Suns Rumors

Pacific Notes: Butler, Booker, Clippers, Lakers

April 18th, 2025 at 5:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Although six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler has never won an NBA championship, he told Sam Amick of The Athletic this week that, as the playoffs get underway, he’s thinking more about getting a fifth title for two of his Warriors teammates than getting one for himself.

“Look, I’m not gonna say I’m not hungry, but I’m doing this for Steph (Curry),” Butler said. “I’m doing this for Dray (Draymond Green). I’m doing this for these guys. As much as I want to win a championship, I want Dray to win another one. I want Steph to win another one. I know I ain’t got mine yet, but they deserve it. They’ve been putting this city and this organization on their back for a very long time, and I’m glad that I can be here to try and do something special.”

The Warriors will enter the first round as the No. 7 seed, but they’re the solid betting favorites against the No. 2 Rockets, whose top players have far less postseason experience than Golden State’s stars. Given Curry’s and Green’s four championships – along with his own two NBA Finals appearances – Butler believes the Warriors’ veterans have a “target on their back” this spring, which he’s just fine with.

“I love having a target on my back,” Butler told Amick. “I think I’ve had it the last couple of years over in the East, and (the Warriors) are gonna always have it, until 30 (Curry) and 23 (Green) are gone out this motherf—er. They’re always gonna be the squad to beat. Everybody always fears them. Everybody always knows that they’re not out of any game, out of any series, and I love to be a part of it. I ain’t scared of nobody. You know me. I’m not scared of nobody. I know what I’m capable of.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

In the wake of reports stating that the Suns have no interest in trading Devin Booker, team owner Mat Ishbia reiterated that stance in his end-of-season media session, referring to the veteran guard as Phoenix’s “franchise player,” as Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays (Twitter video link). “I speak with him and we’re very aligned on what we want to do and what we’re gonna do,” Ishbia said. “And his mission and my mission are very similar: Let’s bring a championship to Phoenix. And he understands the vision.”
Following the offseason departure of Paul George, oddsmakers projected the Clippers to finish last in the Pacific and finish below .500 this season. Instead, the club won 50 games and claimed a top-five seed in a competitive Western Conference. “I think our group has been playing with a chip on its shoulders all year because of that (outside skepticism),” head coach Tyronn Lue said this week, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “We just found ways to win. We just found ways to win. No matter whose night it was, we just kind of featured that guy, played hard defensively and competed and we played together. … Being counted out and staying the course and playing with that chip on your shoulder all year long.”
How did the Lakers take a significant step forward on defense in the second half despite having traded away longtime anchor Anthony Davis? Ramona Shelburne of ESPN digs into that question, exploring how the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith, the return of Jarred Vanderbilt, J.J. Redick‘s scheme, and improved communication have all factored into the team’s success on that end of the floor.

Western Notes: Popovich, Durant, Rockets, Thompson, Randle, DiVincenzo

April 18th, 2025 at 4:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who spent most of the season away from the team while recovering from a stroke, was taken to a hospital on Tuesday following a medical incident at a restaurant, as first reported by TMZ and confirmed by Shams Charania of ESPN.

According to TMZ, Popovich was taken out of the restaurant on a stretcher and was transported to a hospital in an ambulance after officials reportedly received a call about a patron who had “fainted” while eating dinner. The incident was described as non-life-threatening, per TMZ, and Popovich was said to be alert and talking by the time he entered the ambulance. The Spurs coach is now home and doing fine, Charania confirms.

Popovich was replaced on the Spurs’ bench by assistant coach Mitch Johnson in early November after suffering a stroke. Although he didn’t return to his role this season, though he met with players in February and put out a statement indicating he hopes to eventually reclaim his spot on the sidelines.

It’s still unclear whether or not that will ultimately be possible. At age 76, Popovich is the oldest head coach in NBA history by a considerable margin — he passed Hubie Brown (71) for that mark several years ago.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Following the latest round of rumors linking Kevin Durant to Houston, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link) say a Rockets pursuit of the Suns forward actually appears “less likely” than previously believed. Stein and Fischer have repeatedly reported that Houston is focused more on stars who would better fit the timeline of the team’s young core, rather than a veteran like Durant who will turn 37 later this year.
Rockets guard Amen Thompson has been one of the NBA’s breakout players of the 2024/25 season, emerging in his second season as a candidate for Most Improved Player, All-Defense, and even Defensive Player of the Year. Chris Mannix of SI.com takes an in-depth look at one of Houston’s long-term cornerstones, whose improvement on both ends of the court has earned high praise from head coach Ime Udoka. “When I coached Kyrie (Irving, in Boston), you would be wowed at something he did offensively every night,” Udoka said. “It’s the same thing with Amen on the defensive end. You can’t teach what he does. … He can be a top 15-level player. All-NBA level. People are seeing flashes. We see more.”
It’s rare for major NBA trades to occur at the start of training camp, but that’s when the Timberwolves and Knicks completed their blockbuster deal that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Towns. As Chris Hine of The Star Tribune details, the unexpected move upended the lives of Randle and DiVincenzo off the court as well as on it, and it took the duo some time to adjust to the change of scenery. Hine explores how the two Timberwolves got settled in Minnesota and how their increased comfort level helped fuel an impressive late-season run for the club, which won 17 of its last 21 games.

Suns’ Mat Ishbia: ‘We Should’ve Won A Lot More Games’

April 18th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Owner Mat Ishbia directed blame toward former head coach Mike Budenholzer for the Suns‘ disastrous season during a meeting with reporters on Thursday, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Budenholzer, who received a five-year deal worth more than $50MM last May, was fired Monday morning after leading the team to a 36-46 record and missing the play-in tournament.

“There’s a lot of reasons why Coach Bud is not here. I’m not going to get into all those reasons, but definitely believe we should’ve won a lot more games and been a lot more competitive during those games as well,” Ishbia said. “Wish him the best, but it was the wrong coach for our organization and for that team and at the end of the day, you can blame me for it because I’m the owner.”

Ishbia has shown a quick trigger with coaches, dismissing Frank Vogel last offseason after Phoenix was swept in the first round of the playoffs. That came after reaching a buyout with Monty Williams in 2023 shortly after Ishbia purchased the team.

Ishbia spoke Thursday about the importance of getting the next head coaching decision “right.” He credited general manager James Jones and CEO Josh Bartelstein with building a competitive team and stated that the organization is “much better than a 36-win roster.” Ishbia also emphasized the need to find a head coach who works in unison with ownership and the front office.

“Our coach has to believe that stuff as well,” Ishbia said. “It can’t be, I believe this, and front office believes this, and the coach is like, ‘Yeah, but I don’t care that the guys are cheering guys on’ and ‘I don’t care if the guys are paying attention in the huddle.’ That’s not going to do with us. We’ve got to set it first up front with the leadership, it starts with me, and we will do that. And then we will get the right front office structure with scouts and what to look for in the draft and we’re going to find the right coach.”

Ishbia added that he hopes to hire his next coach in the “next week or two.” Rankin points out that the Suns were in the playoffs 2023 and 2024, which gave them a late start on their coaching searches.

Jones admits the current situation offers advantages, even though it’s not where the Suns expected to be.

“I think it was evident given the time crunch and given where we were that it wasn’t as thorough or as deep of a search as we would like,” he said. “Fortunately for us, the season has ended early so it gives us more time to get this right. Unfortunately, the season ended too early, which means that we’re in this position, but we’re going to be diligent.”

The Suns came out of the gate fast under Budenholzer, winning eight of their first nine games and looking like one of the top teams in the West. Rankin notes that things began to unravel in February as they lost 11 times in a 14-game stretch to fall five games under .500. Any lingering hopes for a spot in the play-in tournament disappeared as Phoenix stumbled to a 1-9 record in its final 10 games.

Defense was an issue for the Suns all season as they finished 27th in the league in defensive rating. That seemed to especially bother Ishbia, who told reporters, “That’s just not what we’re going to be about.” Budenholzer’s team was also criticized for a lack of toughness, and Ishbia indicated that will be a consideration in hiring the next coach.

“We’re going to look for someone that fits the vision of Phoenix Suns basketball organization,” he said. “Someone who is going to live out exactly what I’m talking about. Someone who is a little bit grimy, a little bit grinder, a little bit tough. Have a little bit of that in them. I joke, but it’s true, I’m no talent, all heart. That’s my life. I will just outwork everyone. I’m going to have a coach, a front office, players, that the Phoenix community will love because it’s going to be that.”

Latest On Kevin Durant

April 17th, 2025 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

It will likely be a couple more months before any offseason trades are completed, but the rumors surrounding Suns star Kevin Durant are already beginning to pick up steam now that Phoenix’s season is over.

Reporting earlier this week indicated that Durant’s manager Rich Kleiman planned to travel to Phoenix this week to talk to the Suns about the veteran forward’s future. On Wednesday, appearing on NBA Today (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania made it clear that the Rockets could emerge as a serious suitor for Durant if they make an early postseason exit this spring.

“This is a Houston team we need to keep an eye on in this playoff run,” Charania said. “… There is going to be a level of mutual interest – there has been already – with them and Kevin Durant with the Suns. If they win a couple rounds, they might be good where they’re at. If you lose early, don’t win enough to where you want to, could you look at a guy like Kevin Durant once again this offseason? Monitor them.”

Reports throughout the 2024/25 season indicated that the Rockets weren’t looking to break up their young core and that if they did make a blockbuster deal, they’d be focused more on a younger star who better fit their timeline than a player like Durant, who will turn 37 this September. However, a first-round exit as the West’s No. 2 seed could alter the front office’s thinking on both counts.

Plugged-in Phoenix-based reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter links) notes that he has been discussing the possibility of the Rockets pursuing Durant for weeks on his radio show and views Houston as one of the top three likely suitors for the Suns star, along with the Timberwolves and Knicks.

A deep playoff run for any of those three teams would probably diminish their appetite for major changes, according to Gambadoro, who adds that the Spurs and two or three other teams could also emerge as suitors.

Charania previously identified all four of those teams (Houston, Minnesota, New York, and San Antonio) and the Heat as clubs that had some level of mutual interest with Durant prior to February’s trade deadline. Golden State also pursued him at that time, but Durant wasn’t open to a reunion.

Houston is loaded with young players and draft assets, including a handful of Suns picks, putting the team in a favorable position to make a strong offer for Durant. In addition to controlling Phoenix’s 2025 first-rounder, which will almost certainly be in the top 10, the Rockets also own the Suns’ unprotected 2027 pick and will receive the two most favorable 2029 first-rounders out of their own, Dallas’, and Phoenix’s.

According to Gambadoro (via Twitter), it’s “very unlikely” that the Rockets would be willing to give up Phoenix’s 2025 lottery pick in any deal for Durant. However, it’s possible that those future Suns draft assets could be part of any discussions between the two teams.

While it remains to be seen where Durant will be playing next fall, it’s a safe bet it won’t be in Phoenix, per Gambadoro, who adds in another tweet that the former MVP is “gone for sure.”

Suns’ Devin Booker Comments On Possible Extension

April 16th, 2025 at 7:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Devin Booker has expressed a desire to spend his entire career with the Suns, and he can take a step toward doing that by signing another extension this summer, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. With the season just wrapping up, Booker said he hasn’t been focused on his financial future.

“I haven’t even thought about it to be honest,” he said. “It’s a great situation to be in, though. Longevity in this league. Every year you can get, somebody wants you for an extra year or two, that’s always a pleasure. You never know when the game is going to stop.”

Booker will be eligible for a two-year, maximum-salary extension that could be worth up to $149.8MM, and a report on Tuesday indicates the Suns are expected to make that offer. This season was just the first of his current four-year super-max deal, which will pay him $53.1MM in 2025-26, $57MM in 2026-27 and $61 MM in 2027-28. Adding two more years would take his contract into 2030 when he’ll be 33 years old.

“I’ve been in long enough where I’ve watched some of my heroes and idols just slowly get out of the league, and you see how it hurts them,” Booker added. “I don’t want to think about the day that I have to do that. It’s nice to be up for an extension.”

Booker is expected to be the one constant in an offseason shakeup in Phoenix. There’s intense trade speculation surrounding Kevin Durant, the team attempted to move Bradley Beal at the deadline and virtually everyone else is believed to be available as the Suns try to move below the second apron.

Last month, owner Matt Ishbia vowed that he would never consider trading Booker, calling the idea “silly.” He said Booker is the type of “superstar” that’s needed as the cornerstone of a championship contender.

Booker turned in another outstanding individual season, even though Phoenix fell far short of expectations. He played 75 games, the most in eight years, and averaged 25.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists per night. However, his shooting numbers fell sharply — to 46.1% from the field and 33.2% from three-point range — and he told Rankin that improving his efficiency will be an offseason priority.

“I’ll probably start open gym right after the season,” Booker said.

Scotto’s Latest: Green, Pelicans, Borrego, Suns, Adelman, Sixers

April 16th, 2025 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin wanted to fire head coach Willie Green earlier in the season, but was denied by ownership, which has maintained its support for Green, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

A former assistant in Phoenix, Green has been mentioned as a possible target for the Suns as they seek a new head coach of their own. But now that Griffin has been let go by the Pelicans and replaced by Joe Dumars, Green’s hold on his job in New Orleans looks significantly less tenuous.

Dumars, who nearly drafted Green back in 2003 when he was running Detroit’s front office, is considered likely to retain the former NBA guard as New Orleans’ coach, according to Scotto.

While Green may not emerge as a serious candidate for the job in Phoenix, his top assistant James Borrego is expected to receive consideration from the Suns and other clubs with head coaching openings this spring, league sources tell HoopsHype. If Griffin had remained in the Pelicans’ front office, Borrego may have ended up replacing Green as New Orleans’ coach, Scotto notes, but with Green likely to stick around, changes are expected to be made to his staff, making Borrego a candidate to depart.

Here are a few more items of interest from Scotto:

Veteran NBA executive Scott Perry and Bucks VP of global scouting Ryan Hoover, both of whom worked with Dumars in Detroit, are viewed as candidates to join the Pelicans‘ front office this offseason, according to Scotto, who points out that Perry also has a connection to Green, having worked in Orlando’s front office when the current Pelicans coach was a Magic player.
Scotto confirms several of the potential Phoenix coaching candidates identified earlier this week by Chris Haynes and adds another name to the list, suggesting that Rockets assistant Ben Sullivan could get a look from the Suns. Scotto also writes that front office changes remain in play in Phoenix, where general manager James Jones is on an expiring contract and his future with the club is considered “murky.”
Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman, who has the support of stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, has a “real chance” to earn the permanent job in Denver, Scotto reports. An extended postseason run would presumably go a long way toward making Adelman the frontrunner.
Although the Sixers don’t plan to make a head coaching change this offseason, there’s an expectation that there will be some changes made to Nick Nurse‘s coaching staff, league sources tell HoopsHype.

And-Ones: Clutch Player Award, NBA Europe, Award Picks, Oweh

April 15th, 2025 at 6:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The official candidates for Clutch Player of the Year have been revealed, NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor tweets. Here’s the list of candidates that voters can select for the award, as chosen by the league’s 30 head coaches:

Anfernee Simons, Trail Blazers
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
Darius Garland, Cavaliers
De’Aaron Fox, Spurs
DeMar DeRozan, Kings
Derrick White, Celtics
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
Jaylen Brown, Celtics
Jalen Brunson, Knicks
Jayson Tatum, Celtics
Kevin Durant, Suns
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks
LeBron James, Lakers
Luka Doncic, Lakers
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Stephen Curry, Warriors
Trae Young, Hawks
Tyler Herro, Heat
Tyrese Maxey, Sixers

Curry won the award last year.

We have more from around the international basketball world:

While the NBA is trying to establish a new league in Europe, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum insists that the goal is not to replace the EuroLeague, Eurohoops relays via a Reuters interview. “Our goal is to create a commercially viable league that features high quality on -court competition and respects the rich tradition of European basketball. And we think that that will better serve fans and players on the continent,” Tatum said. He notes that there are major cities in Europe that don’t have a team where the NBA can establish roots. “There are big markets in Europe that aren’t being serviced today, where there are millions of basketball fans that aren’t being serviced,” he said. London, Paris, Berlin and Rome are among the candidates that NBA Europe considers as prime targets.
The Athletic’s John Hollinger reveals his award picks. He has Gilgeous-Alexander atop his MVP list and the Rockets’ Amen Thompson as his Defensive Player of the Year. O’Connor, writing for Yahoo Sports, has the same duo winning those awards. They also both have Stephon Castle taking Rookie of the Year honors, Payton Pritchard atop their Sixth Man of the Year lists, and Kenny Atkinson as Coach of the Year.
Kentucky junior guard Otega Oweh will test the draft waters, Jeff Goodman of Field of 68 tweets. Oweh averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals this past season. He played his first two seasons at Oklahoma.

Suns Rumors: Budenholzer, Beal, Booker, Durant, Coaching Candidates

April 15th, 2025 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Detailing some of the issues that led to Mike Budenholzer‘s ouster in Phoenix, NBA insider Chris Haynes (YouTube link) reports that Budenholzer told Bradley Beal earlier in the season that he wanted him to play more like Jrue Holiday.

That was “not well-received” by the three-time All-Star, Haynes says, and Phoenix-based insider John Gambadoro confirms as much. According to Gambadoro (Twitter link), Beal responded by telling Budenholzer, “Don’t ever disrespect me like that. Don’t ever tell me to play like another player.”

Communication with his players was a recurring issue for Budenholzer in Phoenix, per Haynes, who says the veteran head coach also butted heads with Jusuf Nurkic by criticizing his screening ability and telling him he’s a “bad teammate.” Haynes previously reported that Budenholzer told Devin Booker to “tone it down vocally” during games and film sessions, which ESPN’s Brian Windhorst confirms.

Booker began speaking to reporters more late in the season about the importance of his “voice,” which was intentional, sources tell ESPN. As Windhorst explains, Booker appeared to be sending a message to a coach on his way out and making it clear he’ll have more say going forward.

“[I need] to be a leader and use my voice more,” Booker said last week. Asked if he was referring to speaking to teammates, coaches, or management, the star guard added, “Everybody.”

Here’s more out of Phoenix:

The Suns have privately acknowledged they made a mistake by not involving Kevin Durant and his manager/agent Rich Kleiman when they explored trade possibilities involving Durant prior to February’s deadline, Windhorst writes. The front office wanted to keep discussions closed like Dallas did with Luka Doncic, Windhorst explains, but word leaked after the Suns had to talk to possible third-team facilitators. All parties will be involved in that process during the offseason, with Kleiman planning to travel to Phoenix this week to have discussions with the Suns, sources tell ESPN.
While it may be a challenge for the Suns to find an appealing trade with a team willing to extend Durant, it’s possible there will be potential suitors who are OK with taking on the risk of acquiring the star forward as a one-year rental, says Windhorst. “Durant is a top-three name in this league,” a high-ranking NBA official told ESPN. “I can see a team who’d love to have him for a season just to sell tickets.”
Booker will be eligible this season for a two-year, maximum-salary extension and the expectation is that the Suns will put that offer on the table, sources tell ESPN. Windhorst refers to that potential deal – which would lock up Booker through 2029/30 – as being worth $149.8MM, but that’s just a projection for now, based on the cap increasing by the maximum 10% in each of the next four seasons.
After letting go of former head coach Monty Williams, Suns owner Mat Ishbia was “very focused” on hiring a replacement with a championship on his résumé, which was a major factor in the team choosing Frank Vogel in 2023 and Budenholzer in 2024, Windhorst writes. This time around, the team may prioritize a candidate who is better suited to build relationships with players, according to Windhorst, who hears from sources that Ishbia will be paying former Suns coaches about $18MM next season.
According to Haynes (YouTube link), the Suns are expected to “look into and evaluate” the following head coaching candidates as they decide who they want to try to interview: former Kings coach Mike Brown, current Pelicans coach Willie Green, Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant, Mavericks assistants Sean Sweeney and Jared Dudley, Rockets assistant Royal Ivey, their own assistant David Fizdale, and former Suns assistant (and current BYU head coach) Kevin Young. That may not be a comprehensive list of candidates for the job.
In a pair of stories for GoPHNX.com, Gerald Bourguet takes a closer look at why Budenholzer was fired and lists 10 potential candidates to replace him.

Pacific Notes: Booker, Lakers, Doncic, Butler, Curry

April 14th, 2025 at 6:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns’ disastrous season didn’t change Devin Booker‘s feelings about the organization. He wants to remain in Phoenix for years to come, he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic.

“I’ve spoke on it plenty of times,” Booker said. “I’m sure the people are sick of hearing my Phoenix love story, but I’m deeply rooting into this community. I take a lot of pride in it. We’ve built it from the ground up before. I didn’t think I’d be back in this situation, but it shows you how hard the league is. Once we get back to that championship level, I’ll be able to shed light on people that it can change very quickly.”

It seems unlikely Booker will be playing with both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal again next season. There’s heavy speculation that Durant will be traded and the front office will try to do something regarding Beal’s onerous contract. Booker has no issues with either player.

“I love playing with both of them,” Booker said. “Even the moments that we played together, they haven’t been to what we expected or wanted out of it, but good things do take some time to build and they take experience. We haven’t had a lot of that, but that’s not a good excuse to fall back on.”

Booker is eligible to sign a two-year, maximum-salary extension this offseason, even though he just completed the first year of his four-year super-max extension. He seems tempted to take it if it’s offered.

“I’ve been in long enough where I’ve watched some of my heroes and idols just slowly get out of the league, and you see how it hurts them,” he said. “I don’t want to think about the day that I have to do that. It’s nice to be up for an extension.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers‘ best source of information as they prepare for the Timberwolves in the opening round could be their superstar newcomer. Coach JJ Redick will consult with Luka Doncic, who led the Mavericks to a series win over Minnesota in the Western Conference Finals last season. “There are nuances to what teams are trying to do against certain opponents,” Redick said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The third-seeded Lakers will use their time off this week to heal up and gradually work on their game plan for the best-of-seven series. “It’s not necessarily going to be everything at once this week. We’ll have to slow drip, and I think that’s the approach that I think is going to work best for our group,” Redick said. “Tuesday will be more about us. Wednesday, we’ll introduce Minnesota.”
Speaking of Doncic, he became the first international player to have the best-selling jersey in the league, according to Mike Vornukov of The Athletic. Since the 2013/14 season, either LeBron James or Stephen Curry led the NBA in that category. The Lakers also had the league’s top-selling merchandise.
Jimmy Butler gave the Warriors fans a glimpse of “Playoff Jimmy” when he played 48 minutes, scored 30 points and matched up with Kawhi Leonard in Sunday’s overtime loss to the Clippers, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic writes. Golden State was relegated to the play-in tournament but Butler gives the Warriors another player who can take over and assert his will, Thompson notes. “You have a guy who can kind of slow the pace of the game down for us, get us into good things,” forward Draymond Green said. “Just having that extra added weapon. Having another No. 1 next to Steph is different.”
The Warriors have a clean injury report for their matchup with Memphis on Tuesday night, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Curry has a sprained right thumb and Butler took a knee to the thigh on Sunday, but both will play.

Blazers Notes: Cronin, Billups, Avdija, Future

April 14th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

As Jason Quick of The Athletic writes, it’s rare for a 36-win team to reward its general manager and head coach with contract extensions like the Trail Blazers have done this month with Joe Cronin and Chauncey Billups.

However, Portland’s record this season was its best since 2020/21 and the team took a real step forward, with young players like Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Donovan Clingan showing improvement while Deni Avdija enjoyed a breakout year and Toumani Camara established himself as one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders. As Quick relays, Cronin believes the team is in position to start targeting specific positions and skills instead of just stockpiling talent.

“As a front office, we don’t feel that pressure to take swing after swing to try and hit on the next up-and-coming guy,” the GM explained. “We are starting to feel really comfortable with our talent base that we can be more diligent about adding specific types of guys.”

While the Blazers have a promising core of young talent, it’s unclear if any of the players currently on the roster will develop into the kind of All-Star capable of leading a contender. Cronin and Billups suggested they aren’t worried about the fact that a franchise player has yet to emerge.

“There’s a lot of talent on this roster, and I wouldn’t put ceilings on a lot of these guys,” Cronin said, per Quick. “There is still a lot of time and talent that can be maximized. So these guys … I wouldn’t write them off to becoming star-level guys.”

“It’s true you need to have top-flight guys, but to me, we are raising that, we are growing that,” Billups added. “I look at Oklahoma City, they traded for Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander), but he wasn’t a star yet. Now he’s probably going to be the MVP. Joker (Nikola Jokic) wasn’t a star when he got to Denver. They raised him into that. Giannis (Antetokounmpo) wasn’t a star when he got to Milwaukee. They raised him into that. That’s where I think we are trying to go … Deni, Shaedon, Scoot, Ant (Anfernee Simons) … We are raising those guys.”

Here’s more out of Portland:

Noting that he heard “a lot of chatter” about the possibility of Billups being the top target in the Suns‘ upcoming head coaching search, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link) suggests that may have been part of the reason why the Blazers wanted to get an extension done with Billups before the season ended.
Avdija admitted during his end-of-season media session that it was “hard to adjust” last fall after being traded from Washington to Portland but that he “didn’t look back” once he got comfortable with his new team, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. The forward’s numbers reflect that — he averaged just 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game with a .346/.233/.813 shooting line in his first 13 outings, then posted 18.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 4.1 APG on .495/.385/.775 shooting in 59 games after that, including 23.3 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 5.2 APG on .508/.417/.782 shooting in 20 post-All-Star appearances.
“The future is super bright,” Avdija said of the Blazers (per Eurohoops). “I love playing with this team. We’re young. We’re exciting. We have a lot of talent.” The 24-year-old added that he plans to suit up for Israel during the 2025 EuroBasket tournament.
While the Blazers took positive steps forward this season, they still have a long way to go before they can be considered a reliable playoff-caliber club, opines Bill Oram of The Oregonian. “I think that’s a reasonable expectation,” Cronin said when Oram asked him about making the playoffs next season. “Assuming our guys keep getting better, assuming we do our jobs and keep adding talent to this roster. I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be competitive in that regard.”

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