Victor Claver has been dissatisfied with his role in Portland for some time now, but has recently given his agent the order to officially look for a way out. He no longer wants to be a part of the Trail Blazers organization, and is seeking a fresh start with another team, be it in the NBA or Euroleague.
The Trail Blazers have a few options here.
They can look for a trade, but that may be difficult since Claver holds little value and they don’t really need any immediate return for him. In this case, their best move may be to offer him for a second-round draft pick or two, on the way to a traded player exception. A trade exception would allow them to sign a player for up to $1.47M (Claver’s current salary plus $100K, per the Collective Bargaining Agreement), which is just above the veteran’s minimum.
This option is somewhat attractive since the current free agency pool features a handful of serviceable players like Ray Allen and Jermaine O’Neal that would be handy in a deep playoff run. However; in order for all the cards to fall in Portland’s favor, they would have to find a team that wants Claver but does not place high value on draft picks, and the subsequent free agent in question would have to want to play for the Trail Blazers.
According to BasketballInsiders’ David Pick, the Trail Blazers are already searching for a trade partner. If they find one that is willing to part with a player but not a draft pick, things could heat up around December 15th, when free agents that were signed on or before September 15th become eligible for trade. This could open up trade possibilities as potential partners put more on the table, but would likely mean packaging Claver with someone else to make salaries work.
Nov 17, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Portland Trail Blazers power forward Victor Claver (18) warms up prior to a game against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Portland won the game 118-110. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Supposing the Trail Blazers are unable to find a willing trade partner, they could also offer Claver a buyout. Upon reaching acceptable terms, Claver would be placed on waivers for 48 hours. If a team signed him during that time period, the remaining salary debt would be transferred to his new team; if he, instead, cleared waivers, the Trail Blazers would pay him a reduced figure (privately agreed upon as terms of the divorce) and he would be free to negotiate a new contract elsewhere.
All contracts become guaranteed for the remainder of the season on January 10th, so it would behoove the Trail Blazers to move quickly if they select this route. If a player does not clear waivers by that deadline, they are owed their full salary.
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Of course, the Trail Blazers could also force Claver to wait this one out. His contract expires at season’s end anyway. It would just mean another several months with a very unhappy camper. We are seeing a similar situation in Brooklyn right now, where Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko has fallen out of rotation. He is with the Nets only intermittently, inactivated and otherwise hoping for trade. These circumstances are to be avoided if possible, as they send the message that the organization does not treat their players well.
Ideally, the Trail Blazers would find a trade partner in the near future. Claver is not some worthless waste of money, and I hope he knows that the Trail Blazers do not see him that way. He is a gifted athlete with a high basketball IQ, but the Trail Blazers are overcrowded with wings at the moment. Portland executives will be on the lookout for a mutually beneficial exchange. Stick around this week and we will examine some potential destinations for Claver.