We’ve summarized what Portland Trail Blazers fans can expect from their squad in terms of salary cap space this offseason. Below you’ll find lists of the players expected back on the roster, the team’s potential free agents and a number of insights about questions the franchise will face before the 2021 campaign.
In addition to a summary for each of the 30 teams (accessible in the link grid below), we’ve also tiered the top NBA free agents league-wide and published a general comparison of all teams’ cap space. Follow @SLAMnewswire on Twitter for constant offseason updates as we head into free agency.
Projected Roster Players
| Trevor Ariza | $12,800,000 | $1,800,000 Guaranteed |
| Zach Collins | $5,406,255 | Guaranteed |
| Mario Hezonja | $1,977,011 | UFA, PO |
| Rodney Hood | $6,003,900 | UFA, PO |
| Damian Lillard | $31,626,953 | Guaranteed |
| Nassir Little | $2,210,640 | Guaranteed |
| C.J. McCollum | $29,354,152 | Guaranteed |
| Jusuf Nurkic | $12,888,889 | Guaranteed |
| Anfernee Simons | $2,252,040 | Guaranteed |
| Gary Trent Jr. | $1,663,861 | Guaranteed |
Projected Free Agents
| Carmelo Anthony | $1,620,564 | Cap Hold – UFA |
| Moses Brown | $1,445,697 | Cap Hold – RFA, 2W |
| Wenyen Gabriel | $1,620,564 | Cap Hold – UFA |
| Jaylen Hoard | $1,445,697 | Cap Hold – RFA, 2W |
| Caleb Swanigan | $3,665,787 | Cap Hold – UFA |
| Hassan Whiteside | $32,742,000 | Cap Hold – UFA |
Dead Money
| Andrew Nicholson | $2,844,430 |
| Anderson Varejao | $1,913,345 |
2020 NBA Draft Picks
| 2020 Pick #16 | $3,121,080 |
| 2020 Pick #46 | No Cap Hold |
Exceptions Available
- Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $9,258,000
- Bi-Annual Exception – $3,623,000
Key Offseason Decisions
- Will Portland bring back Trevor Ariza or waive him for just $1.8M? Ariza’s absence was felt when the Trail Blazers needed a bigger 3&D forward. He’s a nice fit alongside Portland’s stars because Ariza doesn’t need the ball, but can knock down shots. The Blazers aren’t so tight to the tax this year, so expect him to be back.
- Is Zach Collins worthy of an extension? Portland would love to get Collins locked up on a team-friendly deal. But it would have to be very team-friendly for it to be worth it for them. Expect Collins to bet on himself and then hit a better restricted market in 2021.
Projected Team Salary
$156,602,865
For the first time in a while, the Trail Blazers aren’t dancing around the luxury tax line. They could even have some cap space, if they chose to clear their books of all their non-guaranteed salaries. As it stands though, Portland will probably stay over. With the ability to use the full Non-Taxpayer MLE, and maybe even the Bi-Annual Exception too, the Blazers should be able to rebuild their depth. (@KeithSmithNBA)
Cap Space Forecast
-$47,462,865 (20th out of 30). $25,291,417 under the Luxury Tax.
