Portland Trail Blazers Archives - SportzBonanza SportzBonanza Sun, 29 Oct 2023 09:37:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 Trail Blazers’ Anfernee Simons Sidelined Through Injury https://sportzbonanza.com/trail-blazers-anfernee-simons-sidelined-through-injury/ Sat, 28 Oct 2023 17:49:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=22419 Anfernee Simons with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019The Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons is expected to miss four to six weeks of action as he is set to undergo thumb surgery, the team confirmed on Friday. The 24-year-old player injured his thumb during Portland’s season-opening 123-111 loss to the LA Clippers on Wednesday night. The Trail Blazers confirmed that Simons underwent […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons is expected to miss four to six weeks of action as he is set to undergo thumb surgery, the team confirmed on Friday. The 24-year-old player injured his thumb during Portland’s season-opening 123-111 loss to the LA Clippers on Wednesday night.

The Trail Blazers confirmed that Simons underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed a tear to the ulnar collateral ligament in the thumb. Having made 18 points during the game, Simons had to be replaced by Shaedon Sharpe, who started Friday’s 97-102 loss against Orlando Magic.

“Ant’s the kind of player that he’s gained a type of respect where whether he’s making shots or not, you have to play him a certain way,” coach Chauncey Billups commented. “You game plan for him. We’ll miss that. We’ll miss, obviously, his shot-making and his play-making. You miss those things.”

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Boston Celtics Acquire PG Jrue Holiday From the Blazers https://sportzbonanza.com/boston-celtics-acquire-pg-jrue-holiday-from-the-blazers/ Mon, 02 Oct 2023 06:12:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=22100 Jrue Holiday at the ESPYS in July 2023The Boston Celtics continued its busy offseason over the weekend by pulling off another blockbuster trade. After acquiring center Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards early in the summer, the Celtics now went and added veteran point guard Jrue Holiday in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. Holiday landed in Portland last week as […]

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The Boston Celtics continued its busy offseason over the weekend by pulling off another blockbuster trade. After acquiring center Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards early in the summer, the Celtics now went and added veteran point guard Jrue Holiday in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Holiday landed in Portland last week as part of the trade that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. However, the Trail Blazers never actually intended to keep Holiday, wanting to turn him into more assets, which a trade with the Celtics achieved.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics gave up a lot to get Holiday. They are sending center Robert Williams III, guard Malcolm Brogdon, as well as a 2024 first-rounder via Golden State and a 2029 first-round pick to Portland.

The Blazers are expected to keep Williams as a frontcourt partner to Deandre Ayton, whom they also brought in as part of the Lillard trade. However, Brogdon is expected to be made available on a trade market, considering Portland is loaded with young talent at the point guard position.

The Celtics, on the other hand, made a move that makes them one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference once again. They get one of the best two-way guards in the league to pair with Porzingis and All-Star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Holiday, who previously also played with the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans, is entering his 15th NBA season. He is averaging 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game since turning pro and has two NBA All-Star nods.

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Blazers Sending Star PG Damian Lillard to Bucks in a 3-Team Trade https://sportzbonanza.com/blazers-sending-star-pg-damian-lillard-to-bucks-in-a-3-team-trade/ Thu, 28 Sep 2023 06:12:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=22050 Damian Lillard at the Adidas Republic of Sports event in 2017The Damian Lillard trade saga is over. The Portland Trail Blazers are reportedly sending Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade that also includes the Phoenix Suns. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the trade will see the Blazers receiving All-Star guard Jrue Holiday, first-round pick in 2029, and pick swaps in 2028 and […]

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The Damian Lillard trade saga is over. The Portland Trail Blazers are reportedly sending Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade that also includes the Phoenix Suns.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the trade will see the Blazers receiving All-Star guard Jrue Holiday, first-round pick in 2029, and pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 from the Bucks. They will also get center Deandre Ayton and forward Toumani Camara from the Suns.

Phoenix, on the other hand, receives center Jusuf Nurkic, forward Nassir Little, and shooting guard Keon Johnson from the Blazers alongside shooting guard Grayson Allen from the Bucks.

The move is a clear sign of the Bucks’ determination to bounce back after a disappointing season and establish themselves as an NBA title contented once again. They now have one of the best duos in the league in Lillard and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and a capable roster around them that includes All-Star Khris Middleton and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Brook Lopez.

The Blazers, on the other hand, officially launched their rebuild. They added a talented center in Ayton while parting ways with Lillard, which also enables them to focus on developing their young guards, Scoot Henderson and Anfernee Simons. On top of that, they will get extra draft compensation as they are already having trade talks to move Holiday.

Finally, the Suns move from Ayton, who has had a troublesome relationship with the franchise, and get his big contract off their books. In return, they received Nurkic, who is considered a better fit for their roster and is on a cheaper contract. On top of that, Little, Johnson, and Allen provide them with a badly needed depth at several positions.

Damian Lillard spent all of his 11 years in the NBA with the Blazers. He made seven All-Star appearances during that time while being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Lillard helped the Blazers to eight playoff appearances since entering the league in 2012 and led the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2019.

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Damian Lillard Trade Talks are Picking Up Steam https://sportzbonanza.com/damian-lillard-trade-talks-are-picking-up-steam/ Wed, 20 Sep 2023 06:11:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=21965 Damian Lillard with Team United States in 2021We don’t blame you if you forgot all about All-Star guard Damian Lillard asking the Portland Trail Blazers to trade him. Lillard made his trade request back in July, but didn’t get much closer to leaving the franchise since then. However, that might change soon. In a recent appearance on NBA Today, ESPN’s NBA insider […]

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We don’t blame you if you forgot all about All-Star guard Damian Lillard asking the Portland Trail Blazers to trade him. Lillard made his trade request back in July, but didn’t get much closer to leaving the franchise since then. However, that might change soon.

In a recent appearance on NBA Today, ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski shared the latest updates about Lillard’s situation. According to Wojnarowski, the Blazers have ramped up discussions about Lillard in recent weeks and seem to be working on trade scenarios more diligently.

Wojnarowski reported that the Trail Blazers are interested in making a three-team trade so they could maximize the return for their star player. They want draft picks and young players, but some interested teams only have veteran players to offer. By re-directing these veterans to another team, Portland could get a package that fits their needs more.

The Miami Heat still remain the favorites to land Lillard. However, the issue is that the Blazers don’t seem to be too high on Tyler Herro, who is the centerpiece of the Heat’s trade proposal.

Wojnarowski added that Lillard trade talks will intensify as the training camp approaches. The Trail Blazers would likely want to have a drama-free training camp, while the acquiring team probably wants Lillard as soon as possible to get him an early start in a new system.

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Joel Embiid’s Late Basket Completes 76ers’ 21-Point Comeback Against the Blazers https://sportzbonanza.com/joel-embiids-late-basket-completes-76ers-21-point-comeback-against-the-blazers/ Sun, 12 Mar 2023 06:11:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=20376 Joel Embiid with the 76ers in 2018For the better part of Friday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Philadelphia 76ers looked overmatched and inferior. But that didn’t stop them from orchestrating an impressive 21-point comeback and getting a 120-119 win in the last seconds of the contest. The Blazers took a 37-29 lead in the first quarter and continued […]

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For the better part of Friday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Philadelphia 76ers looked overmatched and inferior. But that didn’t stop them from orchestrating an impressive 21-point comeback and getting a 120-119 win in the last seconds of the contest.

The Blazers took a 37-29 lead in the first quarter and continued to build on it throughout the next two periods, having a 21-point lead at one point. However, the 76ers picked themselves up in the third before delivering a monster fourth quarter.

It all came down to the last possession that saw Portland clinging on a one-point lead. With the clock running out, Philly’s superstar Joel Embiid dribbled the ball to the free throw line and got a shot off over Blazers’ Jusuf Nurkic. The ball went in, giving the 76ers their first lead of the game and their opponents just 1.1 seconds to work with. The Trail Blazers didn’t manage to get a shot off after a time out, and Philadelphia ended up being the team that celebrated.

“It wasn’t our night until 1.1 seconds, when you think about it,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers said after the game. “We stayed at it. We were looking for everything and just couldn’t get going, man. We looked like we were in mud in the first half on both ends.

Despite scoring the winning basket, Embiid was also the best player on the court. He finished the night with 39 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Anfernee Simons had 34 points for the Blazers.

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Damian Lillard Makes History in 60-Point Game Against Utah https://sportzbonanza.com/damian-lillard-makes-history-in-60-point-game-against-utah/ Thu, 26 Jan 2023 13:55:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=19874 Damian Lillard at the Adidas Republic of Sports event in 2017The Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard scored 60 points for the fourth time in his career to lift his team to a 134-124 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. In addition to the high total, Lillard also turned heads with his efficiency, needing just 29 shots and 10 free throws to do […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard scored 60 points for the fourth time in his career to lift his team to a 134-124 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. In addition to the high total, Lillard also turned heads with his efficiency, needing just 29 shots and 10 free throws to do so.

Rick Barry in 1974 is the only player to have equaled Lillard’s tally with fewer free throw attempts. As a result, Lillard posted the highest true shooting percentage (.898) ever in a 60-point game.

“That was incredible, man,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups exclaimed after Lillard’s performance. “You don’t get to see that very often, to be that efficient. For a guy to score 60 points and only 10 free throws and make nine of them, you’re thinking either this dude has an absurd amount of 3s. It was just incredible how efficient he was.”

Lillard also proved to be a highly-precise shooter from distance, scoring nine three-pointers to tie for the second-most in history in a 60-point game. The record for the most three-pointers is also held by Lillard himself.

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Damian Lillard Becomes Trail Blazers’ All-Time Leading Scorer https://sportzbonanza.com/damian-lillard-becomes-trail-blazers-all-time-leading-scorer/ Wed, 21 Dec 2022 06:11:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=19570 Damian Lillard at the Adidas Republic of Sports event in 2017Point guard Damian Lillard has become the Portland Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer, passing Clyde Drexler’s record of 18,040 points in 867 games. Lillard scored 28 points during the Trail Blazers’ 121-123 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, thereby taking his tally to 18,048. Although disappointed to lose the game, Lillard exhibited his […]

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Point guard Damian Lillard has become the Portland Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer, passing Clyde Drexler’s record of 18,040 points in 867 games.

Lillard scored 28 points during the Trail Blazers’ 121-123 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, thereby taking his tally to 18,048. Although disappointed to lose the game, Lillard exhibited his satisfaction with achieving this feat, receiving a standing ovation from the fans at the Paycom Center once the public address announcer informed the crowd of his achievement.

“It’s a great feeling to reach the top,” Lillard exclaimed. “It’s been a goal of mine, and the list has so many players, great history of our organization, so to finally be No. 1 is a special accomplishment that I’m proud of.”

Playing in his 730th game for the Trail Blazers at the time of his achievement, Lillard has been on the team for the entirety of his NBA career. He was selected as the sixth overall pick by the Trail Blazers in the 2012 draft.

Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin thanked Lillard for his hard work and dedication to the team, adding that he looks forward to seeing his future progress.

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Trail Blazers Win NBA Summer League https://sportzbonanza.com/trail-blazers-win-nba-summer-league/ Mon, 18 Jul 2022 06:17:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=18771 Trendon Watford with LSU in 2021The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New York Knicks 85-77 on Sunday to lift the 2022 NBA summer league championship, marking the team’s third appearance in the final and second title since 2017. With 19 points and seven rebounds for Portland, Trendon Watford was selected as game MVP. “They made a run in I think the […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New York Knicks 85-77 on Sunday to lift the 2022 NBA summer league championship, marking the team’s third appearance in the final and second title since 2017.

With 19 points and seven rebounds for Portland, Trendon Watford was selected as game MVP. “They made a run in I think the late third or the fourth. We stuck together and when we came back in, we turned it up and I’m just proud of all these guys, man,” Watford said following his team’s victory.

Brandon Williams was the leading scorer on the night with 22 points, while the Knicks had five players who scored within doubles figures, led by Quentin Grimes with 19 points, who was followed by Miles McBride with 17 points, Jericho Sims with 13, and Feron Hunt, and Micah Potter with 10 points each.

On the back foot for much of the first quarter, two back-to-back 3-pointers put the Blazers back in the game with a 21-14 lead. Seven 3-pointers later, the Trail Blazers built an 11-point lead over the Knicks. From there, Portland expanded their lead to 16 points in the third quarter before wrapping up the game in the final quarter.

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Blazers Ink Superstar Damian Lillard to a 2-Year, $122 Million Extension https://sportzbonanza.com/blazers-ink-superstar-damian-lillard-to-a-2-year-122-million-extension/ Sun, 10 Jul 2022 06:17:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=18656 Damian Lillard at the Adidas Republic of Sports event in 2017The Portland Trail Blazers are doubling down on their commitment to superstar guard Damian Lillard. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Lillard and Blazers agreed to a two-year extension that is worth $122 million. With the extension in place, Lillard is now under contract with Portland through the 2026-27 season. The last year of his deal […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers are doubling down on their commitment to superstar guard Damian Lillard. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Lillard and Blazers agreed to a two-year extension that is worth $122 million.

With the extension in place, Lillard is now under contract with Portland through the 2026-27 season. The last year of his deal is reportedly a player option. He is set to earn $137 million in the next three years before the extension kicks in.

Around the same time last year, it seemed that Lillard was closer to leaving the Blazers than staying in Portland. The franchise has underperformed, and there was a sense the Blazers would rather trade their star player than offer him a new contract that will pay him around $60 million when he’s 35. However, the lack of deals to be made and the risk of alienating their fan base prevailed, and the Blazers are not all-in on Lillard, for better or worse.

Damian Lillard had a testing 2021-22 season that saw him play only 29 games before being shut down with an abdominal injury. The time he did spend on the court saw him average 24.0 points, which was his lowest since 2014 while shooting a career-low 40.2 percent from the field and 32.4 percent behind the three-point line.

The Blazers went to tanking mode after Lillard’s injury and missed the playoffs, but there were several positives for the franchise. Their young guard Anfernee Simons got an opportunity to shine and develop into a valuable contributor, while Portland also got a high pick in the 2022 NBA Draft that they used to select highly-rated small forward Shaedon Sharpe.

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Portland Trail Blazers Expected to Release PG Eric Bledsoe https://sportzbonanza.com/portland-trail-blazers-expected-to-release-pg-eric-bledsoe/ Wed, 06 Jul 2022 19:28:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=18632 Eric Bledsoe with the Phoenix Suns in 2017The Portland Trail Blazers will reportedly make some room in their backcourt by parting ways with veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe. The team will make a move in the coming days in order to avoid being on the hook for his $19.375 million salary in 2022-23. According to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, Bledsoe won’t have […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers will reportedly make some room in their backcourt by parting ways with veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe. The team will make a move in the coming days in order to avoid being on the hook for his $19.375 million salary in 2022-23.

According to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, Bledsoe won’t have trouble finding a new landing spot when he hits the free-agent market as several teams are already interested in his services.

This recent development means that Bledsoe will leave Portland without ever actually suiting up for the Trail Blazers. He joined the franchise in February as part of the trade that sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the LA Clippers. But at that point, the Blazers were already in tanking mode and preferred to give the spotlight to their younger players.

In the first part of the 2021-22 NBA season, Bledsoe played 54 games with the Clippers and averaged 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. This was his worst outing since his third year as a pro, which curiously was also with the Clippers.

Eric Bledsoe, the 18th overall pick in 2010, also played with the Phoenix Suns, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the New Orleans Pelicans while in the NBA. His career stats include 13.7 points, 3.9 boards, and 4.7 assists per game. Bledsoe has two NBA All-Defensive nods on his resume.

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ersion="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> Portland Trail Blazers Archives - SportzBonanza SportzBonanza Sun, 29 Oct 2023 09:37:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 Trail Blazers’ Anfernee Simons Sidelined Through Injury https://sportzbonanza.com/trail-blazers-anfernee-simons-sidelined-through-injury/ Sat, 28 Oct 2023 17:49:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=22419 Anfernee Simons with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019The Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons is expected to miss four to six weeks of action as he is set to undergo thumb surgery, the team confirmed on Friday. The 24-year-old player injured his thumb during Portland’s season-opening 123-111 loss to the LA Clippers on Wednesday night. The Trail Blazers confirmed that Simons underwent […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons is expected to miss four to six weeks of action as he is set to undergo thumb surgery, the team confirmed on Friday. The 24-year-old player injured his thumb during Portland’s season-opening 123-111 loss to the LA Clippers on Wednesday night.

The Trail Blazers confirmed that Simons underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed a tear to the ulnar collateral ligament in the thumb. Having made 18 points during the game, Simons had to be replaced by Shaedon Sharpe, who started Friday’s 97-102 loss against Orlando Magic.

“Ant’s the kind of player that he’s gained a type of respect where whether he’s making shots or not, you have to play him a certain way,” coach Chauncey Billups commented. “You game plan for him. We’ll miss that. We’ll miss, obviously, his shot-making and his play-making. You miss those things.”

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Boston Celtics Acquire PG Jrue Holiday From the Blazers https://sportzbonanza.com/boston-celtics-acquire-pg-jrue-holiday-from-the-blazers/ Mon, 02 Oct 2023 06:12:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=22100 Jrue Holiday at the ESPYS in July 2023The Boston Celtics continued its busy offseason over the weekend by pulling off another blockbuster trade. After acquiring center Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards early in the summer, the Celtics now went and added veteran point guard Jrue Holiday in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. Holiday landed in Portland last week as […]

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The Boston Celtics continued its busy offseason over the weekend by pulling off another blockbuster trade. After acquiring center Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards early in the summer, the Celtics now went and added veteran point guard Jrue Holiday in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Holiday landed in Portland last week as part of the trade that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. However, the Trail Blazers never actually intended to keep Holiday, wanting to turn him into more assets, which a trade with the Celtics achieved.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics gave up a lot to get Holiday. They are sending center Robert Williams III, guard Malcolm Brogdon, as well as a 2024 first-rounder via Golden State and a 2029 first-round pick to Portland.

The Blazers are expected to keep Williams as a frontcourt partner to Deandre Ayton, whom they also brought in as part of the Lillard trade. However, Brogdon is expected to be made available on a trade market, considering Portland is loaded with young talent at the point guard position.

The Celtics, on the other hand, made a move that makes them one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference once again. They get one of the best two-way guards in the league to pair with Porzingis and All-Star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Holiday, who previously also played with the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans, is entering his 15th NBA season. He is averaging 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game since turning pro and has two NBA All-Star nods.

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Blazers Sending Star PG Damian Lillard to Bucks in a 3-Team Trade https://sportzbonanza.com/blazers-sending-star-pg-damian-lillard-to-bucks-in-a-3-team-trade/ Thu, 28 Sep 2023 06:12:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=22050 Damian Lillard at the Adidas Republic of Sports event in 2017The Damian Lillard trade saga is over. The Portland Trail Blazers are reportedly sending Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade that also includes the Phoenix Suns. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the trade will see the Blazers receiving All-Star guard Jrue Holiday, first-round pick in 2029, and pick swaps in 2028 and […]

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The Damian Lillard trade saga is over. The Portland Trail Blazers are reportedly sending Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade that also includes the Phoenix Suns.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the trade will see the Blazers receiving All-Star guard Jrue Holiday, first-round pick in 2029, and pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 from the Bucks. They will also get center Deandre Ayton and forward Toumani Camara from the Suns.

Phoenix, on the other hand, receives center Jusuf Nurkic, forward Nassir Little, and shooting guard Keon Johnson from the Blazers alongside shooting guard Grayson Allen from the Bucks.

The move is a clear sign of the Bucks’ determination to bounce back after a disappointing season and establish themselves as an NBA title contented once again. They now have one of the best duos in the league in Lillard and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and a capable roster around them that includes All-Star Khris Middleton and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Brook Lopez.

The Blazers, on the other hand, officially launched their rebuild. They added a talented center in Ayton while parting ways with Lillard, which also enables them to focus on developing their young guards, Scoot Henderson and Anfernee Simons. On top of that, they will get extra draft compensation as they are already having trade talks to move Holiday.

Finally, the Suns move from Ayton, who has had a troublesome relationship with the franchise, and get his big contract off their books. In return, they received Nurkic, who is considered a better fit for their roster and is on a cheaper contract. On top of that, Little, Johnson, and Allen provide them with a badly needed depth at several positions.

Damian Lillard spent all of his 11 years in the NBA with the Blazers. He made seven All-Star appearances during that time while being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Lillard helped the Blazers to eight playoff appearances since entering the league in 2012 and led the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2019.

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Damian Lillard Trade Talks are Picking Up Steam https://sportzbonanza.com/damian-lillard-trade-talks-are-picking-up-steam/ Wed, 20 Sep 2023 06:11:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=21965 Damian Lillard with Team United States in 2021We don’t blame you if you forgot all about All-Star guard Damian Lillard asking the Portland Trail Blazers to trade him. Lillard made his trade request back in July, but didn’t get much closer to leaving the franchise since then. However, that might change soon. In a recent appearance on NBA Today, ESPN’s NBA insider […]

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We don’t blame you if you forgot all about All-Star guard Damian Lillard asking the Portland Trail Blazers to trade him. Lillard made his trade request back in July, but didn’t get much closer to leaving the franchise since then. However, that might change soon.

In a recent appearance on NBA Today, ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski shared the latest updates about Lillard’s situation. According to Wojnarowski, the Blazers have ramped up discussions about Lillard in recent weeks and seem to be working on trade scenarios more diligently.

Wojnarowski reported that the Trail Blazers are interested in making a three-team trade so they could maximize the return for their star player. They want draft picks and young players, but some interested teams only have veteran players to offer. By re-directing these veterans to another team, Portland could get a package that fits their needs more.

The Miami Heat still remain the favorites to land Lillard. However, the issue is that the Blazers don’t seem to be too high on Tyler Herro, who is the centerpiece of the Heat’s trade proposal.

Wojnarowski added that Lillard trade talks will intensify as the training camp approaches. The Trail Blazers would likely want to have a drama-free training camp, while the acquiring team probably wants Lillard as soon as possible to get him an early start in a new system.

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Joel Embiid’s Late Basket Completes 76ers’ 21-Point Comeback Against the Blazers https://sportzbonanza.com/joel-embiids-late-basket-completes-76ers-21-point-comeback-against-the-blazers/ Sun, 12 Mar 2023 06:11:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=20376 Joel Embiid with the 76ers in 2018For the better part of Friday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Philadelphia 76ers looked overmatched and inferior. But that didn’t stop them from orchestrating an impressive 21-point comeback and getting a 120-119 win in the last seconds of the contest. The Blazers took a 37-29 lead in the first quarter and continued […]

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For the better part of Friday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Philadelphia 76ers looked overmatched and inferior. But that didn’t stop them from orchestrating an impressive 21-point comeback and getting a 120-119 win in the last seconds of the contest.

The Blazers took a 37-29 lead in the first quarter and continued to build on it throughout the next two periods, having a 21-point lead at one point. However, the 76ers picked themselves up in the third before delivering a monster fourth quarter.

It all came down to the last possession that saw Portland clinging on a one-point lead. With the clock running out, Philly’s superstar Joel Embiid dribbled the ball to the free throw line and got a shot off over Blazers’ Jusuf Nurkic. The ball went in, giving the 76ers their first lead of the game and their opponents just 1.1 seconds to work with. The Trail Blazers didn’t manage to get a shot off after a time out, and Philadelphia ended up being the team that celebrated.

“It wasn’t our night until 1.1 seconds, when you think about it,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers said after the game. “We stayed at it. We were looking for everything and just couldn’t get going, man. We looked like we were in mud in the first half on both ends.

Despite scoring the winning basket, Embiid was also the best player on the court. He finished the night with 39 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Anfernee Simons had 34 points for the Blazers.

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Damian Lillard Makes History in 60-Point Game Against Utah https://sportzbonanza.com/damian-lillard-makes-history-in-60-point-game-against-utah/ Thu, 26 Jan 2023 13:55:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=19874 Damian Lillard at the Adidas Republic of Sports event in 2017The Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard scored 60 points for the fourth time in his career to lift his team to a 134-124 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. In addition to the high total, Lillard also turned heads with his efficiency, needing just 29 shots and 10 free throws to do […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard scored 60 points for the fourth time in his career to lift his team to a 134-124 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. In addition to the high total, Lillard also turned heads with his efficiency, needing just 29 shots and 10 free throws to do so.

Rick Barry in 1974 is the only player to have equaled Lillard’s tally with fewer free throw attempts. As a result, Lillard posted the highest true shooting percentage (.898) ever in a 60-point game.

“That was incredible, man,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups exclaimed after Lillard’s performance. “You don’t get to see that very often, to be that efficient. For a guy to score 60 points and only 10 free throws and make nine of them, you’re thinking either this dude has an absurd amount of 3s. It was just incredible how efficient he was.”

Lillard also proved to be a highly-precise shooter from distance, scoring nine three-pointers to tie for the second-most in history in a 60-point game. The record for the most three-pointers is also held by Lillard himself.

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Damian Lillard Becomes Trail Blazers’ All-Time Leading Scorer https://sportzbonanza.com/damian-lillard-becomes-trail-blazers-all-time-leading-scorer/ Wed, 21 Dec 2022 06:11:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=19570 Damian Lillard at the Adidas Republic of Sports event in 2017Point guard Damian Lillard has become the Portland Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer, passing Clyde Drexler’s record of 18,040 points in 867 games. Lillard scored 28 points during the Trail Blazers’ 121-123 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, thereby taking his tally to 18,048. Although disappointed to lose the game, Lillard exhibited his […]

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Point guard Damian Lillard has become the Portland Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer, passing Clyde Drexler’s record of 18,040 points in 867 games.

Lillard scored 28 points during the Trail Blazers’ 121-123 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, thereby taking his tally to 18,048. Although disappointed to lose the game, Lillard exhibited his satisfaction with achieving this feat, receiving a standing ovation from the fans at the Paycom Center once the public address announcer informed the crowd of his achievement.

“It’s a great feeling to reach the top,” Lillard exclaimed. “It’s been a goal of mine, and the list has so many players, great history of our organization, so to finally be No. 1 is a special accomplishment that I’m proud of.”

Playing in his 730th game for the Trail Blazers at the time of his achievement, Lillard has been on the team for the entirety of his NBA career. He was selected as the sixth overall pick by the Trail Blazers in the 2012 draft.

Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin thanked Lillard for his hard work and dedication to the team, adding that he looks forward to seeing his future progress.

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Trail Blazers Win NBA Summer League https://sportzbonanza.com/trail-blazers-win-nba-summer-league/ Mon, 18 Jul 2022 06:17:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=18771 Trendon Watford with LSU in 2021The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New York Knicks 85-77 on Sunday to lift the 2022 NBA summer league championship, marking the team’s third appearance in the final and second title since 2017. With 19 points and seven rebounds for Portland, Trendon Watford was selected as game MVP. “They made a run in I think the […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New York Knicks 85-77 on Sunday to lift the 2022 NBA summer league championship, marking the team’s third appearance in the final and second title since 2017.

With 19 points and seven rebounds for Portland, Trendon Watford was selected as game MVP. “They made a run in I think the late third or the fourth. We stuck together and when we came back in, we turned it up and I’m just proud of all these guys, man,” Watford said following his team’s victory.

Brandon Williams was the leading scorer on the night with 22 points, while the Knicks had five players who scored within doubles figures, led by Quentin Grimes with 19 points, who was followed by Miles McBride with 17 points, Jericho Sims with 13, and Feron Hunt, and Micah Potter with 10 points each.

On the back foot for much of the first quarter, two back-to-back 3-pointers put the Blazers back in the game with a 21-14 lead. Seven 3-pointers later, the Trail Blazers built an 11-point lead over the Knicks. From there, Portland expanded their lead to 16 points in the third quarter before wrapping up the game in the final quarter.

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Blazers Ink Superstar Damian Lillard to a 2-Year, $122 Million Extension https://sportzbonanza.com/blazers-ink-superstar-damian-lillard-to-a-2-year-122-million-extension/ Sun, 10 Jul 2022 06:17:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=18656 Damian Lillard at the Adidas Republic of Sports event in 2017The Portland Trail Blazers are doubling down on their commitment to superstar guard Damian Lillard. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Lillard and Blazers agreed to a two-year extension that is worth $122 million. With the extension in place, Lillard is now under contract with Portland through the 2026-27 season. The last year of his deal […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers are doubling down on their commitment to superstar guard Damian Lillard. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Lillard and Blazers agreed to a two-year extension that is worth $122 million.

With the extension in place, Lillard is now under contract with Portland through the 2026-27 season. The last year of his deal is reportedly a player option. He is set to earn $137 million in the next three years before the extension kicks in.

Around the same time last year, it seemed that Lillard was closer to leaving the Blazers than staying in Portland. The franchise has underperformed, and there was a sense the Blazers would rather trade their star player than offer him a new contract that will pay him around $60 million when he’s 35. However, the lack of deals to be made and the risk of alienating their fan base prevailed, and the Blazers are not all-in on Lillard, for better or worse.

Damian Lillard had a testing 2021-22 season that saw him play only 29 games before being shut down with an abdominal injury. The time he did spend on the court saw him average 24.0 points, which was his lowest since 2014 while shooting a career-low 40.2 percent from the field and 32.4 percent behind the three-point line.

The Blazers went to tanking mode after Lillard’s injury and missed the playoffs, but there were several positives for the franchise. Their young guard Anfernee Simons got an opportunity to shine and develop into a valuable contributor, while Portland also got a high pick in the 2022 NBA Draft that they used to select highly-rated small forward Shaedon Sharpe.

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Portland Trail Blazers Expected to Release PG Eric Bledsoe https://sportzbonanza.com/portland-trail-blazers-expected-to-release-pg-eric-bledsoe/ Wed, 06 Jul 2022 19:28:00 +0000 https://sportzbonanza.com/?p=18632 Eric Bledsoe with the Phoenix Suns in 2017The Portland Trail Blazers will reportedly make some room in their backcourt by parting ways with veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe. The team will make a move in the coming days in order to avoid being on the hook for his $19.375 million salary in 2022-23. According to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, Bledsoe won’t have […]

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The Portland Trail Blazers will reportedly make some room in their backcourt by parting ways with veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe. The team will make a move in the coming days in order to avoid being on the hook for his $19.375 million salary in 2022-23.

According to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, Bledsoe won’t have trouble finding a new landing spot when he hits the free-agent market as several teams are already interested in his services.

This recent development means that Bledsoe will leave Portland without ever actually suiting up for the Trail Blazers. He joined the franchise in February as part of the trade that sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the LA Clippers. But at that point, the Blazers were already in tanking mode and preferred to give the spotlight to their younger players.

In the first part of the 2021-22 NBA season, Bledsoe played 54 games with the Clippers and averaged 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. This was his worst outing since his third year as a pro, which curiously was also with the Clippers.

Eric Bledsoe, the 18th overall pick in 2010, also played with the Phoenix Suns, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the New Orleans Pelicans while in the NBA. His career stats include 13.7 points, 3.9 boards, and 4.7 assists per game. Bledsoe has two NBA All-Defensive nods on his resume.

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