Report: Trail Blazers Show Interest In Trading For JaVale McGee

Jusuf Nurkic's broken wrist is fully healed, and the calf injury he suffered nearly two weeks ago has always been considered minor. Just because their starting center is inching closer and closer toward his long-awaited return, though, apparently doesn't mean the Trail Blazers are satisfied with their depth in the middle.

According to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo! Sports', Cleveland Cavaliers big man JaVale McGee is drawing interest from Portland as Thursday's trade deadline dawns.

JaVale McGee is starting to garner interest from the Portland Trail Blazers. McGee was solid for the Lakers in the bubble last summer, and the Blazers are looking for more frontline help. The Blazers are in a tricky spot because Jusuf Nurkic appears to be on the way back, as reported by Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes.

McGee was dealt to Cleveland in a salary-dump trade last November, shortly after picking up the player option on his contract. Though he played well last season as the Los Angeles Lakers' starter, McGee's $4.2 million salary was extra onerous for the defending champions because they were hard-capped after using exceptions to sign Montrezl Harrell and Wesley Matthews in free agency.

McGee is averaging 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 15.2 minutes per game for the Cavaliers, often lauded for his infectious personality and positive impact on young teammates. Never a long-term answer for a rebuilding Cleveland team, he became more dispensable in January when Koby Altman acquired Jarrett Allen from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the James Harden trade.

Cleveland is seeking a second-round pick in exchange for McGee, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. While that's hardly an expensive asking price in a vacuum for a three-time champion who's started NBA Finals games, McGee's lack of two-way versatility ensures he's best suited as a backup.

Teams generally avoid using draft capital on acquiring reserve centers given the glut of players fitting that description readily available on the free-agent market. The Blazers also own just two second-round picks in the next five drafts, and Terry Stotts, smartly, seems committed to keeping his team's small-ball unit a fixture over the season's remainder.

Even if Nurkic wasn't coming back soon and Enes Kanter wasn't making a strong case for a permanent spot in the rotation, McGee coming to Rip City via trade would seem unlikely. As is, it seems another Blazers rumor bound to prove nothing more than that once the trade deadline passes at noon on Thursday.

[Vincent Goodwill, Yahoo! Sports]

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