The Portland Trail Blazers have traded guard/forward Evan Turner to the Atlanta Hawks for Kent Bazemore in a player for Player swap. The move improves Portland at the guard position and gives the Hawks a veteran to mentor their youth.
Turner spent the past three seasons with the Blazers, after being signed in the 2016 off season to what has been called a grossly overpaid contract at $17 million a year for four years, after Blazers general manager Neil Olshey jumped the gun in order to make sure Portland got a player in a highly competitive free agent market. Turner played most of his time as a point forward, and was an ill fit with the team. Though he did have some big moments, such as game 7 of the 2019 second round series vs the Nuggets, where he helped put Portland over the top in the fourth quarter for a series victory.
Kent Bazemore will fit right in with Portland. He is a far cry better from three than Turner, which is something the Blazers sorely need to take defensive pressure off of Portland star player Damian Lillard. Bazemore is also a defensively minded player, another area the Blazers have been lacking in. He is definitely an upgrade.
Image – (Sam Forencich Getty Images)
Welcome to Portland Kent!
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