NBA Trade Rumors: Portland Trail Blazers Reportedly Shopping Maurice Harkless and Meyers Leonard
The Portland Trail Blazers seem to be looking for an opportunity to unload some of their bad contracts.
According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Mannix, the Blazers are reportedly shopping forward Maurice Harkless and center Meyers Leonard around the league before the trade deadline on Thursday.
ESPN's Zach Lowe has also suggested that the Blazers are looking to dump Harkless.
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"Portland is $3 million over the tax, and when a non-contender gets that close, it usually tries to duck it. Maurice Harkless is the name to watch. He earns about $11 million per year through 2020, and he has largely fallen out of the rotation. But he's still just 24, with the raw ingredients of a modern NBA wing who can slide up to power forward. A bullish team with an expiring contract might take a shot [at] him if the Blazers toss in a second-round pick," Lowe said.
Harkless signed a four-year, $42 million deal in the summer of 2016, but he has not been able to live up to his contract. The sixth-year veteran is averaging 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 45.7 percent from the field, 37 percent from three-point range, and 70.6 percent from the free-throw line.
In spite of his struggles, Harkless seems to be drawing some attention in the trade market with the Oklahoma Thunder reportedly interested in acquiring him as a replacement for the injured Andre Roberson, per NBA.com's David Aldridge.
Meanwhile, Leonard is currently in the second year of four-year, $41 million deal. The center has fallen out of the rotation this season, and he gets most of his minutes in garbage time.
Leonard is averaging 4.3 points and 2.2 rebounds in under nine minutes per game this season, and he is shooting 61.1 percent from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arc, and 80 percent from the free-throw stripe.
