NBA Rumors: Andre Iguodala & Jae Crowder To Portland For Bazemore, Hezonja & Draft Pick, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
Since the 2019 NBA offseason, rumors are circulating that the Portland Trail Blazers are active on the trade market, searching for a defensive-minded wingman. Though Portland’s newest acquisition, Carmelo Anthony, is starting to show impressive performance this season, the Blazers shouldn’t stop seeking improvements. According to Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, the team could immediately address their issues in the wing by engaging in the trade deal with the Memphis Grizzlies involving small forwards Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder.
“Portland was on the hunt for wings at the start of November, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Carmelo Anthony’s Cinderella-story return should not stop that search. Kent Bazemore continues to be arctic-cold from the floor. He’s shooting 33.8 percent on two-pointers for the season and 27.3 percent from beyond the arc over his past 10 games. Even if his offense perks up, the Blazers aren’t adequately built to stop larger wings in a playoff series. Rodney Hood and Nassir Little (disarmingly competent, by the way) don’t cut it. Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala would give Portland two defensive upgrades on the wing.”
In the proposed trade from Bleacher Report, the Trail Blazers would be sending Kent Bazemore, Mario Hezonja, and a 2020 first-round pick to the Grizzlies in exchange for Iguodala and Crowder. Before pushing through with the deal, Portland and Memphis would have to wait until mid-December since Hezonja just signed a new contract in this summer’s free agency period. The suggested trade would beneficial for both teams as it would help them fill the needs to improve on their roster.
The potential deal would not only give the Trail Blazers one but two defensive-minded wingmen in Iguodala and Crowder. The arrival of the two in Portland would tremendously improve Portland’s defensive efficiency, which currently ranks No. 21 in the league, allowing 108.1 points per 100 possessions, per ESPN. Aside from boosting their defense, the Trail Blazers would also have two reliable threats from beyond the arc in Iguodala and Crowder. Iguodala is a career 33.3 percent three-point shooter, while this season, Crowder is averaging 33.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, instead of losing two valuable players in next year’s free agency period without getting anything in return, the potential deal would allow the Grizzlies to acquire a future first-round pick that they could use to add another young and promising talent on their roster. Since both Iguodala and Crowder are two defendable veterans, Favale believes that the Grizzlies could ask for more assets in return from the Trail Blazers. The Grizzlies, he said, could demand the inclusion of a young player like Nassir Little or a future second-round pick.
