The Portland Trail Blazers are trading Evan Turner to the Atlanta Hawks for Kent Bazemore, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. Both veteran wings are on expiring contracts in 2019-20.
While the Hawks have no shortage of cap space and have made it clear they’re willing to take on salary if it helps them yield further assets, the Blazers are a team already struggling to stay out of the luxury tax in 2019-20.
We may see more pieces involved in this transaction, though nothing has yet been reported.
In 73 games for the Blazers last season, Turner averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just .212. Bazemore, in contrast shot .320 from three while scoring 11.6 points per game.
If both parties retain the players they receive in this deal, the Hawks could run Turner out as a versatile utility veteran to supplement the young core they’ve built around Trae Young and John Collins.
The Blazers, in contrast, would benefit from another three-point shooter, especially if the price for pending restricted free agent Rodney Hood creeps higher than their mid-level exception. Since Hood signed a one-year contract in 2018, the Blazers do not have the ability to exceed the cap and sign him with Bird rights.
