Blazers guarantee Josh Hart's $12.9M salary for 2022-23 season

As expected, the Blazers have decided to fully guarantee Josh Hart‘s salary for the 2022-23 season, according to Aaron J. Fentress of OregonLive.com. Hart will now make $12.9M next year.

The deadline to guarantee his salary was Saturday. Portland could still dangle Hart in a trade, as the team reportedly pursued Raptors forward OG Anunoby in trade talks leading up to the draft. Any deal involving Anunoby would likely include Hart’s contract.

After getting traded by the Pelicans, Hart appeared in 13 games with the Blazers last season, averaging 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 50% shooting. While those stellar numbers are above the norm for him, the 26-year-old still managed to average 14.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 41 games with New Orleans before getting traded.

Hart is a prime candidate to start at small forward unless the Blazers make a move. Portland agreed to trade for Jerami Grant this week, adding him to a core that already includes Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons. Starting center Jusuf Nurkic will enter unrestricted free agency next week.