2:52pm: The Blazers have officially waived Sarr and signed Badji, the team confirmed today in a press release.
12:47pm: The Trail Blazers are waiving one of their two-way players, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), who reports that center Olivier Sarr is being released. In Sarr’s place, Portland will sign big man Ibou Badji to a two-way contract, per Wojnarowski.
Sarr, who was in training camp with the Blazers on an Exhibit 10 contract, had that deal converted to a two-way after impressing the team in the preseason. Around the same time, he was diagnosed with a high-grade partial tear of the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist and was ruled out for six weeks, so he has yet to make his season debut in either the NBA or the G League. It appears he’ll have to seek out a new opportunity once he gets healthy.
As for Badji, he has been playing in the G League for the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s affiliate. Through seven games for the Herd, the 20-year-old from Senegal has averaged a modest 7.3 points in 35.0 minutes per contest. However, as Wojnarowski observes, Badji – who is 7’1″ with a 7’9″ wingspan – has been one of the G League’s best rim protectors, averaging 2.4 blocked shots per game.
The Blazers don’t have an NBAGL club of their own, so if they opt to keep Badji in the G League for now, he’ll have to either remain in Wisconsin or join another team’s affiliate.
Badij will be eligible to be active for up to 42 NBA games if he officially signs his contract on Friday. A player on a full-season two-way contract can be active for as many as 50 NBA games, but that limit is prorated when the player signs after the regular season has started.
Good signing by the Blazers. Badji is a shot-blocking menace.
Saw him compete in the Under-19 Tournament against Lithuania and thought he was an NBA Level shot blocker then. He also played well against Zach Edey of Purdue in that same Tournament.
I wanted my Warriors to draft Badji, or Orlando Robinson from Fresno State, with one of their 2nd Round draft picks.
Great pickup!! They fought the Nets to the wire and lost a close one. A vast improvement from last year by far. Its early in the season and they are very close to hitting on all cylinders and figuring things out and working as a team should. If they put it all together they will be a force and tough to beat.