Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin Agrees to Multi-Year Extension

Portland general manager Joe Cronin is signing a long-term deal to oversee the franchise's front office for foreseeable future.

Oct 25, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA: Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin smiles as players warm up before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images / Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin has agreed to a long-term extension to stick around Portland for a good long while.

ESPN's Shams Charania reports that Cronin is inking a "multi-year" contract extension. The 35-44 Trail Blazers have gone 22-16 since January 19, Charania notes, and have shown massive defensive improvement, rankings among the top five in defensive efficiency over that stretch.

Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin has agreed to a multiyear contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. Blazers have 35 victories, a 14-win improvement so far – and are 22-16 since Jan. 19 while ranking top-5 in defensive efficiency during that span. pic.twitter.com/gVnc8KSHXD

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 7, 2025

Cronin got his start as Portland's basketball operations intern in 2006. He was then promoted to a role as a pro scout/salary cap analyst in 2010, and transitioned to a gig as the team's director of player personnel in 2014. He was promoted to a role as Portland's assistant general manager ahead of the 2021-22 season, in a fortuitous moment.

After Portland fired former general manager Neil Olshey in December 2021, his new assistant took over on an interim basis. Cronin was officially brought in as the Trail Blazers' 11th general manager in May of that same season, inking a four-year deal to steward the franchise.

More Portland Trail Blazers: Hilariously Cringe Blazers vs Bulls Sequence Goes Viral

Since taking over, Cronin has overseen deals to offload Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, Josh Hart, Jusuf Nurkic, Larry Nance Jr., Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Covington.

Cronin has selected hyper-athletic shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe out of Kentucky with the No. 7 pick and forward Jabari Walker with the No. 57 pick out of Colorado in the 2022 NBA Draft, rising point guard Scoot Henderson with the No. 3 selection, forward Kris Murray out of Iowa with the No. 23 pick, and wing Rayan Rupert at No. 43 in 2023, and defense-first center Donovan Clingan with the No. 7 pick out of Connecticut in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Beyond the Sharpe pick, Cronin's biggest successes have come in the form of two under-the-radar trades.

6-foot-8 combo forward Toumani Camara, selected as the No. 52 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Dayton by the Phoenix Suns, was merely a throw-in piece in Portland's blockbuster three-team Damian Lillard trade with the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns.

More Portland Trail Blazers: Blazers Legend Carmelo Anthony Inducted into Pro Basketball Hall of Fame

In 75 games this year, Camara has been averaging 11.2 points on .462/.375/.721 shooting splits, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists. The 24-year-old Belgian has already emerged as a top perimeter defender, and looks like a major roster piece going forward.

Cronin flipped Portland's rights to the No. 14 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and the expiring contract of Brogdon to acquire 6-foot-9 former lottery pick Deni Avdija from the Washington Wizards, a controversial deal at the time that has already been paying major dividends. Avdija has emerged as a consistent triple-double threat for the Trail Blazers and possibly their best prospect.

Across his last 20 games, he's been averaging 23.3 points on .508/.417/.782 shooting splits, 9.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.0 steals a night. Through 72 games this year, the 24-year-old is averaging 16.9 points while slashing .476/.365/.780, 7.3 boards, 3.9 dimes, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks per.

Now, Cronin will have an opportunity to add at least one more lottery piece to an intriguing young core, in what's expected to be a loaded 2025 NBA Draft. What Cronin elects to do regarding the future of fourth-year head coach Chauncey Billups is perhaps his next big moment as a GM.

More Portland Trail Blazers: 

Former Blazers Hall of Famer Calls Out Organization

New Trade Proposal Sees Blazers Send Out Center to Lakers

Blazers Could Send $100M Vet to Lakers in Massive New Trade Proposal: Report

For more news and notes on the Portland Trail Blazers, visit Portland Trail Blazers on SI.