Blazers are first team to use rule for luxury tax relief
ESPN.com news services
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday waived veteran guards Nick Van Exel and Derek Anderson.
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday made guard Derek Anderson the league's first player to be waived under the league's new "amnesty clause."
The Blazers also waived veteran guard Nick Van Exel after declining to pick up his $12.8 million unguaranteed salary for next season.
The amnesty clause is a one-time exception that allows every team in the league to release one player -- through Aug. 15 -- to avoid paying any further luxury tax on the player's contract.
Portland must pay Anderson what remains on his contract -- nearly $19 million over two seasons -- but will not pay any luxury tax on the contract, which remains on the Blazers' payroll.
"Given the direction of the team and Derek's limited availability in recent years we felt this was the best solution for all parties," Blazers general manager John Nash said in a statement. "This move gives us additional cap flexibility and minutes for our younger players."
Anderson, a big guard in the mode Phil Jackson has always preferred, is expected to draw interest from the Lakers as a potential backcourt partner to Kobe Bryant. Van Exel averaged 10.7 points and 4.3 assists and made 39 starts for the Blazers last season before going on the injured list on March 12 with left knee pain. The 12-year veteran was acquired in a 2004 offseason trade that sent forward Dale Davis and guard Dan Dickau to Golden State. Van Exel, 34, who has also played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks, has averaged 15 points and 6.9 assists in 821 career games.
The Mavericks, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat are among the playoff contenders expected to pursue Van Exel, a former All-Star who has said in the past that he hopes to finish his career with a team in Texas -- and a team with title aspirations.
Anderson, 31, was acquired with Steve Kerr and a second-round draft pick from San Antonio in exchange for Steve Smith on July 25, 2001. In his four seasons with Portland, Anderson averaged 12 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 244 games. The eight-year NBA veteran averaged 9.2 points three assists with 47 games with the Blazers last season but had a variety of injuries, including back spasms.