Portland Trail Blazers: 5 sad truths about Evan Turner

Portland Trail Blazers Evan Turner (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Portland Trail Blazers Evan Turner (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
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PORTLAND, OR – June 25: General Manager Neil Olshey of the Portland Trails Blazer introduces first round draft pick Anfernee Simons #24 to the local media on June 25, 2018 at the Trail Blazer Practice Facility in Portland, Oregon. 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 Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR – June 25: General Manager Neil Olshey of the Portland Trails Blazer introduces first round draft pick Anfernee Simons #24 to the local media on June 25, 2018 at the Trail Blazer Practice Facility in Portland, Oregon. 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 Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

4. There’s no point in attaching a first round draft pick to him in a trade.

With all of Turner’s imperfections, many rational fans would then say, “Attach a pick to him and dump the salary!”

Unfortunately, like almost everything surrounding Turner, this idea is flawed.

The Blazers are so far over the salary cap, that even if they could poof away Turner’s salary with a magic wand, they would still be nearly $12-million in the red.

To attach a first-round draft pick along with him just to get rid of his salary would do little to benefit the team and would force the Blazers to miss out on valuable prospects, ones like Simons and Trent.

If a team becomes desperate at the deadline to tank, then maybe attaching a pick to sweeten the deal for a true third-option would make sense. But in the final days of the offseason, when most everyone has already built their teams, there will be almost no market for Turner.