NBA Trade Deadline: Arron Afflalo to Trail Blazers in Five-Player Deal
Let the Woj Bombs begin.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to a five-player trade. The big name in the deal is 29-year-old shooting guard Arron Afflalo, who will be shipped from Denver to Portland.
Per Wojnarowski, the deal includes a protected lottery pick.
Here’s a full breakdown of the players included in this deal made on the day of the 2015 NBA Trade Deadline.
Per HoopsStats.com, Portland’s bench ranks No. 28 in points per game. Afflalo should help in that regard.
Afflalo is currently averaging 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 3-point field goals made per game. He’s doing so on a slash line of .428/.337/.841.
Just one year removed from a breakout season in 2013-14 with the Orlando Magic, Afflalo’s struggled to find his form. In Portland, the hope is that Afflalo can help round out a sharpshooting backcourt with Damian Lilliard, Wesley Matthews and C.J. McCollum.
If nothing else, he’ll bring his 32 games of postseason experience to the table.
Thomas Robinson, 23, will join with his third team in as many seasons. Taken at No. 5 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, he’s averaging 3.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 12.2 minutes in 2014-15.
Perhaps the Nuggets are the team that can bring the best out of him.
Will Barton and Victor Claver are both wings who can score in a pinch, but haven’t yet displayed consistency. Alonzo Gee had a decent run with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2011 to 2014, but hasn’t been able to rediscover his form.
In the end, this trade is centered around Afflalo, his $7.4 million player option for 2015-16 and what he can bring to the 36-17 Trail Blazers.
Next: What does your team need at the 2015 NBA Trade Deadline?