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The Portland Trail Blazers traded Noah Vonleh to the Chicago Bulls for the rights to Milovan Raković, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Portland also sent cash to Chicago.
Portland has traded Noah Vonleh and cash to Chicago for the rights to Milocan Rakovic, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018
Vonleh averaged 3.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in 2.5 seasons in Portland. He started the season injured and fell out of Terry Stotts’ rotation.
The 32-year-old Raković is an approximately 6’10” center. From Serbia, he currently plays in the Swiss Basketball League. He was originally chosen by the Dallas Mavericks as the final pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
With this move, the Blazers will move just under the luxury tax line, and will receive a small TPE. They are also sending enough cash to pay for Vonleh’s contract. The key to the transaction is the luxury tax: Portland now moves under it, successfully avoiding a larger bill.
Assuming Portland is sending out $3.5 million to cover Vonleh's contract, this move saves them a little under $3 million in tax payments. Also puts off repeater tax concerns for one year, but that won't be relevant until 2022.
— Eric Griffith (@EricG_NBA) February 8, 2018
NBC Sports Northwest’s Jason Quick reports that the Blazers are done making moves before the deadline.
Source says Blazers are done dealing. Noah Vonleh being traded to Chicago to get under tax and picking up $3.5 million traded player exception will be only move.
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) February 8, 2018
Blazer’s Edge Managing Editor Dave Deckard will have further analysis of this trade later today.