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Rockets Notes: Green, Harden, VanVleet, Veterans

October 7th, 2023 at 8:55pm CST by Rory Maher

In an interesting article for ESPN, Zach Lowe details why Jalen Green could be the key for the Rockets to turn the corner in 2023/24 and beyond.

Green, 21, had impressive counting stats in his second season, averaging 22.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 3.7 APG in 76 games (34.2 MPG). However, as Lowe notes, the former No. 2 overall pick struggled at times with scoring efficiency (.416/.338/.786 shooting), decision-making (2.6 turnovers per game) and defense.

According to Lowe, Green has shown he can make all the pick-and-roll passes necessary to manipulate defenses, but has been inconsistent with actually executing them. Lackadaisical play on both ends has also been an issue, but the team believes it can be corrected.

“This is a huge year for him,” GM Rafael Stone told ESPN. “It’s on him to really put together all the things he’s worked on. You see individual games where he’s locked in — whether it’s on-ball defense, help-side defense, making the right reads in the pick-and-roll. And then there are other games where he just kind of let go of the rope. He’s a bucket. It’s about all the little things.”

Green will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

Houston wants to lean into Green’s play-making, which is one reason why the team went after Fred VanVleet — who is adept at playing both on and off the ball — instead of James Harden in free agency, Lowe writes in the same story. “Nothing against James,” head coach Ime Udoka told ESPN, “but Fred is just a better fit. I coached James in Brooklyn. He’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever been around. The words ‘Ime doesn’t want James’ never came out of my mouth. It was, ‘Let’s look at the best fit.’ If we want Jalen and the young guys to take the next steps, we need them to have the ball. As for me saying I don’t want James, that was never the case. It was about fit.”
VanVleet has made an immediate impact on Houston with his leadership and savvy two-way play, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “I’m more of a booster, a confidence giver, energy giver with all of these guys — especially Jabari (Smith),” VanVleet said. “Keep boosting and instilling that confidence because when guys go out there and play free, you’ll get the best version of them.”
VanVleet isn’t the only veteran the Rockets added in free agency this summer, with Dillon Brooks and Jeff Green also in the fold. As Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscriber link) writes, their experience and skill should help a young team going forward. “First and foremost, I would say experience,” Green said of what he will bring. “Being in every type of situation possible, winning the championship last year, going to the playoffs multiple years, I bring the experience itself and teaching these young guys what it takes to be a true professional. The winning aspect, what it takes, the everyday grind, them seeing it, I think it will help in the long run.”

Knicks Notes: Fournier, Thibodeau, Sims, Goals

October 7th, 2023 at 6:57pm CST by Rory Maher

Veteran wing Evan Fournier was pulled from the Knicks‘ rotation last season and hoped to be traded this offseason. However, he remains on New York’s roster entering 2023/24 and doesn’t appear to have a clear path to playing time.

While it would be easy for Fournier to hang his head, he says he’s still trying to work his way back into a regular role with the Knicks, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.

“I might be dreaming of stuff, but to me, I can help the team,” Fournier said. “Like I’m a good player. I can f—king play. I bring stuff that this team doesn’t have, too. So, I have hope to play, to be honest. I have hope to play. Maybe I’m crazy, I don’t know.

“Maybe Thibs (head coach Tom Thibodeau) has already made up his mind and stuff, but my goal is to put him in a position where he has to think about playing me.”

Fournier, who is on a pseudo-expiring $18.9MM contract, says he didn’t contemplate holding out ahead of training camp and strongly disagreed with the tactic Jae Crowder chose last season, Bondy writes. The 30-year-old also says some of his comments over the summer about his dissatisfaction with his role were lost in translation (Fournier is French).

Thibodeau was mostly dismissive of Fournier’s offseason gripes on Monday, but he complimented him on Saturday, as Bondy relays.

“He’s a true pro,” Thibodeau said. “So he came in just doing all the things he should do.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Former Knicks guard Derrick Rose signed with the Grizzlies this offseason and seems to prefer Taylor Jenkins‘ training camps over Thibodeau’s, Bondy writes for The New York Post. “It’s ran different,” Rose said. “I’m just going to say that. It’s ran different. Here, it’s more smoother. It’s more fluent. And guys are really getting their work in. And that’s not saying the guys in New York didn’t get their work in.” However, free agent addition Donte DiVincenzo is pleased with Thibodeau’s camp. “He’s very detail-oriented, which I appreciate,” DiVincenzo said, per Bondy. “Going back to my college days, that’s why I’m in the NBA, playing for coaches who are detail-oriented. So, I think Thibs can bring the best out of me.”
On Saturday, Thibodeau singled out reserve center Jericho Sims as a training camp standout, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. “Jericho has really had a great camp,” Thibodeau said. “He’s the one guy, obviously coming off the surgery, he had a great summer the way he worked. He’s really done a good job for us.” The Knicks fully guaranteed Sims’ $1.93MM contract for ’23/24 this summer.
With the help of a scout and a “longtime talent evaluator,” Bondy created reasonable goals for the Knicks’ projected rotation players entering ’23/24. What should Quentin Grimes be working on entering his third season? According to Bondy, slowing down and exercising more patience would be a prudent choice.

Kawhi: Confident About Clippers Extension But No Rush

October 7th, 2023 at 5:41pm CST by Rory Maher

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been extension-eligible for a few months, but a new deal has yet to come together.

When Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times asked Leonard about the topic, he said he has a “good” relationship with the team’s front office and expressed confidence that an extension will eventually be reached, though it certainly doesn’t sound imminent (Twitter link).

“For sure,” Leonard said. “It hasn’t even been nothing that we’ve been rushing on their side, or my side. So, we’re good.”

Leonard, 32, can become a free agent next summer if he declines his $48.8MM player option for 2024/25. He will earn $45.6MM this season.

If Leonard signs an extension during the ’23/24 season, he would have to decline his ’24/25 player option as part of the agreement. He could make more money if he goes that route, assuming he’s offered another max deal.

A five-time All-NBA member, two-time Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Leonard has been excellent for the Clippers when healthy, averaging a combined 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 steals on .496/.396/.881 shooting in 33.3 minutes per game. During the playoffs, he has been even better, averaging 29.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 5.1 APG and 2.2 SPG on .528/.375/.871 shooting in 26 games (39.3 MPG).

The problem, of course, is that Leonard has been injured for much of his tenure with Los Angeles. He has appeared in just 161 of a possible 308 regular season games in four years with the Clippers, having missed the entire ’21/22 season with a partially torn right ACL.

Leonard sustained a torn meniscus in the same knee during last season’s playoffs, which required another surgery, but is “fully healthy” entering ’23/24.

Fellow star wing Paul George also holds a ’24/25 player option and is extension-eligible. He recently confirmed he has discussed a new deal with the Clippers but said there was work to be done to reach an agreement.

Four NBA Teams Carrying Fewer Than 14 Standard Contracts

October 7th, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

While NBA teams aren’t required to maintain a full 15-man standard roster during the regular season, they do have to carry at least 14 players on standard contracts. During the regular season, a club isn’t permitted to carry fewer than 14 players on standard contracts for more than two weeks at a time — or more than 28 total days.

We have a pretty good idea of which 14 or 15 players will be on most teams’ standard rosters to begin the season, but there are four clubs currently carrying fewer than 14 players on standard contracts.

For clarity’s sake, a “standard” contract isn’t necessarily a fully guaranteed contract. It’s simply a full-season deal that isn’t a two-way contract and doesn’t include Exhibit 9 or Exhibit 10 language. Four teams are carrying just 13 of those contracts.

In order for these four teams to set their rosters for the regular season, they’ll either have to keep at least one player on a training camp (Exhibit 9/10) contract or will have to add at least one new player via trade or free agency.

Here are the four teams to watch:

Boston Celtics

In addition to their 10 players with fully guaranteed salaries, the Celtics have Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Dalano Banton on standard deals. Kornet projects to be a rotation player, and Mykhailiuk and Banton have partial guarantees, so all three players seem like good bets to make the 15-man roster.

Wenyen Gabriel and Lamar Stevens are also in camp with the Celtics on Exhibit 9 contracts, and one of those two guys appears likely to become Boston’s 14th man. It’s also possible both Gabriel and Stevens make the team to start the season — neither player’s salary would become fully guaranteed until January, so the Celtics would have some time to assess the duo while essentially paying them by the day.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors have 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts and – like the Celtics – have a pair of veterans in camp on Exhibit 9 contracts. Veteran forward Rudy Gay and wing Rodney McGruder look to be vying to become Golden State’s 14th man.

If neither veteran impresses the Warriors, there are other ways the team could fill out its roster. For instance, a two-way player like Lester Quinones or Usman Garuba could be promoted to a standard contract and an Exhibit 10 player such as Donovan Williams, Kendric Davis, or Javan Johnson could fill that two-way slot. I’d expect one of Gay or McGruder to make the cut though.

This is another scenario where both veterans could technically make the roster if Golden State is comfortable carrying a full 15-man squad. However, it’s worth noting that both the Celtics and Warriors are well above the luxury tax line and may prefer to save some money rather than having a 15th man to start the season.

Miami Heat

After not trading for Damian Lillard or Jrue Holiday, the Heat looked like a good candidate to add one more veteran free agent, perhaps a point guard. After all, Miami only has 12 players with fully guaranteed salaries, plus big man Orlando Robinson, who has a small partial guarantee and will likely make the team.

However, the Heat – who have a reputation for finding diamonds in the rough – reportedly want to give themselves every opportunity to write their next UDFA success story. So for now, they’re content to evaluate their five young players on Exhibit 10 contracts and three on two-way deals to see if any one of them is an obvious candidate for a promotion to the standard regular season roster.

If no one from that group emerges as Miami’s 14th man, the club could still add a free agent before the season begins. It’s worth mentioning, given the team’s lack of depth at the position, that former Heat point guards Kendrick Nunn and Goran Dragic are still seeking new contracts.

Portland Trail Blazers

With the dust settled following a pair of blockbuster pre-camp trades, the Trail Blazers now have 12 players on fully guaranteed contracts, plus Moses Brown on a partially guaranteed deal.

Unlike the other three teams on this list, Portland isn’t a taxpayer, so there’s no reason the team shouldn’t be looking to carry a full 15-man roster to open the regular season. So perhaps there’s a path for two camp invitees to make the team.

Kevin Knox is the biggest name in that group, though he only has an Exhibit 10 deal. Big man Duop Reath is also worth watching, as he’s the only camp invitee whose contract doesn’t have an Exhibit 10 clause. That means he’s less likely to be ticketed for the Rip City Remix, Portland’s G League affiliate, if he gets waived.

The Blazers’ open roster spots also give them the flexibility to take on an extra player or two if they make one more preseason trade, perhaps involving Malcolm Brogdon. If no trade materializes by opening night, I’d expect the club to maintain that roster flexibility by not signing any more free agents to guaranteed contracts.

Injury Notes: Bogdanovic, Achiuwa, Smart, Bouknight, Nembhard

October 7th, 2023 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic has sustained a low-grade right calf strain, the Pistons announced today (Twitter link via James L. Edwards III of The Athletic).

While there’s no indication that Bogdanovic’s availability for the start of the regular season is up in the air, he’ll miss the start of the team’s preseason and will be reevaluated in one week, according to the Pistons.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Addressing Precious Achiuwa‘s left groin strain on Saturday, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic referred to the injury as “minor” and indicated the team is playing it safe with the big man. As Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca tweets, it doesn’t sound like the injury will keep Achiuwa on the shelf for long.
Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart is dealing with some minor abdominal soreness, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal, who tweets that the club is being cautious with Smart and that he’s not expected to miss any regular season time as a result of the injury.
Hornets guard James Bouknight has been diagnosed with a left knee sprain, per the team (Twitter link). The severity of the injury isn’t yet known, but it’s a discouraging start to the fall for Bouknight, who isn’t a sure thing to have his $6MM rookie scale team option for 2024/25 picked up this month.
Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, who is recovering after having a kidney stone removed, won’t travel with the club on its two-game road trip to open the preseason, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.

Booth: Nuggets Preparing For Potential Super-Max Deal For Murray

October 7th, 2023 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is one of the players who would become eligible for a super-max veteran extension – worth 35% of the cap instead of 30% – if he earns All-NBA honors in 2023/24.

On the surface, that seems like a long shot for Murray, who has never received a single All-NBA vote, let alone made one of the three end-of-season teams. However, speaking to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, general manager Calvin Booth said the Nuggets believe Murray can and will secure an All-NBA berth this season, suggesting that the organization is looking ahead to giving him a super-max contract extension.

“He’s really focused and locked in. I think he’s going to have a big season. We’re anticipating that we’re probably paying him the super-max. He’ll probably make All-NBA,” Booth said. “Everybody knows it’s out there, so we might as well talk about it. He obviously knows that carrot is out there for him. But more than the financial reward for it, he’s a competitor. I definitely think, even if he doesn’t say it out loud, that will definitely be on his mind and will be approaching the season that way.”

The Nuggets are already on the hook for one super-max contract for two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Adding a second one to their long-term payroll would reduce their financial flexibility going forward and would mean dedicating a significant portion of their cap to two players. Still, Booth’s comments to Medina make it sound like Denver would be open to offering a super-max extension if Murray qualifies for one.

“Obviously, it’s going to be a hit to our salary cap, but I love seeing people reach their potential when they play the way he can,” Booth said. “So if he accomplishes a goal and makes All-NBA, I know Josh [Kroenke] and Mr. K [Stan Kroenke] are big Jamal guys. So, we’ll step up and do what we need to do.”

Murray is currently eligible to sign a three-year extension that could be worth up to 30% of the 2025/26 salary cap (with 8% annual raises). If he claims a spot on an All-NBA team this season, he’d be eligible next summer to sign a five-year extension that begins at 35% of the ’25/26 cap.

We don’t yet where exactly the cap will land for that season, but the total value of Murray’s extension could double if he waits until 2024 and receives a super-max deal. With that in mind, it’s no surprise then that a recent report indicated the 26-year-old likely wouldn’t sign a new extension before the season.

Murray will likely have to make a statistical leap in 2023/24 to earn an All-NBA nod. He has had some memorable postseason runs – including this past spring, when he averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per night in 20 games en route to a title – but his regular season numbers have never been quite that gaudy. Last season, he put up 20.0 PPG, 6.2 APG, and 4.0 RPG on .454/.398/.833 shooting.

It’s also worth noting that Murray will have to appear in at least 65 games to qualify for All-NBA honors. Last season, his first one back following a torn ACL that forced him to miss all of 2021/22, he appeared in exactly 65.

Jarrett Allen Out At Least Two Weeks With Ankle Injury

October 7th, 2023 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has been diagnosed with a left ankle bone bruise after getting injured in training camp this week, the team announced (via Twitter).

Allen, who underwent an MRI to confirm the diagnosis, will begin undergoing treatment and going through a rehabilitation process and is expected to be reevaluated in two weeks, per the Cavs.

Cleveland’s regular season opener is still 18 days away, so it’s possible Allen will be cleared to play in that game. However, the club’s announcement today simply says he’ll be reevaluated in two weeks — not that he’ll necessarily be ready to return at that point.

Allen is a key contributor for a Cavs team looking to build upon last season’s 51-31 record and first-round playoff exit, so if he’s not cleared for opening night, hopefully his absence doesn’t extend too far beyond that. Last season, the 25-year-old averaged 14.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 32.6 minutes per night across 68 appearances (all starts).

Damian Jones and Tristan Thompson are Cleveland’s backups at the five, though it’s possible that if Allen isn’t good to go for the opener, the team would slide Evan Mobley over to center and use a smaller starting five rather than inserting Jones or Thompson into that group.

Atlantic Notes: Siakam, Smith, Simmons, Williams

October 7th, 2023 at 11:58am CST by Tristan Tucker

Raptors forward Pascal Siakam can become a free agent after the 2023/24 season, but that hasn’t seemed to impact his approach to the season, Josh Lewenberg of TSN writes. Siakam has been a professional during training camp, Lewenberg says, smiling and joking with teammates and getting in extra reps with the coaching staff.

Siakam’s name came up in trade talks this summer, cementing his uncertain future with the franchise, and team president Masai Ujiri confirmed that the two sides hadn’t discussed an extension.

“We do believe in Pascal,” Ujiri said. “[But] we believe that a lot of our players didn’t play the right way last year and we want to see them play the right way. I said that we were selfish; I’m not running away from that. We were selfish and we did not play the right way. So, let us see it when we play the right way.”

It seemed as though Siakam pushed back in a subsequent comment, Lewenberg writes.

“I’ll speak for me, personally, I’ve never been a selfish player in my life,” Siakam said. “I’ve always played the game the right way and that’s from the first time I started playing basketball. I’ve always been a team player.”

The Raptors finished last season 41-41, ending as the No. 9 seed and losing to the Bulls in the play-in tournament. Despite last season’s disappointment and unsettled contract business, Siakam is ready for the upcoming season under new coach Darko Rajakovic, according to Lewenberg.

“At the end of the day, I think what makes me special is I’m a hooper,” Siakam said. “When people work out in the summer and they do one-on-one workouts, I want to play basketball because I want to be able to understand the game, play off of guys and not just do drills and be a robot. That’s my strength as a player. So I’m definitely not worried about that. I know that my abilities on a basketball court will always prevail in any situation I’m put in.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Nets are counting on Dennis Smith Jr. being a different player than the last time he was in New York with the Knicks, Dan Martin of the New York Post writes. Smith was sent to the G League during his stint with the Knicks and averaged 5.5 points per game in the year after he was sent there. Now, Smith is one of the more impressive defensive guards in the league and both Martin and Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily note his importance to Brooklyn and explore his evolution. “The biggest thing for me was just checking the ego,” Smith said. “I checked the ego and just learned how to shift my mental into being able to fit whatever role I needed to play and finding a way to stay in it. It’s paying off for me, I’m in a really good spot now.“
Nets play-maker Ben Simmons has had an eventful past two years since being named an All-Star for three years in a row in Philadelphia. Since being traded to Brooklyn at the deadline in ’21/22, Simmons has appeared in just 42 games, all coming last season, averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists in those contests. Plenty of eyes are on Simmons this year and, as explored in a separate story by Martin, coach Jacque Vaughn said the early results for the 6’10” guard are encouraging. “I think what we’ve seen is his ability to push the basketball and do it over and over again; play with an extreme amount of pace; get to the rim [and] play with force,” Vaughn said. “All the things we were asking and I was searching for last year.“
While Jrue Holiday is a major addition for the Celtics, Steve Bulpett of Heavy Sports argues that the loss of Robert Williams is bigger than it seems. Williams’ injury history makes it easier to have moved on from him, Bulpett writes, but he’s a fantastic rim protector and lob threat and Boston’s rotation of bigs doesn’t have an easy replacement on the roster.

Southeast Notes: Kuzma, Carter, Sheppard, Bridges

October 7th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Tristan Tucker

When asked to address the Wizards‘ issues in recent seasons, Kyle Kuzma often spoke about how the team wasn’t “playing winning basketball,” writes The Washington Post’s Ava Wallace. Having won a championship in 2021 with the Lakers, Kuzma is now part of an organization that is making winning secondary to building a top-notch organization, according to Wallace.

That’s why it was intriguing to see Kuzma re-up with Washington this offseason. Wallace writes that while money was a factor – he can earn up to $102MM over four years – Kuzma’s communication with the front office and a chance to be a No. 1 on a team were the primary reasons for coming back.

“I’ve said it before: I want to have a chance to lead people and really have a lasting impact on an organization, and this was the best opportunity for me to do that,” Kuzma said.

Jordan Poole quickly moved to try to help convince Kuzma to stay after arriving in a June trade, according to Wallace, who says Poole valued Kuzma and realized the duo could grow together.

“You feel it — the authenticity, the knowledge, the basketball knowledge, his experience,” Poole said. “Being able to have a running mate like that is huge, especially when we have a new group, new front office, new coaches. As long as you think the right way and have the right perspective, everything else will kind of just fall in place.”

Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. feels Kuzma and Poole have “bought in” to the rebuild, according to Wallace. Kuzma averaged 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season and will embark on his seventh season in the league and third with Washington.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Wendell Carter Jr. has had a solid stint with the Magic, but he’s hoping to take things to the next level, as Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel details. Carter is attempting to improve his play-making and shooting in 2023/24, according to Beede, and he’s sometimes been taking over 1,000 shots per day in practice. “His jumper definitely looks cleaner,” Magic forward Paolo Banchero said. “It looks like he’s shooting it more comfortably; less hesitation and letting it rip. It’s been going in.”
Despite not playing last year after pleading no contest to felony domestic violence in November, Miles Bridges is back with the Hornets and, according to his teammates and coaches, is in game shape, as Roderick Boone writes. “Yeah, it’s been great,” Hornets wing Gordon Hayward said. “Honestly, it’s like he never left, the way he’s fit in just because he knows a lot of the same stuff that we are doing, and he’s going to bring so much versatility to us.“
While former general manager Tommy Sheppard is out of the picture for the Wizards, his philosophies on defense, pace and attention to detail still ring true, as The Athletic’s Josh Robbins lays out. “You get to the end of the season, and if there’s still questions [about how to play defense], if there’s still confusion or anything, then maybe sometimes you either have to simplify or really go back and say, ‘How much accountability [was there] throughout the year to get us to this point?” Sheppard said in April. “Are we still doing some of the same things?” The Wizards are focusing on using this season as a building block for something bigger, but Robbins opines that if Bilal Coulibaly, Deni Avdija and others don’t make individual strides, it will have been a wasted year.

Trail Blazers Ready To Move On From Damian Lillard Era

October 7th, 2023 at 9:34am CST by Tristan Tucker

After an 11-year partnership between Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers, the two sides moved on this offseason with a trade that sent one of the franchise’s all-time best players to the Bucks. Now, following years of attempts to compete, Portland looks completely different, with players like Scoot Henderson, Deandre Ayton and Shaedon Sharpe heading up its young core.

While Lillard occupied most of the spotlight, general manager Joe Cronin made plenty of headlines during the time in which Lillard’s request seemed in limbo, The Washington Post’s Ben Golliver writes. Media members and fans alike drew different conclusions regarding Cronin, Golliver details, with some accusing Cronin of not sending Lillard to his then-preferred destination of Miami “out of spite” and others calling him a “liar” for drafting Henderson instead of trading the draft pick for a contender. To add fuel to the fire, Lillard didn’t thank Cronin in his lengthy farewell letter to Portland.

“[Lillard] and I went through it this summer,” Cronin said. “It wasn’t always amicable and perfect. To be omitted from that [letter], I didn’t take as anything more than it being a hard summer that we had both gone through. I wasn’t one to be thanked at that moment. … Our directions didn’t line up. Things didn’t work out. We had pure intentions in our desire to build a winner around him. We were just unable to pull it off. I don’t think that was a lie. We just couldn’t get it done.”

One of the most overlooked aspects of the Lillard trade is how it affected local marketing, Golliver explains. Season ticket holders had to make decisions to renew or not and promoters had to make the decision on which players on the team to highlight. Even before Lillard was traded, the Blazers began to turn the page, Golliver writes, moving to feature Henderson and the young core and removing Lillard entirely from promo material.

“We really need to move on,” Trail Blazers president of business operations Dewayne Hankins said in a Zoom call. “We’ve got great young talent. We’re not like other rebuilding teams who don’t have a strong core of young players. It’s time to turn the page.”

Fans came around to Lillard’s exit, according to Golliver, and season ticket holders renewed at a 93% rate, up six percentage points last year.

“We wanted to honor Dame’s trade request,” Hankins said. “If we promote him, are we being true to our fans? That was the moment when we started saying that this was a new era. It’s really hard to lose a legend like Damian whose number will go in the rafters as soon as possible. At the same time, I think we’re prepared. Our next step is getting our fans to fall in love with these guys.”

Even though Cronin didn’t trade Lillard to the Heat, he believes he did right by the star guard by sending him to a contender, according to Golliver. Hankins said his staff is still mulling the right way to honor the guard, Golliver writes, including the possibility of a statue outside Portland’s arena, Moda Center.

“We’ve retired a lot of numbers,” Hankins said. “We’ve had the conversation: Is there another level of honor that we need to create for him?”

The Blazers still have work to do in completing their rebuild, but they’re as high as possible on Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Sharpe taking the reins left by Lillard at the guard spot, according to Golliver. I highly recommend reading Golliver’s piece in full, as there’s some fascinating perspective and quotes from high-ranking Blazers officials inside.

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