The Trail Blazers will probably wait until the offseason to start making trades to decrease salary, writes Bobby Marks of The Vertical. Portland is looking at the highest payroll in the league next season and has gotten limited production in return, a half game out of the West’s final playoff spot entering tonight’s action. The Blazers have their own draft pick as well as Cleveland’s to offer, but Marks believes those will be more valuable in a possible June deal than they are now. Portland can also deal the contract of Festus Ezeli, who hasn’t played this season and has a $7.733MM salary for next year with just a $1MM guarantee through June 30. However, Marks warns that luxury tax concerns should make the team think twice about taking back any long-term deals.
There’s more news out of the Northwest Division:
- History suggests that Nuggets GM Tim Connelly will be active at the trade deadline, Marks writes in the same piece. Since taking over in 2013, Connelly has been involved in five deadline deals, along with the trade of Timofey Mozgov to the Cavaliers in January of 2015. Marks also notes that Denver is $7.6MM below the cap floor and could be active on the waiver wire to try to reach that figure.
- Former Blazer Nicolas Batum believes the team needs to be patient with Evan Turner, relays Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Turner has been going through a rocky transition since signing a four-year, $70MM deal over the summer. Batum, who was traded to the Hornets in 2015, says Turner gives Portland many of the same attributes that he used to. “He’s one of the best playmakers in this league,” Batum said. “I really appreciate his game. He showed that in Boston the last two years. He just needs time. This is a new team for him.”
- Veteran point guard Jameer Nelson is teaching the position to Nuggets rookie Jamal Murray, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. “I don’t like to talk about too much of what’s going on in the locker room, but I just encourage him,” Nelson said. “I don’t know what it is to be his age [19] in the NBA. But I can just tell him or help him out with plays or certain situations. And he’s real receptive of it. He’s a great kid. That’s why I’m able to get through to him, because he’s such a great kid.”
Some teams will never learn with often injured centers. Ezeli never got it together with the Warriors, get the Blazers gave him a contract, which fortunately they can get out of the summer.
I’m a Celtics fan and I am a HUGE Evan Turner fan. Turner really helped turn the franchise around with Isaiah Thomas. When the team traded Rondo and Jeff Green, the team was heading for tanking, but Evan Turner stepped up and elevated not only his game but everyone else’s. Turner truly was an underrated asset for the Celtics.
Give him time Blazers fans. Let him figure carve out his role and let the game come to him. When the game comes to him, THAT is when he is at his best. I still believe you all in Portland got a good one this offseason.
Denver could trade Nurkic, Gallo, Chandler, Faried and/or Mudiay if they got an Ibaca, Butler, Griffin, maybe Noel or Love. Otherwise, sit still. We need a stretch 4 who can protect the rim and hit 3’s.