Robert Williams

Blazers Notes: Grant, Brogdon, Williams, Ayton

Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin told reporters on Thursday that he doesn’t have a firm timeline in mind for when he expects the retooling Trail Blazers to return to the playoffs, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. However, Brian Windhorst of ESPN suggested on the latest Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that one reason the team decided against trading any veterans at the deadline was a desire to push for the postseason next season.

“I actually think the Blazers are hoping, dare say, for a Rockets-like rebound, and I think they are hoping that next year they are competing for the playoffs,” Windhorst said. “I think that’s one of the reasons why you didn’t see Jerami Grant or Malcolm Brogdon (traded). Jerami Grant’s name wasn’t out there for an iota, that I heard, and Brogdon’s name never got serious.”

The Blazers had a handful of potential veteran trade candidates on their roster, including Grant, Brogdon, injured center Robert Williams, and swingman Matisse Thybulle, but ended up just making one minor deal, acquiring Dalano Banton from Boston. Cronin said he was “very content” with that outcome and that he wanted to give the current group more time to jell rather than just selling off players for draft picks.

“If there’s great value, we’ll add picks. If it’s great value, we’ll add players,” Cronin said. “But generally speaking, the deals we were pursuing were more player-oriented. Could we find a guy that provides immediate and long-term help? And is there proper value there?

“… We received lots of offers. I think it did make it somewhat more difficult to pry from us because we are happy with who we have and where we’re at. So, of course, we always want to be opportunistic and not just be thorough in this market, but have a great feel for what our options are and what’s available.”

Here’s more on the Blazers:

  • Head coach Chauncey Billups was happy the front office didn’t make any real changes to Portland’s roster, as Fentress relays. “A lot of people wanted Malcolm, and rightfully so, I’m one of them people,” Billups said. “So, I was happy that we were able to keep him. A lot of people wanted Rob, and rightfully so. I’m one of those people. I think when it’s our turn to actually really compete and be competitive, those are the type of dudes that you want to do it with. So I’m happy we didn’t let them slip away.”
  • According to Fentress, Cronin said one reason the front office stood pat was that he was encouraged by how the Blazers responded to an early-January stretch in which they lost six of seven games by an average margin of 33.2 points per contest. Portland won five of its next 10 after that brutal stretch and Cronin suggested he’s pleased with what he’s seen from both the veterans and youngsters: “I really like where we’re positioned. I like where we’re headed. I like what we’re capable of. I like our team. I like our staff. I like our organization. I think we’re well on our way to good things in the future.”
  • In a post-deadline column for The Athletic, Jason Quick argues that the Blazers should have made a bolder move this week, such as trading center Deandre Ayton. Ayton’s first several months in Portland were “defined by tardiness and tantrums,” according to Quick, who cites team sources. “The quicker the Blazers can move off Ayton,” Quick writes, comparing him to former Blazers center Hassan Whiteside, “the sooner I will believe this franchise is headed in the right direction.”
  • In case you missed it, the Blazers reportedly received $3MM in cash from Boston in the Banton trade.

Rockets Rumors: Bridges, Centers, Tate, Brogdon, Core

Despite a modest 22-24 record that places them 11th in the West, the Rockets are motivated to be buyers on the trade market at next week’s deadline and will be seeking high-level talent, according to Kelly Iko, Shams Charania, and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

As The Athletic’s trio explains, the presence of new head coach Ime Udoka – and his strong influence with the team’s top decision-makers – has contributed to an acceleration of the Rockets’ timeline. Udoka has been frustrated by the team’s “inconsistencies” and is determined to make the postseason, and his level of urgency has helped convince the front office to adjust its expectations for the club and its strategy on the trade market.

The Rockets’ interest in Nets forward Mikal Bridges, reported earlier today by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, is one example of the club’s pursuit of impact players. The Athletic’s reporters confirm that Houston’s level of interest in Bridges is “extremely high,” but echo Scotto in saying that Brooklyn continues to view the 27-year-old as a cornerstone piece and has no interest in moving him.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

  • Houston also continues to scour the trade market for more frontcourt help, with Kelly Olynyk (Jazz), Clint Capela (Hawks), Andre Drummond (Bulls), and Robert Williams (Trail Blazers) among the big men on the team’s radar, per Iko, Charania, and Amick. Udoka would like to find a center capable of not only manning the position when Alperen Sengun is on the bench but also potentially playing alongside Sengun, like Williams and Al Horford did during Udoka’s time in Boston.
  • While the Rockets will likely look to package draft capital with expiring or pseudo-expiring contracts like those belonging to Victor Oladipo, Jock Landale, and Boban Marjanovic, they also view forward Jae’Sean Tate as “movable,” according to The Athletic’s report. League sources tell The Athletic that the Celtics and Suns have shown some level of interest in Tate.
  • A ball-handler who can defend would also be on the Rockets’ wish list, league sources tell The Athletic’s trio, who mention Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon as one player who fits the bill. However, Houston isn’t eager to cut into Cam Whitmore‘s or Amen Thompson‘s minutes, which may affect the club’s aggressiveness in pursuing backcourt help.
  • Whitmore and Thompson are considered off-limits in most trade talks, according to Iko, Charania, and Amick, who say the Rockets aren’t interested in moving Jabari Smith or Tari Eason either. Jalen Green is also in that group of young players Houston would be very reluctant to trade, though The Athletic’s reporters suggest he’s not necessarily viewed as untouchable like he would’ve been a year or two ago, with Sengun having overtaken him as the player prioritized in the Rockets’ schemes. It sounds as if Houston won’t move any of its young core players in a deal for a mere rotation upgrade, but would consider including one in a package for a star.

Fischer’s Latest: Point Guard Rumors, Sixers, Rockets, More

After Charlotte was able to secure a first-round pick from Miami in this week’s deal for Terry Rozier, teams with quality guards available are expected to use that return as a benchmark, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who suggests that the Wizards, Trail Blazers, and Raptors want “at least a first-round pick” for Tyus Jones, Malcolm Brogdon, and Bruce Brown, respectively.

It will presumably be more difficult to extract a first-round pick for a player headed for free agency in 2024 and 2025 than it was for Rozier, who has two more years left on his contract beyond this one. Still, as Fischer notes, there will be no shortage of teams in the market for backcourt help at this season’s deadline.

Sources tell Yahoo Sports that the Lakers are “chief among backcourt buyers” as they seek a point guard upgrade on D’Angelo Russell. The Knicks, Bucks, and Sixers are among the other potential buyers at that position, while the Nets have “poked around” the market too, per Fischer.

Fischer names the Cavaliers and Timberwolves as two other clubs expected to peruse the market in search of backcourt depth and notes that the Spurs will always be a team to watch for point guards until they find a long-term answer at the position to pair with Victor Wembanyama.

Here’s more from Fischer:

  • Veteran point guard T.J. McConnell was viewed as a possible target for teams looking for backcourt help, but the Pacers have indicated to potential trade partners that they don’t want to move him, Fischer reports. Some of the backup point guards who are available around the NBA, per Fischer, are Davion Mitchell (Kings), Cameron Payne (Bucks), Cory Joseph (Warriors), and Devonte’ Graham (Spurs).
  • Kyle Lowry isn’t expected to join the Hornets prior to the trade deadline as Charlotte looks to flip him to a new team. If he’s still a Hornet once the deadline passes, Lowry will be a strong candidate for a buyout, and the Sixers appear to be a “real possibility” for the Philadelphia native, says Fischer.
  • The Sixers are prioritizing fit alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as they consider their trade options. They don’t appear to have significant interest in Bruce Brown and will have to seriously consider whether Dejounte Murray is the right piece next to Maxey, given the Hawks‘ high asking price for Murray, Fischer writes. Atlanta is reportedly seeking two first-round picks and a starting-caliber player for the guard.
  • The Rockets have their eye on a pair of Trail Blazers, according to Fischer, who says Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams have both drawn interest from Houston. The Lakers and Knicks are among the other teams that have been connected to Brogdon.
  • The Pelicans and Magic are two teams that rival executives expect to be in the market for a point guard in the summer, though New Orleans is focused more on the center spot for now, per Fischer.

Trade Rumors: R. Williams, Knicks, Lakers, Hawks, Wizards

Trail Blazers center Robert Williams won’t play again this season after undergoing knee surgery in November, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s off the table in trade talks. Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT suggested during the latest episode of the #thisleague UNCUT podcast that Williams is a trade candidate to watch.

“There are some teams that are pondering making a move for Robert Williams,” Haynes said (hat tip to Blazer’s Edge). “Now, I know Robert Williams is out for the season, had another surgery on his right knee. But teams feel like he would be somebody they could get on the cheap right now and allow him to continue recovering, continue rehabbing in hopes that next season he can blossom back into the Robert Williams that we’ve seen when he was playing at a high level with the Boston Celtics.”

Williams was one of the players acquired by Portland in October’s Jrue Holiday deal with the Celtics. While he has shown some promise in his first few years in the NBA, is still just 26 years old, and is on a multiyear contract, there was a sense that the Blazers could be willing to flip the big man to a new team, given that they already have their center of the future in Deandre Ayton. Haynes confirms that’s the case.

“The Blazers will be very open (to moving Williams),” Haynes said. “That’s not up for debate. They’ll be very open. If they feel like they can get the right deal in place, they’re open. The Blazers, they’re in a youth movement right now, so they have nothing but time on their side. Some players don’t fit the development arc of most of the youth they have on that team. Robert Williams is somebody who is definitely available, given the right price.”

While Haynes didn’t specify exactly which teams are potential suitors for Williams, he noted that Ime Udoka is “very fond” of the big man after coaching him in Boston and speculated that the Rockets could have interest.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • Discussing the Knicks‘ approach to the trade deadline on the Katz and Shoot podcast, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports said Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon is the player he has heard most frequently linked to New York (Twitter video link). Fred Katz of The Athletic cited Pistons guard Alec Burks as another player the Knicks had their eye on and confirmed the team has looked into Dejounte Murray, but isn’t sure whether that interest in the Hawks guard is serious or just a matter of the Knicks doing their due diligence.
  • Murray, Bruce Brown, Terry Rozier, and Tyus Jones are potential Lakers trade targets to keep an eye on, Shams Charania of The Athletic said during FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link). The team’s interest in all four guards has been previously reported.
  • Charania also confirms a previous report about the Lakers and Hawks discussing Murray, adding that a pick swap was part of those negotiations. The talks stalled due to Atlanta’s desire to reroute D’Angelo Russell to a third team, but Charania expects the two teams to resume those discussions before the trade deadline.
  • Only one Wizards player is truly off-limits in trade talks at this season’s deadline, according to Charania (Twitter video link): 2023 lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly. Washington would be open to inquiries on anyone else on the roster.

Trail Blazers Granted Disabled Player Exception

The Trail Blazers have been awarded a disabled player exception worth $5.8MM for the season-ending loss of Robert Williams III, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Williams is out for the 2023/24 season after undergoing right knee surgery to reconstruct a torn ligament after he suffered a patellar dislocation. He’s expected to make a full recovery for the 2024/25 season.

As explained in our glossary, a disabled player exception allows a team some spending power when it loses a player to an injury deemed likely to sideline him through at least June 15 of that season. The exception is worth either half the injured player’s salary or the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, whichever is lesser. Williams is on track to earn $11.6MM this season, so the exception is worth half that.

The exception can be used to sign a free agent, claim a player off waivers or acquire a player in a trade. It can only be used on one single player and can only be utilized for a one-year deal. Any player being acquired via trade or waiver claim must have just one year remaining on his contract.

A disabled player exception does not open up a roster spot for any team that chooses to use one. In order to utilize its exception, Portland needs to have an open standard roster spot. At the moment, the Blazers have 15 players on standard contracts, so they’d have to make a cut or trade that brings in fewer players than they send out in order to use the exception. Portland faces a March 11 deadline to use the DPE for Williams.

As noted by ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), the Blazers also have two trade exceptions (worth $8.8MM and $8.3MM) and the full $12.4MM non-tax mid-level exception at their disposal. They obtained their larger trade exceptions from the Damian Lillard-to-Milwaukee blockbuster and the Gary Payton II-to-Golden State swap, respectively. The exceptions cannot be combined. Portland is currently $3.5MM below the tax.

Williams, 26, was brought to Portland this past offseason in the trade that sent Jrue Holiday to the Celtics. He appeared in just six games with the Trail Blazers before suffering his injury, averaging 6.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks.

Williams emerged as one of the top rim protectors and defenders in the league when healthy during his time in Boston, where he spent five seasons. However, he hasn’t enjoyed luck with his health since being drafted with the 27th overall pick in the 2018 draft, playing more than 41 games just twice in his career. His most productive season came in 2021/22, when he averaged 10.0 points per game in the regular season, started in all 61 of his appearances, and became a crucial piece of Boston’s run to the NBA Finals, where they fell to the Warriors.

In 215 games (97 starts) since 2018, Williams holds career averages of 7.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks while shooting 72.9% from the floor.

Robert Williams Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery

NOVEMBER 13: Williams underwent right knee surgery on Monday to reconstruct a torn ligament after he sustained a patellar dislocation., the team tweets. Williams is expected to make a full recovery for the 2024/25 season.


NOVEMBER 10: Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams will have to undergo season-ending right knee surgery, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. He’s expected to go under the knife early next week and to be fully recovered for the 2024/25 season, Woj adds.

Wojnarowski previously reported that Williams would require surgery, but said on Monday that the center’s camp and medical professionals were still discussing what type of procedure would be necessary.

The Athletic reported on Monday that one option would be a cleanup procedure with a two- or three-month recovery timeline, while the other option would be a season-ending procedure that would repair bone and ligament damage in Williams’ right kneecap.

It appears Williams will take the latter route.

It’s a devastating blow to a promising young player who has already been significantly impacted by health problems since entering the NBA as the 27th overall pick in 2018.

Entering this season, the 26-year-old had been limited to 209 of 390 possible regular season games in his first five years in the NBA as a Celtic. He’ll appear in just six of 82 in his first year in Portland.

In his healthiest season, 2021/22, Williams nearly averaged a double-double (10.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG) to go along with 2.2 blocks per night and a 73.6% field goal percentage.

Williams was part of the package that Portland received from Boston this fall in exchange for Jrue Holiday. According to Wojnarowski, there were some teams around the NBA hoping that the Blazers would put Williams back on the trade block prior to the 2024 trade deadline — an in-season move seems extremely unlikely now.

The Trail Blazers have one open spot on their standard 15-man roster that could be used to add more frontcourt depth. They have about $5.3MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), so they could comfortably sign a free agent to a minimum-salary deal without becoming a taxpayer.

As Marks observes, Portland could also apply for a disabled player exception, which wouldn’t give the team another roster spot but could provide another cap exception to make a trade, signing, or waiver claim later in the season. If granted by the NBA, that exception would be worth $5,785,715, half of Williams’ salary.

Blazers’ Robert Williams To Undergo Right Knee Surgery

6:15pm: Williams is facing potential season-ending surgery to repair bone and ligament damage in his right kneecap, Shams Charania and Jared Weiss of The Athletic report (Twitter link). Alternatively, Williams could choose a cleanup procedure with a two-to-three month recovery timetable.


5:04pmRobert Williams continues to be plagued by knee issues during his young career.

The Trail Blazers’ big man will undergo right knee surgery, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Medical professionals and Williams’ agent are discussing what type of procedure is necessary and the timeline for his recovery, Wojnarowski adds.

Williams was injured during Portland’s game against Memphis on Sunday. He missed the start of last season with the Celtics after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee.

Williams has been backing up another newcomer to the Blazers via trade, Deandre Ayton. He was part of the Celtics’ package that brought Jrue Holiday to Boston. Portland also received Malcolm Brogdon and draft assets in that blockbuster.

Williams was averaging 6.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in his first six games with Portland.

Williams appeared in just 35 regular season contests with Boston last season, including 20 starts. He hasn’t appeared in more than 61 games since being drafted in the first round in 2018. Noted for his all-around defense, he holds career averages of 7.3 points, 6.9 points and 1.7 blocks in 20.5 minutes per game through 215 regular-season appearances.

Over the course of his career, Williams has also missed games due to hip, back, ankle, foot and toe injuries. Moses Brown and Jabari Walker are the logical candidates to absorb Williams’ minutes while he recovers.

Williams has a four-year, $48MM contract that runs through the 2025/26 season. It includes some incentives, such as making the All-Defense team and appearing in 69 or more regular season games.

Trail Blazers Notes: Henderson, Williams, Knox, Brogdon

Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson feels like he’s headed in the right direction after a slow start to his NBA career, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Following three sub-par outings, Henderson enjoyed his best game on Monday, posting 11 points and seven assists as Portland won at Toronto. The No. 3 pick in this year’s draft hopes the game represents a reset of his rookie season.

“Something new for me. I never went through something like this,” Henderson said of his early struggles. “But I’m ready. I’m ready now. I could tell Portland I’m ready to go now.”

Shooting remains an issue for Henderson, which was expected when he entered the draft. He went 4-of-12 from the field Monday, dropping him to 33.3% on the year, and he’s now 1-of-18 on three-pointers after missing all six of his attempts against the Raptors. However, there are signs that he’s learning how to take command of the game and understanding when to unleash his athletic bursts.

“I thought he let the game come to him,” said Malcolm Brogdon, who’s serving as Henderson’s mentor. “He was sort of warming up in the first half and then in the second half, he started to really find his rhythm, his pace. I think tonight he really picked his spots. I haven’t seen him really do that. He picked when he was aggressive. He picked when he was going to be a facilitator, when he was going to try to get to the line. Pushed in transition. I thought he really started putting it together tonight.”

There’s more on the Blazers:

  • Robert Williams was held out of Monday’s game because it was the second night of a back-to-back, and that’s likely to be a common practice for coach Chauncey Billups this season, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. Because of Williams’ extensive injury history in Boston, Billups plans to be cautious with how he’s used.
  • Kevin Knox is hoping to revive his career with Portland’s new G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, after being waived by the Trail Blazers before the start of the season, Highkin adds (Twitter link). “Anytime you get waived or released, it’s a disappointment,” Knox said. “But I think what separates guys is the mental aspect. A lot of guys sulk and be mad and go home and don’t work out or do nothing. For me, I take it as a challenge, add fuel to the fire. Come in to the Remix, perform as well as I can, play as hard as I can and try to get a gig.”
  • Brogdon has signed with Klutch Sports, the agency announced on Instagram (hat tip to Highkin). Brogdon is under contract through the end of next season and will become a free agent in 2025.

Atlantic Notes: Siakam, Smith, Simmons, Williams

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.

Blazers Notes: Team Leader, Ayton, Thybulle, Sharpe, Brogdon

With their long-time leader now in Milwaukee, the Trail Blazers need someone to step up and fill that role, writes Jason Quick of The Athletic. Last week’s trade of Damian Lillard left Portland not only without its top scorer and No. 1 option in crunch time, but also someone who can take control of the locker room.

Point guard Scoot Henderson seems like the best candidate to eventually accept that responsibility, but he’s only 19 and still has a lot to learn about life in the NBA. Quick notes that Anfernee Simons has been on the roster longer than anyone, but he doesn’t have an outspoken personality. The same is true of Jerami Grant, who’s the team’s second-oldest player at 29 and its top returning scorer.

General manager Joe Cronin and coach Chauncey Billups see the lack of a defined leader as a positive situation because it can encourage competition throughout the roster.

“It’s ‘Come and get it,’” Cronin said. “We have many guys who are very capable or talented enough to be The Man. It’s who is going to emerge from that? Who is going to emerge not just in play, but in leadership?”

There’s more from Portland:

  • Deandre Ayton will likely see more scoring opportunities than he did with the Suns, but he won’t be the focus of the Blazers’ offense, Quick adds. Ayton was often frustrated over not getting the ball enough with his former team. “We are not bringing Deandre here for him to be (Joel) Embiid, where we throw him the ball 30 times a game and say ‘All right, go be the MVP,’” Billups said. “Like, that’s not going to be his role. However, he will probably have a more expanded role than he had in Phoenix. But again, we have a lot of young guys who are figuring out … these things take time.”
  • Matisse Thybulle and Shaedon Sharpe are battling to be the starting small forward and Thybulle appears to have the early advantage, tweets Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Billups said Grant will start at power forward, while Robert Williams will back up both Ayton and Grant. Simons will start at either point guard or shooting guard, and everything else will be decided during training camp and the preseason. Henderson and Sharpe are both expected to play extensively whether they start or not.
  • There has been speculation that the Blazers will try to trade Malcolm Brogdon after acquiring him from the Celtics on Sunday, but the reigning Sixth Man of the Year is preparing to stay in Portland, tweets Casey Holdahl. “They want me here, I want to be here,” Brogdon said. “There’s a lot of misleading information out there about they need to trade me or I want to go. … I’m embracing being here.”
  • Toumani Camara, who was acquired from Phoenix in the Lillard deal, has been an early standout at camp, according to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link).