5:13pm: The trade is now official, the Blazers announced in a press release.
1:26pm: The Trail Blazers have agreed to trade Noah Vonleh and cash to the Bulls in exchange for the draft rights to Milovan Rakovic, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). While the deal will hardly be the biggest blockbuster of the day, it’s an important one for Portland — the team will get under the luxury tax as a result of the move.
Vonleh, 22, was the ninth overall pick in the 2014 draft, but hasn’t developed into the sort of impact player that the Hornets – and then the Blazers – hoped for. In 2017/18, he has appeared in 33 games for Portland, starting 12. In 14.4 minutes per contest, Vonleh averaged 3.6 PPG and 5.1 RPG.
While the Blazers sneak below the tax line as a result of dumping Vonleh’s $3.5MM salary, the Bulls will move closer to the salary floor by taking on the rest of that contract. If Chicago likes what it sees from Vonleh down the stretch, the club will have the option of making him a restricted free agent with a qualifying offer this offseason.
Portland also created a trade exception worth $3,505,233 (Vonleh’s salary) in the transaction.
its cool they are out of the luxury tax but they need to make a bigger move than this if they want to make a real playoff run and not just make a run for the 8th seed
They don’t have the cap space. They have so many bad contracts that any big moves either involves one of Lillard/McCollum or with Portland selling off multiple future first rounders. Even then, they’re likely going to see one of GS, Houston, San Antonio, Minnesota, or OKC in the first round of the playoffs. Anything can happen, but I’d take any of those five teams over Portland unless Portland added a superstar, which again, is unattainable for them this season.
Noah Vonleh and Bobby Portis on the same team…Maybe 1 actually turns into remedial Chris Bosh
Loved Vonleh coming out of Indiana. Hasn’t really gotten a chance anywhere he’s been. Very inconsistent PT.
Because of very inconsistent play. I like Vonleh, but Portland gave him more than a chance and the opportunity to starr games when there were better players on the roster c
Decent buy low option for the Bulls. Hasn’t done anything yet but these are the types of guys that the Bulls have to take a chance on.
Yeah, nice move, no risk. They needed to add salary to hit the salary floor anyway. If they like what they see they can re-sign him, if not they lost nothing.
The Bulls are good at moving stiffs in and out of the roster. None of these moves will make an impact, as usual. They should be trying to figure out how to get a lottery pick or two.
Fast forward two years and the Hornets traded Milovan Rakovic for Nic Batum
Wouldn’t that be rewind two years? If you fast forward that is two years later.
I meant from the day the trade was made fast forward
Hey it was Milovan Rakovic and Gerald Henderson for Batum lol.
Is there any chance of Rakovic playing in the NBA or is he just a name being traded?
Just a name being traded. He was drafted back in 2007 and isn’t coming over any time soon
At 32 years old, he is just a placeholder in a trade