Portland Trail Blazers forward Maurice Harkless (L) posts up against Oklahoma City Thunder's Andre Roberson. (Photo : Getty Images)
Several teams are rumored to be pursuing restricted free agent forward Maurice Harkless and it includes not only his mother club Portland Trail Blazers but also the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, and Utah Jazz.
SB Nation noted that the 23-year-old American-Puerto Rican is the only remaining "Portland restricted free agent yet to re-join the Blazers" and that he is no "no rush to make a decision and is also considering taking Portland's qualifying offer".
The report then continued that Harkless received a one-year, $4.04 million qualifying offer before he became a free agent early this month. He had just finished the four-year, $8.3 million rookie contract he had with the Orlando Magic before the 2012-2013 season which the Blazers inherited when they traded for him last summer in exchange for a 2020 second round draft pick.
Taking the said qualifying offer will make him an unrestricted free agent next summer, thereby potentially earning more with his next deal, but if he rejects it and signs a new contract, then he would have to be content of his salary staying within a maximum of $9 million annually "in order for the Blazers to remain under the luxury tax threshold".
In other words, Harkless would have to choose between signing a long-term and more secure deal now for less money or playing an entire season and risking injury and bad performance for a potentially bigger contract next summer if he overcomes the two perils.
Meanwhile, Sportige reported that Harkless is not in a hurry to sign the Blazers' qualifying offer as he is "still waiting for a better one" that could come from any of his current speculated suitors: the Lakers, Mavericks, Pistons, Wizards, and Jazz.
However, the article noted that a rich, long term deal from the abovementioned squads is unrealistic for him at this point of his career because the 15th overall pick of the 2012 draft "hasn't really done anything special to warrant that kind of offer".
In his three previous seasons with Orlando and last season with Portland, Harkless had averaged 6.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 1.0 steals playing 21.7 minutes a night throughout his career, which are, in reality, not eye-catching numbers.
One particular weakness in Harkless' game that may shun teams from paying him with the kind of money he wanted is his mediocre outside shooting. At his position, it is one of the prime considerations of NBA teams these days.
