The Gerald Wallace to Portland rumors appear to be cooling as the NBA trade deadline approaches and it may be due to Michael Jordan. The Trail Blazers and Charlotte Bobcats were reportedly discussing a deal for Wallace, centered around either Joel Przybilla or Andre Miller, with a draft pick also in the mix. At one point, the deal was reportedly close to official, but now it looks like the two sides are backing off.
According to a report by Yahoo!‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, talks between Portland and Charlotte have stalled and Michael Jordan is getting cold feet. Without Jordan’s approval, the deal is doomed, making him a key sell in the situation. The Trail Blazers aren’t the only party interesting in Wallace, either, with the Cleveland Cavaliers also rumored to be discussing a deal with the Bobcats. With multiple options, Jordan, and the Bobcats, sit in the driver’s sit and can start a bidding war, if they so choose.
With plenty of time until the noon deadline on Thursday, plenty of NBA trade rumors continue to float as teams scramble to make a late deal. For the latest on players from the Northwest, keep an eye on our NBA trade rumors StoryStream . For more on the Blazers, check out SB Nation’s Blazers Edge.