Blazers finalizing trade to send Knicks target CJ McCollum to Pelicans: reports

The Portland Trail Blazers are finalizing a trade that will send Knicks target CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans, according to multiple reports. 

The Pelicans are trading Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada, a future first-round draft pick, and two future second-round draft picks to the Blazers in exchange for McCollum, Larry Nance, Jr., and Tony Snell, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

According to SNY's Ian Begley, the Knicks had been engaged with Portland in discussions for McCollum before the deal to send him to the Pelicans came together. In order to match salaries, the Knicks would have had to include veterans whose contracts extended beyond this season.

The 30-year-old McCollum, who is in the first year of a three-year contract worth $100 million, had established himself as one of the top guards in the NBA while playing in Portland with Damian Lillard.

In addition to their recent interest in trading for McCollum, the Knicks had internal discussions on McCollum ahead of the 2021 trade deadline.

With McCollum now off the board, the Knicks will have to look for other ways to improve their roster ahead of the Feb. 10 deadline.

It should also be noted that with the Blazers trading key players left and right, it appears likely Lillard could soon request a trade.