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Trail Blazers guard Gary Payton II was reevaluated by Dr. William C. Meyers at The Vincera Institute in Philadelphia on Monday.
Payton has been cleared to increase conditioning and on court activity in preparation to return to play.
Payton will miss Wednesday’s game vs. Memphis and the upcoming six-game road trip at which a timeline for return to game action will be determined.
The Portland Trail Blazers today announced that guard/forward Josh Hart has entered the NBA’s Concussion Protocol following last night’s game.
Per the NBA’s Concussion Policy, Hart must go through the return-to-participation process, which can begin no earlier than 24 hours from the time of injury. The return-to-participation process includes a series of steps designed to ensure an athlete exhibits symptom free behavior before resuming full basketball activities. There is no timeframe to complete the process, as each injury and player is different and recovery time can vary in each case.
Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard exited Wednesday night’s game in the third quarter vs. Miami. An MRI taken Thursday confirmed a grade one strain of the right calf.
Lillard will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks.
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward John Butler Jr. to a two-way contract.
Butler, 7-1, appeared in four summer league games for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2022 and averaged 8.5 points (75.0% FG, 66.7 3-PT%, 57.1 FT%), 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 16.7 minutes per game. In a matchup against Oklahoma City at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas on July 17, Butler scored 25 points while shooting 9-for-9 from the field including 6-for-6 from three.
Undrafted out of Florida State, Butler accrued averages of 5.9 points (41.6% FG, 39.3% 3-PT), 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 19.0 minutes per game in 31 games (24 starts) for the Seminoles during the 2021-22 season. The Greenville, SC native became the first freshman in Florida State history to lead the team in 3-point field goals made (33) and 3-point field goal percentage shooting (.393) in a season.
The Portland Trail Blazers have hired BJ Domingo as Director of Player Personnel.
“We are excited to welcome BJ to the front office here in Portland to help bolster our global scouting efforts,” said Blazers GM Joe Cronin. “BJ has evaluated talent at the pro level, collegiate and amateur ranks while developing great relationships across the world.”
Domingo joins the Trail Blazers after serving as the Assistant Director of the USA Men’s National Team since 2021 after previously working for the Milwaukee Bucks as a Scout since 2017. The Bay Area native also served as a basketball operations associate from 2015-17 and as a player relations intern in 2014-2015 for the Bucks.
A graduate of San Jose State in 2013, Domingo first entered the NBA as a video intern for the Golden State Warriors in 2013-14.
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward Nassir Little to a multi-year contract extension.
Little’s Blazers extension is reportedly a four-year, $28 million deal.
“Nassir is a talented player who has grown every year and has a very bright future,” said Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin. “We are very excited that he chose to extend with us, and we look forward to continuing to see him shine on and off the court.”
Per the Oregonian, “Little, a first-round pick in 2019, is entering the final year of his rookie contract, which will pay him just under $4.2 million this season. The extension could keep Little in Portland through the 2026-27 season at a relatively low annual salary, given that he entered training camp in competition for the starting small forward position.”
Little, 22, posted a career-best 9.8 points (46.0 FG%, 33.1 3-PT%, 73.4 FT%), 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 blocks in 25.9 minutes in 42 games (23 starts) for Portland during the 2021-22 season. The University of North Carolina product scored in double figures in 20 games and registered three double-doubles.
Originally selected with the 25th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Little has accrued career averages of 5.8 points (45.5 FG%, 31.7 3-PT%, 72.7 FT%), 3.4 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.5 blocks and 16.7 minutes in 138 career games (30 starts) for the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Portland Trail Blazers have converted center Olivier Sarr to a two-way contract.
In three preseason contests for the Trail Blazers, Sarr averaged 4.7 points (50.0% FG, 1-3 3-PT, 83.3 FT%), 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 11.9 minutes per game.
The French native and Kentucky alum appeared in 22 games (two starts) and averaged 7.0 points (57.4% FG, 44.8% 3-PT, 82.8 FT%), 4.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 19.1 minutes per game for the Oklahoma City Thunder during his rookie campaign in the 2021-22 season.
Sarr left Tuesday night’s game at Golden State with a sprain of the right wrist. A subsequent MRI taken place on Wednesday confirmed a right wrist sprain. A timeline for return will be established after further evaluation in one week.
The Portland Trail Blazers have waived guards Isaiah Miller and Jared Rhoden, it was announced today by General Manager Joe Cronin.
Miller appeared in three preseason games for the Trail Blazers and totaled six points, five rebounds and three steals.
Rhoden tallied 10 points, four rebounds and one steal in two preseason appearances for the Trail Blazers.
Per the Oregonian, this “leaves the Blazers with a maximum 15 players on their roster, which includes center Olivier Sarr, the only remaining player signed by the team to a training camp contract. The 7-foot Sarr, who played last season with Oklahoma City, appears to have a strong chance to make the Blazers’ final roster.”
The Portland Trail Blazers have waived Wes Iwundu, Devontae Cacok and Brandon Williams.
Iwundu totaled five points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 12 minutes in a preseason appearance against Maccabi Ra’anana.
Cacok played in two preseason games for the Trail Blazers and averaged 3.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per game.
In three preseason appearances, Williams averaged 8.0 points, 1.0 rebound, 2.3 assists and 1.00 steal in 15.8 minutes per game. He originally signed a two-way contract with the Trail Blazers on February 22.
The Portland Trail Blazers have exercised the 2023-24 team option on the Rookie Scale contract of guard Keon Johnson, it was announced today by General Manager Joe Cronin.
Johnson, the 21st overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, was acquired by the Trail Blazers in a trade with the Clippers on February 4. He played in 37 games (12 starts) as a rookie with the Clippers and Trail Blazers in 2021-22, posting averages of 7.2 points (35.3% FG, 34.0% 3-PT, 80.4% FT), 2.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.76 steals in 18.8 minutes per game.