Where Every Trail Blazers Player Stands Heading Into a Crucial Offseason

The Trail Blazers' roster will be different next year. It has to be, after a 33-49 finish and a second straight trip to the lottery.

General manager Joe Cronin has telegraphed his ambitions of making a big trade to build a contender around Damian Lillard, and that trade will have to involve some of the current roster. They also have free-agency decisions to make on some key players and some of the younger pieces they brought in at the deadline.

With just over two months to go until free agency opens on June 30, it's worth taking a look at all 17 players on the roster, where they stand going into the summer and whether they might be a part of the plans going forward, based on what I know and what I've heard.

Damian Lillard

2022-23 Stats: 58 games, 36.3 minutes, 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists per game, 46.3 FG%, 37.1 3P%.

Contract Status: $45.6 million in 2023-24, $48.7 million in 2024-25, $58.5 million in 2025-26, $63.2 million player option in 2026-27.

Not much to say here. Lillard had one of, if not the best season of his career and is still as good as he's ever been after missing most of last season to recover from a core muscle surgery. He'll be the focal point of the entire organization until he decides not to be, and there's—still—no indication that's imminent, no matter how many national podcasts and debate shows try to speak it into existence.

Cronin has not hidden that his entire objective in the next year is to put the best team around Lillard possible. We'll see if that effort is successful, and if it's not, the conversation could change. But the bottom line is Lillard has shown beyond all doubt that he's still very much worth franchise-player commitment going into his age-33 season.

Jerami Grant

2022-23 Stats: 63 games, 35.7 minutes, 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists per game, 47.5 FG%, 40.1 3P%.

Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent.

Grant's future has been a source of much discussion because he hasn't signed the four-year, $112 million extension the Blazers have had on the table for him since January. As the season went south, it became more of a talking point in some corners of the fanbase that they could lose last offseason's biggest upgrade, who has been just as good as advertised in his first season in Portland, for nothing.

As I've been saying and writing for weeks, those concerns are overblown. The Blazers did not trade for Grant, at Lillard's urging, only to let him walk after one season, and Grant is happy and comfortable in Portland. The reason he turned down the extension is because waiting until the summer allows him to get a fifth year and more than the $28 million annual salary he was eligible to sign for during the season.

Grant recently switched agencies and is now represented by Klutch. And while that may seem on the surface like a bad sign for the Blazers' ability to keep him, it's actually the opposite. The agency came to prominence through Rich Paul's association with LeBron James and has a heavy influence within the Lakers, but there are other organizations that have long-standing relationships with them, including Portland. Chauncey Billups is a Klutch client through their coaching division, and Jusuf Nurkic is also represented by Klutch. Don't think the conversations about what Grant's next deal will look like haven't already taken place.

It might not happen at 12:01 on June 30 for optics reasons, but it won't be very long into free agency that the Blazers and Grant have a new deal, likely somewhere in the range of five years and $150 million, a bump up from the four years and $112 million he was eligible for during the season but far less than the $233 million that's the most he could sign for. Whatever the final number ends up being, Grant will be back.

Anfernee Simons

2022-23 Stats: 62 games, 35 minutes, 21.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists per game, 44.7 FG%, 37.7 3P%.

Contract Status: $24.1 million in 2023-24, $25.9 million in 2024-25, $27.6 million in 2025-26.

Simons' future in Portland is going to be interesting to watch play out. People in the organization are adamant that he and Lillard can be a long-term fit together in the backcourt, and maybe they can. But the previous front office felt similarly about Lillard and C.J. McCollum, and that ran its course after a while. It's not an apples-to-apples comparison—Simons is a better finisher and playmaker than McCollum was. Still, the same size issues and defensive limitations that were there for that pairing exist here.

The other reality is that if the Blazers want to trade for a true second star next to Lillard, there are only so many ways to do that, both financially and in terms of attractiveness of their offer. It becomes a lot easier on both fronts if they're willing to include Simons. His $24.1 million salary goes a long way here (Simons plus Jusuf Nurkic gets you to around $40 million, which is enough to match most max deals), and a 23-year-old with star upside on a value contract is someone other teams could want.

This is going to be one of the defining developments of the Blazers' offseason, one way or the other.

Jusuf Nurkic

2022-23 Stats: 52 games, 28.8 minutes, 13.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists per game, 51.9 FG%, 36.1 3P%.

Contract Status: $16.8 million in 2023-24, $18.1 million in 2024-25, $19.3 million in 2025-26.

At this point in his career, what Nurkic was this season is what he is. His playmaking and improved three-point shooting are counteracted by subpar finishing for a post player. When he's fully engaged, he's an impactful rim protector, but that comes and goes. He's essentially a league-average starting center, and has trouble staying healthy. He probably received too much blame from fans over the course of the season for the way things went, but a team with playoff aspirations needs more from that spot.

It's hard to say anything with certainty, and we're coming off two consecutive trade deadlines where it looked like a lock Nurkic would be traded and he wasn't. I know this, though: he isn't the long-term starting center, and they know it. The contract he signed last summer was payback to Klutch for letting them shut him down in a contract year, and the intention was always to move it. They tried at the deadline and didn't find many options they liked.

There might be more of a market this summer for a standalone deal, or he could just be added salary to make the money work in a trade for a bigger name, should one come to fruition. I don't want to put a percentage on it, because I've been wrong about this before, but if Nurkic is still in Portland when training camp opens, something didn't go according to plan.

Shaedon Sharpe

2022-23 Stats: 80 games, 22.2 minutes, 9.9 points, 3 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game, 47.2 FG%, 36 3P%.

Contract Status: $6.3 million in 2023-24, $6.6 million team option in 2024-25, $8.4 million team option in 2025-26.

In a development that surprised many (including myself), Sharpe was in the rotation from day one of his rookie season and never left it. It was an up-and-down experience, as it usually is for rookies trying to figure out how to play at the pro level. But everyone—both fans and those in the organization—had to be encouraged by what they saw over the final three weeks of the season, once Lillard, Simons and Grant were shut down and Sharpe was handed the keys to the offense. The future star potential came into focus and he's making a strong case as a future piece to build around.

With that said, I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility Sharpe is traded this summer. If Cronin wants to swing a deal for the kind of needle-moving second star he talks about going all-in for, he'd better have a pretty good centerpiece for an offer. And right now, the Blazers' two best trade assets are Sharpe and the lottery pick they'll have in June (presuming that pick isn't No. 1, in which case I'm very confident it would be off the table). Sharpe helped his "blue-chip prospect" status with his final month of the season and opened eyes around the league. It's just a matter of whether that manifests itself in the Blazers keeping him and building with him or including him in an offer for an established star. It could go either way depending on who comes available and when.

Matisse Thybulle

2022-23 Stats (Post-Trade Deadline): 22 games, 27.7 minutes, 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.7 steals per game, 43.8 FG%, 38.8 3P%.

Contract Status: Restricted free agent.

After falling out of favor in Philadelphia, Thybulle got a fresh start with the Blazers at the trade deadline and made the most of it. He quickly became a regular starter, made an immediate impact on the defensive end and proved to be a more willing—and accurate—shooter than he was with the Sixers.

As a restricted free agent, Portland will be able to match any offer sheet Thybulle gets from another team, but re-signing him will be a priority for the front office and it's likely they'll get a deal done before he has the chance to go test the market. The interest is mutual—the Seattle native has talked more than once following the deadline about how happy he is to be back in the Pacific Northwest. It would be a real shock if he's not back. (The fact that Thybulle's agent, Aaron Goodwin, also represents Lillard is a factor here, too.)

Cam Reddish

2022-23 Stats (Post-Trade Deadline): 20 games, 27.6 minutes, 11 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals per game, 44.3 FG%, 31.8 3P%.

Contract Status: Restricted free agent.

Like Thybulle, Reddish took advantage of a change of scenery in Portland, having fallen completely out of the rotation in New York. On a contending team, he's probably an eighth or ninth man, but since coming to Portland he proved he's a more than serviceable rotation player, if a little inconsistent. The Knicks didn't find much of a market for Reddish at the deadline, and that probably won't change this summer, so the Blazers could have an opportunity to retain a young, talented wing with size on a value contract and hope he continues to improve with a full training camp with the organization.

There's a chance Reddish will be back if the number is right, but it's not a sure thing. Depending on what else happens when it comes to Cronin's stated plan of adding veteran help, there may be a roster crunch and some of the younger players who aren't solidified in the rotation might be casualties, even if the organization likes them. Reddish could go either way.

Nassir Little

2022-23 Stats: 54 games, 18.1 minutes, 6.6 points, 2.6 rebounds per game, 44.2 FG%, 36.7 3P%.

Contract Status: $6.2 million in 2023-24, $6.7 million in 2024-25, $7.2 million in 2025-26, $7.7 million in 2026-27.

Before the season began, Little signed a four-year, $28 million extension with the Blazers. The deal raised some eyebrows, because it was a lower number than most rookie-scale extensions, but Little's reasoning at the time was that the peace of mind that came with long-term security in a situation he liked was more important than "betting on himself" to get more as a restricted free agent.

In retrospect, signing that deal was the right move, because Little had a decidedly up-and-down fourth season. He missed six weeks with a hip injury and saw his minutes and role fluctuate throughout the year before his season ended at the end of March with an ankle injury. Shortly after the end of the season, Little underwent another core muscle procedure on his right side, similar to the left-side procedure he had last offseason. (It's not believed to be serious.)

Little has shown enough for the Blazers to feel comfortable keeping him as a rotation player, although his consistency needs to improve on the defensive end. Having productive young players on cheap long-term contracts is a positive for teams hoping to do the kind of star-hunting Portland wants to do this summer, because they'll need to fill out the rest of the roster around the big names.

Justise Winslow

2022-23 Stats: 29 games, 26.8 minutes, 6.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.0 steals per game, 40.9 FG%, 31.1 3P%.

Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent.

As has been the case for most of his career, Winslow's season was done in by injuries. He suffered a pretty severe left ankle sprain in December and never played after that, eventually undergoing a bone marrow injection to alleviate discomfort, followed by a surgery at the end of March. It's a shame, because Winslow was a valuable contributor on both ends of the floor before he got hurt.

Given his injury issues not just this year but throughout his career (he's only played 50 or more games three times in eight seasons), it's unlikely Winslow will have a huge market in free agency. He was a good fit in Portland when healthy and is popular with his teammates (his young son, Nico, was a constant presence in the locker room throughout the season), so it's not completely impossible that he's back if they're encouraged by where his ankle is, but that's a big "if." It's not a great sign that a sprain from December eventually required two different procedures before the end of the season.

Kevin Knox II

2022-23 Stats (Post-Trade Deadline): 21 games, 17.1 minutes, 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds per game, 44.4 FG%, 31.4 3P%.

Contract Status: $3 million team option in 2023-24.

Knox joined the Blazers at the deadline as part of the four-team trade that sent Gary Payton II back to Golden State. A former lottery pick who didn't pan out with three other teams, he didn't get much meaningful playing time in Portland until they pulled the plug on the season, which should tell you plenty about his future here. Knox showed enough in the final games to stay in the league somewhere. But if Cronin is explicitly promising to add more veterans this offseason, a few of the young "project" players will get squeezed out just for the sake of opening roster spots, and that group likely includes Knox.

The team has until June 29 to decide on Knox's team option for next season. I would guess they wait it out until then, in case they need to use his $3 million salary in a trade around the time of the draft. If they don't, expect them to decline his option and use that money elsewhere.

Drew Eubanks

2022-23 Stats: 78 games, 20.3 minutes, 6.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks per game, 64.1 FG%.

Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent.

Due to the Blazers' lack of frontcourt depth and Nurkic's injuries, Eubanks was asked to play a bigger role this season than he was expected to or, frankly, probably should. But he did the best he could and, while he was overmatched against bigger centers, he's definitely a rotation player who adds value as a rim-runner and screen-setter. Billups loves him, and he loves playing in his hometown. He won't command huge money on the open market, so don't be surprised to see him stick around, ideally with a role more in line with who he is as a player if Cronin addresses the size issue in the offseason as he should.

Keon Johnson

2022-23 Stats: 40 games, 10.4 minutes, 4.7 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game, 37.6 FG%, 34.6 3P%.

Contract Status: $2.8 million in 2023-24, $4.4 million team option in 2024-25.

Johnson came into the season with a lot of internal hype. On media day in September, Lillard gave him some unprompted praise as a player that made a lot of improvements in the offseason. That promise never really translated in his second season. He missed a chunk of time with a hip injury and never got into the rotation playing behind Lillard and Simons. And just when they shut everyone down at the end of the season, Johnson suffered a broken finger that ended his year, robbing him of what would have been some valuable extended reps.

Johnson still has two more years on his rookie deal at a cheap salary, so it's safe to assume he'll be around unless he's included in a trade. He's likely to play at Summer League.

Trendon Watford

2022-23 Stats: 62 games, 19.1 minutes, 7.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists per game, 56 FG%, 39.1 3P%.

Contract Status: $1.8 million non-guaranteed in 2023-24, $1.9 million team option in 2024-25.

Of the Blazers' younger players not named Shaedon Sharpe, Watford is the one that made the most visible strides this season. He was in and out of the rotation early, but after Nurkic's calf injury he started playing more regularly. Long-term, he's more of a power forward than a center, but he's a useful, versatile player with a knack for playmaking that's uncommon for his size. He's under contract for two more years on a cheap deal and has absolutely done enough to be a part of the future.

Jabari Walker

2022-23 Stats: 56 games, 11.1 minutes, 3.9 points, 2.3 rebounds per game, 41.9 FG%.

Contract Status: $1.7 million partially guaranteed in 2023-24, $2 million non-guaranteed in 2024-25.

Walker's playing time was inconsistent, but he showed enough in his rookie season for the organization to feel confident that he's going to be a useful rotation player next year and beyond. He has two years left on his contract at a low number. Look for him to play at Summer League again and, ideally, carve out a bigger role next season.

Jeenathan Williams

2022-23 Stats: 5 games, 25.4 minutes, 10.4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists per game, 61.5 FG%, 37.5 3P%.

Contract Status: $1.7 million non-guaranteed in 2023-24.

The Blazers signed Williams out of the G League near the end of the year just to have another body. It's hard to read too much into his play, good or bad, in five completely meaningless games. His salary for next year is fully non-guaranteed, so he'll probably play at Summer League and be in training camp.

Ibou Badji

2022-23 Stats: Did not play.

Contract Status: Restricted free agent, two-way.

Badji didn't play a minute for the Blazers this year, which was by design. They signed him as a developmental project, and he underwent season-ending knee surgery in March. If he's fully recovered by July, expect him to play at Summer League. I will also plug the feature I wrote last month on his fascinating journey to the Blazers from Senegal, if you want to know more about him.

John Butler, Jr.

2022-23 Stats: 19 games, 11.6 minutes, 2.4 points per game, 32.1 FG%.

Contract Status: Restricted free agent, two-way.

Like Badji, Butler was signed more as a prospect to develop for the future than as a contributor now. Unlike Badji, Butler actually got on the court a little bit—a handful of appearances in garbage time for the Blazers and a promising stint in the G League near the end of the season. There isn't nearly enough film or data to draw any conclusions about where he is as a player or how much of a role he will have in future years. He'll probably also play at Summer League.