Category: Portland Trail Blazers Blog

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced today that it has awarded Portland, Oregon, the league’s 15th franchise. The Portland team, set to begin play in the 2026 season, will be owned and operated by RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. Portland is the third expansion franchise awarded by the WNBA during this round of expansion, following the Golden State Valkyries and a Toronto franchise, bringing the league from 12 to 15 teams.

“As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Portland has been an epicenter of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans. Pairing this energy with the Bhathal family’s vision of leading top-flight professional sports teams will ensure that we deliver a premier WNBA team to the greater Portland area.”

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Taze Moore to a Two-Way contract, it was announced today by Trail Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin.

Moore originally signed a 10-day contract with the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 20, 2024, then signed for the rest of the season on April 14. He appeared in four games during 2023-24 NBA season for Portland and totaled 18 points (8-19 FG, 1-2 FT), eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. In the season finale for the Trail Blazers on April 14, Moore scored a career-high 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes at the Sacramento Kings.

The Houston alum appeared in 22 games for the Trail Blazers NBA G League affiliate, Rip City Remix during the 2023-24 season, accruing averages of 15.6 points (49.8% FG, 35.1% 3-PT, 73.3% FT), 5.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.7 minutes per game. Moore was originally acquired by the Rip City Remix on Jan. 11.

The Portland Trail Blazers will tip-off their four-game 2024-25 preseason schedule with a matchup against the LA Clippers, who will host the Trail Blazers in Seattle, Wash. at Climate Pledge Arena on Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. PT. The Clippers matchup marks the second time the teams have faced off in Seattle for a preseason game, the first occurring during the 2022-23 preseason.

The Trail Blazers will then travel to Sacramento to take on the Kings at Golden 1 Center on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. PT before returning home to Portland to kick off the preseason homestand.

Portland will host Ratiopharm Ulm of the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) at Moda Center on Wednesday, Oct. 16 and then will conclude the preseason schedule vs. UTA on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. PT.

The Portland Trail Blazers recently named Ronnie Burrell as an assistant coach on Head Coach Chauncey Billups’ staff.

Burrell joins the Trail Blazers after most recently spending the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets. Prior to joining Brooklyn, Burrell spent the 2022-23 season as the head coach of the Nets’ NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. Burrell led Long Island to a 23-9 overall record in the regular season, tied for the second-best record in the NBA G League and earned NBA G League Coach of the Year honors.

Prior to rejoining the Nets organization ahead of the 2022-23 season, Burrell spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach with the College Park Skyhawks, the NBA G League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, and the previous season as a player development coordinator with the Chicago Bulls. The Montclair, N.J., native previously played 11 professional seasons (2005-2016) in France, Germany and Poland after a four-year collegiate playing career (2001-05) at UNC Greensboro.

The Portland Trail Blazers recently signed guard Devonte’ Graham, team General Manager Joe Cronin announced.

Graham appeared in 23 games with San Antonio last season, recording 5.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.4 steals in 13.6 minutes per game. In 336 games (171 starts) over six seasons with San Antonio, New Orleans and Charlotte, he holds career averages of 11.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 0.8 steals in 24.9 minutes per game. Graham is one of only eight players in NBA history who have accrued at least 1,000 assists and 700 three-pointers through their first 300 career games.

The Portland Trail Blazers recently re-signed forward Justin Minaya to a two-way contract, it was announced by General Manager Joe Cronin.

Minaya appeared in 34 games (one start) for the Trail Blazers last season. In 20 games (19 starts) with the Rip City Remix during the 2023-24 G League regular season and Showcase Cup, he recorded 13.7 points (43.8% FG, 33.6% 3-PT), 6.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game.

The Portland Trail Blazers have exercised the 2024-25 team option on the contract of guard Dalano Banton, General Manager Joe Cronin announced today.

Acquired by Portland on Feb. 8, 2024, Banton appeared in 30 games (8 starts) for the Trail Blazers during the 2023-24 season and averaged 16.7 points (40.8% FG, 31.1% 3-PT, 78.0% FT), 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.9 steals in 29.2 minutes per game. Banton scored in double figures in 27 of the 30 games for Portland including scoring 30 points or more twice and scored 20 points or more in nine games.

The Toronto, ON native posts career averages of 6.1 points (40.9% FG, 28.9% 3-PT, 72.9% FT), 2.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 13.6 minutes per game in 149 games (12 starts) for Portland, Boston (2023-24) and Toronto (2021-23).

The Portland Trail Blazers have named Nate Bjorkgren and Chris Fleming as assistant coaches on Head Coach Chauncey Billups’ staff.

During the 2023-24 season, Bjorkgren served as a Special Assistant to the Coaching Staff for the Trail Blazers. Prior to this past season, Bjorkgren served an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors (2021-23, 2018-2020) and was the head coach of the Indiana Pacers for the 2020-2021 season. A professional basketball coach of 17 years, Bjorkgren’s first NBA coaching job came as an assistant with the Phoenix Suns (2015-17).
A native of Storm Lake, Iowa, Bjorkgren began his professional coaching career with the Iowa Energy (2007-2011) of the NBA G League as an assistant coach, helping the team win a championship in 2010-11 before becoming the head coach of the Dakota Wizards prior to their move to Santa Cruz. The Warriors appeared in the Finals in their first season in Santa Cruz under Bjorkgren during the 2012-13 season. Bjorkgren also had NBA G League head coaching stops with the Iowa Energy (2013-14) and Bakersfield Jam (2014-15).

Fleming spent the last five seasons (2019-2024) as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls and will be entering his 10th season as an NBA Coach. Prior to Chicago, Fleming spent three seasons (2016-19) as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets, helping the team improve its win total each season. Fleming’s NBA coaching career began with the Denver Nuggets in 2015-16.

The Forked River, NJ, native served as a head coach in Germany for 14 years where he spent eight seasons (2000-08) with QSTV/Artland Dragons in Quakenbrϋck and six seasons (2008-14) with Brose Baskets Bamberg, where he led Brose Baskets to four German League championships and was named the German League Coach of the Year in 2011. During his time in Germany, Fleming captured four Germany Cup championships along with three German Supercup championships and spent three seasons (2014-18) coaching the German national team.