3:42pm: The Trail Blazers have confirmed both moves in a press release.
12:00pm: The Trail Blazers are making a change to their standard roster, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the team will waive veteran guard Ryan Arcidiacono and use the open roster spot to sign guard Jeenathan Williams to a two-year contract.
Williams, who went undrafted out of Buffalo in 2022, has spent his first professional season with the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s G League affiliate. In 32 regular season appearances for Salt Lake City, Williams averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 29.8 minutes per game, posting an impressive .523/.417/.848 shooting line.
While the terms of Williams’ new deal aren’t yet known, it’s unlikely to include much, if any, guaranteed money beyond this season, essentially giving the Blazers a free look at the 24-year-old this summer before they decide whether they want to hang onto him for next season.
Arcidiacono began this season with the Knicks and was traded to Portland in the four-team trade deadline deal that sent Josh Hart to New York. The 29-year-old guard has actually played more in Portland than he did for the Knicks, averaging 2.6 PPG and 2.3 APG in nine games (16.2 MPG), though he’s currently sidelined due to lumbar soreness. He logged just 26 minutes in 11 contests for New York.
Arcidiacono won’t be playoff-eligible if he signs with a new team before the end of the regular season.
Due to a plethora of injuries, the Blazers have qualified for multiple hardship exceptions and signed Skylar Mays and Shaquille Harrison to fortify their standard roster. However, hardship signings can only be 10-day deals, so the team couldn’t give Williams a two-year contract without waiving someone on a rest-of-season deal.
Well that’s a dumb way to spell that name.
Yes HQMER
For the record, it’s not supposed to be Johnathon
Hey pot have ya met kettle?
Brandon Williams you dummies
These names have gone to far lol
It’s not unusual for parents to combine their names to make a kids name. Maybe his mother was Jeen and his dad is Jonathan. Who cares? Would you rather his name was “Michael” like every other fkn loser on the earth? Sorry we’re not in Mayberry anymore.
Lil D are you always butt hurt? A dumb name is a dumb name
Why don’t you spend a little less time worrying about my butt lol creepy
No it’s everyone trying to be special
I always remember him b/c he looks exactly like Jimmy Butler
Ryan should of changed his name to ryeyun. Maybe they would or kept him