Blazers land Afflalo for 3 players, future lottery-protected No. 1
Our first deal of trade deadline Thursday, as Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Portland Trail Blazers have acquired shooting guard Arron Afflalo and forward Alonzo Gee from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for guard Will Barton and forwards Victor Claver and Thomas Robinson.
The Nuggets also will receive a lottery-protected future first-round pick and a second-round selection in the deal. The details on the picks, from Wojnarowski:
Portland's sending 2016 first-round lottery protected pick. If not conveyed, becomes '17 lottery protected. After that, it's two future 2nds
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 19, 2015
Afflalo, in his eighth NBA season, was in his first year back in Denver after two years with the Orlando Magic. He was averaging 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 33 minutes a game for the Nuggets, shooting .428/.337/.841.
Gee was only playing 13.1 minutes a game for Denver, averaging 4.9 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting .482/.417/.738.
Denver gets back Barton, who had played only 30 games and is averaging three points, 1.1 rebounds and 10 minutes a game and was shooting .380/.222/.667 from deep on Portland’s bench. Claver had played in only 10 games and 76 minutes and was 9-for-20 overall, 6-for-11 from deep and had scored 24 points with 20 rebounds.
For Robinson, the fifth pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, this will already be his fourth NBA team. In 32 games, Robinson was averaging 3.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 12.2 minutes a game, shooting .516 overall and .438 from the line.
Instant analysis: Portland adds shooting–ostensibly, even as Afflalo is having an awful season from 3-point range–and gives them veteran depth and scoring punch for a second unit that desperately needed it.
The first-round pick could sting a bit down the line, but they added Afflalo’s scoring punch without giving up anything from their rotation, which was weak to begin with. Solid move by GM Neil Olshey.
Next: Wizards, Kings Swap Backup Point Guards