The Trail Blazers are parting ways with Allen Crabbe. ESPN reports that the Blazers are shipping the fifth-year shooting guard to the Nets for forward Andrew Nicholson.
The Blazers are expected to waive Nicholson, who has nearly $20 million remaining on his contract over the next three years. Portland will use the “stretch” provision in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement to spread Nicholson’s salary out over the next seven seasons, lessening the impact on the team’s salary cap.
The trade will allow the Blazers to save approximately $44 million over the next three years.
Crabbe, who waived a $5.6 million trade kicker to facilitate the deal with Brooklyn, averaged 8.3 ppg and 2.3 rpg in four seasons with Portland. He signed a 4-year, $75 million offer sheet with the Nets last Summer. The Blazers matched the offer and retained Crabbe’s services.
Crabbe will now have an opportunity to compete for a starting spot with Brooklyn while the Blazers receive salary cap relief and a $12.9 million trade exception that can be used in future deals.