The Portland Trail Blazers have succeeded to make their first appearance in the Western Conference Finals since 2000. However, the explosive backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum proved to be not enough to win it all as the reigning NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors, easily defeated the Trail Blazers in just four games. In order to boost their chance of fully dominating the Western Conference and winning an NBA championship title in the 2019-20 NBA season, the Trail Blazers should consider adding at least one superstar on their roster in the 2019 NBA offseason.
According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report , one of the superstars that the Trail Blazers could target next summer is Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers. With the Cavaliers headed into an inevitable rebuild in the post-LeBron James era, Love is clearly becoming an odd fit in Cleveland. Love may have not shown any sign that he’s no longer happy with the Cavaliers but at this point in his NBA career, he will be better of joining a legitimate playoff contender than being part of the rebuilding process.
To acquire Kevin Love from the Cavaliers, Swartz suggested the Trail Blazers could offer a trade package including Maurice Harkless, Meyers Leonard, and the No. 25 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The proposed trade deal works on ESPN ‘s NBA Trade Machine. Most NBA teams will definitely be cautious before trading for a player who has suffered numerous injuries and recently signed a massive contract extension, but Swartz believes Kevin Love is “worth the risk” for the Trail Blazers.
“Given Love’s injury history and juicy remaining contract (four years, $120.4 million), the Blazers won’t have to give up McCollum or a great deal of assets. Simply including the expiring contracts of Harkless and Leonard, along with their late first-round pick this season, should do. Is Love still productive when healthy? His 17.0 points and 10.9 rebounds in just 27.2 minutes per game this season suggest so. Can he be the third-best player on a championship team? Again, check. Will his presence open the floor and create even more driving lanes for Lillard and McCollum? Absolutely.”
School is in session for some famous faces, including Chip and Joanna Gaines, Ciara, and Kevin Love. https://t.co/jzUWWmFpk7
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) June 1, 2019
Kevin Love will be an incredible addition to the Trail Blazers, giving them an All-Star caliber big man who can efficiently knock down shots from beyond the arc. With the three years he spent playing alongside Kyrie Irving and LeBron James in Cleveland, Love won’t have a hard time making himself fit as the Trail Blazers’ third scoring option behind the explosive backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
The “Big Three” of Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, and Kevin Love will undeniably make the Trail Blazers a more dangerous team in the 2019-20 NBA season and it could give them a better chance of representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.