Portland Trail Blazers Blog – Page 23 – NBA Blog

Trail Blazers sign rookie Caleb Swanigan

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward Caleb Swanigan to his rookie contract, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

The Trail Blazers selected Swanigan with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.

Swanigan (6-9, 250), 20, posted averages of 14.4 points (50.1% FG, 37.6% 3-PT, 76.0% FT), 10.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in two seasons at Purdue.

A consensus All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year as a sophomore, Swanigan averaged 18.5 points (52.7% FG, 44.7% 3-PT, 78.1% FT), 12.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his second season with the Boilermakers. Swanigan ranked second in the nation in rebounding in 2016-17 and became the first player nationally since the 1985-86 season to have 640 points, 430 rebounds and 100 assists in a season.

His 28 double-doubles last season were the most in Big Ten history and the 13th-most in NCAA history. A finalist for the Wooden, Naismith and Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Awards, Swanigan became the first player since Tim Duncan of Wake Forest (1996-97) to average 18.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a season.

Swanigan will make his Trail Blazers debut at the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Portland tips off its schedule on Saturday, July 8 vs. Utah at 3 p.m. (Pacific).

He will wear No. 50 for the Trail Blazers.

Trail Blazers sign rookie Zach Collins

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed center Zach Collins to his rookie contract, it was announced yesterday by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

Acquired in a draft day trade with Sacramento, Collins (7-0, 230) was selected with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.

Collins (7-0, 230) posted averages of 10.0 points (65.2% FG, 47.6% 3-PT, 74.3% FT), 5.9 rebounds and 1.77 blocks in his lone season at Gonzaga.

In his freshman season, Collins, 19, led the West Coast Conference in field goal percentage and blocked shots (69), good for second-most in a season in Gonzaga history. A WCC All-Conference Second Team selection as well as a member of the WCC All-Freshman Team, Collins averaged 9.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.00 blocks during the 2017 NCAA Tournament while guiding Gonzaga to its first National Championship Game appearance.

In a Final Four matchup against South Carolina, Collins, a Las Vegas native, recorded 14 points (6-10 FG, 1-1 3-PT), 13 rebounds and six blocks.

Collins will make his Trail Blazers debut at the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Portland tips off its schedule on Saturday, July 8 vs. Utah at 3 p.m. (Pacific).

He will wear No. 33 for the Trail Blazers.

Blazers trade Tim Quarterman to Rockets

The Portland Trail Blazers have traded guard Tim Quarterman to the Houston Rockets in exchange for cash considerations, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

“We thank Tim for his contributions to the team and wish him all the best for the future,” said Olshey.

Quarterman, 22, appeared in 16 games for the Trail Blazers during his rookie 2016-17 season with the team, posting averages of 1.9 points, 0.9 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 5.0 minutes.

Portland originally signed Quarterman as an undrafted free agent out of LSU on July 25, 2016.

Allen Crabbe undergoes foot surgery

Portland Trail Blazers guard Allen Crabbe underwent successful surgery to repair a stress reaction of the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

Crabbe is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in September.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

In 79 games (7 starts) this season, Crabbe averaged 10.7 points (48.8% FG, 44.4% 3-PT, 84.7% FT), 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists. The NBA’s second most accurate 3-point shooter at 44.4%, Crabbe posted the highest percentage from beyond the arc in franchise history by a player with 100-plus 3-pointers.

Allen Crabbe to undergo foot surgery

Portland Trail Blazers guard Allen Crabbe will undergo surgery Thursday to repair a stress reaction of the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

The surgery will be performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Jusuf Nurkic returns from injury for Blazers

Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, who was part of the big Trail Blazers turnaround that took place when he arrived from the team in trade from the Nuggets, has a fracture in his leg but is returning much earlier than anticipated and will be playing hurt against the Warriors. Here’s CSNNW reporting:

From doubtful to starting! The Bosnian Beast is back!

The Trail Blazers announced Nurkić will play in Game 3 vs. the Golden State Warriors at the Moda Center Saturday night.

Nurkic fractured fibula in his right leg on March 28th and was expected to miss at least two weeks before he was re-assessed.

Before the series, Nurkić told reporters, “if it was up to me I’d play right now.”

Blazers: Jusuf Nurkic suffers broken leg

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows Portland center Jusuf Nurkić has a non-displaced right leg fibular fracture, it was announced today by Neil Olshey, Trail Blazers president of basketball operations.

Nurkić will be sidelined for two weeks, at which time he will be reevaluated.

In 20 games since joining Portland, Nurkic is averaging 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.25 assists in 29.2 minutes.

Postponed Blazers-Timberwolves game rescheduled for April 3

The NBA announced today that the March 6 game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves, which was postponed due to unsafe playing conditions on the arena floor, has been rescheduled for Monday, April 3 at 6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET at Target Center.

Festus Ezeli undergoes season-ending surgery

Trail Blazers center Festus Ezeli, who hasn’t played at all this season, underwent surgery on his left knee, team president of basketball operations Neil Olshey announced today.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert LaPrade at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado.

Ezeli will miss the remainder of the 2016-17 season.

Ezeli spent the first three seasons of his NBA career as a member of the Warriors. The Blazers, who at 27-35 have the 9th best record in the Western conference through Tuesday’s games, were counting on him as a defensive, rebound-grabbing presence. They’ll have to wait until next season to see what he can do.

Ed Davis undergoes season-ending shoulder surgery

Trail Blazers center Ed Davis underwent successful arthroscopic surgery today to stabilize the labrum in his left shoulder, it was announced by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

Davis will be out for the remainder of the 2016-17 season, but is expected to be ready for the 2017-18 training camp.