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Trail Blazers announce multiple basketball operations staff additions and promotions

The Portland Trail Blazers have announced basketball operations additions and promotions for the 2023-24 season.

Dr. Evan Ellis will begin his first season in Portland as the Director of Health and Performance. Dr. Ellis has served as the team’s co-physician since 2014 and has served as an orthopedic surgeon at Rebound in Portland. As a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Ellis specializes in knee and shoulder injuries, sports medicine, cartilage repair, and ACL reconstruction.

Dr. Ellis performed his undergraduate training at the Johns Hopkins University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was an Academic All-American basketball player. After obtaining his medical degree at the University of Michigan Medical School, Dr. Ellis completed his internship and residency training at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. He then finished his training as a Sports Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. During fellowship, Dr. Ellis was on the medical staff for the St. Louis Rams and St. Louis Blues of the NFL and NHL respectively.

Dr. Courtney Watson comes to the Portland Trail Blazers and will serve as the Head Athletic Trainer after spending the previous 15 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA and most recently as the Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer.

Along with her long-time WNBA experience, Dr. Watson also became the first female athletic trainer in the sport of boxing as the trainer for welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather. In the Spring of 2022, the Los Angeles native also served as the Head Athletic Trainer for the Women’s USA National Team at the 2022 FIBA World Cup, where the United States brought home a gold medal, making it the third of her career.

Geoff Clark has assumed the role of Scouting Medical Director and will assist General Manager Joe Cronin in evaluating prospective players from a medical perspective as well as assessing injury trends and health best practices around the league. Clark will enter his 26th season with the Trail Blazers.

Dale Boyd has been promoted to the team’s Head Strength Coach. Boyd joined Portland in 2022 as the Assistant Strength Coach and previously holding the same title for Overtime Elite during the 2021-22 season. Boyd has also served as Head Strength and Conditioning coach for the Austin Spurs of the NBA G League.

Jeff Kraayeveld joins the Trail Blazers as an Assistant Team Therapist after serving as an athletic trainer at Rebound Orthopedics & Neurosurgery. Prior to Rebound, Kraayeveld previously did his internship with the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL, and was the athletic trainer for the Portland Lumberjax, a professional lacrosse team.

This season, the Trail Blazers are instituting a Nutrition Department in a brand-new state of the art kitchen led by Hali Foreman, Director of Nutrition/Executive Chef, at the Trail Blazers Practice Facility opening in October. Alongside Foreman, CJ Jackson, Danielle Julifs and longtime team dietician Michelle Tegenkamp will serve the team from a culinary and dietary aspect.

Foreman was hired in May of 2023 to lead the construction of the new kitchen and will oversee the food and nutrition program. Prior to joining the Trail Blazers, Foreman was the Associate Director of Performance Nutrition/Performance Chef at the Utah Jazz. In her nearly ten-year career, Foreman has also worked to fuel multiple championship winning NCAA football teams including The University of Alabama, The University of Georgia and finally Clemson University where she served as the Executive Performance Chef for five seasons.

Jackson will serve as the Chef de Cuisine and will help run the new Culinary Nutrition operation for the Trail Blazers. A native of Detroit and former educator, Jackson has conquered cities such as Atlanta, and Memphis through multiple different culinary ventures. Julifs joins the Portland Trail Blazers in her first season as the Nutrition Logistics Coordinator. Julifs most recently served as the Performance Nutrition Intern with the Cleveland Browns during the 2022-2023 season.

Mark Tyndale has been promoted to Assistant Coach after serving the previous two seasons as Player Development Assistant. Prior to arriving in Portland, Tyndale entered the league as a player development coach with the Toronto Raptors.

The Trail Blazers have also added Pooh Jeter, Gilbert Abraham and Ryan Gomes as Player Development Coaches. In addition to his role on Billups’ staff, Jeter will serve as Assistant General Manager of Rip City Remix, Portland’s G League affiliate. Jeter spent the past two seasons playing with the G League Ignite, averaging 7.4 points (44.2% FG, 44.9% 3-PT, 92.9% FT), 1.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 17.3 minutes per game in 28 contests for the Ignite during the 2022-23 season. His playing career also included a stint with the Sacramento Kings in 2010-11 as well as international experience in Spain, Israel, China, France, Turkey and Ukraine.

Abraham comes to the Trail Blazers after spending last season as an assistant coach for the Austin Spurs, the G League affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs. He also most recently acted as the Director of Performance for Tandem Sports and Entertainment from 2021-23. Gomes joins Billups’ staff having acted as a Head Coach at Overtime Elite during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons and an assistant coach with the Long Island Nets, the G league affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, during the 2016-17 season. Prior to coaching, the Waterbury, Connecticut native played eight seasons in the NBA from 2005-2014 and also had brief stints internationally in Spain and Germany.

Additionally, the Trail Blazers have added Eli Kell-Abrams as Head Video Coordinator after spending the previous two seasons as the Head Video Coordinator for the Philadelphia 76ers. Prior to his time in Philadelphia, Kell-Abrams was an Assistant Video Coordinator (2019-21) and a Video Intern (2018-19) with the Miami Heat.

Trail Blazers sign Skylar Mays to two-way contract

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Skylar Mays to a two-way contract, it was announced today by General Manager Joe Cronin.

Originally selected with the 50th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, Mays appeared in six games for the Trail Blazers during the 2022-23 season and averaged 15.3 points (50.0% FG, 46.2% 3PT, 92.3% FT), 3.2 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.0 steals in 32.5 minutes per game with six starts. Mays appeared in 29 games (14 starts) for the Mexico City Capitanes and Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League during the 2022-23 season, accruing averages of 14.1 points (43.1% FG, 88.2% FT), 3.7 rebounds, 5.1 assist, 0.7 steals and 27.6 minutes.

In three seasons, Mays has appeared in 67 career games (11 starts) and averaged 4.4 points (47.8% FG, 37.4% 3PT, 89.4% FT), 1.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 10.1 minutes per game for Atlanta (2020-22) and Portland (2023-24).

Trail Blazers trade Jrue Holiday to Celtics for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III and draft picks

The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired center Robert Williams III and guard Malcolm Brogdon, Golden State’s 2024 first round pick and a 2029 first round pick in a trade with the Boston Celtics for guard Jrue Holiday, it was announced today by General Manager Joe Cronin.

“We are excited to see Jrue in a Celtics uniform. He plays the game with a great competitive character and his impact on and off the court has been felt everywhere throughout his career. We are overjoyed to welcome Jrue, Lauren, and the entire Holiday family to Boston,” said Brad Stevens, Celtics President of Basketball Operations.

Holiday (6’5, 220) has played in 906 career games (825 starts) over 14 NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks (2020-23), New Orleans Pelicans (2013-20), and Philadelphia 76ers (2009-2013). Holiday owns career averages of 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 33.1 minutes per game, while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from the three-point line. Among all active NBA players, Holiday ranks sixth in total assists (5,868), 11th in steals (1,346), and 18th in points scored (14,876), and also owns the sixth-most rebounds among league guards (3,702).

Last season, Holiday earned his third-consecutive and fifth career NBA All-Defensive team selection after averaging 19.3 points, 7.4 assists (9th in NBA), and a career-high 5.1 rebounds in 67 games (65 starts). He was also named a 2023 NBA All-Star, marking the second All-Star selection of his career after being selected in 2013, which is the longest gap between All-Star selections in NBA history.

Holiday helped lead the Bucks to the 2021 NBA Championship title by averaging 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists in 23 postseason contests (all starts). Less than a month after winning the 2021 NBA Finals, Holiday won a Gold Medal with Celtics’ guard Jayson Tatum and Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics where he averaged 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

Holiday has won the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award in three of the last four NBA seasons. The award recognizes him as the best teammate based on selfless play and dedication to his team, as well as leadership on and off the court as a mentor and role model to other players as voted on by his peers.

In his first season with Milwaukee, Holiday won the 2020-21 NBA Sportsmanship award, which honors a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court, and was a finalist for the inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award.

Jrue and his wife Lauren Holiday won the 2023 Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian ESPY Award for their community efforts. The Chatsworth, California native earned Pac-10 All-Freshman Team Honors in his one collegiate season at UCLA before being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 17th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

“It’s been our pleasure to have a front row seat to Rob’s career since he joined us on draft night 2018. He has grown into a wonderful basketball player and teammate. We thank him for his many contributions on and off the court in his five years in Boston and we wish him and his family all of the best as they move on,” said Stevens.

Williams, originally drafted by the Celtics with the 27th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, appeared in 209 career games for the franchise where he averaged 7.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 20.5 minutes per game.

“Malcolm had a great season last year culminating in the tremendous honor of receiving the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. We wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward,” said Stevens.

Brogdon averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 44.4 percent from three last season for the Celtics en route to winning the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

Damian Lillard traded to Bucks in three-team NBA deal

The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired center Deandre Ayton and forward Toumani Camara from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for guard Keon Johnson, forward Nassir Little and center Jusuf Nurkic, the team announced today. Additionally, Portland acquired Jrue Holiday, a 2029 first round pick and the right to swap first round picks in 2028 and 2030 from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for guard Damian Lillard. Milwaukee also sends guard Grayson Allen to Phoenix.

“On behalf of the entire Portland Trail Blazers Organization, I want to express my gratitude to Damian for 11 storied years with this franchise and for his loyalty to the Portland community,” said General Manager Joe Cronin. “From becoming the all-time leading points scorer in franchise history to his dedicated commitment to youth across Oregon and the entire Pacific Northwest, Damian is and will remain a titan and a true trailblazer to this city.”

“I would also like to thank Jusuf Nurkic for his devotion to Portland these last seven seasons,” said Cronin. “A consummate professional on and off the court, Nurk has been a key leader for this team, and we appreciate his dedication and passion for this franchise, the city, and the fans.”

“Thank you to Keon Johnson and Nassir Little for their contributions to the Trail Blazers and Portland as well,” added Cronin. “We wish Dame, Nurk, Keon and Nas much success going forward.”

During the 2022-23 season, Ayton averaged 18.0 points (58.9% FG, 29.2% 3-PT, 76.0% FT), 10.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.8 blocks in 30.4 minutes per game in 67 games (all starts). Originally selected with the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, Ayton holds career averages of 16.7 points (59.7% FG, 26.3% 3-PT, 25.5% FT), 10.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.0 blocks in 30.6 minutes per game in 303 games (296 starts) in his five seasons with Phoenix.

Holiday averaged 19.3 points (47.9% FG, 38.4% 3-PT, 85.9% FT), 5.1 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.4 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game in 67 games (65 starts) during the 2022-23 season with Milwaukee. The 14-year veteran guard holds career averages of 16.4 points (46.2% FG, 36.6% 3-PT, 78.3% FT), 4.1 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, 33.1 minutes per game in 906 games (825) starts.

Camara (too-MAH-nee cah-MAH-rah) was drafted as the No. 52 overall pick in this year’s 2023 NBA Draft. The rookie forward played 125 games (106 starts) in four seasons at Dayton (2021-23) and Georgia (2019-21) and accrued averages of 11.0 points (51.3% FG, 30.7% 3-PF, 63.1%FT), 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks in 27.3 minutes per game.

Lillard was drafted by the Trail Blazers out of Weber State with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He appeared in 769 games (all starts) over 11 seasons in Portland, accruing career averages of 25.2 points (43.9% FG, 37.2% 3-PT, 89.5% FT), 4.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 36.3 minutes per game. Among all-time franchise leaders, he ranks first in points (19,376), points per game (25.2), three-pointers (2,387), free throws (4,427) and free throw percentage (89.5%), second in field goals (6,281) and assists (5,151), third in games played (769) and minutes per game (36.3), fourth in assists per game (6.7), and sixth in triple-doubles (3 – tied) and steals (732). During his time with Portland, Lillard was a seven-time NBA All-Star, an All-NBA First Team (2018), Second Team (2021, 2020, 2019, 2016) and Third Team (2023, 2014) selection, a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, the 2021 NBA Teammate of the Year, the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year, and an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection (2013). The Trail Blazers made the playoffs in eight of Lillard’s seasons in Portland, advancing to the Western Conference Finals in 2019 and the Western Conference Semifinals in 2016 and 2014. Lillard also won a Gold Medal with the United States Men’s National Team at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Nurkic spent the past seven seasons in Portland, where he averaged 14.4 points (51.3% FG, 29.8% 3-PT, 69.3% FT), 9.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.2 blocks in 27.0 minutes per game. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 16 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and traded to Denver on Draft night. In 463 games (382 starts) with Portland and Denver, he holds career averages of 12.3 points (50.2% FG, 29.2% 3-PT, 67.1% FT), 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 blocks in 24.2 minutes per game. The Bosnia native ranks fourth in rebounds per game (9.8) and 10th in total rebounds (2,280) in Trail Blazers franchise history.

The Trail Blazers originally acquired Johnson from the LA Clippers on February 4, 2022. Over two seasons with Portland and the LA Clippers, Johnson has accrued career averages of 5.9 points (36.2% FG, 34.3% 3-PT, 73.9% FT), 1.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.60 steals and 14.4 minutes per game in 77 games (12 starts). He appeared in 40 games with Portland last season, averaging 4.7 points (37.6% FG, 34.6% 3-PT, 65.9% FT), 1.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 10 minutes per game.

Selected 25th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Trail Blazers, Little has appeared in 192 games (34 starts) in Portland and holds career averages of 6.0 points (45.1% FG, 33.5% 3-PT, 72.5% FT), 3.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.4 blocks in 17.1 minutes per game. Last season, the former North Carolina standout averaged 6.6 points (44.2% FG, 36.7% 3-PT, 71.7% FT), 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists and 18 minutes per game in 54 games (four starts) with Portland.

Trail Blazers sign center Moses Brown

The Portland Trail Blazers yesterday signed center Moses Brown.

A two-way player for the Trail Blazers during the 2019-20 season, Brown returns to Portland after averaging 4.3 points on 63.5 percent from the field and 3.9 rebounds in 36 games for the LA Clippers and Brooklyn Nets during the 2022-23 campaign. The UCLA alum has accrued career averages of 5.5 points (57.1% FG), 5.2 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 128 games (39 starts) for six teams; Portland (2019-20), Oklahoma City (2020-21), Dallas (2021-22), Cleveland (2021-22), LA Clippers (2022-23) and Brooklyn (2022-23).

Portland Trail Blazers 2023-24 preseason schedule starts October 10

The Portland Trail Blazers have announced a four-game 2023-24 preseason schedule, featuring two home games at Moda Center on Oct. 10 and Oct. 12, followed by two road games on Oct. 14 and Oct. 16.

The Trail Blazers will tip off the preseason at home on Tuesday, Oct. 10, when they host the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League at 7 p.m. PT. The team’s home slate will continue with a matchup against the Phoenix Suns at Moda Center on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. PT.

Portland will complete the preseason on the road, visiting Utah on Oct. 14 to take on the Jazz at 7 p.m. MT and heading to Phoenix on Oct. 16 for a rematch with the Suns at 7 p.m. MT.

Trail Blazers re-sign Matisse Thybulle

The Portland Trail Blazers have re-signed guard/forward Matisse Thybulle.

Per multiple reports, the team matched the three-year, $33 million offer sheet Thybulle had signed with the Dallas Mavericks.

Thybulle, 26, was originally acquired by the Trail Blazers on Feb. 9, 2023. In 22 games (22 starts) with Portland last season, he recorded 7.4 points (43.8% FG, 38.8% 3-PT), 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks in 27.7 minutes per game. The two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection (2022, 2021) ranked first in the NBA in steals per 36 minutes (2.5), steals per 100 possessions (3.4) and steals to turnover ratio (3.46) during the 2022-23 regular season.

A Washington alum, Thybulle has accrued NBA career averages of 4.6 points (44.7% FG, 33.4% 3-PT), 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 20.5 minutes per game in 267 games (100 starts) for Philadelphia (2019-23) and Portland.

Trail Blazers sign Scoot Henderson to his rookie contract

The Portland Trail Blazers yesterday signed rookie guard Scoot Henderson and forward Kris Murray.

Henderson, 19, spent the past two seasons with NBA G League Ignite and accrued averages of 16.1 points (44.5% FG, 76.2% FT), 5.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks in 46 games (28 starts). During the 2022-23 season, Henderson averaged 17.6 points (44.4% FG, 32.4% 3-PT, 75.0% FT), 5.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 25 games (24 starts). A native of Marietta, Ga., Henderson competed in the Rising Stars game at NBA All-Star Weekend in both 2022 and 2023.

In three seasons at Iowa, Murray, 22, averaged 12.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals in 77 games (29 starts). Murray was a 2022-23 All-Big Ten First Team honoree and consensus All-America Third Team selection, while also being named a finalist for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year, and a semifinalist for the John R. Wooden, Naismith Trophy and Lute Olson National Player of the Year awards. The Cedar Rapids, Ia., native was the only NCAA Division I player to average at least 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while making at least 65 three-pointers during the 2022-23 season.

Henderson and Murray will participate for the Trail Blazers at the NBA 2K24 NBA Summer League 2023 in Las Vegas.