LAS VEGAS -- The Trail Blazers had interest in both Jerami Grant and Matisse Thybulle for years, and in the last 12 months, they managed to acquire both players, one during the 2022 offseason and the other at the 2023 NBA trade deadline.
But while acquiring players via trade is one thing, retaining those players is entirely another, and that’s especially true for those who are going into free agency. Sometimes the fear of using assets in trades, only to potentially lose those players in free agency, is reason enough for teams to avoid making deals for those in the last years of their contracts, and one imagines that might be even more of an issue in Portland, a wonderful city and fan base, but not exactly a free agent destination.
So getting Grant and Thybulle on the roster was an important first step, but keeping them on the roster was arguably the more difficult task, one Joe Cronin and the Trail Blazers managed to accomplish when they signed both to new, long-term contracts over the last few days while the team has been in Las Vegas for summer league.
“A huge priority for us was retaining both of these guys, so this is a great day for us in order to have these two both with our team long-term,” said Cronin. “Two critically important players to our team and two terrific guys that are not just great leaders in our locker room but great in our community as well.”
Considering Portland’s record over the last few seasons and the uncertainty regarding other players on the roster, one might imagine the task of retaining players has gotten more difficult. But both Grant and Thybulle seemed to indicate their decisions were relatively easy.
For Grant, the environment that Cronin and Billups have fostered was an important factor in his decision to re-up in Portland, reportedly for the next five seasons.
“When I got here I think right away it was the family setting for me, being with Chauncey, with Joe,” said Grant, who brought his newborn daughter to the press conference announcing the signings. “That was a big factor for me in coming back. And I think we’re still moving in the right direction. I trust Joe, I trust Chauncey, so I’m looking forward to what we do next.”
As for Thybulle, as a restricted free agent, the Trail Blazers had the right to match the offer the 6-5 guard/forward recieved from the Dallas Mavericks, so he had a bit less choice than Grant. But the trust and increased role he was given once he arrived in Portland after being acquired via trade from Philadelphia made his free agency a no-lose situation.
“I got here and I immediately stepped into a bigger role than what I’ve had. It felt really good and it was an opportunity for me to showcase a little bit more,” said Thybulle. “I was grateful to be able to step up and rise up to the occasion as well. I think as I grow as a player and as this team grows as a group, I think that’s going to be a natural process that takes place.”
With Grant and Thybulle now under contract, the team will now look to fill out the roster, presumably both through trades and free agency. There’s an assumption that the Trail Blazers, after drafting Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson in consecutive drafts, might prioritize youth over winning, but the signings of both Grant and Thybulle, and Cronin’s own words, would indicate that winning is still very much the priority.
“Our goal is to win and keep moving forward,” said Cronin. “We feel like our talent base is high. We’ve got these two guys, Jerami and Matisse, we’ve got some really good, young guards, we’ve got some other players that are here with us and other guys that we’ll add. Our goal is to keep pushing forward. We have a really talented group and we’re excited to see them grow together.”