Post by Monika on Jun 22, 2023 16:48:50 GMT -8
Welcome to the SCtoC Portland Trail Blazers 2023-24 News Tracker. During the course of the Blazers 54th season, we will post all major news regarding the team. This will include, but not be limited to, player movement, scheduling, standout game performances and other major news. Posts will appear below in descending order with the most recent news on top.
March 9, 2024 - Deandre Ayton returns from injury to score 30 points and grab 19 rebounds as the Blazers turn back the Toronto Raptors at home in overtime, 128-118. Portland outscores Toronto 15-5 in the extra period. Dalano Banton and Anfernee Simons add 25 and 23 points, respectively. It also marks the return of rookie Scoot Henderson from injury, who scores 13 points on five-of-12 shooting.
February 15, 2024 - In the last game before the All-Star Break, the Blazers are outscored 44-14 in the first quarter en route to a 128-91 loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. Jerami Grant leads the way with 20 points, but the Blazers are outrebounded 51-35 in the contest.
February 8, 2024 - Jerami Grant scores a career-high 49 points as the Blazers fall to the Detroit Pistons at home in overtime by a tally of 128-122.
February 8, 2024 - At the trade deadline, the Blazers acquire former second-round pick Dalano Banton from the Boston Celtics for a heavily protected second-round pick. Banton, a 6'9" guard, has averaged 2.3 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.1 minutes per game this season. He has a team option for 2024-25 remaining on his contract worth $2.2 million.
February 8, 2024 - The Blazers sign 6'3" point guard Ashton Hagans to a 10-day contract. Hagans has averages of 15.6 points, 9.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game in 15 regular season games with the Rip City Remix this year. He is expected to provide insurance at guard with the absence of Shaedon Sharpe (Hagans pictured below).
February 6, 2024 - The team announces second-year guard Shaedon Sharpe will undergo surgery to deal with a lingering core muscle injury. While no specific timeline for his return is given, it is noted from outside sources that he likely will miss the remainder of the season.
January 31, 2024 - In his first return to Portland as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, Lillard scores 25 points as the Bucks fall to the Blazers, 119-116. Deandre Ayton leads a balanced attack with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Anfernee Simons scores a team-high 24 points for the Blazers. Lillard was traded from Portland to Milwaukee over the summer after spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Blazers.
January 19, 2024 - Center Deandre Ayton returns from injury as the Blazers win their second in a row, 118-115 over the visiting Indiana Pacers. Jerami Grant scores a game-high 37 points, while Malcolm Brogdon adds 30 points and Jabari Walker grabs 13 rebounds in the win. Guard Anfernee Simons misses the game due to illness.
January 17, 2024 - The Blazers snap a four-game skid with a 105-103 home victory over the Brooklyn Nets. It is the Blazers' second win over 2024 with both coming over the Nets (away and home).
January 12, 2024 - Portland concludes its seven-game road trip with a 116-93 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Blazers go 1-6 on the trip with the average margins of the six losses coming at 33.2 points per game.
January 11, 2024 - With their 139-77 loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Blazers become the first team in NBA history two lose two games by 60 or more points. The 62-point loss wasn't even the worst loss in their history; they fell at the Indiana Pacers by 65 points, 124-59, on February 27, 1998.
January 6, 2024 - The team announced it has waived guard Skylar Mays and forward Ish Wainright.
January 5, 2024 - After dropping the third of three road games to start the new year, 139-103 at the Dallas Mavericks, the Blazers have lost their first three games of 2024 by an average of 28.7 points per game.
December 23, 2023 - Center Deandre Ayton goes down with a right knee injury during the Blazers' 126-106 loss at the Golden State Spurs. It is unknown how much time he will miss. Duop Reath and Moses Brown are expected to fill in until his return.
December 19, 2023 - Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant score 23 and 22 points, respectively, as the Blazers claim a 109-104 home win over the Phoenix Suns. Deandre Ayton scores 16 points and brings down 15 rebounds in the win against his former team.
December 6, 2023 - Guard Shaedon Sharpe scores 29 points in the Blazers' 110-106 loss to the Golden State Warriors. He boasts an average of 26.7 points per game over his past three games.
December 6, 2023 - Guard Anfernee Simons returns after missing six weeks due to a leg injury. He scores 28 points on 10-27 shooting and six of 13 from beyond the arc in the Blazers four-point loss to the Golden State Warriors.
November 30, 2023 - Guard Shaedon Sharpe scores 29 points and snares 10 rebounds to lead the Blazers to a 103-95 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
November 27, 2023 - Forward Jerami Grant pours in 34 points to lead the Blazers to a 114-110 road win over the Indiana Pacers. Malcolm Brogdon scores 25, and Deandre Ayton has 22 points and 13 rebounds in the win.
November 21, 2023 - The Blazers lose to the Phoenix Suns on the road, 120-107, in the team's fourth and final In-Season Qualifying Tournament game. They finish 1-3 and fail to reach the tournament's championship bracket. As a result, a road game against the Golden State Warriors is added to the schedule on December 6 and a home game against the Dallas Mavericks is added on December 8. The schedule had originally been written with openings to accommodate the two games.
November 17, 2023 - Portland falls to the Los Angeles Lakers at home, 107-95 in the team's third In-Season Qualifying Tournament contest.
November 14, 2023 - After losing to the Utah Jazz by 16 on the road in the second In-Season Tournament Qualifier, the Blazers finish a a three-game western road trip at 0-3.
November 11, 2023 - After tallying 37 points and 10 rebounds in the Rip City Remix's 133-105 season-opening win over the South Bay Lakers, center Duop Reath is elevated to the Blazers active roster to serve as backup to Deandre Ayton.
November 10, 2023 - It is reported that backup center Robert Williams III suffered a knee injury which would require surgery and cause him to miss the remainder of the season. Williams' injury ocurred during the Blazers 12-point loss at home to the Memphis Grizzles on November 5.
November 8, 2023 - Malcolm Brogdon suffers a hamstring injury in a three-point overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings. He will go on to miss a handful of games (Brogdon is pictured below).
November 3, 2023. The Blazers defeat the Memphis Grizzlies at home in overtime, 115-113, in the first of their four In-Season Tournament Qualifying games. Point guard Malcolm Brogdon scores 24 points and dishes out 10 assists in the win, which is the first home win over the season for the team.
November 11, 2023 - Rookie Blazers guard Scoot Henderson is to miss several weeks due to a bone bruise in his right ankle. The injury occurred during the Blazers 110-101 road win over the Detroit Pistons.
October 30, 2023 - Portland picks up its first win over the season, 99-91, on the road over the Toronto Raptors. Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton lead the way with 28 points and 23 rebounds, respectively.
October 25, 2023 - The Blazers fall in their regular season opener to the Los Angeles Clippers. Anfernee Simons, the longest-tenured Blazer, goes down to injury and it's later announced that he will be out 4-6 weeks.
October 16, 2023 - The Blazers complete their four-game preseason with a road loss to the Phoenix Suns. In all, they go 1-3 in pre-season with the lone win coming at home over the New Zealand Breakers of the Australia-New Zealand National Basketball League.
October 2, 2023 - The Blazers announce their training camp roster on Media Day. The roster includes the four players acquired in the two trades over the previous week. Training camp runs from October 3 to October 7 at the University of California at Santa Barbara. The Blazers first pre-season game is on October 10, at home against the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League. The team's training camp roster appears below.
October 1, 2023 - Portland announces it has signed guard Skylar Mays to a two-way contract. Mays appeared in six games last season for the team, averaging 15.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 8.3 assists per game.
October 1, 2023 - Jrue Holiday, acquired in the trade for Damian Lillard (see previous entry), is dealt to the Boston Celtics in exchange for center Robert Williams III, guard Malcolm Brogdon and two future first round draft picks. The picks include the Warriors' 2024 protected first-round pick and the Celtics' unprotected 2029 first-round pick. For more information, see the comments section of the article Blazers trade Lillard to Bucks, land Ayton.
September 27, 2023 - The Blazers reportedly trade Damian Lillard to the Milwaukie Bucks in part of a three-way deal also involving the Phoenix Suns. The Blazers receive center Deandre Ayton and rookie forward Toumani Camara from the Suns, and guard Jrue Holiday, a 2929 first-round pick and optional pick swaps in 2028 and 2030. As part of the deal. Portland ships forward Nassir Little and guard Keon Johnson to the Suns. Phoenix also receives guard Grayson Allen from the Bucks. The trade was originally reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. For more information, click Blazers trade Lillard to Bucks, land Ayton.
September 5, 2023 - The NBA G League releases the 2023-24 schedule for that league. It includes the traditional Showcase Cup and the regular season. Click for the Rip City Remix 2023-24 Schedule.
August 17, 2023 - The schedule is out for the 2023-24 NBA season. Among other things, it features the introduction of the Mid-Season Tournament which takes place during the first half of the season. Included in the pre-season schedule is a home contest against the National Basketball League's New Zealand Breakers; former team of Blazers rookie Rayan Rupert. Click for the full Trail Blazers 2023-24 Schedule.
July 6, 2023 - The Blazers announce their Summer League roster (below). The roster includes seven players who were under contract in 2022-23, as well as recent draftees Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert. Portland is guaranteed four games: July 7 vs. Houston Rockets (4 p.m., ESPN); July 9 vs. San Antonio Spurs (5 p.m., ESPN2); July 11 - vs. Charlotte Hornets (5:30 p.m., NBATV); July 13 vs. Orlando Magic (6 p.m., ESPN2). After those four games, the top four teams advance to a playoff to produce an eventual winner. The 26 teams which do not advance to the playoff, will play a fifth game against an opponent to be determined. The 2023 Summer League takes place at the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
July 1, 2023 - After 11 seasons in Portland, Damian Lillard requests to be traded in order to play for a championship contender. He cites the Miami Heat as his preferred destination. However, team general manager Joe Cronin says the team will look at trade opportunities from around the league. At present, the Heat would be challenged to find a trade package which would be truly beneficial to the Blazers going forward.
July 1, 2023 - It is widely reported that the Blazers and power forward Jerami Grant have agreed to a five-year, $160 million contract extension. Grant will enter his second season with the team in 2023-24. He averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists last season. He boasts career averages of 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
June 26, 2023 - The Blazers announce the name and identity of its new NBA G-League team as the Rip City Remix. Team president of Business Operations Dewayne Hankins: "We are thrilled to launch this team in the North Portland community, with a name and brand inspired by our fans, culture and region." The logo colors loosely match the Blazers, though the red looks a slight bit lighter than that of the mother ship and a cream color replaces the typical white.
June 22, 2023 - The Blazers use the 43rd overall selection to pick Rayan Rupert, a 6'6" guard/forward from France. Rupert's most recent experience has been with the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League (Australia/New Zealand). He is a defensive minded wing with a long wingspan. On offense he is known for his off-the-ball cuts and going to the basket.
June 22, 2023 - Portland selects forward Kris Murray out of the University of Iowa with the 23rd overall pick. Murray averaged 20.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per game last season with the Buckeyes. At 6'7", he's known as a wing with a presence around the basket. He earned First Team All-Big 10 and All-American honors last season. His brother, Keegan, plays for the Sacramento Kings.
June 22, 2023 - The third overall selection has come and the Blazers select 6'2" guard Sterling "Scoot" Henderson with the pick. Henderson (or is it just "Scoot?") is 19 years old and played last season for NBA G League Ignite. He is touted as the best point guard in the draft with some analysis stating he is a "hyper-athletic, traditionally-sized point guard with excellent feel for the game. He thrives with a head of steam in both transition and the half court, searching to attack the rim." Not surprisingly, the San Antonio Spurs select 7'4" French phenom Victor Wembanyama with the first overall selection.
Blazers number three pick Scoot Henderson. (Photo by Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports)
June 22, 2023 - Draft Day; typically the unofficial start of the NBA calendar year. The Blazers have the number three and 23rd pick in the draft (obtained in a trade last season which sent Josh hart to the New York Knicks last February). They also have the 43rd overall pick in the second round. Leading up to today, there is speculation that they may trade the third pick for veteran talent at the forward or center positions but, as of the start of the draft, no deal has been made. Prior to and including today, there are a plethora of unrealistic and dreamt up trade scenarios involving guard Damian Lillard to start on a major rebuild. It's draft day and Lillard is still a Blazer.
- MMM
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