Portland Trail Blazers Blog – Page 15 – NBA Blog

Chris McGowan steps down as Trail Blazers president and CEO

Today the Portland Trail Blazers announced Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) & Executive Vice President (EVP) Dewayne Hankins as the organization’s new President of Business Operations. He is succeeding Chris McGowan, President & CEO, who will step down from the role after nine successful years, effective November 26, 2021.

Per the Blazers, “under Hankins’ leadership with the team, the Trail Blazers achieved franchise records in ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, specifically in digital media revenue. He also played a key role in signing the first cryptocurrency company, StormX, to an NBA jersey patch deal in 2021, as well as in the negotiation of the broadcast deal with ROOT SPORTS, which brings Trail Blazers games to more fans than ever before across Oregon, Washington and Alaska.”

“Since joining the Trail Blazers in 2013, Dewayne has been crucial to our success and growth,” said Jody Allen, chair of the Trail Blazers. “Now in his ninth season with us, we’re thrilled to have him lead the organization.”

“It was a pleasure to work with Chris, and I want to thank him for the last decade of mentorship,” Hankins said. “I also want to thank Jody and Bert for their continued trust in me as I take on this new role.”

“We are grateful for Chris’s contributions since joining the Trail Blazers nearly a decade ago,” said Jody Allen, chair of the Trail Blazers. “I appreciate his dedication to the organization and to our fans, and we wish him well in his next chapter.”

“I want to thank Paul Allen, Jody Allen and Bert Kolde for giving me the opportunity to lead this great organization over the past nine years,” McGowan said. “In addition, I want to thank our amazing staff for their tireless dedication to creating extraordinary moments at Moda Center and in the community and thank our players who represent everything that is good about Portland.”

Trail Blazers waive Patrick Patterson, Marquese Chriss and Quinn Cook

The Portland Trail Blazers have waived Marquese Chriss, Quinn Cook, and Patrick Patterson, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

All three players were signed to training camp contracts in September.

Chriss appeared in all four preseason games for the Trail Blazers, posting averages of 4.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.00 steal and 13.2 minutes.

Cook played in two preseason games for Portland, averaging 3.5 points, 1.0 rebound, 0.5 assists and 13.3 minutes.

In two preseason appearances, Patterson averaged 3.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 13.7 minutes.

Portland’s roster stands at 14 roster players and two two-way players.

The Trail Blazers begin the 2021-22 regular season at Moda Center on Wednesday, October 20 against Sacramento.

Trail Blazers add Neil Everett to TV broadcast team

The Portland Trail Blazers announced today the addition of Neil Everett to the broadcast team starting in the 2021-22 season.

Everett will be Television Studio Host for pre, half and post-game coverage for most Trail Blazers road games.

Everett, a Portland native, has strong Pacific Northwest ties. After high school in Spokane, he attended Willamette University in Salem before transferring to the University of Oregon where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. Everett joined ESPN in July 2000 as an anchor for ESPNEWS and is a household name on SportsCenter, where he will continue to anchor the late-night edition from Los Angeles.

“To have someone with Neil’s knowledge and experience join the Trail Blazers will take our television broadcast to the next level,” said Chris McGowan, President and CEO of the Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter. “His personal ties to the Pacific Northwest paired with his expertise will complement the great talent we have on our broadcast team.”

Prior to ESPN, Everett worked for 15 years for various affiliates in Honolulu, most recently KGMB-TV, the CBS affiliate where he was the sports director and weekday anchor. He also served as an assistant athletic director and sports information director at Hawaii Pacific University.

“It’s a delight to be able to join the great broadcast crew of my hometown team,” said Everett. “I look forward to returning to the Pacific Northwest and working hard to provide the best fans in the league in Rip City a great television broadcast.”

Trail Blazers exercise 2022-23 contract option on Nassir Little

The Portland Trail Blazers have exercised the 2022-23 team option on the Rookie Scale contract of forward Nassir Little.

Portland selected Little with the 25th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Little, 21, appeared in 48 games (two starts) for the Trail Blazers during the 2020-21 season, posting averages of 4.6 points (46.7% FG, 35.0% 3-PT, 71.9% FT), 2.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 13.3 minutes. For his career, Little has averaged 4.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 96 games (seven starts).

Three-team NBA trade sends Lauri Markkanen to Cavs, Larry Nance Jr. to Trail Blazers

As part of a three-team NBA trade, the Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired forward Lauri Markkanen (LAU-ree MARK-a-nin) in a sign and trade agreement from the Chicago Bulls, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

In the deal, Cleveland traded forward Larry Nance Jr. to the Portland Trail Blazers and a protected 2023 second round pick (via Denver) to Chicago. The Bulls also received forward Derrick Jones Jr. from Portland and the Trail Blazers’ lottery-protected 2022 first round pick as part of the trade.

“We are extremely fortunate as an organization to be in a position to acquire another young and talented player with the skill-set of Lauri Markkanen,” said Altman. “He has the proven ability to play multiple positions and stretch the floor from the perimeter and, at 24-years-old, we believe his best basketball is in front of him. We are committed to establishing a winning culture in Cleveland that can be sustained over time and Lauri helps elevate that description. I also want to thank Larry for his outstanding and impactful contributions to our team, both on and off the court. His selfless acts of kindness and support for small businesses in Northeast Ohio during a global pandemic says a lot about his character. He remained steadfast in his commitment to helping others in their time of need and it was an inspiration to us all. Larry truly embraced the community, its fans and his teammates and he will be missed. The Cavaliers have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Larry as a person and a player, and we wish him and his family all the best in Portland.”

Markkanen (7-0, 238) played in 51 games (26 starts) for the Bulls last season, averaging 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per contest. He also shot career highs in field goal percentage (.480) and three-point percentage (.402), while going .826 from the foul line. Markkanen connected on 119 three-pointers in 2020-21, his fourth consecutive season with over 100 triples. He also became just the fourth player in Bulls franchise history to shoot a perfect 7-of-7 from beyond the arc, accomplishing that feat against Philadelphia on March 11, 2021.

A native of Finland, Markkanen was originally drafted out of the University of Arizona by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Traded on draft night to Chicago, he spent his entire four-year NBA career with the Bulls, averaging 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds in 29.5 minutes over 221 games (195 starts). Markkanen was an All-NBA Rookie First Team selection in 2018 and leaves the Bulls ranked sixth all-time in franchise history in three-pointers made with 493.

“Larry is a talented and versatile player that impacts winning on both ends of the floor,” said Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey. “We welcome him and his family to Portland and look forward to his contributions on the court and in our community.”

Originally selected by the L.A. Lakers with the 27th overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, Nance (6-7, 245) holds career averages of 8.3 points (52.9% FG, 33.3% 3-PT, 68.75 FT), 6.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.26 steals and 24.2 minutes in 350 games (123 starts) with the Lakers and Cleveland. A native of Akron, Ohio, Nance played collegiately for four seasons at Wyoming.

Trail Blazers sign rookie forward Greg Brown III

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed rookie forward Greg Brown III.

Brown, 19, was selected by the Pelicans with the 43rd overall pick in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft. The Trail Blazers acquired his draft rights on draft night in exchange for a future second-round draft pick and cash considerations.

As a freshman at Texas during the 2020-21 season, Brown (6-9, 205) averaged 9.3 points (42.0% FG, 33.0% 3-PT, 70.8% FT), 6.2 rebounds and 1.00 block in 26 games (24 starts). He was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection and was named to the All-Big 12 Newcomer Team and Freshman Team.

Brown attended Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas. As a senior, he was a McDonald’s All-American and selected as the 2019-20 Gatorade Texas Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

Trail Blazers sign Tony Snell

The Portland Trail Blazers yesterday signed free agent guard/forward Tony Snell.

Snell, 29, played in 47 games (23 starts) for Atlanta during the 2020-21 season, posting averages of 5.3 points (51.5% FG, 56.9% 3-PT, 100% FT), 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 21.1 minutes. His 56.9% shooting from the three-point-line (62-of-109) is the best mark in NBA history among players to attempt at least 40 three-pointers in a season.

An eight-year NBA veteran, Snell (6-6, 213) holds career averages of 6.4 points (43.3% FG, 39.7% 3-PT, 84.4% FT), 2.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 22.4 minutes in 548 games (298 starts) with Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit and Atlanta. He was selected by Chicago with the 20th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft out of New Mexico.

Trail Blazers re-sign Norman Powell

The Portland Trail Blazers have re-signed free agent guard/forward Norman Powell, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

Powell, 28, returns to Portland after being acquired by the Trail Blazers from Toronto in exchange for Rodney Hood and Gary Trent Jr. on March 25, 2021.

“Re-signing Norm was a priority this offseason and we are pleased that he chose to make a long-term commitment to Portland,” said Olshey. “We look forward to him building off his career year and are confident he will play an integral role in the future success of our franchise.”

Per the Oregonian, “the Blazers entered free agency with limited cap flexibility, given that they were over the league’s $112.4 million salary cap with four starters, Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic and Robert Covington set to make roughly $98 million combined. Because the Blazers traded for Powell, they inherited his “Bird rights,” which allowed Portland to sign him to a five-year deal and exceed the salary cap while doing so. Losing Powell, who became an unrestricted free agent, would have been a big blow to the team’s offseason plans.”

During the 2020-21 season, Powell averaged 18.6 points (47.7% FG, 41.1% 3-PT, 87.1% FT), 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.19 steals and 32.0 minutes in 69 games (58 starts) with Toronto and Portland. His averages for points, assists, steals and minutes were all career highs, as were his shooting splits from the three-point line and the foul stripe. He was one of 14 players in the league to average at least 18.0 points while shooting better than 40.0% from the three-point line during the 2020-21 season.

An NBA Champion with Toronto in 2019, Powell has reached the playoffs in every season of his career. In 73 postseason games (14 starts), he has averaged 8.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist. His averages of 17.0 points and 2.0 assists for Portland during the 2021 NBA Playoffs were both career bests.

Powell was originally selected out of UCLA by Milwaukee with the 46th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft and dealt to Toronto in a draft-night trade. In six NBA seasons with Toronto and Portland, he holds career averages of 10.4 points (46.3% FG, 37.7% 3-PT, 83.7% FT), 2.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 21.2 minutes in 376 games (147 starts).

Trail Blazers sign Ben McLemore

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed free agent guard Ben McLemore, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

McLemore, 28, appeared in 53 games (five starts) for Houston and the L.A. Lakers during the 2020-21 season, posting averages of 7.7 points (37.0% FG, 34.6% 3-PT, 73.6% FT), 1.9 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 17.1 minutes.

In eight seasons, McLemore (6-3, 195) holds career averages of 8.9 points (41.6% FG, 36.3% 3-PT, 77.6% FT), 2.4 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 22.9 minutes in 492 games (261 starts) with Sacramento, Memphis, Houston and the L.A. Lakers. He was originally selected by Sacramento with the seventh overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft after one season at Kansas.

Trail Blazers sign center Cody Zeller

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed free agent center Cody Zeller.

Zeller, 28, arrives in Portland after spending the first eight seasons of his career in Charlotte. He appeared in 48 games (21 starts) for the Hornets during the 2020-21 campaign, posting averages of 9.4 points (55.9% FG, 71.4% FT), 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 20.9 minutes.

Selected by Charlotte with the fourth overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft after two years at Indiana, Zeller (6-11, 240) holds career averages of 8.7 points (51.8% FG, 22.7% 3-PT, 72.9% FT), 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.67 blocks and 22.7 minutes.