Trail Blazers News: Portland Ditches 2024 Lottery Pick for Cap Relief, Intriguing Vet

Joe Cronin is already making major moves.

Jan 31, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) dunks the basketball during the first half against Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon (11) and center Deandre Ayton (2) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Portland Trail Blazers team president Joe Cronin is already making major moves as the 2024 NBA Draft nears.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that the Blazers are moving their lesser lottery pick Wednesday night, the No. 14 selection, plus future 2029 draft equity to the Washington Wizards as the sweetener to get off the bloated contract of oft-injured 2023 Sixth Man of the Year point guard Malcolm Brogdon. In return, Portland is acquiring former lottery pick forward Deni Avdija.

Per Wojnarowski, Portland will send the second-best first round pick they possess in 2029, between their own selection and those of the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. The Trail Blazers will also ship out a pair of second rounders, though which draft those second rounders stem from has not been divulged as of yet.

The Trail Blazers still have the No. 7 pick in the lottery, plus the Nos. 34 and 40 picks in the second round of the draft. The first round (which covers picks 1-30) will be broadcast Wednesday night, starting at 4:30 p.m. PT on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN+.

According to longtime hoops insider Yossi Gozlan, the move helps Portland save serious coin. The team was over the NBA's first $178.7 million luxury tax apron, but by offloading a pricey lottery pick and Brogdon's $22.5 million salary, Portland now ducks $4.2 million under the tax.

Next season, the first year of Avdija's four-season, $55 million rookie-scale contract extension will kick in. Across 75 contests last season, the 6-foot-9 swingman posted averages of 14.7 points on .506/.374/.740 shooting splits, 7.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks a night, while finishing sixth in Most Improved Player voting. Still just 23, he's an interesting talent, well worth a gamble, and the price was right.

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