Portland Trail Blazers Willing to Part With a Pick to Dump Salary
The Portland Trail Blazers have been relatively silent so far this summer, but things just got a little interesting.
According to RealGM's Keith Smith, the Blazers are willing to attach one of their three picks in a salary dump trade. The team has the 15th, 20th and 26th overall picks in this year's draft.
The Blazers' projected salary for next season is way over the league's luxury-tax threshold, so they will have to find a way to lower that. Well, it didn't take long for teams to come calling.
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Sporting News' Sean Deveney has reported that the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets are interested in the deal and they have already reached out to the Blazers.
"The Knicks have inquired about some combination of the Blazers' picks, a source said, and those talks are ongoing. New York has the eighth pick and could trade down for a combination of picks, though the preference for the Knicks is to keep their pick and add one of Portland's," Deveney wrote in his report.
"The Nets have inquired, too, and that could be interesting because of the Nets' ability to absorb salary," he continued.
ESPN's Ian Begley confirmed that talks are ongoing between the Blazers and the Knicks. He said Moe Harkless was one of the Blazer players mentioned in a possible trade scenario, and he also noted that they have talked about the possibility of sending an additional player to the Knicks.
Meanwhile, the Nets should have no problem absorbing any contracts heading their way since they have a lot of salary cap space this summer. Allen Crabbe is an interesting target since the Nets tried to sign him last year. However, Deveney reminded everybody that there's a 15-percent trade kicker on his contract.
The Blazers put themselves in a bind last year when they gave Crabbe and Evan Turner huge contracts. Now they have to look for a way to clear some cap space.
