2016 NBA Trade Deadline Grades For All 30 Teams
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers did absolutely nothing to bolster their rotation for a playoff push, and yet they still emerge as one of the clear winners from the 2016 NBA Trade Deadline. Why? Because they were willing to take on a couple of undesirable players/contracts to accumulate future assets.
In their first deal, the Blazers absorbed Anderson Varejao’s albatross contract, but netted a top-10 protected first-rounder from the Cavaliers for 2018 (also top-10 protected in 2019). Since the Blazers plan to waive Varejao (and waive guard Tim Frazier to make room to waive Varejao), all they had to give up was a 2020 second-rounder to Orlando for a future first.
Portland essentially gives up nothing to get a first round pick by facilitating this Frye/Varejao deal. Makes $5.9 million to boot.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 18, 2016
That’s terrific asset navigation, but GM Neil Olshey wasn’t done there.
In Portland’s second and final deal of the deadline, the Blazers helped Miami complete its salary dump of Brian Roberts, accepting a 2021 second round pick in the process. Again, simply by taking on a contract that no one wanted, the Blazers added another future pick to their arsenal.
And, as The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski notes, the Blazers also reached the salary floor to save themselves some extra money that would have been distributed among the entire roster otherwise.
Portland is accomplishing two significant things today: Gathering draft assets and reaching the salary cap floor.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 18, 2016
Roberts may find a place in Rip City off the bench, he may not, but ultimately it doesn’t matter since his $2.9 million contract comes off the books this summer. The Blazers didn’t bolster the roster for a playoff run, but I don’t think they’d be upset about missing the postseason since their 2016 first round pick goes to Denver if they do earn a playoff spot.
Grade: A
Next: Sacramento Kings