Blazers in trade talks with Raptors, Rockets about Fernandez

The Portland Trail Blazers continue to have discussions with several teams about reserve guard Rudy Fernandez, who has fallen out of favor with Coach Nate McMillan and has been seeking a trade for almost a year. The most serious suitors at the moment are the Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets, with Toronto offering its first-round pick, the 13th pick overall, as part of a package.

Chicago and Washington have also expressed interest in Fernandez, 25, who was acquired from Phoenix in 2007 on Draft night and signed with Portland the following summer. The Bulls would like to move their first-round pick, 17th overall, for Fernandez. The Wizards offered guard Nick Young for Fernandez but were turned down.

Earlier reports that the Knicks were serious contenders for Fernandez were overblown.

The Blazers, as ever, have been trying to buy draft picks with owner Paul Allen's deep pockets. They moved up 10 spots in the second round earlier this week in a deal with Golden State, rising from 44th overall in the second round to 34th by giving the Warriors an unspecified amount of cash to exchange picks. Teams have been asking for up to $2 million for high second-round picks; the maximum cash amount a team can put in any transaction is $3 million.