Portland Trail Blazers trade rumors present some interesting news for fans of the team. While many NBA trade rumors are expected as the NBA trade deadline approaches each February, some names tend to come up that won’t be getting dealt. It appears that two of those names are Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
A report by ESPN states that teams are trying to pry Lillard and McCollum away from the Blazers, but sources are stating that the team continues to reject overtures. It appears that the front office in Portland is content to hold on to the two guards and continue building around them. That news should be well received by Blazers fans who have grown accustomed to cheering on the duo every night.
There are additional Portland Trail Blazers trade rumors that suggest the team is looking to land another big man before the NBA trade deadline on February 8. This includes discussions taking place with the Los Angeles Clippers about All-Star center DeAndre Jordan. Nothing has developed from those talks, as it is rumored that the Clippers would want either Lillard or McCollum to be part of a return package. That appears to be a non-starter for Portland at this time.
It’s official… @DAME_LILLARD IS A 2018 NBA ALL-STAR » https://t.co/SLxmRDSXbk pic.twitter.com/gb3wOAz40T
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 24, 2018
In the updated NBA standings , the Blazers have slipped to the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. With three-straight losses, the Blazers are at 29-25 on the season. That puts them only one game ahead of the No. 9 seeded Los Angeles Clippers and the possibility of missing the 2018 NBA Playoffs. It could be a very disappointing end to the season if the Blazers don’t start stringing wins together over the next few weeks.
It is due to how the NBA standings look that so many Portland Trail Blazers trade rumors have surfaced. A number of NBA analysts feel that the Blazers need to deal either Damian Lillard or C.J. McCollum in order to get frontcourt help. Jusuf Nurkic has struggled a bit this season, creating a lot of doubt that the Blazers are really a contending team in the West. If the season ended today (February 6), the Blazers would have a tough first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.
On the positive side of things, the Blazers are also just one game back from the No. 5 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. It shows that the team could quickly move up by just playing well during the month of February. Being the No. 5 seed would also put them on the same side of the playoff bracket as the Golden State Warriors, another team in the West that would be tough to contend with. The pressure is now on Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to elevate the Portland Trail Blazers in the final two months of the regular season.
