Blazers trade Wesley Matthews.

[deepeeenn]

I love the guy but my goal for the Blazers is to free up more capspace to make a run at Iggy and a quality defensive center in free agency.

Current salary for 13-14: $43,240,658
Current League Salary Cap:$58,044,000
Projected Cap Space (based on current league salary cap without Cap Hold from 2013 1st round pick): $14,803,342
The Cap Hold from the '13 1st Rd pick can knock the Cap Space down to say $12,000,000. Almost a Max contract offer sheet.

I don't know the details on Jared Jeffries, Sasha Pavlovic and Ronnie Price's contracts but they have some level of non-guaranteed-ness to them. So I will refrain from deducting any amount from the Projected Salary to increase the Cap Space.

My goal is to find a trade partner that can give me back an expiring contract and if possible a 1st Rd pick or 2nd Rd pick for Wesley Matthews' $6.5M/yr 3 years remaining contract. Which would give me about $18,875,480 (after deducting an estimated lottery pick cap hold). This in my opinion could be good enough to sign Iggy, if he opts out of his remaining contract and maybe a good defensive center, Emeka Okafor, if he opts out too. Before any one says anything about acquiring the two. Simply put, I believe Iggy isn't quite a max level player and could deserve something like a Gerald Wallace contract ~$10M. With Emeka getting a ~$8-9M/yr contract.

I've been looking at potential trade partners and so far I have two that could use Wesley. Cleveland and Milwaukee.

First trade is the ideal for salary because it also unloads Victor Claver's $1.33M/yr 3 year contract. Freeing up the Cap Space to $20,205,480!

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ahyt9de
Cleveland sends:
Luke Walton - $6,091,363 Expiring
Daniel Gibson - $4,792,332 Not-Fully Guaranteed Expiring

Portland sends:
Wesley Matthews - $6,505,320 with 3 yrs remaining
Luke Babbit - $1,892,280 Expiring
Victor Claver - $1,300,000 with 3 yrs remaining

Why for Cleveland:
Wesley would be great next to Irving or off the bench. I believe Waiters is a 6th man and should be coming off the bench. Wesley is a great role model and solid starter. He can add some veteran leadership to the team at a good price and he's not too old, I think 25? Luke Babbit gives them another shooter that can give them a different look at the 3/4 and he's expiring. Victor Claver is a low risk role playing rookie that can fill in for a team who will probably let Omri Casspi walk this summer. They will probably get the same production at rookie scale. Cavs could also push for the playoffs when Irving and Waiters return.

Why for Portland:
Portland get's two expiring deals both with combo qualities. Gibson's contract is Not-Fully Guaranteed and can help shed salary for the year (this could be a reason Cleveland doesn't include him). Walton can play SG and could help fill in for Wesley. But this means we'd be tanking for the year. Gibson can play SG and PG. The main idea is tank for the draft and shed salary.

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=a3qopt8
Milwaukee sends:
Samuel Dalembert - $6,698,565 Expiring
Mike Dunleavy Jr. - $3,750,000 Expiring

Portland sends:
Wesley Matthews - $6,505,320 with 3 yrs remaining
Nolan Smith -$1,365,720 Expiring

Why for Milwaukee:
Their front court is loaded. This gives the younger big men more playing time. And still keeps the team in the playoff picture. They need some size on the wing and some legit defense. In comes Matthews, who could play alongside Jennings or Ellis. They also shed about $2.5M for the year which get's them makes them closer to the Salary Cap (only $2M over).

Why for Portland:
Two Expirings. Nolan Smith leaves town. Dunleavy gives wing depth, can start for short spurts, allow Will Barton more PT and he help keep starters from getting injured. Otherwise it's just tank mode. Samuel Dalembert is expiring plus we could get a look at him for his shot blocking, and can help Meyers Leonard in that department.

Ideally, Portland receives picks but I can understand if none are included.
Cavs own Heat 1st rd pick.

[deepeeenn]

Another is New Orleans, who badly needs an off guard better than Roger Mason plus With Austin Rivers sucking and Xavier Henry being a bust.

New Orleans sends:
Xavier Henry - $2,323,200 Expiring
Jason Smith - $2,500,000/yr 2 years remaining 13-14 Not Fully Guaranteed for $1M
Protected '14 1st round pick

Portland sends:
Wesley Matthews
One or two 2013 2nd Rd picks

Why for NO:
They get a hard-nosed SG with defensive capabilities. Shoots the 3 well and can handle a little bit of the ball. Can play off of both Vasquez and Rivers. Familiar with Monty Williams. Couple of Assets for this years 2nd round draft.

Why for Portland:
Henry's Expiring. A look at Jason Smith and can save money by waiving him next year for $1M. He's a tradeable asset to other teams for this reason too. Also acquire a good asset with NOs 1st rounder for '14 draft. Obviously protected.

[WiscoKing13]

done from the bucks POV

[Trader_Joe]

I was looking at Portland's numbers for next season the other day and almost agree they should try to move Matthews to get more cap space. However, if they do it means they are back to a hole at SG and still have no bench.

Lilliard
#1
Batum
LMA
Leonard

are the pieces I keep (maybe Hickson depending on what he wants)
I would try to move Freeland (maybe Claver too) in any Matthews deal as well.

I would love Matthews as a 6th man for the Nets.. unfortunately we don't have expirers, but we could route Humphries to a team like Charlotte (who tried to sign him thsi summer) and they send expirers your way and maybe TyThomas our way.

[Texas Chuck]

you wouldnt have any problems getting expirings + a small incentive for him. I imagine 10-15 teams at minimum would make an offer if he was shopped. Hes a good player on a good contract.

[vege]

Matthews and Cleaves for Bynum Daye and Detroit's 2nd?

Gives Portland extra cap space and a decent 2nd round pick next season.

[shrink]

you wouldnt have any problems getting expirings + a small incentive for him. I imagine 10-15 teams at minimum would make an offer if he was shopped. Hes a good player on a good contract.

I agree.

Win-now MIN would certainly send an email, asking Paul Allen to unblock Kahn's cell phone number.

[deepeeenn]

Matthews and Cleaves for Bynum Daye and Detroit's 2nd?

Gives Portland extra cap space and a decent 2nd round pick next season.

That's not too bad. But I'd try to get a 1st rounder for '14 by adding a couple '13 2nd rounders.

[catsfan]

diop and henderson (11 mil) for matthews and claver and reducing the protections on the pick the cats have?

[deepeeenn]

I was looking at Portland's numbers for next season the other day and almost agree they should try to move Matthews to get more cap space. However, if they do it means they are back to a hole at SG and still have no bench.

Lilliard
#1
Batum
LMA
Leonard

are the pieces I keep (maybe Hickson depending on what he wants)
I would try to move Freeland (maybe Claver too) in any Matthews deal as well.

I would love Matthews as a 6th man for the Nets.. unfortunately we don't have expirers, but we could route Humphries to a team like Charlotte (who tried to sign him thsi summer) and they send expirers your way and maybe TyThomas our way.

Yeah it seems sensible to me to move Wesley. Hickons has a trade veto in his contract. So attempting to trade him could have drawbacks. We'd definitely be weak in the SG spot but we'd have to hope Iggy hears we want him and sign him in the summer. He would work so well with Lillard and Batum because both can space there floor handle the ball. Iggy gives them near elite D, playmaking and slashing. We'd look pretty good on the wing. I think Freeland will turn around eventually. So I'd keep him. Claver I'd get rid of, just because his ceiling is low.

[deepeeenn]

diop and henderson (11 mil) for matthews and claver and reducing the protections on the pick the cats have?

Reducing the pick protection kind of kills it for me but maybe. We'd definitely would be sub 12th pick this year and I would guess out of the lotto next year. But that depends if I value the depth in the '14 draft enough and if I knew I could get the Free Agents I want this summer.

[catsfan]

diop and henderson (11 mil) for matthews and claver and reducing the protections on the pick the cats have?

Reducing the pick protection kind of kills it for me but maybe. We'd definitely would be sub 12th pick this year and I would guess out of the lotto next year. But that depends if I value the depth in the '14 draft enough and if I knew I could get the Free Agents I want this summer.

keep the pick this year. take the protection away from the 2014 draft. maybe top 2 or 3 protected.

[cucad8]

There's not a lot of good SGs in the league. I'd prefer to not move him strictly for cap space, in the hopes we sign someone. We have enough money to throw at Iggy right now, if we really wanted to go after him anyways. Not sure who the defensive C target would be, but could likely look to a S&T, and I doubt one would be commanding a huge salary.

[jpsteven]

Cavs accept this trade easily. I think Wes would be a great fit in a three guard rotation with Kyrie and Waiters.

[rh9]

you wouldnt have any problems getting expirings + a small incentive for him. I imagine 10-15 teams at minimum would make an offer if he was shopped. Hes a good player on a good contract.

I agree.

Win-now MIN would certainly send an email, asking Paul Allen to unblock Kahn's cell phone number.

Something like this?

Portland trades: Matthews, Freeland
Portland receives: Diop, Henderson, 2014 NO 2nd

Charlotte trades: Henderson, Diop
Charlotte receives: DWill, Roy

Minnesota trades: DWill, Roy, 2014 NO 2nd
Minnesota receives: Matthews, Freeland

[Brandon-Clyde]

Portland would not accept one trade proposed in this thread. They already have 2 2nd rd picks in this draft so those hold almost no value. The players offered in trade hold no value. Portland would want 1st rd picks for Matthews at this point or young prospects. Portlands capspace will likely be $10million + already and trading Matthews for simple expirings really does not make a huge difference on what could be done with capspace(especially as they would need to replace Matthews lost production). If Portland simply needs a couple million more in capspace they could use their 2nds and/or cash to get someone to take Claver or Freeland to clear some more space

[mcfly1204]

Portlands capspace will likely be $10million + already and trading Matthews for simple expirings really does not make a huge difference on what could be done with capspace(especially as they would need to replace Matthews lost production).

I fail to see how clearing an additional ~$7 million in cap space is insignificant.

[kdawg32086]

I wouldn't go as far as BC in saying "1st round picks," but I would definitely say that a trade has to include either expirings and a single 1st round pick or expirings and a young prospect. There really isn't much of a reason for the Blazers to trade Matthews otherwise. Wes has a solid contract and he's producing for us.

We filled our bench with veterans who have unguaranteed contracts after this season for a reason. There's no need to start trading away core players for cap space too.

[why22]

Bargnani for Matthews?

[shrink]

you wouldnt have any problems getting expirings + a small incentive for him. I imagine 10-15 teams at minimum would make an offer if he was shopped. Hes a good player on a good contract.

I agree.

Win-now MIN would certainly send an email, asking Paul Allen to unblock Kahn's cell phone number.

Something like this?

Portland trades: Matthews, Freeland
Portland receives: Diop, Henderson, 2014 NO 2nd

Charlotte trades: Henderson, Diop
Charlotte receives: DWill, Roy

Minnesota trades: DWill, Roy, 2014 NO 2nd
Minnesota receives: Matthews, Freeland

If it was "expirings plus small incentive," I was thinking more like Roy's expiring and maybe Luke Ridnour for a worse contract, or just eating a poor deal.