TUALATIN, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers’ summer of wheeling and dealing continued late into Thursday night.
The 2015 NBA Draft was a rather quiet one as the lottery picks went by. There were surprises, like D’Angelo Russell going to the Los Angeles Lakers. But the trades many assumed would fly took some time to get off the ground.
Just over 24 hours ago, the Portland Trail Blazers traded Nicolas Batum to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for veterans Gerald Henderson and 19-year old power forward Noah Vonleh.
And they made another move on draft night, one of many throughout the league.
The Blazers selected Arizona’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson with the No. 23 pick before trading him hours later to the Brooklyn Nets along with veteran guard Steve Blake.
In exchange, the Blazers got center Mason Plumlee and guard Pat Connaughton from Notre Dame, who was taken with the No. 41 pick in the second round of Thursday’s draft.
Portland could very well have just traded for their starting center for next season. Plumlee started just over half the games for Brooklyn last season.
“The opportunity to get a dynamic center that’s a little bit more accomplished that we know we can put on the floor but has a tremendous upside, it was too good of an opportunity,” general manager Neil Olshey said.
And that wasn’t all. The Blazers also acquired the rights to Spanish national Daniel Diez for cash considerations.
They have had a noisy couple of days with only six days standing between them and free-agency on July 1.
That big move on Wednesday led to growing suspicions that it was a move guarding against the departure of LaMarcus Aldridge, which appears imminent. A Western Conference executive with knowledge of the Aldridge pursuit told The Columbian he has already informed the Blazers of such a departure.
Olshey refuted the report.
“I hung up with LaMarcus a half-hour ago, we speak multiple times every week,” Olshey said. “He was as bemused as the report as I was. In no way has he indicated that he will not return to the Trail Blazers.”
Hollis-Jefferson has been touted by many as the best defender in this draft. The biggest issue regarding his future in the NBA is his shooting ability from the outside.
But many regarded the pick as a great value at the No. 23 spot, but the Blazers acquired another big man who they believe they need next season.
With starting center Robin Lopez becoming an unrestricted free-agent in less than a week and the Blazers still yet to make a qualifying offer to restricted free-agent Joel Freeland, there likely will be need at center.
Add to that veteran center Chris Kaman has only one of his $5 million salary guaranteed, the Blazers look like they filled a major need with the trade.
Connaughton is known to many as an athletic freak, and he had a great combine in May. At 6-foot-5, he had a 44-inch max vertical leap at the 2015 NBA Combine and was a very good shooter in college. He fits the mold of a two-way player.
Connaughton and Noah Vonleh are both expected to play in summer league in Vegas according to Olshey.
