The Portland Trail Blazers are purportedly participating in a three-team sign-and-trade along with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers wherein the Blazers will send Derrick Jones Jr. and a first-round pick to Chicago, while Cleveland gets Lauri Markkanen and the Blazers acquire Larry Nance Jr. from the Cavaliers, according to Shams Charania of the Athletic.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN had more details regarding the pick: it is Portland’s lottery-protected future first and is protected through 2028. The Bulls will also receive a future second-round pick from the Cavaliers. According to Wojnarowski, Cleveland is signing Markkanen to a four-year deal worth $67 million.
Nance Jr. will add a much-needed frontcourt presence for the Portland Trail Blazers. In the 2020-21 season with the Cavaliers, Nance averaged 9.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over 35 games. He missed time late in the season due to a fractured thumb. Nance was drafted in 2015 by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 27th pick. He played for the Lakers for three seasons before being traded to the Cavaliers.
