All articles tagged with #trail blazers
The Memphis Grizzlies traded Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers for forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Morant would join a Portland backcourt that already includes Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, and Damian Lillard, with the Blazers weighing additional moves and other targets. The deal balances salaries under Portland’s cap constraints, while Morant’s off‑court and injury history looms as context for the trade.
Jaylen Brown pushed back at analytics critics as Celtics trade rumors with Portland swirl, with reports suggesting a deal could involve Jerami Grant and a young guard (Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe) and possibly Toumani Camara, depending on picks; Boston is clear on roster options, projecting Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh onto the 15-man squad while Dalano Banton, Amari Williams and Max Shulga have non-guaranteed deals; Isaiah Thomas has joined the Celtics’ scouting staff and helped guide the Dillon Mitchell pick, underscoring ongoing front-office activity.
Blazers owner Tom Dundon addressed the Portland Metro Chamber about financing for Moda Center renovations, outlining a funding plan and signaling ongoing collaboration with city leaders on how to cover the improvements.
The Portland Trail Blazers laid off about 70 employees from their business operations department as part of a restructuring to position the organization for the future, per The Rose Garden Report and The Oregonian. President of business operations Dewayne Hankins said the changes were aimed at long-term success and to support those affected, marking the first major change under new owner Tom Dundon, who has indicated a willingness to invest in players while scrutinizing the business side.
In The Athletic's NBA Player Survey results, three Trail Blazers appear on the lists: Jrue Holiday is part of a four-way tie for second in the underrated category with 3.3% of votes, and Shaedon Sharpe collects 1.3% further down. On the overrated side, Alperen Sengun leads with 12.3%, while Deni Avdija earns 3.7%—tied with Scottie Barnes, Luka Doncic, and Pascal Siakam. The findings reflect peers' subjective assessments of players, with the piece noting the potential starting lineup a Doncic-Avdija-Barnes-Siakam quartet would form.
The Portland Trail Blazers blew a 17-point first-half lead and were outscored 73-35 after halftime, losing 114-93 to the San Antonio Spurs to fall behind 3-1 in their first‑round series. Victor Wembanyama dominated in the paint with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 blocks, while Scoot Henderson went 0-for-7 and Portland’s late third-quarter collapse and 18 turnovers sealed the setback. Portland’s season hangs in the balance as Game 5 heads to Tuesday with the Blazers needing a dramatic turnaround and possible roster changes ahead.
Victor Wembanyama returned to anchor a decisive second-half surge as the Spurs erased a 17-point halftime deficit to beat the Trail Blazers 114-93 in Game 4, taking a 3-1 series lead and setting up a possible series-clinching home game. San Antonio tightened its defense, received strong showings from Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox, and erupted for 40 points in the fourth while Portland struggled with turnovers and uneven depth.
Victor Wembanyama returned from concussion with 27 points, 11 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals to fuel a 114-93 Spurs win that erased a 17-point halftime deficit and gave San Antonio a 3-1 series edge over Portland; De'Aaron Fox added a game-high 28 points as San Antonio surged in the second half, while Jrue Holiday tallied 20 for Portland in the loss.
Portland Gear announced a limited batch of free playoff T-shirts for ticketed Trail Blazers fans before Game 3, responding to backlash over the absence of playoff gear and aiming to boost fan support for the NBA postseason.
San Antonio forward Victor Wembanyama left Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against Portland with a concussion after a fall to the court, sidelining him as the Spurs suffered a defeat to the Trail Blazers.
Portland’s new owner Tom Dundon is aggressively cutting costs—whether by skipping playoff T-shirts, not bringing Two-Way Contract players to postseason games, or reportedly lowballing a head coach’s salary—patterns that the piece argues could foreshadow a broader, profit-focused shift in NBA ownership as franchise values rise and owners seek faster returns. This creates tension around player development, coaching credibility, and the sustainability of a competitive team culture.
Portland’s sale to Tom Dundon for about $4.25 billion arrives with a cost-cutting reputation: he reportedly aims to keep the head coach’s salary around $1.5 million a year, staff were told to check out early to dodge late fees, playoff T-shirts won’t be handed out, and two-way players will not travel with the playoff team, a contrast to typical NBA practice; Dundon’s Hurricanes tenure featured similar frugality, but while results have been strong, observers question whether these penny-pinching moves will truly help the Blazers win.
After Victor Wembanyama’s record-setting 35-point playoff debut in Game 1, San Antonio looks to build on the win by evaluating how he follows up in Game 2, while Portland must boost its offense against a tough Spurs defense and Jrue Holiday/Shaedon Sharpe need more efficient shooting — all as Spurs coach Mitch Johnson faces playoff decision-making in the West First Round.
San Antonio hosts Portland for Game 2 after a dominant Game 1 led by Victor Wembanyama; Portland’s Deni Advija is the key scoring threat and San Antonio must slow him, reduce turnovers, and continue solid defense. Portland’s plan to guard Wembanyama with Camara and guard Castle with Clingan challenges the Spurs’ rotation, so guards like Vassell, Fox, Harper, and Castle will need to raise their level to protect home court, especially if Portland’s three-point shooters find a rhythm after a 26% night in Game 1.
Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points to spark San Antonio’s 111-98 Game 1 win over Portland, setting a Spurs playoff debut scoring record and highlighting the young Spurs core (Castle, Vassell, Harper). The game also marked the first Spurs playoff without Gregg Popovich since 1999 and their first postseason win since 2019, while Portland’s Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 30 but got little help against San Antonio’s defense.