Report: Blazers intent on trading Ezeli

The Portland Trail Blazers are determined to ship out center Festus Ezeli and his dead-weight salary, sources told ESPN's Marc Stein.

The Blazers signed Ezeli to a two-year, $15-million deal this past summer, but he's yet to suit up for a single game due to a lingering left knee injury.

Portland, meanwhile, is well over the cap and just a hair under the luxury-tax threshold, running the league's third-highest salary (behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers) with just a 23-31 record to show for it.

Ezeli is making $7.4 million this season, and the Blazers have specifically sought out teams below the salary floor - like the Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers - to take on his contract, likely with some form of draft-pick compensation attached, Stein reports. The second year of Ezeli's deal is guaranteed for just $1 million, with a June 30 trigger date for the remaining $6.7 million.

The 27-year-old has struggled with injuries his entire career, and has been sidelined for more games than he's played in since being drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2012. He received a bone marrow aspirate injection in his knee in August, suffered a setback in his rehab in November, and was said to be pondering season-ending surgery in December.

In 46 games with the Warriors last season, Ezeli averaged seven points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 16.7 minutes.