Grade the Mock Trade: Spurs get center insurance and help Trail Blazers breathe

Laying Out the Trade

The details of the hypothetical deal are fairly straightforward. San Antonio would send Khem Birch to the Blazers for Jusuf Nurkic, creating a $16.2 million trade exception for Portland in the process. This is far from the worst swap for the Spurs, but it is certainly one-sided in favor of their conference foes.

While Khem Birch adds almost no value to a rebuilding team, the Blazers could waive him and face no long-term financial repercussions since he is entering the last season of his three-year contract. The 30-year-old rim runner does the Spurs no good warming the end of the bench. Nevertheless, there is no reason for them to be in a rush to rid themselves of the veteran for a lackluster return.

Nurkic might sound like the big body San Antonio is searching for, but his name carries more cachet than the realistic production he might offer the Spurs. The 6-foot-11 center has missed 157 out of a possible 310 games over the previous four seasons, and several lower extremity injuries have sapped his already limited mobility. He has some juice left on offense, but his defense is a serious concern.