Arron Afflalo leads 5-player Trail Blazers-Nuggets trade

The Portland Trail Blazers landed guard Arron Afflalo from the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, giving them the kind of roster upgrade that could help them keep pushing in the brutal Western Conference race.

In the deal, which was confirmed to USA TODAY Sports by a person who spoke on the condition of anonymity before the trade was announced Thursday afternoon, Afflalo goes to Portland with Alonzo Gee, while the Nuggets get Will Barton, Victor Claver, Thomas Robinson, a lottery-protected first-round for 2016. If the pick is not conveyed in 2016, it would become two second-round picks.

"Arron is a proven winner with playoff experience who will be easily integrated into our culture," Blazers general manager Neil Olshey said when the trade was announced. "He possesses a skill set that complements our style of play on both ends of the floor and will make an immediate impact as we continue our playoff push. Alonzo is an elite athlete and defender who adds a unique element to our perimeter.

"We thank Thomas, Will and Victor for their contributions to the team and wish them all the best for the future."

The Trail Blazers (36-17) are currently tied with the Houston Rockets for third-place in the Western Conference, with the league's 10th-best offense and the fourth-ranked defense.

Affalo, 29, will give them yet another two-way player to contribute on one of the NBA's most balanced teams. He was averaging 14.5 points and 3.9 rebounds this season for Denver, and will be a free agent this summer.

Yahoo Sports first reported the agreement.

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