Portland Trail Blazers: 4 Trade Deadline Week Rumors
3. Ending The Ezeli Experiment
Portland looked to have made a solid signing when center Festus Ezeli signed a partially-guaranteed two-year, $15.13 million contract this past July.
The former Golden State Warriors big man won a championship with the team in 2015. He was also a key reserve for the 73-9 team that fell a game short of repeating in 2015-16.
In Portland, he was going to be a major rim protector and rebounder for a team that really needs it. He was going to be a veteran leader that would bring his championship pedigree to the locker room.
However, those hopes were dashed during training camp when Ezeli was held out due to recurring left knee problems. He’s been sidelined ever since and is still considering season-ending surgery.
With Portland unable to use Ezeli’s rebounding and rim protection, his championship pedigree wore thin with the team as well.
According to an ESPN.com article by Chris Haynes, frustration spilled over during a December road trip.
"“After suffering a challenging, 115-107 loss to Milwaukee, Ezeli, in street clothes, addressed the team in the locker room with a stern speech centered on playing with urgency, sources told ESPN. Then two games later, after a crushing defeat in Memphis, Ezeli once again started giving a team speech, but he was cut short. “McCollum interrupted Ezeli in midsentence and told him that was enough, sources told ESPN. Portland was in the midst of an emotionally draining December, losing 11 of 13 games. Players were desperately pouring out every ounce of effort trying to change the trajectory of the season, and being lectured by someone who wasn’t even playing wasn’t received favorably.”"
Things seem to have been patched up since then, but Ezeli still hasn’t been on the court for Portland this season. ESPN’s Marc Stein wrote that the Blazers were shopping Ezeli around to teams that are below the salary floor and need an extra contract to reach it. Stein indicates that the Nuggets, 76ers, and Brooklyn Nets are the three teams furthest under the $84.7 million floor.
A deal for Ezeli will fall under the radar. But it will free up some salary and most likely return at least a draft pick or two.