Trade Deadline 2013: Eric Maynor Coming to Portland **UPDATE**

Reliable sources are reporting that Eric Maynor will be traded to the Blazers. Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

As I type this, it’s 11:58 on the West Coast. The NBA Trade Deadline will have passed before this post goes up. Portland’s position coming into the final day of NBA trading was to most likely maximize an outgoing trade while avoiding bringing back any unneeded salary that would jeopardize the Blazers’ off-season ability to land a free agent.

J.J. Hickson was (and still is) the move Portland should make. (Here’s what I wrote about it, and here’s what Chris Sheridan wrote about why it hasn’t happened/won’t happen). Despite a Hickson move apparently not coming, the Blazers didn’t stand totally pat at the deadline. According to Marc Stein of ESPN, Portland will be flipping the trade exception that was once Raymond Felton and a pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for their third string point guard Eric Maynor.

Here are the tweets from Stein about it:

OKC and Portland seriously discussing a deal that would send Eric Maynor to Blazers, I’m told

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 21, 2013

Eric Maynor going from OKC to the Blazers is 100 percent happening, sources say

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 21, 2013

Eric Maynor was once a big part of OKC’s young squad, but a knee injury sidelined him last season, and his minutes have disappeared. Maynor is on the hook for this season, but will be a restricted free agent in 2013-14. Portland is going to have to use some cap space to bring him back, but they’ll have a good chance at getting him for cheaper (or getting him at all) in 13-14 by trading for him in 12-13.

Nothing has been officially officialized, of course, but here are a couple of good reaction tweets:

WOW RT @espnsteinline: Eric Maynor going from OKC to the Blazers is 100 percent happening, sources say

— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) February 21, 2013

There’s a reason no Blazer has been mentioned in the Maynor to Portland talk. Salary dump, methinks.

— Welcome To Loud City (@WTLC) February 21, 2013

OKC will land a trade exception for Eric Maynor, source said.

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) February 21, 2013

If #Blazers are taking Maynor using trade exception (for Felton), they will have to waive someone. Elliot Williams is obvious candidate.

— Mike Tokito (@mtokito) February 21, 2013

There will be more on this deal as it comes. **UPDATE** Thunder beat writer Darnell Mayberry has confirmed that Eric Maynor is being shipped. He also has some details of what OKC is getting in return:

Confirmed: The Thunder has traded Eric Maynor to Portland.

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) February 21, 2013

The Thunder is not receiving a draft pick from the Blazers in exchange for Eric Maynor. Only a trade exception.

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) February 21, 2013