Gary Trent Jr. Traded to Trail Blazers, Joins Anfernee Simons in Draft Class
The Portland Trail Blazers acquired former Duke swingman Gary Trent Jr. after making a trade for the No. 37 overall pick of Thursday night's NBA draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reported the news:
Trent arrived at Duke as a 5-star recruit and the 17th-ranked player in the class of 2017, according to 247Sports.
Over the course of 37 appearances as a freshman, he averaged 14.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 41.5 percent from the field. Those numbers didn't pop, but he did flash an NBA-caliber long-range stroke by draining 40.2 percent of his 241 attempts from beyond the arc.
On top of that, 94.8 percent of Trent's threes were assisted, according to Hoop-Math.com, which suggested he'll be able to slide in as a complementary catch-and-shoot scorer who can operate effectively off the ball.
Combine that stroke with a 6'6'' frame and 6'9'' wingspan, and Trent seemingly has the tools in place to eventually serve as an effective three-and-D threat.
"From the jump I'll be able to bring some toughness, being an energy giver instead of an energy taker," he told reporters at the draft combine. "Able to score the ball when needed to, knock down the open shot when I get a chance, and defend."
The Blazers already took Anfernee Simons with the No. 24 overall pick earlier in the night, so adding a second guard is an interesting call.
It's unlikely it will have any long-term ramifications on CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard as the Blazers backcourt, but Trent and Simons could be a fun second-unit duo.
