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Blazers should have traded for Wilson Chandler using TPE

By Nate Mann

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 22: Wilson Chandler #21 of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 22, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 22: Wilson Chandler #21 of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 22, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Portland Trail Blazers should have made the trade the Philadelphia 76ers did to acquire Wilson Chandler, using the Traded Player Exception to avoid a payroll hit.

Amidst the free agency scramble, the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers made a minor trade. Philadelphia received Wilson Chandler and a 2021 second round pick from Denver for cash considerations.

Chandler is a salary dump for the Nuggets and a one-year rental for the 76ers. Both teams want to maximize cap space for next summer after striking out in free agency.

How does this involve the Portland Trail Blazers?

That swap for Wilson Chandler would have been a great move by Neil Olshey.

Contract

Chandler opted in to his $12.8 million contract back on June 22. At first glance, this contract pushes the Blazers way over the luxury tax line.

But in fact, Portland could have acquired Wilson Chandler without any payroll hit. In comes the Traded Player Exception.

A team gets a Trade Player Exception (TPE) when it receives a player with a lower salary than the one it gave away in the trade. The Blazers acquired a TPE in the Allen Crabbe salary dump trade worth $13 million.

Teams with a TPE have one year to make a trade with a gap in salaries less than or equal to the TPE’s value. It comes in handy when swapping draft picks (which have no value) for a *single* player.

Wilson Chandler’s contract for 2018-2019 is worth $12.8 million. Portland’s TPE is worth $13 million. And how Philadelphia acquired Chandler is a textbook use of a TPE.

In summary, the Blazers could have used its TPE to get Chandler and a second round pick for cash considerations, all while staying under the luxury tax line.

Wilson Chandler’s fit with Blazers

Wilson Chandler played 74 games for the Denver Nuggets last season. He averaged 10.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 three-pointers in 31.6 minutes per game. He shot 44.5% from the field and 35.8% from three.

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His 2017-2018 season was worse than his four previous seasons with Denver despite consistent playing time. On a team full of rising stars, Chandler recorded his lowest career usage rate at 14.3%.

Still, the forward was efficient in his offensive production. Besides Shabazz Napier, Chandler shot better from three than any other Blazers reserve.

For Portland, he’d likely be the main source of offense for the bench unit. Of course, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum run the offense no matter what with the staggered lineup.

But when defenders attract to the guards, Chandler would be a great option to kick out to. 94.3% of his three-pointers are off assists, plus he shoots them better when passed to.

In addition, only 48.7% of his two-point field goals were assisted on – he can create his own shots.

On the other end, Chandler is an average defender. He recorded 0.6 steals and 0.5 blocks per game in 2017-2018. Both of these numbers are lower than his career averages by 0.1.

His defensive box plus/minus was minus-0.4, on par with Evan Turner‘s from last season. Compared to Turner again, Chandler had a worse defensive win share margin by 0.9.

Trade blocks

Two things might have blocked this trade from occurring.

One, the Denver Nuggets may have been hesitant to give up one of its core players to a division rival for cash in return. Denver and Portland have a history of trading, but now the teams are competitive in a crowded Western Conference.

Also, it’s difficult to give away a player to an opponent faced three or four times throughout the season.

Two, the Blazers might not have found a spot for Chandler in the rotation. Assuming Maurice Harkless doesn’t have a midseason meltdown again, he and Al-Farouq Aminu are the perennial starters at forward.

Then, backing up either at small forward is Olshey’s favorite, Evan Turner. At 6’9″, Chandler may not have much success playing power forward. He only played 31% of his minutes at the four last season.

Before the Blazers would figure out how to use him best, the final year of Chandler’s contract would expire and he’d enter free agency.

Next: Breaking down the Lillard-to-the-Lakers rumor

Even with the two potential blocks, Portland should have tried to make this trade with Denver. The Traded Player Exception is going to expire at the end of July, so might as well use it.

Chandler could only help a Blazers bench unit in need of some extra offense. And if he doesn’t work out, the forward becomes an unrestricted free agent by summer.

Plus, it’s always good to take a rotation player away from a conference rival.