Report: Maurice Harkless staying with Blazers for four years, $40 million
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Restricted free agent forward Maurice Harkless will stay with the Trail Blazers on a four-year deal worth upward of $40 million, The Vertical’s Shams Charania reports.
The reported dollar amount is in the neighborhood of what Portland paid to keep big man Meyers Leonard this off-season. Harkless, 23, was one of the best forwards left on the market. Charania reports the deal can reach $42 million with incentives and is fully guaranteed with no options.
The Trail Blazers signed C.J. McCollum to a reported maximum extension on Monday and continue to solidify their roster and commit money long term. He could have accepted the team’s $4.04 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next season. The Blazers have now signed Harkless, McCollum, Leonard and Allen Crabbe to long-term deals and added Evan Turner and Festus Ezeli in free agency.
Harkless started every playoff game for the Blazers and saw his role increase over the course of the season, during which he averaged 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds.
Harkless was the No. 15 pick in the 2012 draft out of St. John’s and was acquired from the Magic through a trade in 2015.
