NBA Draft Roundup: Portland trades draft pick Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to Nets for Mason Plumlee

By Cheri Cheng - 26 Jun '15 16:24PM

The Portland Trail Blazers were quick to trade their first round draft pick Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Thursday night. The Blazers sent the rights to Hollis-Jefferson and Steve Blake to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for center Mason Plumlee and the rights to second-round draft pick, Pat Connaughton.

"Trading Mason was tough because I thought he gave us a lot in the two years he was here," Nets general manager Billy King said on Friday. "But looking at Hollis-Jefferson and his defensive ability, and trying to get more athletic [at the] wing position, it was something I felt we needed. And I felt he was the best defender in the draft."

Hollis-Anderson only played two seasons at Arizona and averaged 11 points per game. Blake, 35, is a seasoned guard who averaged four points and four assists per game this season.

Sources reported, according to ESPN that the Nets have been trying to trade Plumlee, who played in all 82 games last season and averaged 8.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. During this past season, Plumlee's performance was very up-and-down. His minutes eventually dropped when a healthy Brook Lopez returned.

Once Lopez came back, Plumlee did not seem to fit that well with coach Lionel Hollins' system.

"I think a lot of it is the things that we needed Mason to do, for some reason, he wasn't able to do them," King said.

Plumlee thanked all of his fans and the Nets organization via Twitter right before the deal was announced.