Will Trail Blazers Fully Guarantee Contract of Young Wing This Year?

Portland should really considering locking in this young talent.

Mar 20, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; LA Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) shoots the ball over Portland Trail Blazers guard Dalano Banton (5)] and Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) in the second quarter at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports / Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

The Portland Trail Blazers have had a fairly slow offseason this summer.

Rip City general manager Joe Cronin flipped three of the team's four picks in June's 2024 NBA Draft in various deals, including the No. 14 lottery pick in its deal to obtain young small forward Deni Avdija from the Washington Wizards. Acquiring Avdija was more about ditching the cumbersome deal of veteran point guard Malcolm Brogdon and saving cash. The team used its lone remaining pick, No. 7 overall, on former two-time University of Connecticut Huskies NCAA champion center Donovan Clingan. In a final bit of business (so far), Portland also added veteran journeyman point guard Devonte' Graham.

Dalano Banton is signed to a partially guaranteed deal. He is currently owed only $217,533. The Trail Blazers already picked up their club option on the second year of his deal, for 2024-25. $1,098,485 of his contract becomes guaranteed on opening night, while the full $2,196,970 becomes completely guaranteed on January 10, 2025.

Banton inked a two-season, $4.2 million deal with the Boston Celtics last summer, and was flipped to the Trail Blazers for a second round draft pick at last February's trade deadline. The 6-foot-9 point forward instantly blossomed on his third NBA franchise, and suddenly looks like a possible long-term keeper. Across 30 contests (eight starts), Banton averaged career highs of 16.7 points (on a .408/.311/.780 slash line), 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.2 blocks per bout.

The Nebraska product, still just 24, will look to further test his mettle in his upcoming fourth NBA season. Given that Portland wasn't playing for much by the time Banton came aboard, it remains to be seen just how much he can positively affect winning on a contending team. But he'll have plenty of opportunities to build out his highlight reel this season, ahead of his unrestricted free agency in 2025.

Graham, too, is not guaranteed his full salary just yet. He was signed by the Trail Blazers on a one-year, partially guaranteed deal that will pay him $2,613,120 — should it become fully guaranteed.

Read More: Trail Blazers Signing First Free Agent of 2024 with Bizarre Addition: Report

Banton and Graham are the only players signed to the team's 15-man standard roster who are not on guaranteed contracts.

Banton, especially, could get extended run, depending on what the Trail Blazers decide to do about the contracts of veteran wings like Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle and Jerami Grant.

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