Trail Blazers Free Agency: What’s the Hold-Up with Maurice Harkless?

It’s been eleven days since the start of free agency – restricted free agent Maurice Harkless and his camp have been very quiet.

After being an integral component to the Trail Blazers’ playoff success, most anticipated Maurice Harkless being in line for a big payday. Instead, the Blazers decided to aim their focus on retaining – Neil Olshey draftees – Meyers Leonard and Allen Crabbe. Signing Crabbe and Leonard on Sunday night sent the Blazers cascading over the 94 million salary cap and close to the luxury tax line. With Harkless’ 7 million dollar cap hold still on the books, the Blazers are currently occupying 111 million out of the 113 million before reaching the luxury tax level.

It’s unknown if Olshey has been advised to tip-toe the luxury tax line, the best case scenario right now is for Portland to sign Harkless to a four year deal worth 35 million dollars. At a little less than 9 million a year, the Blazers would be resigning one of their starters from last years playoff squad to a team-friendly deal and stay under the luxury tax line. Even though staying below the tax line would be a realistic and attractive goal, it’s not absolutely necessary when the Blazers have the second richest owner in the NBA. This outcome is ideal for Portland but is very unlikely. Teams still have cap space and are paying big money to young guys with potential in the current free agency landscape.

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The best case scenario for Portland is only one of Harkless’ options. He can still decide to sign with a new team. Every team in the league knows the Blazers are just below the luxury cap and can easily offer Harkless a contract that would make the Blazers exceed the 113 million limit. When the Blazers decided to match the Brooklyn Nets’ offer to keep Crabbe, this is one of the problems it created. If a team like the Nets offered Harkless to a large contract – at a number that made you look twice – the decision wouldn’t be solely be based on the value of the contract; the Blazers would have to consider paying the luxury tax as well.

Harkless’ last option is to accept the qualifying offer the Blazers extended at the start of free agency, which made him a restricted free agent. In the best case scenario for the Blazers, they would be paying Harkless a little less than 9 million next year compared to 4 million he would be paid on the qualifying offer. By accepting the qualifying offer and playing next year for 4 million, Harkless would be an unrestricted free agent at the end of next year – meaning he could sign anywhere and the Blazers wouldn’t have the ability to match. Harkless is still very young, 23 years old, and one more season playing on a cheap contract wouldn’t be a huge financial risk. He still hasn’t reached his potential and will have plenty of time to recoup any lost wages from the decision.

Next: Harkless to the Nets?

With both sides being tight-lipped it’s hard to tell which direction this will go. Having three options on the table gives Harkless the upper hand but Olshey just showed with the Allen Crabbe signing that he hates to lose assets for nothing.