The Portland Trail Blazers have a relatively strong record in recent years of the NBA Summer League. Portland clinched the title in 2018 and then again in 2022 despite a 27-55 record in the regular season. However, most of the players on the Blazers 2022 summer league team did not end up sticking in Portland, and as a result, the Blazers had another unfavorable season.
Portland made some interesting choices in the 2024 NBA Draft, specifically trading its 14th pick in the first round and Malcolm Brogdon for Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija. This sparked social media discourse on the Blazers’ future, as trading a first-round pick for Avdija — not starting in Washington — isn’t a conventional route toward success.
However, the only way to see if these trades and draft picks pay off is through the NBA Summer League. The Summer League allows for a chance to see how up-and-coming players showcase their talents and adapt to the high-stress environment of the NBA.
And based on the Blazers’ first two games in the summer league, it looks like it will be an upward battle for Portland.
On Saturday, the Blazers faced off against the San Antonio Spurs to showcase their new talent. However, with the lackluster performance, expectations of the incoming Portland players are relatively low.
In the draft, the Blazers utilized their first pick for University of Connecticut center Donovan Clingan. Hailing from this year’s March Madness winning team, Clingan averaged 13 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, making him a solid center for the victorious team. So far, though, he isn’t living up to those high expectations.
To be fair to Clingan, he has only played one game in a Portland jersey and is cognizant that it was not his best performance. Expected to be the roster star, he did well in rebounding with 13 total, but he only tallied four points, made no three-point shots, and was one-for-eight from the field. He did slightly better in the second game against the Philadelphia 76ers, with eight points and 11 rebounds. His height and size make him a great presence around the rim, something the Blazers have been missing. But he still has some work to do.
The Blazers’ top point producer in the first summer league game came off the bench from Alex Reese, who was brought to Portland’s summer league team from its G-League team, the Rip City Remix. Against the Spurs, Reese tallied 16 points off the bench in his Blazers debut despite only playing 13 minutes.
On Monday against the 76ers, point production across the roster was higher from most players, with guard Bryce McGowens leading the charge. Despite his +/- being -11, he tallied 20 points in 21 minutes, going eight-for-eight on his free throws and leading Portland to a 97-95 victory.
Additionally, the Blazers have four bench players who haven’t touched the court. Interestingly, all four of them are international players, hailing from Asia and Europe. Only one of the four has collegiate or G-League experience playing in the United States — Olivier Nkamhoua. Nkamhoua played for the extremely low-performing University of Michigan this season, not even qualifying for the NIT Tournament. However, Nkamhoua was a diamond on a dull team, carrying the roster on his shoulders until an injury. That being said, it will be interesting to see if Nkamhoua and the other international bench players see the court during the tournament.
Portland has an interesting Summer League schedule. Halfway through, it has an even record, with upcoming games against the Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Hornets. The players on the Summer League roster are all fighting to prove their worth to the Blazers roster.
