3. Sacramento Kings
Why the Blazers make this trade
Vince Carter is an NBA legend and is a free agent at the end of the season. This could be his last season in the NBA, and he probably wants to be on a playoff team. The Blazers could add Carter and maybe get some use of him. At 41 years old, Carter has shown he can still play at a high level. He is shooting 39 percent from 3-point range this season and 37 percent for his career. Carter would be a great locker room and mentor for a young Blazers team.
The Blazers would save money in the long-term and some this season. This trade does not get them below the luxury tax, but it gets them closer. They would need to make another deal after this one.
Why the Kings make this trade
The Sacramento Kings are a young, rebuilding team and having a 41-year-old Crater doesn’t make much sense for them. They need to build around their young care and acquire young, promising prospects. They also need to add talent with years left on their contracts. The Kings are not a free agent destination for players.
Harkless is young and just needs to be playing consistently. The Kings don’t have a long, defending wing like Harkless. They could play him at the small forward or power forward position. Harkless is on a decent contract for his age and potential. Instead of losing Vince Carter for nothing, they could get a player and a draft pick for a 41-year-old player.