Sat, Aug 28, 2021 at 6:00pm

MARKKANEN MOVED TO CLEVELAND

In a three-team trade, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired forward/center Lauri Markkanen from the Chicago Bulls; the Portland Trail Blazers acquired forward/center Larry Nance Jr. from the Cavaliers; and Chicago acquired forward/guard Derrick Jones Jr. from the Trail Blazers, and a protected future first-round draft pick and a protected future second-round draft pick from the Cavaliers.

What does it give the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs are building a strong frontcourt, with Markkanen joining rookie Evan Mobley, center Jarrett Allen, second-year swingman Isaac Okoro and perhaps veteran Kevin Love (though the latter is a strong candidate to move on now that Markkanen is in tow). With an undersized backcourt, Cleveland is counting on their new-look frontcourt to balance things out in 2021-22.

What does it give the Portland Trail Blazers
For the Trail Blazers, this deal is essentially a one-for-one swap of Jones Jr. for Nance Jr. Portland gets more size, but less athleticism. Look for Nance Jr. to come off the bench as a backup to Robert Covington this season. Nance Jr. is a veteran with a solid track record of quality play as a reserve, so he is a positive addition to a Blazers squad looking to break through in the Western Conference.

What does it give the Chicago Bulls
The Bulls have undergone a massive facelift this off-season, so someone had to go. Chicago decided not to re-sign restricted free agent Markkanen, opting instead to trade him to Cleveland. The Cavaliers will send two future protected picks to the Bulls, while the Blazers will send Jones Jr. to the Windy City. The latter is a tremendous athlete who can play many positions. Markkanen needed a change of scenery.

Fantasy impact
Markkanen's fantasy value should be boosted by this trade, even though there does seem to be a bit of a logjam up front in Cleveland at present time. Draft him with the hope he can thrive in his new home. Nance Jr. is a decent rebounder and rotation player, but his fantasy value is minimal. Jones Jr. should become a big part of Chicago's rotation this season, but his role may not lead to great fantasy numbers.