To which team should the Portland Trail Blazers trade one of their first round picks: the Brooklyn Nets, or the New York Knicks?
The Portland Trail Blazers are guilty of posting the second-highest payroll in the NBA, only to barely make the playoffs as the eighth seed and get swept by the Golden State Warriors.
It’s no secret that the Blazers are in desperate need to shed some salary cap space to get below the luxury tax line next season.
It’s also no secret that the Blazers have a whopping THREE first round draft picks heading into the 2017 NBA Draft.
Per Keith Smith of RealGM, Rip City is willing to throw in one of their first round picks in a trade involving one of their bigger contracts in an effort to “save on luxury tax.”
Source: Portland Trail Blazers may attach 1 of their 3 1st round picks in the 2017 NBA Draft to shed a contract and save on Luxury Tax.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) May 31, 2017
Meyers Leonard, who hasn’t yet played up to expectations and is set to make over $30 million over the course of the next three years, is certainly a top priority on the Blazers’ trade block. Evan Turner, who is set to make over $50 million over the next three years, also underperformed and is another top priority if Portland is unable to deal Leonard.
However, it’s Maurice Harkless (~$32 million over three years) and Allen Crabbe (~$55 million over three years) that are thought to be the most likely to be traded. Both young, developing wing players are solid scorers with the potential to become reliable 3-and-D guys in the NBA.
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Per ESPN’s Ian Begley, Harkless was reportedly one of the players brought up in trade talks with the New York Knicks, who are interested in acquiring one of Portland’s first-rounders. The rebuilding Knicks already hold the eighth pick in the draft, and acquiring another first-round talent would be ideal for their long-term future.
Keep in mind that Knicks president Phil Jackson has commented on a possible trade involving Carmelo Anthony, who has a no-trade clause in his contract and made it clear he wishes to remain in The Big Apple. However, a change of scenery could possibly benefit Anthony, and the Portland Trail Blazers would likely be happy to oblige and accommodate a talent like Anthony.
As for Crabbe, the Brooklyn Nets could possibly be interested in acquiring him, as they originally offered Crabbe the $75 million contract that was matched by the Blazers in restricted free agency last season.
The Nets, who will have more than $40 million in cap space in 2018, need to meet the salary cap floor (~$90 million) to avoid a penalty. Absorbing a salary or two and a pick from the Portland Trail Blazers would be fastest, easiest and most ideal scenario for the Nets.
A Royal Pain
With roughly $133 million in guaranteed contracts next season, the Blazers need to shed over $12 million to avoid a $21 million tax hit.
Furthermore, Sean Deveney of Sporting News makes it clear that the Blazers keeping all three 2017 first-rounders would result in an additional $4 million, meaning an additional $10 million in tax money.
In addition, the Blazers have three non-/partially guaranteed contracts on their roster: Festus Ezeli, Pat Connaughton and Tim Quarterman. Portland’s general manager, Neil Olshey, has already indicated the team’s plan to waive Ezeli, and it would be in the team’s best interest to waive both Connaughton and Quarterman to make space for at least two new rookies.
So with which team should the Portland Trail Blazers make a draft day trade?
As stated earlier, a salary dump trade with the Nets would be clean and simple, though it’d be difficult to ignore the Knicks if someone like Carmelo Anthony was on the table. I say If Melo isn’t in the conversation, then the Blazers best cut their losses with the Nets and shed a contract the easy way.
Next: Portland Trail Blazers list of confirmed pre-draft workouts
What do you think? Should the Blazers trade with the Nets, or should they trade with the Knicks? Leave a comment in the comment section explaining your choice.