The Portland Trail Blazers made a move on Tuesday that might help their salary cap situation moving forward. The team traded Allen Crabbe to the Brooklyn Nets for Andrew Nicholson. The move gives Portland a $12.9 million trade exception that expires in a year. Portland has been rumored as the third team to help Houston complete a trade for the New York Knicks Carmelo Anthony.
Portland matched a four-year, $75 million offer sheet a year ago. The 25-year-old was the third best guard on the team and backed up Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Portland is likely to waive Nicholson and the three years and $20 million remaining on his contract.
Nicholson was originally drafted by the Magic.
Will Ryan Anderson come to Portland soon?
Anderson is making about $18 million a year with the Rockets. There is no virtual way that Anderson and Anthony can play on the same team if the Rockets were to acquire Anthony. Portland has been rumored to be open to take on Anderson's contract and possibly move Maurice Harkless and Meyers Leonard to the Knicks to help accommodate salaries.
The Trail Blazers have likely seen the writing on the wall that Anthony is not going to come play for the team. It was reported that the Trail Blazers would only help facilitate the trade if Anthony took Portland off his list of teams he would veto a trade. Anderson may not be the caliber of player that Anthony is, but at this point, he might be the best consolation prize.
Jusuf Nurkic on Portland's mind
Nurkic is eligible for a rookie extension after the 2018-2019 season. The Trail Blazers have $119 million in salary committed up to this point. Nurkic had a breakout 20 games after he was picked up by Portland. Nurkic averaged 15.2 points and 10.2 rebounds to go along with 3.1 assists. Jurkic is likely to be re-signed which makes Leonard that much more expendable in a trade to go to the Knicks.
Nets wanted Crabbe a year ago
The team that Portland matched the offer sheet for was the Nets. Crabbe joins D'Angelo Russell as a new addition to their backcourt moving forward. The Nets wanted to have a younger core moving forward, and now their backcourt features two players that are at least 25 years old, or younger. The team also has Jeremy Lin thrown into the mix.
Crabbe brings a three point shot along with him. Crabbe shot 44-percent from behind the arc this past season to go along with his 10.7 points. The Nets are still in a serious rebuilding mode, but this was a nice pickup for the team.
