Trail Blazers Get A G League Affiliate, Finally.
By STEVEN VAUGHAN, 750 THE GAME
The G League is coming to Portland!
At long last, the Trail Blazers will have their own G League affiliate, leaving the Phoenix Suns as the only NBA team with a minor league affiliate.
The unnamed G League team will be playing their home games in Portland at the Chiles Center, which is the home court for the University of Portland, for the 2023-24 season. This is the 31st team in the G League which is a record for the league. There are now 29 G League teams with NBA team affiliates.
Players, coaches, and staff will all be named at a later point. The Blazers can have three two-way players on the roster which means that those players can play in the G League and the Trail Blazers can retain their rights and have them also play for the Blazers. This can be important in case of injuries. The Blazers will have some players close to the team that have knowledge of the NBA play style.
To finish the 2022-23 NBA season, nine Trail Blazers had NBA G League experience: Ibou Badji, John Butler Jr., Chance Comanche, Drew Eubanks, Keon Johnson, Skylar Mays, Justin Minaya, Anfernee Simons and Jeenathan Williams.
Since the NBA G League was established in 2001, Portland has called up a total of 20 players, including 13 over the last two seasons. The Trail Blazers have assigned 27 players to the NBA G League for development or injury rehabilitation while Portland assistant coaches Jonah Herscu, Steve Hetzel and Roy Rogers spent time coaching in the G League.
“It was very important to our organization to enter the G League with an affiliate here in Portland and strategically strengthen our dedication to player development,” said Trail Blazers GM, Joe Cronin in a statement. “I would especially like to thank Jody Allen, who is aligned with Dewayne Hankins and myself, to make it a priority to have this team ready for next season as it will serve not only as a developmental tool for players but also for aspiring coaches and staff while we continue to be a mainstay in the community as a whole.”
The G League is a nice affordable family-friendly way to watch some of the best basketball players in the world in the city of Portland. The team name, logo, and colors will be announced later this Summer.