Within the last few days, NBA Teams have made trade offers with hopes to improve rosters and increase salary space before the February 7th Trade Deadline & pending 2019 Free Agency. One of the worst teams in the league just made a reasonable trade with a well known Playoff Contender. The Cleveland Cavaliers (11-42, #14 In The East) traded Rodney Hood to the Portland Trailblazers (32-20, #4 In The West) For Nick Stauskas, Wade Baldwin IV & Two 2nd Round Draft Picks. According to Adrian Wojnarowski Of ESPN, Hood had to agree to the trade because he signed a one-year, $3.4 million qualifying offer last season with Cleveland which granted him veto rights. He'll lose his Bird rights this summer in the 2019 free agency, but his desire to leave the rebuilding Cleveland Cavaliers and join the Playoff Regular TrailBlazers encouraged Hood to approve the trade. Portland can still re-sign Hood using one of its exceptions. In my opinion, this Trade was a short term victory to try to make the Blazers a Dark Horse Contender In The Fully Loaded Western Conference. However, this move was not enough to give the Blazers a chance to win against the Golden State Warriors or encourage Franchise Superstar Damian Lillard to resign his extension. It’s going to be a long summer for NBA General Managers between fighting over Unrestricted Free Agents & Trading for #1 Draft Picks.
