Reviewing the CJ McCollum-Josh Hart trade one month later

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PORTLAND, OREGON – FEBRUARY 21: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans shake hands after the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 128-115 during their game at Moda Center on February 21, 2020 in Portland, Oregon, Reviewing the CJ McCollum-Josh Hart trade one month later. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

The Portland Trail Blazers surprised the world at the trade deadline this season when they gutted their team. But the shocking part wasn’t that they ditched some of their core players, but the return they got.

Damian Lillard’s co-star, CJ McCollum, was dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans along with Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell in exchange for Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada, a protected first, and two seconds.

Reviewing the CJ McCollum-Josh Hart trade one month later

Portland then swiftly traded Alexander-Walker and Satoransky for the Utah Jazz for Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes, and a second-round pick. Ingles is set to miss the rest of the season.

The Blazers gave up a fringe All-Star player in exchange for a bunch of pieces that most people deemed as “not enough.” And with Lillard out for the rest of the season, Portland has been struggling mightily.

Jusuf Nurkic is out as well, so the Trail Blazers are just rolling out young lineups and trying to improve/rebuild on the fly. It really makes you think, was the trade actually solid for both sides?

New Orleans got a veteran player who will help them win right now and in the coming years with Zion Williamson, while Portland received a bunch of picks and other assets who could help them reshape the team around Lillard one way or another.

Now that we’re around a month removed from the trade, it’s time to do a quick review. How have the Blazers been doing? What about the Pelicans? Who benefits more in the short-term, and who benefits more in the long-term?