Trevor Ariza’s value remains high as a trade chip. The Blazers got that for a bargain

The Portland Trail Blazers traded Kent Bazemore, Anthony Tolliver, and two future second-round picks to the Sacramento Kings for Trevor Ariza, Caleb Swanigan, and Wenyen Gabriel. Bazemore had been acquired by Portland in a straight-up deal for Evan Turner. It hasn’t really worked out: the Blazers are desperately missing the size and defensive versatility of Al-Farouq Aminu and Moe Harkless, and Bazemore is just too small to credibly mark power forwards.

Ariza’s big enough but he’s 34 and nearing at the end of his useful career with accelerating speed. Ariza is shooting under 40 percent from the floor for the second straight season, this time barely shooting at all despite consistent minutes in Sacramento under former teammate Luke Walton.

All of these contracts expire this summer, with the exception of Ariza: he’s due $12.8 million next season, with a wrinkle. Bazemore makes much more (he’s a Free Agent Class of 2016 alum), and this deal significantly cuts Portland’s tax bill, apparently saving the Blazers $16 million. The Kings did the Blazers an enormous favor here at little cost to them, except giving up on Swanigan and Gabriel, who had been spending much of their recent time in the G League for the Stockton Kings.

The wrinkle on Ariza’s deal is that he’s only guaranteed $1.8 million of his $12.8 million contract next season. If he doesn’t help the Blazers, they can waive him and escape most of salary cap hit. Bazemore’s contract is expiring; Ariza’s might as well be. That $1.8 million would count against the salary cap and potential luxury tax for Portland next season, but the current season savings and theoretical better roster fit counter that. (Plus, there’s a decent chance Portland could unload one of Swanigan or Gabriel before the deadline to further lower the luxury tax hit.)

An earlier version of this story said Ariza could be traded in the offseason at his full salary of $12.8 million. That’s not true: only his guaranteed salary of $1.8 million would count in a trade.

We don’t know that the Blazers are big game hunting as this season has been shredded by injuries to Nurkic and Zach Collins, and the ownership situation is somewhat unsettled in the wake of Paul Allen’s death. Allen would consistently spend to make the team better. We don’t yet know if that will continue.

If nothing comes to pass, the Ariza trade saves the Blazers a substantial sum of money. And if all that’s not enough, there’s a chance — not a big one, but a chance — that Ariza helps Portland in the right ways to take hold of the up-for-grabs No. 8 seed in the West.

For all of that salary saving and those newly introduced chances for something more, Portland gave up just two second-round picks. What a bargain. This is how smart teams operate, even if they have losing records.