Contract Decision Looms for Wade Baldwin After Strong Summer League

Wade Baldwin IV was among the best players in NBA Summer League and it couldn’t have been a better time to showcase his talents to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers have until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday to decide on Baldwin’s non-guaranteed 2018-19 contract. Portland can cut his approximately $1.54 million salary before it becomes guaranteed on 7/19, but Baldwin is feeling good about his chances to make the team, courtesy of Jamie Hudson of NBC Sports Northwest:

“The resume is out there. It’s up for whatever team it is or Portland to make a decision on what they want to do with me. I felt like I left it all out there and did the best I could,” Baldwin said with a smile.

Second-year player Zach Collins highlighted Baldwin’s leadership that was key to Portland’s Summer League run:

“We have a really good leader in Wade Baldwin at the point guard position and that’s huge coming into Summer League, being able to control the game. Summer League sometimes is really chaotic, he did a really good job of being our floor general,” Collins said.

Portland waived Georgios Papagiannis Tuesday night, who also had a non-guaranteed 2018-19 contract. He’s expected to sign in Greece.

Baldwin averaged 13.4 points, 7.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per game with the Blazers in Summer League. He is a former first-round pick of the Memphis Grizzlies, but he was waived one year after being the No. 17 overall pick.