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The New Orleans Pelicans are finalizing a deal to acquire guard CJ McCollum from the Portland Trail Blazers for a package including forward Josh Hart and draft compensation. Portland is also acquiring guards Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Tomas Satoransky, forward Didi Louzada, a 2022 protected first-round pick and two second-round picks as part of the deal. In exchange, New Orleans will also receive forward Larry Nance Jr. and guard Tony Snell, according to sources. Nance is going into the Pelicans traded player exemption, per sources.
McCollum returned to the Blazers lineup on Jan. 17 for the first time in six weeks after suffering a collapsed lung in early December. He is averaging 20.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists across in 36 games. The 26-year-old Hart has appeared in 41 games, starting 40, for New Orleans this season, and is averaging 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Alexander-Walker, a first-round pick in 2019, was fifth on the team with 12.8 points per game. Satoransky, in his first season in New Orleans, was averaging 2.8 points in 15 minutes per game.
The Pelicans are 10th in the Western Conference at 21-32 and hoping to maintain a position in the Play-In Tournament. The Trail Blazers are a half-game behind New Orleans at 21-33.
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