton and Miles Bridges are restricted free agents, and their respective teams will almost certainly match any offer they get in free agency. The likes of T.J. Warren and Gary Harris wouldn't move the needle for Portland.

While the Blazers will have one or two lottery picks in the 2022 NBA draft, they also owe a lottery-protected future first rounder to the Chicago Bulls. Aside from Anfernee Simons, Portland isn't loaded with a ton of desirable young assets to make available in a blockbuster for a superstar, either.

Trying to build a championship contender around Lillard seems like a fool's errand for the Blazers. The best move for both sides would be to find Lillard a new home this summer. 

The New Orleans Pelicans have reportedly finalized a deal to add a big-time scorer to the lineup in CJ McCollum.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Tuesday that McCollum was dealt to New Orleans Pelicans, with Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN adding the Portland Trail Blazers received Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada and draft pick compensation in return.

Wojnarowski added Portland will also send Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell to New Orleans as part of the deal.

Full trade, per sources:
Blazers: Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Walker-Alexander, Didi Louzada, 2022 protected first-round pick, two second-round picks.
Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, Tony Snell.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

Wojnarowski added the Blazers will receive the Pelicans' 2022 first-round pick that will convey if it lands between No. 5 and 14 in the draft order. If it doesn't convey, it will head to Portland in "the future."

McCollum missed more than a month earlier this season with a collapsed lung, but he returned in mid-January to once again be a go-to option offensively. Through 36 games, he is averaging 20.5 points and 4.5 assists per game.

Injuries were also a problem for McCollum in 2020-21, as a broken foot limited him to only 47 games. He was still as good as ever when healthy, setting new career highs with 23.1 points and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 40.2 percent from deep.

The production was a continuation of his career as one of the most consistent offensive players in the NBA while working alongside Damian Lillard in an explosive Blazers backcourt.

The 30-year-old has averaged at least 20 points per game in every season since 2015-16, when he won the league's Most Improved Player award. His scoring average jumped 14 points that season from the previous year.

He has also been an efficient scorer throughout his career, making 39.6 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc while hitting 82.0 percent from the free-throw line.

Although Lillard has deservedly gotten more attention over the years, McCollum has also been important to Portland's success in the past few seasons as an elite scorer who can take over games. That was especially evident during the Blazers' run to the 2019 Western Conference Finals, when he averaged 24.7 points in 16 playoff games.

After failing to replicate that postseason run, Portland has decided to go with a different strategy by splitting up its backcourt. The team had already signaled its plans to rebuild by dealing away Norman Powell and Robert Covington last week.  

The Trail Blazers will now remove McCollum's contract, which has $69.1 million remaining in 2022-23 and 2023-24, from their books.

It will be a high price for the Pelicans to pay, but McCollum can make it count with his impact on the court.

New Orleans has not emerged as a playoff contender despite the talent on its roster. With Zion Williamson unavailable due to a foot injury, the Pelicans have had few reliable scoring options beyond Brandon Ingram.

McCollum will give his new team another high-level scorer to help compete with the top squads in the NBA and potentially move up the standings in the Western Conference.

Having already made one move before Thursdsy's NBA trade deadline, the Indiana Pacers are reportedly looking to make another splash this week. 

Per ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Pacers are "believed to be" one of the teams interested in Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum. 

The Pacers traded Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ricky Rubio and three draft picks, including a 2022 lottery-protected first-rounder. 

Windhorst noted Rubio could be used in a trade by the Pacers before Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline. 

Rubio is out for the season after he tore his ACL during a Dec. 28 game against the New Orleans Pelicans. He is making $17.8 million in 2021-22 and will be eligible for free agency this offseason.

Indiana could be one of the most active sellers before the trade deadline. B/R's Jake Fischer reported the team is still discussing deals involving Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis after trading LeVert. 

Fischer noted the Pacers want "at least two first-round picks for Myles Turner and an even greater package for Domantas Sabonis."

The Blazers made a deal of their own Friday when they sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a 2025 second-round draft pick. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted that trade could set up the Blazers to make more moves before Thursday as they plan to "reshape the roster around All-NBA guard Damian Lillard."

According to Fischer, McCollum is regarded as the biggest name that NBA personnel expect to be traded this week. 

McCollum is in the first season of a three-year, $100 million contract he signed in July 2019. The 30-year-old is averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game in 36 starts this season. 

The Pacers have the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference (19-36), ahead of only the Detroit Pistons (12-41) and Orlando Magic (12-43). The Blazers hold the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference with a 21-33 record.     

The 2022 NBA trade deadline on Feb. 10 is quickly approaching, and some of the league's hottest stars are on the market as teams look to improve ahead of the playoffs. 

While players like Caris LeVert, Norman Powell and Robert Covington are off the board, some of the names still available include Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden, Portland Trail Blazers veteran C.J. McCollum and Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart. 

Trading for players like Harden, McCollum and Smart could help put title contenders over the edge, or it could help teams on the playoff bubble earn a spot to compete against the league's best. 

That said, let's take a look at some of the latest trade buzz around the NBA with the deadline on the horizon. 

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Nets 'Open' to James Harden for Ben Simmons Deal if Seth Curry Included

It appears the Philadelphia 76ers would have to sweeten a James Harden-Ben Simmons swap by at least including one more player. And, according to The Ringer's Bill Simmons, that player is veteran guard Seth Curry. 

Bill Simmons explained on his podcast:

"Brooklyn is open to it, but Curry has to be in the deal. You can aggregate it, I don't care. But for them, Brooklyn is looking at it this year because they have Durant and Durant we assume is going to be healthy pretty soon and the East is wide open and they want a chance to win. And for them, it's like, the trade that makes sense for us is Simmons and Curry for Harden. This is what I heard."

It's not necessarily surprising that the Nets are looking for Curry in a potential Ben Simmons deal. According to Michael Kaskey-Blomain of CBS Sports, rising star Tyrese Maxey is "untouchable" in Harden trade discussions. In addition, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Matisse Thybulle "is close to being untouchable."

The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor also added that Philly was more likely to trade an older player in a deal for Harden. Curry is 31 and will turn 32 in August, so he certainly fits the bill. 

Curry is also in the midst of his best season in the NBA, so acquiring him wouldn't be unrealistic for the Nets, especially considering Harden could decline his player option and become a free agent during the offseason. 

The North Carolina native is averaging a career-high 15.3 points, in addition to 3.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor and 40.6 percent from deep. If traded for Harden, he'd likely serve as a starter alongside Kyrie Irving. 

However, trading Harden for Ben Simmons could be risky for the Nets. The latter has yet to play for Philadelphia this season and, at this point, it's unclear what kind of shape he is in or if he'd be able to suit up for the Nets immediately. 

As for the Sixers, adding Harden would instantly make them better. They sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 32-21 record, just two games behind the first-place Miami Heat. 

With Joel Embiid playing at an MVP-level, Philadelphia would be crazy to not try and pair him with Harden for at least the remainder of the season. In addition, it's also possible Harden would be interested in remaining with the 76ers after this season given his relationship with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey. 

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Knicks Emerge as 'Legitimate Trade Suitor' for C.J. McCollum

McCollum has been included in various trade rumors leading up to the deadline. However, another team has reportedly entered the sweepstakes for the Blazers veteran. 

The New York Knicks are "a legitimate trade suitor" for McCollum, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. This should come as no surprise after SNY's Ian Begley reported that teams expect Portland to listen to offers for McCollum after trading Powell and Covington. 

The Knicks, who are 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 24-30 record, could use a veteran like McCollum. The 30-year-old is an above-average shooter and ball-handler, averaging 20.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 43.6 percent from the floor and 38.4 percent from deep in 36 games. 

Outside of Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, the Knicks have had difficulty shooting and ball-handling. Kemba Walker is in the midst of his worst season in the NBA, averaging 11.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 40.5 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from deep.

Walker's struggles have only brought the Knicks down. Evan Fournier also has not lived up to the hype, averaging 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 51 games. McCollum would represent an upgrade over both players and would inject some life into a Knicks offense that hasn't been great this year. 

New York's 108 offensive rating ranks 24th in the league. Only the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder have been worse offensively. 

A big question surrounding a deal for McCollum is what his price tag would be. It's unclear what the Blazers' asking price is or what the Knicks would be willing to give up. However, considering the former 10th overall pick has been a consistent scorer since his third season in the league, averaging at least 20 points since the 2015-16 campaign, he won't come cheap. 

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Celtics' Marcus Smart Drawing Interest from Hawks, Timberwolves

The Celtics are reportedly open to trading anyone except Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. And while the franchise has been hesitant to move Smart in the past, it appears he's once again drawing interest this winter. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly interested in Smart, according to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer. KTSP and SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson reported Minnesota would possibly have to give up Malik Beasley and either forward Jaden McDaniels or a first-round pick in exchange for Smart. 

Adding Smart to the mix, pairing him with D'Angelo Russell in the backcourt to line up with Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards up front, would make the Timberwolves a more difficult team to play against.

Smart is one of the best defenders in the NBA, and while he isn't a great scorer, he does a solid job of running Boston's offense and leads the team with 5.4 assists per game. He's also still averaging 11.3 points per game while shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and 30.7 percent from deep this season. 

If Smart were to join the Timberwolves, he'd likely take over for Patrick Beverley, who the franchise is shopping, and could see time in the starting lineup alongside Russell. 

In addition to the Timberwolves, The Athletic's Chris Kirschner reported the Atlanta Hawks are interested in Smart, which should really come as no surprise. 

While the Hawks have been one of the best offensive teams in the NBA this season, they have also been one of the worst defensively. Atlanta ranks 27th in the league with a 113.1 defensive rating. Only the Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets have been worse defensively. 

Considering Smart plays elite defense and can also create shots for himself and other players, he would be a good fit in Atlanta. The question is, who would the Celtics want in return?

Kirschner mentioned Bogdan Bogdanovic as a potential target. However, it's unclear if Boston would be interested in acquiring him. 

The New York Knicks are "a legitimate trade suitor" for Portland Trail Blazers star CJ McCollum ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Stein added that the New Orleans Pelicans were the team most often linked with McCollum until the Knicks entered the picture.

SNY's Ian Begley also reported on New York's pursuit of the 30-year-old guard and added that "teams expect the Blazers to listen to offers on McCollum in the wake of their decision to move Norman Powell to the Los Angeles Clippers for future flexibility."

McCollum is averaging 20.5 points and shooting 38.4 from beyond the arc through 36 appearances this season. He missed a stretch of 18 games across December and January because of a collapsed lung.

The 6'3" sharpshooter hasn't missed a beat since returning on Jan. 17, putting up 20.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

The Blazers are sitting 11th in the Western Conference at 21-33, and Damian Lillard is recovering from abdominal surgery. As Begley noted, trading Powell and Robert Covington showed Portland is in selling mode at the deadline.

At this point, it seems like the Lillard/McCollum partnership isn't going to get the Blazers over the top. Shedding the $69.1 million owed to McCollum over the next two seasons might allow the franchise to have some financial flexibility to make necessary additions to the roster.

For the Knicks, they need to do something amid a disappointing season. At 24-29, New York isn't even on pace to qualify for the play-in tournament.

Tom Thibodeau's squad is averaging the ninth-most three-pointers (13.0) and ranks 12th in three-point percentage (35.5). The Knicks aren't a bad shooting outfit, but McCollum would give them another option on the perimeter alongside Evan Fournier and RJ Barrett.

Making the money work might be tricky, though, considering New York only has three players (Fournier, Julius Randle and Derrick Rose) earning more than $10 million.

The New York Post's Marc Berman didn't paint a flattering portrait of Randle's trade value, but including him in a deal for McCollum wouldn't make much sense for the Knicks.

If Randle is off the table, then any trade package would likely include Fournier plus a young player, such as Obi Toppin, and salary filler. Maybe New York would cut bait on Cam Reddish, whom Berman reported Thibodeau didn't want before his trade from the Atlanta Hawks.

Having already made one big move before the NBA trade deadline, the Portland Trail Blazers may not be done reshaping their roster.

Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, executives from rival teams believe CJ McCollum will be traded either by the Feb. 10 deadline or during the offseason.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday that Portland is sending Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a future second-round draft pick.

Scotto did note that Portland is making these moves to "reshape its roster around franchise star Damian Lillard."

Trying to build around Lillard is a tricky proposition because his long-term status with the organization could be uncertain.

The six-time All-Star has not formally requested a trade, but Chad Ford recently reported on his podcast (h/t Zach DuPont of SLAM) that he would "prefer a move to the West Coast or to stay on the West Coast" if he does get moved.

The New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks are among "several teams" that will likely have interest in McCollum, according to Scotto.

McCollum's salary does make any potential deal tricky to facilitate, as he is in the first season of a three-year, $100 million extension. The 30-year-old is owed $69 million over the next two seasons, per Spotrac.

McCollum, a first-round pick in the 2013 draft, has spent his entire career with the Blazers. He is on pace to average at least 20 points per game for the seventh consecutive season and is shooting 39.1 percent from three.

The Blazers are currently in the play-in tournament as the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, despite having a 21-32 record. They have made the playoffs the past eight seasons, including an appearance in the Western Conference Finals in 2018-19.   

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly shook up their rotation Friday by acquiring Norman Powell and Robert Covington in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Clippers sent Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and the Detroit Pistons' 2025 second-round pick to Portland in the deal.

Here's a look at L.A.'s updated depth chart with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George sidelined by injury:

• PG: Reggie Jackson
• SG: Amir Coffey, Luke Kennard
• SF: Norman Powell, Terance Mann
• PF: Robert Covington, Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum
• C: Ivica Zubac, Isaiah Hartenstein, Serge Ibaka

It's a deal that does come with a financial cost as the Clippers' luxury-tax bill increases from $93.9 million to $112.9 million, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.

Word of the trade comes after head coach Tyronn Lue didn't signal much optimism about the potential availability of Leonard and George for the remainder of this season after Thursday night's win over the rival Los Angeles Lakers.

"We know Kawhi's probably not gonna come back," Lue told reporters. "We don't know the status of PG, but these guys continue to keep fighting. Every single night."

He added: "I don't know. I'm not a doctor. But hope is stronger than fear. So I'm hoping that these two guys can come back. But you never know."

Leonard has yet to play this season while recovering from a torn ACL, while George has been sidelined since Dec. 22 because of an elbow injury.

The Clippers (27-27) have remained competitive despite those high-profile absences, and it appears that gave the front office enough reason to push further into the luxury tax in order to upgrade the roster.

As it stands, the ideal scenario for L.A. is finding a way to climb inside the Western Conference's top six—it's currently eighth, 2.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Denver Nuggets—to avoid the play-in tournament and hope either Leonard, George or both are able to return for the playoffs.

While it sounds like a long shot at this stage, if somehow the Clippers roster returns to full strength in time for the postseason, they should emerge as a true title contender.

In the short term, the additions of Powell and Covington should provide a nice boost. Here's the numbers they put up this season with the Blazers:

• Powell: 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists in 40 games
• Covington: 7.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.3 blocks in 48 games

The first chance to make their Clippers debut will come Sunday at home against the Milwaukee Bucks.

If Damian Lillard does get traded by the Portland Trail Blazers, he would reportedly like to remain out West. 

NBA reporter Chad Ford said on his podcast (h/t HoopsHype.com) that Lillard "would prefer" to stay on the West Coast if the Blazers decide to move on from the six-time All-Star. 

Even if the Blazers wanted to trade Lillard right now, it would be difficult to get prime value because of his health status. 

Lillard underwent surgery on Jan. 13 to repair a core injury that had been causing him abdominal pain. The team said he was going to be re-evaluated in six weeks from the time of the procedure. 

The injury had been causing Lillard problems dating back to the Olympics in Tokyo. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on SportsCenter (h/t CBS Sports' James Herbert) last month that the Blazers "want to continue" to build around Lillard. 

Wojnarowski did note Portland could make some deals before the trade deadline, but Robert Covington and Jusuf Nurkic are among the players on the roster that have been talked about. 

The Blazers are in the mix for the play-in tournament, despite having a 21-31 record. They are currently the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. Their roster has been hampered by injuries, as Lillard and CJ McCollum have combined to miss 41 games this season. 

When Lillard has been able to play, he hasn't performed up to his usual standards. The 31-year-old is averaging 24.0 points, 7.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. He is on pace to set career-lows in field-goal percentage (40.2) and three-point percentage (32.4). 

The NBA trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 10.