Getty Josh Hart (right) is being traded to the Blazers.
Former Los Angeles Lakers wing Josh Hart is once again on the move and part of the second blockbuster trade of his career. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pelicans are trading Hart to the Blazers as part of a trade package to land star guard C.J. McCollum. Hart is the key piece the Blazers are receiving in exchange for McCollum.
“Full trade, per sources: Blazers: Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Walker-Alexander, Didi Louzada, 2022 protected first-round pick, two second-round picks. Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, Tony Snell,” Wojnarowski tweeted on February 8.
Hart is averaging a career-high 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 32.3% from long range this season. The swingman was involved in a 2019 deal that landed the Lakers star big man Anthony Davis. The Lakers traded Hart, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, the rights to the No. 4 pick of the 2019 NBA draft, their 2023 first-round selection and 2024 first-rounder to the Pelicans.
New Orleans could use some of this draft capital as part of the McCollum deal but the specific picks going to Portland has not been revealed. The Lakers also traded Isaac Bonga, Moritz Wagner, Jemerrio Jones and a future second-round draft pick to the Wizards in the 2019 three-team blockbuster deal.
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Hart Went Viral in 2019 for Making Negative Remarks About the Lakers
Hart averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 36.1% from the three-point line during his two seasons (2017-2019) with the Lakers. He was selected by the Jazz with the No. 30 pick in the 2017 NBA draft before being traded to the Lakers.
Hart issued an apology after he made disparaging comments about the Lakers organization during a September 6, 2019 edition of the LightHarted Podcast that he later said were intended to be edited out of the show.
“When my sarcasm, that wasn’t supposed to be in that — it was supposed to be cut — was in there, I called some of the people in the [Lakers] front office, I called some of my teammates that I had and made sure they knew that none of this stuff was about you guys,” Hart told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne during a November 2019 interview. “I loved my time here. I loved my time here and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. I love Laker Nation. They show so much love, so much support.”
Will the Lakers Make a Move at the Trade Deadline?
This and other moves around the NBA has Lakers fans wondering if the team will make a big trade of their own prior to the February 10 deadline. The Lakers are finding it challenging to make a major deal given their lack of appealing assets outside of Davis and LeBron James. One NBA exec told Heavy’s Steve Bulpett that the Lakers are finding it “damn-near impossible” to trade Russell Westbrook.
“It’s obvious they’re trying to move Westbrook, which is damn-near impossible,” the exec told Heavy.com. “They know that roster’s just not working.”
If the Lakers are to make a move, it will most likely be a smaller deal involving someone like Talen Horton-Tucker or Kendrick Nunn. Time is running out for the Lakers to make a trade just as it is for the team to turnaround their season.